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DCDubsWrites

Writer | Reader | Dreamer

Writing Experiences

Writing Tips: Writing Retreat

About D.C. Dubs

Published Works

2024

  • My creative non-fiction piece, “What My 22-Year-Old Self Didn’t Know” will be published in PublishHer’s Dear Body anthology! Currently available for pre-order, you can also learn about how I wrote this piece here.
  • My middle grade fantasy story, “The Purpose of Flowers,” was just published by PaperBound Magazine’s Spring-Summer 2024 Issue! Fun fact: I’ve had the idea of girl with flowers for skin for YEARS, and I’m so glad I could finally bring her to life.
  • I co-wrote a story with the fantastic author Sky Sprayberry for Icebreakers Lit! Read our short story, “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” (yes, our love of 90s music did play a role in this) here!

2022

  • My personal essay, “To Courtney, With Love” was published on HerStry for their monthly theme of Women Who Teach. It’s a love letter to my best friend and fellow English teacher, who I met at work. Check it out here!

2021

The true story of my proposal, “Someday,” was published in the anthology How I Met My Other: True Engagements, Forever Love! Check out the website here for more information!

2020

  • My flash piece, “Hope,” was published in the thirteenth issue of The A3 Review, a magazine that behaves like a map (according to its website!). Shaun Levin, the founder, is also the creator of WritingMaps, an excellent writing resource. Check it out here!
  • “The Cursed Princess,” a middle-grade fantasy short story, was published in Chipper Press’s Princess Anthology. It’s actually the backstory of a main character in a middle grade fantasy manuscript I wrote. Check it out here!

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Welcome

Hi! I'm a young adult and middle grade novelist. Here you'll find my short published works, a description of my current projects, and any upcoming announcements. Feel free to peruse my work and help yourself to my freebies, or sign up for my monthly newsletter for what I've learned about the nebulous and intricate world of writing!

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Visit:

  • Home
  • About D.C. Dubs
  • Published Works
  • Middle Grade & YA Novels
  • My Writing
    • Behind the Page: “What My 22-Year-Old Self Didn’t Know”
    • “Miracles”
    • “Tiny Love Story”
    • “Diana, Divine”
  • Resources for Writers
  • Contact
  • Writing Experiences

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dianaceewrites

So relieved I can spend a few days soaking up the So relieved I can spend a few days soaking up the quiet, the sunsets, and the dreams that whisper from the waves ✨

#happyplace #beachvibes #winterbeachwalks
On a simple writing note, I’m thankful for so mu On a simple writing note, I’m thankful for so much. For my four short acceptances. For becoming writing and mom friends with @writtenbysky . For taking a chance with the PocketMFA program, leading me to learn from a wonderful human (idk if she wants to be tagged!) and create another writing critique group. For my writing critique group with @brookecbooks and @sondraee still going. For my husband’s insight on polishing my query letter. For how writing has kept me occupied and busy in the last six months of this separation. For how writing has been so good for me as a person, as a mom. 

I might not be where I want to be yet, but I’m grateful for where I am. 

#thankfultodayandeveryday #grateful #whatayear #writermom #writermomlife
This was a hard week, a sad week, a confusing week This was a hard week, a sad week, a confusing week. But quality time with friends and a cozy fantasy short story contest (submitted today!) gave me the space and joy I need for the fight ahead. Even if my short story doesn’t place, I’ll be grateful for the magic and peace I found there. ✨
#cozyfantasy #cozyfantasyshortstory #allthecozyvibes #shortstorycontest #notebooks #notebooksandflowers #writingescape
Who doesn’t love a themed night? ✨ Missing th Who doesn’t love a themed night? ✨

