Downtime With: Olivia Muenter

The author on the tiny joys that matter, letting go of perfection, and what it really takes to build a meaningful life.

Welcome back to another installment of our interview series with creative people we admire. Today’s edition is free for all readers. To access the weekly Friday recommendations post, essays + bonus content, and our reader chat, please consider upgrading to a paid subscription to Downtime.

I had the joy of chatting with writer and author Olivia Muenter, someone I’ve loved following online for years. I appreciate how her writing seems to return to a central question: What does it mean to live in alignment with your values? Her honest reflections on stepping back from influencing, navigating body image, and building a creative life rooted in presence over performance have given me (and many others) so much to think about.

In 2023, Olivia moved from Philadelphia to the Hudson Valley with her husband and dog. Since then, she’s built not only a cozy home but also a writing life that feels deeply intentional. Her debut novel, Such a Bad Influence, came out last year and became a USA Today Instant Bestseller —and though thrillers aren’t usually my genre, I found myself devouring it, fascinated by the topic of online fame and performance. Olivia’s second novel, Little One, is out early next year (!), and she is currently in the process of drafting her third.

Below, Olivia shares three things she’s loving right now, along with some reflections on creativity, community, ambition, and what it truly means to feel at home, both in your work and in your life. Enjoy! —Alisha

Olivia’s 3 Good Things

First, a few quick-hit recs from Olivia…

1. Weleda Skin Food. I could survive without Skin Food, sure, but I hope I don’t ever have to. I’ve been using this as my go-to nighttime moisturizer for close to a decade now and I love it so, so much. I’ve even convinced my husband and brother to add it to their routines, which is saying a lot. It’s just that good! It feels a little bit odd at first because it’s so thick, but I still remember how different my skin felt the first morning after using it. It is so incredibly hydrating and I never travel without it. We keep one in our car, in our kitchen, in all bathrooms… I rest my case.

2. Deleting Instagram. This is an evergreen tip from Leslie Stephens that changed my life. I hate how I feel when I scroll too much, and I was addicted to the validation that the app so often provided (and the crushing self-loathing I would feel when something I posted didn’t ‘perform’ well enough). I knew I needed to change something but I still wanted to share the things I loved and connect with people. Now, I delete the app regularly and download it 1-2 a day for 10-15 minutes at a time (usually when I’m cooking lunch or dinner), then delete it again. It seems like a hassle but it saves me tons of time and grief in the long-run. I have never felt better about my social media use. Now when I share something, I don’t spend time waiting for the likes/clicks/comments to roll in. I just post it because I like it, delete the app, and move on with my day. I am more present in my actual life and less focused on everyone else’s. I feel healthier and happier. [Ed. note: I’ve been doing this too, but deleting it for multiple days, and it is so freeing!]

3. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. This is my go-to book recommendation for just about anyone, no matter what gender or genre preference. Everyone should read this book. It’s transportive, emotional, fun, and being made into a movie starring Ryan Gosling. It is the crowdpleaser book of all crowdpleasers. [Ed. note: I had no idea about the movie!! Must read soon…]

4. Honorable mention: For people who love to read and have read “everything,” I love to recommend Shark Heart by Emily Habeck, especially if someone needs a good cry (don’t we all, these days?).

A Downtime Chat with Olivia

You’ve written about “eating the frog,” aka tackling the hardest task first. How does that actually look in practice for you as a writer these days? Any routines or mindset shifts that have made the biggest difference when you’re feeling creatively blocked?

“I am thankful that I can focus on writing almost full-time now, and it means that I usually start with the most creative work of the day. Right now, that’s a mix of drafting and revising (I am in edits for my second novel, coming out in 2026, and I am drafting book 3 in between edits).

One of the things that I started doing last year that has helped me immensely is that I spend time journaling right before I revise or write. I think about the work ahead of me, where I want to take the story, what changes I want to make, etc. and I puzzle through what is scariest or more exciting about the work that day. Sometimes, I feel horrible or anxious or nervous and I write all of that down, too. It helps me get the jitters out and warms up my writing brain.

