Hi everyone! Welcome back. And thank you for being here.
When I started writing my debut novel, the thing that intimidated me most was the word count.
The very first version was only forty-five pages. It’s now over three hundred. But at the time, the idea of writing that much felt overwhelming. I didn’t know how long a chapter was supposed to be. I kept seeing people query novels at ninety thousand words, while my second draft barely scraped fifty thousand.
But it wasn’t just the number.
It was the words themselves.
There are only so many words the average person actively knows. Writing isn’t just putting them on the page—it’s using them differently. Finding new ways to describe a look, a feeling, a moment. Over and over again. That part was daunting.
By the final draft, The Letter Numbered Ten landed at about seventy thousand words. I’d been so deep in it for so long that I started forgetting basic vocabulary. I distinctly remember Googling, “What do you call it when rulership passes from father to son… like in England?”
(The answer was monarchy.)
At one point, I even asked GPT, “What do you call it when people are shooting back and forth… you know, shots flying everywhere?”
It very politely replied: “A firefight?”
By that stage, I was too tired to feel embarrassed.
That’s when I learned something important: you need breaks from writing. Some time when you don’t have to think about words at all. Time to let other people use them for you.
That’s why, no matter how much I write, I’ll always be an avid reader. It’s a mental release that nothing else really replaces.
Has anything like this ever happened to you?
You can use the link below if you’d like to share your own funny stories or send feedback.
New Content
It Ends With Us: Excellent or Excruciating
In this piece, I take a close, critical look at It Ends With Us and the conversations it sparked for me as a reader. Rather than offering a simple verdict, I break down the characters, their choices, and the way the story frames accountability, trauma, and responsibility. It’s an honest analysis of what worked for me, what didn’t, and why this book continues to provoke such strong reactions.
If you’ve read it and felt conflicted, or had a very clear reaction either way, this article is an invitation to think it through together.
On YouTube
Alston Stories will be making its way to YouTube very soon.
The channel will feature calm storytimes, chapter-by-chapter summaries, character deep dives, and thoughtful discussions on themes across a wide range of books. I’ll also be recommending series we can read together along the way.
The first video is tentatively scheduled for mid-January, and subscribers will be the first to know the exact release date.
In the meantime, there are community posts, polls, and other interactive content already live. You can use the link below to subscribe so you don’t miss a single update.
Coming Soon!
Maya Banks May Be My Favorite Author
I get bored easily as a reader, which is why I’ve moved through a wide range of genres and authors over the years. But Maya Banks has never failed to keep me engaged. She can write a tender historical romance, switch you over into high-octane suspense, then deliver a kinky series you didn’t know you wanted.
No matter the genre all of her books are written with the same level of world quality and deep character development. I’ll be exploring her work as a whole and highlighting the books I simply couldn’t put down.
Fair warning: if you choose to read one of these series, you may not be able to stop. Consider this your notice to charge your Kindle.
Also
A chapter-by-chapter walkthrough of The Selection series is coming to YouTube. Each video breaks down key moments, character decisions, and underlying themes in a calm, structured format designed for listeners who enjoy detailed but steady story discussions.
Curious about The Letter Numbered Ten?
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