Fay Messina

People often ask me, “How do you do it all?”

Short answer: I don’t. Not really. Not all at once.

Long answer? It’s a messy dance of color-coded calendars, late night writing sprints, laundry piles the size of small dragons, and a whole lot of grace.

Between being a mom to four kids, running a literary business, pursuing my MFA, and writing books full of magic and heartbreak, balance isn’t something I achieve. It’s something I negotiate every single day. Some days I write 2,000 words. Other days I manage to feed everyone, reply to emails, and maybe scribble a sentence or two in the Notes app before bed. And that’s okay.

I write in stolen pockets of time. Early mornings before the house wakes up, afternoons between tutoring sessions, or late at night when the world is finally quiet. I keep my characters close, mentally outlining scenes while washing dishes or folding socks. They don’t mind the multitasking.

I’ve let go of the idea that writing has to look a certain way. It doesn’t need to be romantic or aesthetic. Sometimes it’s me at the kitchen counter, hair in a bun, surrounded by sticky notes and snack wrappers.

Running Prose Perfect is deeply fulfilling but also demanding. I care so much about my clients’ work and I want to help each manuscript shine. That means carving out focused time for edits during nap windows, school hours, or after bedtime. My interns help. My planner helps. But what really keeps things moving? Coffee. So much coffee.

Motherhood grounds me. It reminds me why I write stories about fierce love, impossible choices, and finding beauty in the chaos. It’s not always easy, but there is something sacred about being both a creator of stories and a creator of life.

So no, I don’t do it all. But I do what I can, one day at a time. With a little magic, a lot of heart, and probably a load of laundry waiting in the dryer.

Love,
Fay Messina