It’s only been about a year since I’ve been able to devote almost all of my working life to writing full-time (before that, I was also a freelance writer/editor, influencer, consultant, copywriter, etc.) and I have really become quite aware of how quickly I start to spiral if I take too much time away from any given project. I know that if I don’t write (or revise) for more than a week or so that I start to feel really bad. The writing feels overwhelming and impossible, and I quickly forget how good it feels when a sentence, chapter, or scene really clicks. I have a note on my bulletin board to ‘remember the feeling’ because it’s the thing that keeps me going, and I am pretty strict with myself in terms of sitting down with the project almost every weekday. Even if the word count doesn’t shift much, I try to jot down questions and themes, or talk through plot problems out loud.”

You’ve read so widely this year and I love all your book recs! Is there a book you’ve finished recently that helped you see something in your life or work a little more clearly?

“In the last year or so, I have discovered quite a few writers that have really changed how I think about my own work and career as an author. Authors like Liz Moore, Amity Gaige, and Chelsea Bieker have really helped me understand that I love (and have always loved!) literary suspense.

I am passionate about beautiful prose and stories that leave you with big feelings and big questions about life. This is the type of book that I want to write, too, but I think I’ve been hesitant to be honest about that because it feels too presumptuous. I don’t have an MFA. I have never done a writers residency. But I want to write these kinds of books, and to become a better writer every day. It’s kind of a scary thing to say out loud because the fear is that it’s simply not possible, or that the dream is laughable or honestly that I, as an author, am laughable. Right? I mean, that’s exactly the scary part. But reading books like Long Bright River or Godshot — novels that make me point to something and say, ‘Yes. This is exactly what I love in a book’ — has inspired me, and helped me feel more confident in my own dreams as a writer.”

On the left: two books and authors Olivia admires. On the right: Olivia with her debut, Such A Bad Influence!

You moved upstate not too long ago. What’s surprised you most about the move? Is there anything that’s helped you feel more connected to your community lately?

“Well, I’ve realized that I am a far more social person than I ever really understood. I still love alone time, but I now fully understand the benefit of having a community.

One of my friends started a recurring biweekly happy hour and though I am usually not a fan of a mid-week hang, I have to say that the consistency of seeing people regularly and checking in has been really wonderful. I have also realized that though I am an anxious host, I really do love hosting. Pushing myself out of my comfort zone, allowing our home to be unfinished and imperfect, and having friends over anyway has been wonderful for me, in so many ways.”

A dinner party set-up in Olivia’s home.

Your home is so dreamy, and it has clearly been a labor of love for both you and your husband. What is your favorite thing about it?

“Thank you so much. It is certainly a labor of love, and I am so grateful to have a husband who is a naturally handy human being (I am not). My favorite thing about our house is also the thing that is most stressful about it: There are always more projects. I kind of love knowing that in 5 or 10 or 15 years, there will be another big, creative project to tackle. It’s like a hobby that never becomes boring (frustrating and stressful sometimes, yes, but never boring).

I think of home renovation in relation to writing a lot lately in the sense that both each draft and home project is this moment of thinking, ‘Wow, this is so much better now. I’m so proud of myself,’ and also, ‘Oh thank god I kept going, look at all this work. I wonder what the next version will be like.’ It really does feel like building something special, very slowly, and I love it.”

A cozy reading spot in Olivia’s home, filled with vintage and thrifted finds.

You are an expert thrifter! Any favorite finds recently?

“If Jake is good at handy home stuff, I am good at shopping for home items secondhand! I at least bring this to the table. Thrifting really is one of my biggest hobbies. Before we threw a big party recently, we went to Goodwill and bought a ton of glassware. There is something so satisfying in knowing that we have wine and water glasses for 20+ people and we paid only $30 or $40 total for all of it.”

Your readers really connect with how honestly you write about self-care, in all of its forms. What are some of the little-but-big changes you’ve made in the past year that actually stuck — the things that make you feel more like yourself, more grounded?

“The biggest change is, without a doubt, my social media habits, as I mentioned briefly earlier. I am almost never on Instagram before 1 or 2 p.m. now, and rarely on it after 6 p.m. If I spend more than 15 minutes scrolling, I usually recognize that I am feeling bad about something and I just force myself to delete the app then and there. After years of being constantly online, I truly had trouble imagining what my days would be like without posting and scrolling in real time, and now I actively spend even more time away from IG if I know I am feeling bad. It used to be the opposite. I would scroll to numb myself, but it only made me feel worse. I talk about this shift all the time and I’m sure it’s obnoxious, but I feel so much more present in my life now it is almost staggering. I’m so thankful I made a change.

