Lena Mahfouf in Los Angeles to write Encore Mieux
Lena Mahfouf left Paris for a month of creative isolation in Los Angeles. Far from the distractions of everyday life, she sought an environment conducive to concentration in order to work on her second book, * Encore Mieux* (Even Better). This stay was conceived as a working retreat, with a clear intention: to disconnect in order to better reconnect with writing. In the city of endless possibilities and possibilities, she transformed inspiration into a solid method.
Discipline at the heart of the process
Behind the written pages lies a strict routine. For Lena, writing isn't a whimsical impulse; it's a schedule. She has imposed specific times and dedicated work blocks on herself. This regularity has channeled her energy and prevented it from becoming scattered. The discipline hasn't stifled her creativity; it has made it more precise. Each session had a tangible objective: to write a chapter, to reread a section, to clarify a key idea.
A typical day that puts creativity first
To establish a rhythm, Lena followed a simple and effective framework.
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7:00 am: wake-up and meditation to set the intention for the day
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8:00 am: Healthy breakfast for energy and focus
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9:00 AM to 12:00 PM: Uninterrupted writing block
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12:00 to 13:00: Lunch break and a walk to clear our heads
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1:00 PM to 4:00 PM: Rewriting and working on the structure of the chapters
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4:00 PM to 6:00 PM: Research and inspiration gathering
This framework facilitated the alternation between production and refinement. The morning focuses on raw creation. The afternoon consolidates it. The evening gives way to images and words that recompose themselves.
A creative bubble in the heart of Los Angeles
Los Angeles offered a multifaceted backdrop: the ocean, contrasting neighborhoods, and ever-changing light. This diversity fueled an already vibrant imagination. Crossed paths in cafes, the silence of a museum, and the steady sound of waves punctuated our discoveries. Our gaze sharpened in the presence of a city that lives in the future and tells its story in the present. Every journey became a prelude to a scene. Every detour, a new perspective.
The places that inspired the manuscript
Three spaces mattered more than the others.
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The beaches of Santa Monica: unobstructed horizons, expansive breathing space, a return to oneself
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Hollywood cafes : social energy, fragments of conversations, sketches of characters
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Downtown galleries : confronting the creations of others and reigniting audacity
These territories served as mental studios. They offered viewpoints and silences, two raw materials of writing.
The challenges of a writing retreat
Every immersion involves tension. Doubt before the page. The temptation to rewrite everything. The fatigue of a mind that produces continuously. To cope, Lena has put in place simple strategies.
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Take regular breaks to recharge your attention
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Participating in local writing workshops to break out of your bubble
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Exchanging ideas with other authors to compare perspectives and gain clarity
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Practice journaling at the end of the day to clear your mind
These actions prevented things from getting out of hand and kept the project on track.
The lengthy revision period
Once the first draft was written, it was time for rewriting. Lena devoted a significant portion of her month to this painstaking work: reducing lengthy passages, clarifying the narrative thread, and ensuring coherence from one chapter to the next. The revision transformed initial intentions into a clearer voice. Where the first version searched, the second embraced it. Seeking the right word also means removing what is superfluous. The cut becomes an act of love for the text.
Dialogue with readers
Lena places real importance on feedback. Reading the reactions of early readers, listening to their questions, checking the fluidity of transitions—this feedback has guided adjustments to pacing, paragraph rearrangements, and refinements to tone. The book exists through this encounter. Anticipating this dialogue during the writing process allows for a balance between sincerity and readability.
What promises even better
Even Better presents itself as an invitation to active introspection. Not a demand for performance, but rather a companionship. The book encourages each reader to look at their journey with clarity and compassion. What holds them back? What lifts them up? How do they stay the course amidst the noise? The book cultivates confidence like a subtle muscle. It offers concrete benchmarks and powerful imagery to help them move forward at their own pace.
The style, between spontaneity and precision
Lena cultivates an accessible writing style without sacrificing nuance. She prioritizes storytelling over argument. Scenes are built around a subtle detail: a taste, a light, a phrase overheard at a table. This attention to reality gives substance to ideas. It allows inspiration to be grounded in practical actions. The reader recognizes themselves and feels supported, never judged.
What we learned from the Californian interlude
Los Angeles was more than just a backdrop. The city served as a catalyst. The rigorous structure unleashed inventiveness. The framework multiplied perspectives. The rewriting sculpted the material. And the feedback from early readers honed the voice. This month gave the project substance. It transformed an intention into a solid manuscript, ready for the next stage of the editorial process.
Tips to incorporate into your own routine
Lena's experience inspires some simple principles that we can adopt.
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Define a place and time dedicated to creation
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Divide the day into blocks to alternate between production and proofreading
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Go for a walk when you're stuck on an idea and come back with a specific question
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Write first, judge later
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Revise in small layers rather than all at once
These simple and consistent keys often make all the difference.
What are the key takeaways?
Spending a month in Los Angeles allowed Lena Mahfouf to take Encore Mieux to the next level. Away from the hustle and bustle, the discipline offered her freedom. The scenery gave her a breath of fresh air. The revision brought clarity. This trio of experiences crafted a book about personal growth and inner drive. A project designed to support, motivate, and remind readers that we can do better, again and again, one step at a time.
