On Writing is where I share the reality of being an indie author: the messiness of self-publishing, the pressure to be seen, the fragile balance between art and livelihood, and the quiet determination it takes to keep writing in a world obsessed with outcomes. The joy, the doubt, and the stubborn hope that keeps me showing up anyway.
These pieces aren’t about having it all figured out, because trust me, I don’t.
They’re about the slow, deliberate work of staying connected to why I started writing in the first place. About not getting lost in the constant juggle between writing and ambition, stuck in comparison spirals, or questioning the process so often it begins to feel fragile.
These essays are about craft, resilience, creative freedom, and finding your way back to the page when everything else tries to pull you away from it.
Welcome, fellow writer. You’re not alone in the trenches. I’m right here too.
The Unexpected Pause: Why It’s Okay to Stop Writing for a While
It's been a minute – exactly a month, to be exact. And honestly I'm not entirely sure why I've lost all enthusiasm for writing lately. I know it's not a simple black or white answer, and that in itself feels oddly comforting. Even this little piece feels like …
Your Friends Aren’t Going to Read Your Book (And That’s Okay)
Your friends probably won't read your book – and here's why that's not the betrayal it feels like. As a writer, it breaks my heart that strangers are more likely to support a small time indie writer than friends or family. However, I’m going to tell you why. …
I Wrote a Poetry Book About Being Single (And Here’s Why You Need It)
I never set out to write a poetry book about being single. But years after navigating divorce, online dating, and societal pressure to be partnered, I began to notice something: the world often treats single people – especially women – as if they’re just on pause. As if …
Silent Reflections of a Fragile Heart — One Year On
Silent Reflections of a Fragile Heart — One Year On | By Amy Roullier This time last year, I self-published my debut poetry collection, Silent Reflections of a Fragile Heart. A poetry book born from heartbreak and healing. One year on, I wanted to reflect. Not just on the …
My Top 3 Favourite Poets of 2025
As a writer, poet, and chronic oversharer, I love stories in all their forms – fiction, fantasy, easy-to-read romance, self-help, psychological and sociological explorations, thrillers, satire, and compelling plots that dissect the absurdities of modern life. And I’m drawn to work that challenges the way I think and …
Becoming Obsessed with the Writing Process
Becoming Obsessed with the Writing Process | By Amy Roullier For a long time, I thought writing was about being chosen. Chosen by readers. Chosen by publishers. Chosen by algorithms, metrics, numbers on a screen that would somehow prove my words mattered. It hadn’t started that way, but …
When Phone Scrolling Feels Like Self-Harm for the Mind
When Phone Scrolling Feels Like Self-Harm for the Mind: Phone scrolling addiction for writers | By Amy Roullier I often struggle to find a healthy balance between sharing my art online and spending way too much time on social media. I’ve lost countless nights to the vortex of …
SINGLE, AND JOYFUL
SINGLE, AND JOYFUL: A poem from my upcoming spring collection. | By Amy Roullier. Hi, if you've not visited my website before, I’m Amy. An indie writer, poet, and content creator based in Lincolnshire, UK. I’ve been writing since my teenage years, although it wasn’t until 2021 that …
Hibernation Season: My Fantasy of Writing All Winter
My Fantasy of Being a Full-Time Writer | By Amy Roullier I have this romantic fantasy about hibernating all winter and writing a fucking great book. I don’t even mind where this hibernation takes place, but if I could choose, give me a secluded cottage with a high, …
Why I Keep Writing (Even When It Doesn’t Always Love Me Back)
Why I Keep Writing (Even When It Doesn’t Always Love Me Back) | By Amy Roullier. Last week was a whirlwind away from home, my partner, the dogs, and any chance to write. I’m so grateful to love my day job, but when I go too long without …
Write the Book Anyway – Someone Needs Your Art
Write the Book Anyway — Someone Needs Your Art | By Amy Roullier It’s been nearly a year since I released my first poetry collection, Silent Reflections of a Fragile Heart. Did it sell millions of copies? No. Has it even reached triple digits? Not yet.Have I gone …
The Benefits of a Portfolio Career in Poetry and Writing | Indie Author Insights
The Benefits of a Portfolio Career in Poetry and Writing | By Amy Roullier. Poetry rarely ever pays its way in anything other than emotional resonance. If you’re hoping to make money as a poet, become ultra-famous, pay off your debts, buy a house, and quit your corporate …
Things I’ve Learned About Self-Publishing a Poetry Book
Things I've Learned About Self-Publishing a Poetry Book | By Amy Roullier. In 2024, I self-published my first poetry collection, Silent Reflections of a Fragile Heart. This year, I’m preparing to release my second, Sundays with Myself. I’ve even got a third poetry collection waiting in the wings …
7 Unexpected Benefits of a Self-Prescribed Autumnal Writers Retreat
7 Unexpected Benefits of a Self-Prescribed Autumnal Writers Retreat | By Amy Roullier, British Author & Poet. I've just arrived in the Yorkshire countryside for a little self-prescribed writers retreat. A much-needed escape to make headway on my second poetry collection. At home, the distractions were endless: laundry, …
The Quiet Death of a Writer in the Age of Content
The Quiet Death of a Writer in the Age of Content | By Amy Roullier. How Content Creation Hijacked My Writing Life As writers turned content creators, we shouldn’t have to sell our souls just to sell our art on social media. But alas, that’s the world we …
When the Words Don’t Come: On Creative Block, Burnout & Still Showing Up
On Creative Block, Burnout & Still Showing Up | By Amy Roullier. A normal part of creative life is sometimes feeling totally, utterly, uninspired. You could be surrounded by glorious pink sunsets, moved by stunning landscapes, or watch strangers pour their hearts out on the street while their …
Self-Published, Still Self-Doubting: Learning to Believe I’m a Writer
Self-Published, Still Self-Doubting: Leaning to Believe I'm a Writer | By Amy Roullier. I didn’t start writing for fame or money. Although the idea of giving up my day job to retreat to a cottage in the countryside and write full-time sounds like a fantastic reality. I wrote …
A Writer’s Mind is Never Still
A Writer's Mind is Never Still | By Amy Roullier. You could be forgiven for believing that a writer who isn’t writing… isn’t writing. But while the pen might not literally be meeting paper, figuratively, the mind is always tapping away. I reflected on this today. After a …
Intentional Independence: Unaccompanied & Unapologetic
After a three month break from writing (catch up on everything you've missed in the latest blog) I’m back creating, like a leaky tap that’s finally burst under the pressure! I've given the website a major revamp. Entered my "F**k it" era, letting go of the cringe and …
The Quiet Between Paragraphs: Finding My Way Back to Words After Grief
Finding My Way Back to Words After Grief | By Amy Roullier. After losing my grandad in February, for the first time in five years, I lost the urge to write. You’d think, as a chronic oversharer, I’d have spilled every feeling onto the page. That I’d voice …