I also have tried to be much better about thank you notes this year, for even very small things. I invested in personalized stationery from Papier which I love. If I have an interaction that really makes a difference in my life in some way, even if it is very, very small, I try to make myself write a thank you note to that person, if possible. I keep having a goal to write one every other day as a gratitude exercise, but for now I do it every couple weeks or so and I really enjoy the habit.”

What’s one object, ritual, or detail in your workspace that helps you drop into the writing zone or feel more at home in your work?

“I keep a tiny bowl of shells on my desk that I love. It also holds two large pieces of sea glass that I found on a walk in the Outer Banks a few summers ago.

I’ve spent a week or two in the Outer Banks most summers of my life, and it’s a special place to me. I will never forget finding those pieces of seaglass, though. Seaglass is kind of uncommon for that particular beach but I was walking after a huge storm and kept finding little treasures and I was just elated. I love having them on my desk because they remind me that the things that make me feel excited to be alive are important, period.

A certain place, a hobby, a piece of seaglass, a shell, a sentence — whatever. I want to remember not to diminish those things or my love of them. I always want to be excited about the small things. The small things are the important things. It doesn’t have to be life-changing to someone else in order for it to be important and meaningful to me.”

Above: Snaps of Olivia’s desk, which you can see more of in her own “Desk Tour” installment.

You’ve said you’re trying to let go of “perfect” in favor of “thoughtful.” For those of us craving less pressure and more presence, how do you remind yourself to choose intentionality when perfectionism creeps in?

“I use the word challenging a lot when it comes to finding ways to feel good about myself. Maybe some people can relate. Some days it really does feel like a challenge. I lost a lot of time being less-than-present in my own life and my own body because I was so convinced it would be better if I was better.

For many years, I fully believed that every single thing I had ever experienced would have been more deeply felt or more meaningful or more fun if I had been thinner. Honestly, my first instinct is still often to diminish a moment or an accomplishment instead of feeling good about it. It’s hard work to not chip away at the joy and throw it away because I think I don’t deserve it as-is. It’s a challenge. But I just accept the challenge now, I guess. I push back against the urge. I refuse to hand away joy when I can keep it instead.”

You are really great at setting a mood and a vibe! Are there any songs or albums (or really anything else…) that have been a comfort or inspiration for you lately?

What a compliment! Thank you! I love music and really appreciate the chance to talk about it.

I recently discovered Northern Irish folk musician Joshua Burnside and I’ve been really enjoying his songs. He has one called “Nothing Completed” and it made me cry the first time I heard it. At first, my reaction to it confused me because I assumed it was about parenthood and I am not a parent, but the more I listen to it, I’ve realized that in a lot of ways, the song is simply about getting older and realizing that you are moving rapidly through milestones and nothing is as “done” as you expected it to be. In a way it’s kind of comforting to know that no one else knows what they’re doing, and no one is ever really ready for anything, but we’re all jumping into life and love, anyway.

I loved these lyrics from the song:

Beat well, heart of little lentil

Growing fast inside the belly of

The one I love the most

I will not lie, the path ahead is daunting

Haunted by those pesky little ghosts

That moan 'you don't know what you're doing? Do ye?'

And when the gold on my finger catches my eye

To my surprise my hands are not the hands of my

Father's or grandfather's but my own, how strange?

Joshua Burnside, Teeth of Time

In one of your newsletters, you shared a list of tiny joys that added “zest” to life. Any new ones to add to the list?

“As I write this I am in the once-dilapidated outbuilding that now serves as my office. It is a little chilly and drizzly. The rain sounds nice on the metal roof. This is my first spring in this space and I feel grateful that it is so beautiful, even on the dreariest days.”

Olivia’s office space (how cozy does it look?!)

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Thank you so much, Olivia! You can pre-order her next book, Little One: A Novel, on sale February 3rd, 2026. You can also follow along at @oliviamuenter and subscribe to her Substack newsletter, Olivia’s Substack.

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