Strong relationships thrive on regular, consistent attention.

Ninety-four percent of participants in a new study stood firm in their trans identity after five years, and "detransitioning" is rare.

Winter is coming to an end here in North Florida where the three of us live, but it is a season that can affect writers any time of the year! This second part on winter in our Seasons of Writing series we dive deep into the imbalances that can happen in this part of the cycle, including immobilization, detachment, hyper-criticism, and impulsivity. Gina talks about how immobilization has affected her ability to progress with her author career, while KimBoo recounts how impulsivity and impatience ruined one of her first published books (which has since been pulled, rewritten, and republished!). Melody explains how the element of water is associated with winter and how that relationship of elements can help you balance your own writing life! Remember to stop by our website to download the worksheet for the season of winter, and please leave us a comment or question while you are there!

We are launching a new series as we enter the second year of the podcast! We're so glad to have all our listeners on this journey with us as we explore new ways to help writers embrace their creativity and conscious living.  Gina does most of the heavy lifting in this episode. She introduces her Creativity Quest framework by providing an overview of how it is designed to help writers plan, unplan, and get unstuck throughout the writing process. Future episodes will have us digging into each step in the cycle in depth.  Melody brings in how the different stages of the Creativity Quest relate to the Seasons for Writers and ways that we can use both perspectives to become clearer about how we engage with our work. KimBoo, meanwhile, complains about all the ideas she has for stories she wants to write! Please visit the Around the Writer's Table website to access the downloadable guide to the Creativity Quest and the transcript for this episode. 

Gratitude turns everything you have into abundance.

Huge swaths of the web are vanishing. What does that do to our culture?

Confidence expands as you consistently act in alignment with your abilities.

YouTube video by The Detail with Cathy Antunes

Working with purpose and vision transforms effort into fulfillment.

In this episode, we deep-dive into the topic of the creative process and the challenges it poses for writers like us. We expand on Gina's Creativity Quest, introducing the next step in the process: the concept of "Releasing," and its impact on our writing journeys. Gina kicks off the discussion with a description of how the former step, "Carrying Inner Disquiet" (see episode 19) directly leads to "Releasing" in a healthy creative process.  One of the critical things we discuss is the struggle of releasing control, in particular, whether manifested as perfectionism or procrastination. As a discovery writer, I usually don't work with a detailed plot outline for my stories. Instead, I thrive in exploring and unveiling the story as it unfolds. I tend to get over-excited about knowing the outcome in advance, but I've learned the hard way that it's not the most successful approach for me. Instead, I've learned to trust my instincts as a writer and go with the flow. Melody talks about a similar struggle. She often finds herself trying to force the storyline or character development, but midway through, she realizes her initial ideas don't work. She has to step back, be flexible, and allow her story to evolve naturally. We also touched upon the importance of scheduling our time. I’ve realized I need to let go of spontaneity to ensure I get enough writing time. While spontaneity is fantastic, it can be a hindrance when there's a need for dedicated writing time. Melody echoed similar sentiments, stressing the need for scheduling downtime. Amid her demanding landscape design business, she emphasized the need to create space for relaxation and self-care to fuel creativity. Finally, Gina brings up the ever-topical book "The War of Art" by Steven Pressfield, a book that deals extensively with the concept of resistance. We all agree that it's a powerful resource for anyone facing resistance in their creative journeys.  Please remember to visit our website, www.aroundthewriterstable.com, to download the worksheet mentioned in this episode, as well as access a full transcript. 

In this episode of Around the Writer's Table, my co-hosts Gina, Melody, and I discuss planning versus pantsing in the new-project creation process. We explore how different writers approach their work, whether by meticulously outlining and planning or by writing spontaneously and "flying by the seat of their pants." We emphasize the importance of discovering one's own writing style and being open to experimentation. Gina shares her experience of transitioning from a planner to a pantser and how it helped her embrace her creative freedom. She also highlights the importance of balancing planning and spontaneity in the writing process, mentioning, "There are so many ways to approach it, and the best thing you can do is to be willing to experiment and find what works best for you." I discuss the obstacles I faced when trying to plan my stories and how I eventually discovered that planning can be both a friend and a hindrance. I underscore the importance of planning on one's own terms rather than following someone else's instructions. Melody talks about the role of a writing coach in helping writers find the right balance in their creative process, noting the value of pushing one's boundaries and trying new approaches to writing. We also touch on the topic of our next episode, which will delve into Gina's creative cycle and its connection to the seasons of the writing process. We encourage listeners to join us as we continue exploring the different stages of creativity and finding a balance between planning and pantsing in their writing journey. Overall, this episode serves as a valuable resource for writers seeking insights and guidance on finding their own unique writing process and striking the right balance between planning and spontaneity.

Ahhhhhhhhhhwooooooooooo! My little historical romance about Mr Collins from Pride and Prejudice falling in love with his gardener has been selected by New York Times romance reviewer Olivia Waite a…

Fortitude is steady strength built through persistence.