Hello, Reader,

Our first spring in the Algarve region of Portugal was a delightful surprise. Growing up in a high desert, we had beautiful spring flowers but nothing like the wildflower fields here.

Spring: It’s a time of flourishing. For our team, that means welcoming new authors into my six-month program, Idea-to-Draft, as they say yes to their books and take bold action toward their dreams.

Personally, it’s a time of renewed energy. The sun does wonders for the spirit, after all, and the floral beauty doesn’t hurt.

What about for you? Has spring brought renewal, light, or joy? Where are you flourishing? I’d love to hear from you. Please hit reply and share.

Portugal writing and wellness retreat? Yes, please!

Have you heard about a writing retreat I am holding in Portugal? It’s an amazing opportunity to experience a foreign country in a beautiful, relaxing environment—and focus on your book-writing goals in a safe community with other authors.

I’m excited to share that we still have two rooms open: both private rooms with a shared bathroom. We’ll be doing a Q&A session for people interested in the retreat on May 8 at 12:00 p.m. ET.

There is no obligation or pressure to sign up, but if you have any interest and are curious about the details, join me and ask what’s on your mind. And if you know you’re ready, future and published authors can register here!

Visit my website for more information about the retreat: https://stacyennis.com/writersretreatportugal.

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Go onwards and find your place in the world.

Have you ever dreamt of working in Europe, but just didn’t know where to start? A friend and colleague, Vanessa Wachtmeister, just launched something special.

Go Onwards is a job board without borders—connecting you to over 100K fresh roles across 30-plus countries. From London to Lisbon and Berlin to Barcelona, there is finally a centralized portal to find opportunities and to filter by meaningful data, like visa sponsorship, English-speaking workplaces, fully remote, and early career opportunities.

The team behind it has lived this search themselves, and honestly, it shows. Whether you’re looking to move abroad, go fully remote, or just finally land that role you’ve been working toward—they’ve thought of it all. Head over to go-onwards.com to find your place in the world.

From the writer’s room

Writing as a tool for clarity for your personal life and business ​​Listen now →​

Choosing Portugal even when it’s hard: 3 struggles right now ​Listen now →​

How to use storytelling to lead better and grow your business ​​Listen now →​

How to use AI ethically and legally in your book ​​Listen now →​

Why your first draft doesn’t have to be perfect ​​Listen now →​

How writers can reclaim their peace (and their creative flow) ​Read more →​

Welcome, April 2026 cohort!

To our next cohort of future authors: Welcome!

We just kicked off a new group cohort for Idea-to-Draft this week, and I want to shout out to the authors who bet on themselves and their books.

Writing a book is a vulnerable journey. Many aspiring authors think they have to go it alone, but they don’t. You need a village to bring a book into the world, and this program is the first step toward becoming authors—together.

💫 Your writing inspiration

💡 Writing tip: Get support and establish boundaries.​

When I started my business 16+ years ago, my husband and I sat down and talked.

“I am going to give this a good try,” I said. “I’d like to give writing everything I have for six months, and then we can reassess and see if I need to make adjustments. I’m going to need your support as I do this. But this is important to me.”

He agreed, and he’s been a phenomenal support to me since that time. As I wrote in my “office” in Ohio, he respected my boundaries by keeping quiet, usually wearing headphones around the house so he could listen to music without disturbing me. He took on extra housework so I could get projects done and even read and critiqued the vast majority of my early paid work. And since our family of two became four, he has taken on much of the parenting load so I can pursue exciting business opportunities.

Who can you ask for support? If you have a spouse, that’s a great place to start. But don’t discount parents or close friends. They all want to see you succeed too.

💭 Writing quote by Jack Kerouac, The Dharma Bums

“One day I will find the right words, and they will be simple.”

Let's connect!

That’s it for this month! Have suggestions? Want to say hey?

Hit reply—I love hearing from you!

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