That's what you get for trying to trap your wife in a shell.
Pumpkin Eater
Peter Peter pumpkin eater had a wife and couldn't keep her.
leilaammartin.com
Leila
@leilaammartin.bsky.social
Author: fantasy novels & dark fairy tales free weekly shorts & monthly newsletter leilaammartin.com/links
Put away the candles and incense, this isn't about magic rituals...or is it? ;) Let's dig into the real meaning and value behind writing rituals.
Returning to the Page
Put away the candles and incense, this isn't about magic rituals...or is it? ;)
leilaammartin.com
In which our heroine agrees to...something. But the family is a lot weirder than she expected.
Family Tree
In which our heroine agrees to...something. But the family is a lot weirder than she expected.
leilaammartin.com
The Resource Is You When your usual measures of success stop working, you can learn to recognize progress in unexpected places.
The Resource Is You
When your usual measures of success stop working, you can learn to recognize progress in unexpected places.
leilaammartin.com
In which faerie bargains make a mess of things, as usual, and dancing becomes super dangerous.
True Love’s Kiss
In which faerie bargains make a mess of things, as usual, and dancing becomes super dangerous.
leilaammartin.com
What happens when you make too much world for your reader to carry?
The Edges of the World: Choosing What Matters
What happens when you make too much world for your reader to carry?
leilaammartin.com
New short story up today, in which a young baker faces a greedy troll and puts a new twist on some old Norse fairy tale tropes. Subscribe (it's free) to read the whole thing on my website.
Bara In the Troll’s House
In which a young baker faces a greedy troll and puts a new twist on some old Norse fairy tale tropes.
leilaammartin.com
Facing the Messy Truth About First Drafts Let's talk about what happens when your draft isn't working—and how the way to start fixing it maybe isn't what you think.
Facing the Messy Truth About First Drafts
Let's talk about what happens when your draft isn't working—and how the way to start fixing it maybe isn't what you think.
leilaammartin.com
New short story, in which getting lost maybe isn't so bad. At least, not at first...
Willow
In which getting lost maybe isn't so bad. At least, not at first...
leilaammartin.com
Nothing beats the pain of outgrowing the story you thought you were in. Also, meet Gary. He sucks. #WritingTips #SliceofWriteNewsletter
The Story Beneath the Story: Making the Most of Misbelief
Nothing beats the pain of outgrowing the story you thought you were in. Also, meet Gary. He sucks.
leilaammartin.com
New short up, in which a young man falls in love with a painting or two and takes a chance to change his future. Read the beginning at leilaammartin.com/shorts, and subscribe to the blog (it's free!) to read the whole thing.
Field Trip
In which a young man falls in love with a painting or two and takes a chance to change his future.
leilaammartin.com
Struggling with "white room syndrome" in your writing? I can help.
The Role of Weather & Nature in Writing: Mood, Symbol & Plot
Ditch the white room...unless you're Cream, or you're stuck in a padded cell. Here are some tips on how to make weather do some work in your story.
leilaammartin.com
April's short, in which a young woman solves a series of clues to find her lost father and learn the extent of his sacrifice. Read the beginning at leilaammartin.com/shorts, and subscribe to the blog (it's free!) to read the whole thing.
The Missing Elephant
In which a young woman solves a series of clues to find her lost father and learn the extent of his sacrifice.
leilaammartin.com
On finding the writing pace of a first draft, and why past performance doesn't necessarily indicate future results.
Writing at the Speed of Life
On finding the writing pace of a first draft, and why past performance doesn't necessarily indicate future results.
leilaammartin.com
New short, in which a young woman of dubious ancestry fights darkness in an unexpected form. PLEASE check the content warnings. Read the beginning at leilaammartin.com/shorts, and subscribe to the blog (it's free!) to read the whole thing. Hate to wait? Slice of Write subscribers get early access!
Shimmerdark
In which a young woman of dubious ancestry fights darkness in an unexpected form.
leilaammartin.com
Dip a toe in the world of fantasy mapmaking. With a big ol' wave hello to Cody @dungeonmastersdiary ;)
The Magic of Maps
Dip a toe in the world of fantasy mapmaking.
leilaammartin.com
New short story, in which a rising starlet learns exactly what she gave away in exchange for her success. Read the beginning at leilaammartin.com/shorts, and subscribe to the blog (it's free!) to read the whole thing. Hate to wait? Subscribe to my email newsletter for early access.
What Lola Lost
In which a rising starlet learns exactly what she gave away in exchange for her success.
leilaammartin.com
What If? Using Speculative Questions to Unlock Story Ideas In which we explore the power of "what if", and what we can do in the face of choice paralysis when "what if" is too big of a question
What If? Using Speculative Questions to Unlock Story Ideas
In which we explore the power of "what if", and what we can do in the face of choice paralysis when "what if" is too big of a question
leilaammartin.com
In which a lonely teen makes an unexpected friend. Short story writing reading stories free content warnings
Remembrance
In which a lonely teen makes an unexpected friend.
leilaammartin.com
A tour through what I read in 2025, including my top faves & biggest letdown, plus my so-far TBR
2025 book report & 2026 TBR (so far)
A tour through what I read in 2025, including my top faves & biggest letdown, plus my so-far TBR
leilaammartin.com
Tweaking my 2026 content plan—here's what to know
Just a quick note for 2026
Tweaking my 2026 content plan—here's what to know
leilaammartin.com
New short story, in which a runaway bride shares an abandoned cottage...or is it...with an owl that's unusually useful. This is the last short of 2025, and the final in my weekly series. I'll be releasing shorts monthly in 2026. Read them mid-month here, or get them earlier in my email newsletter!
Owlsong
In which a runaway bride shares an abandoned cottage...or is it...with an owl that's unusually useful.
leilaammartin.com
New short story, in which a bereft sorceress has to get clever about avenging her twin sister's death. Read the beginning at leilaammartin.com/shorts, and subscribe to the blog (it's free!) to read the whole thing.
Deadly Embrace
In which a bereft sorceress has to get clever about avenging her twin sister's death.
leilaammartin.com
New short, in which a university student far from home meets the ghost of her dreams. Fun for fans of THE EVERLASTING and/or A STUDY IN DROWNING.
The Missing Knight
In which a university student far from home meets the ghost of her dreams.
leilaammartin.com
Learn what's changing in 2026 on leilaammartin.com
Changes coming in 2026!
Learn what's changing on this site and in my newsletter in 2026
leilaammartin.com
New blog post, on goals, good stories, and gratitude. Originally from my November Slice of Write newsletter.
My Favorite Addiction
On goals, good stories, and gratitude.
leilaammartin.com
New short story, in which a young thief learns a life-changing secret about the city's immortal king and performs one final heist.
Essence of Hemlock
In which a young thief learns a life-changing secret about the city's immortal king and performs one final heist.
leilaammartin.com
New short today, in which a summer camper learns what happens when you ignore ghost stories.
Whistler
In which a summer camper learns what happens when you ignore ghost stories.
leilaammartin.com
New short story, in which a pirate goes back for his treasure and finds...more.
The Wolf and the Stars
In which a pirate goes back for his treasure and finds...more.
leilaammartin.com
New #TuesdayShort, in which there are no good guys // short story writing writer fiction dark fantasy
Seeming
In which there are no good guys.
leilaammartin.com