Missing the margaritas, but we opted for ALL the chocolate 🍫 

#practicalmagic #magicmovienight #fall #midnightmargaritas
It’s here! This beautiful anthology, full of the It’s here! This beautiful anthology, full of these wonderful and raw real stories, is out in the world. And I can’t believe my essay— a short piece comparing my college body and my postpartum body— is there, too. 
🌸
#anthology #postpartumbodylove #postpartumbody #essay
Writing tip: create a word cloud to find your most Writing tip: create a word cloud to find your most used words! This word cloud is just the first half of my story. (It’s split into two separate docs.) I thought I’d find words like “sparkle,” “light,” and “glimmer.” Instead, I found that one of the love interests was mentioned 411 times. 😅 Good? Bad? Hard to say. 
📝
What are some of your most used words? I want to know! 
📝
#wordcloud #mostusedwords #lineedits #writingtime📝 #repeat #editingtime
I took two weeks. Two weeks to vacation with my in I took two weeks. Two weeks to vacation with my in-laws, read some books, marvel at my toddler. Two weeks to devour Love is Blind, see some friends, marvel some more at my toddler. Two weeks to let my story breathe, cut the last flowers of fall, buy my daughter more pumpkins. And now I’m back. Two weeks to finish round 3. 
🎃
#writingbreaks #restandrecharge🔌 #writinglife #revising #editing #momwriterlife #alltheflowers
I had a detailed, month by month outline worked ou I had a detailed, month by month outline worked out… and then a little voice (sounding remarkably like a lovely writing mentor) said, “are you sure you can’t finish this book in a week?” 
Challenge accepted. 
✍️
#amwriting #firstdraftproblems #writerlife #writeronadeadline #deadlinesforwriters #handwrite #writergoals
A farmer’s market with my daughter: a notebook f A farmer’s market with my daughter: a notebook for me, pumpkins for her, cookies for the family. Glee as she points at all the puppies, the satisfaction of taking all the tiny pumpkins out of the box and putting them back in. I tuck the notebook away in my bag along with the burp cloth and sippy cup, my two dreams blending together like a pile of fallen leaves. 
🍂
#happyfall #sliceoflife #creativenonfictionwriters #creativenonfiction #farmersmarkets #writerlife #notebookinspo #newnotebook
I’m 21 or 22 in this picture (in the red). I’m I’m 21 or 22 in this picture (in the red). I’m 3 months away from graduating college, 6 from starting my first year teaching. I’m two years away from meeting the man who would become my husband. There was so much I didn’t know, the least of it being that my body would never be the same in the best possible way. That it would grow and shift and change and adapt as I did. The story of this body, and my postpartum body, will be out for publication in PublishHer’s “Dear Body” anthology later this year. And I couldn’t be more thrilled. 
📚
#publicationannouncement #cnf #creativenonfiction #postpartumbody #growchangeevolve #throwback
The more cozy fantasy I read, the more I realize I The more cozy fantasy I read, the more I realize I belong in this corner. 
✨
#cozyfantasybooks #cantspelltreasonwithouttea #apirateslifefortea #teaandtomes #beachbooks #heartwarmingbooks #bookrec #cozyfantasy
The first day of school was sometime this week. It The first day of school was sometime this week. It might have been the morning my daughter wrestled me for her toothbrush, desperate to do it herself, while I marveled at her independent streak. It might have been the morning she cried for twenty minutes after waking up from her nap for reasons known only to herself. In another life, I wouldn’t have been here. I’d have been there, reassuring students they’d open their lockers and find their class, beam at them and tell them how much I love English and we’re going to have a great year. And I am so glad, so lucky, so grateful, to be here. 
📚
#creativenf #sliceoflife #inanotherlife #stayathomemom #grateful #writerlife
The lake reflected the sunset, the kids were playi The lake reflected the sunset, the kids were playing (or sleeping), and one of my best friends and I decorated our notebooks. Stickers, pens, highlighters, more stickers, washi tape. We looked up designs on Pinterest or did a little freestyle. And it was one of the most soothing and low-pressure creativity activity I’ve had in ages. 

Do you decorate your notebooks? 

#notebooks #decoratednotebook #stickerlove #bridgerton #floralaesthetic #journalinspiration
Reading is escaping, running, dreaming. And this b Reading is escaping, running, dreaming. And this book, a middle grade contemporary fantasy novel about magic girls who need to learn to be friends, create enchanted food, and work together to save their cozy little town is the perfect escape right now. Especially when paired with a little chocolate chip cheesecake. 
🍰
#middlegradebooks #alechiadow #apinchofmagic #enchantedfood #bookrecommendations #middlegradefantasy #cozyreadsforfall #cheesecake🍰
Almost every morning, I take my daughter for a wal Almost every morning, I take my daughter for a walk. I whisper in her ear about the beauty of the woods, the light shining through the trees, half-writing in my head as I tell her about my stories. And she looks and listens and watches, and I hope through this, she learns to dream. 
🌲
#writerwalks #writermoms #naturegirls #cnf #creativenonfictionwriters #sliceoflife #freshair
When you and your best friend decide to “vacatio When you and your best friend decide to “vacation” together with your kids and host a decorate/your-notebook sessions and a Bridgerton-themed tea party 🥰🫖📕 10/10
🫖
#lakelife #bestiesgoals #interactivenotebooks #bulletjournal #allthestickersplease #romancingmrbridgerton #bridgertonteaparty
I’ve been upping my writing craft book game. Thi I’ve been upping my writing craft book game. This is my third craft book in less than two months, and it’s already been so helpful with revising my first draft and pinpointing how I can better show, not tell, what my characters are feeling. 

If you’ve got a favorite craft book, drop it below so I can add to my list!

#emotionalthesaurus #craftbooks #booksaboutwritingbooks #writingcraftbooks #moretolearn
“I meant to tell you,” my dad said, “there’s a flower farm by the grocery store.” We were there less than an hour later, my baby dragging me eagerly by the hand, dipping her curly head to smell the wildflowers. My heart exploded. Ideas blossomed. I meant to tell you: this is everything. 
💐
#cnf #wildflowers #sliceoflife #microwriting #writinginspiration #perfectmoments #flowerfarm
I may have gasped when I opened the package contai I may have gasped when I opened the package containing these pens. Truly, they are so beautiful (and related to my wip)! Plus, assorted colors?? .05 point?? All my favorite pen qualities. Many heartfelt thanks to my friend @jdc11519 , who sent these to me to celebrate my first year of being a mama.
✍🏼
#funpens #prettypens #reachforthestars #wip #amrevising #gratefulformyfriends #allthepens
I started this adult draft on May 19th, and tonigh I started this adult draft on May 19th, and tonight it’s done, 94k words. But this isn’t the first time I’ve tackled this story. I started drafting it in the fall of 2022, a drastic revision of the 2017 YA speculative novel I wrote and queried with no success. I didn’t finish the draft. I revisited it in the fall of 2023, newborn baby in my arms, added another 20k words. Still not finished. The brilliant @writtenbysky asked, “have you ever considered writing adult?” And here it is. Messy and flawed and imperfect, but done. Because the story needed me to be ready to write it once and for all. 
🗒️
#firstdraftdone #amrevisingfantasy #amrevisingromance #contemporaryfantasybooks #amwriting #milestone #onestepcloser
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