Unending Torments
Is this you? “MARCH 11, 1915: How time flies; another ten days and I have achieved nothing. It doesn’t come off. A page now and then is successful, but I can’t keep it up, the next day I am powerless.”
Something Came Up
Oof. It feels like “something came up” for me every day this past week, and I hardly got any writing done at all. Family stuff, life stuff, calls, obligations, meetings, errands, even meals — things seemed to crop up as soon as I decided I should probably go write. …Or DID they?
Should I Be On TikTok?
Over and over again during the conference I just attended, I kept hearing the question, “Do I (or does my podcast) need to be on TikTok?” and the answer was usually in the form of another question, i.e., “Can you afford not to be?”
What Are Your Creative Core Values?
I didn’t mean to, but this morning I started listing out my core values. I didn’t think a lot about “core values” before I started my own business, but I think that, despite its corporate icky-ness, it’s a great exercise for anyone seeking clarity and direction in their life.
Interpreting Your Circumstances – WN 143
I’ve been thinking a lot about our circumstances lately, and how we interpret what we are going through, and how that interpretation informs a huge part of our self-identity and self-worth as writers and creators. What would we do, and who would we become, if we interpreted our situation(s) a little bit differently?
The Stress List
I was writing my morning pages earlier today when I realized I was doing something that I wasn’t supposed to be doing — writing a “to do” list of all the sidelined tasks that were stressing me out. “Pick up Midori’s kidney medication.” “Pay electricity, gas, and utility bills.” “Target run for necessities.” It felt good at first…
Open To Interpretation
I just flew back home on Monday after 16 days with my family in Cleveland. My mother was in the hospital with heart failure, two of my sisters were in the process of moving, and my two-year-old niece had yet to begin daycare (and then came home with croup when she did).
Your Throughline
Being home — or returning to a place I used to call home — is weird. Maybe you’ve experienced something like this, too. Being here makes my life feel like it has a split end…
No Episode This Week
Just a quick update — no Write Now podcast and a late (and brief) newsletter this week, as my mom is in the hospital. I flew to Cleveland early Sunday morning and it’s been chaos ever since.
Tunguska
What’s up there, in your brain, influencing you, that you don’t even remember storing? What are you curating (consciously or unconsciously) in your mind-museum, and how does it come out in your creative work?
No Rules, Just Write – WN 142
Are there any absolutely universal writing rules? In this week’s episode, we’re taking a look at not only writing advice but the context surrounding it.
Are We On The “Right” Path?
At the risk of sounding melodramatic, I’m feeling a little lost and afraid at the prospect of not having a daily dose of The Artist’s Way to prompt, guide, coach, encourage, and heal me every day. I’m afraid to stop making steady forward progress, or worse, relapse, backtrack, or lose my progress altogether.
Discerning Your Path
What do you want out of 2022? I mean, aside from an end to the pandemic, world hunger, violence, etc. Those are all huge systemic and infrastructural problems that we as individual humans can’t control or solve on our own. What do you actually want, for yourself, that is within your control?
Regaining Your Magic with Tomi Adeyemi – WN 141
I’m starting 2022 with an interview with the AMAZING Tomi Adeyemi, author of Children of Blood & Bone and all-around incredible individual. We’re talking about getting un-stuck from writer’s block, what it means to be a successful author, the sensory/aesthetic experience of writing, and more. (And Midori loudly plays with a plastic bag in the background!) You won’t want to miss it.
Creative Darkness
My morning began, as all mornings do, in darkness. I won’t use this opportunity to describe the beautiful neon-rose-and-gold sunrise that slowly followed as I sipped my coffee, because that’s not the point right now. The point is that we’re starting a new year, and I think that things are dark — or at the very least, seem dark — for many of us.
Here’s To 2022…
Dear Creators, I’m going to keep it short this week, because I think a lot of us are busy, overwhelmed, tired, and stressed. Basically, thank you. I am grateful for you — for opening these emails, for listening to Write Now podcast episodes, for checking out Girl In...
The Real Questions
If you ask the wrong questions, you’ll get the wrong answers. What questions are you asking yourself as a writer and creator?
Getting Called Out
I like honesty. I like realness. I like truth. I’m drawn to it, I savor it, and I generally don’t have time for anything else. And yet sometimes, when the world boils down around me and it’s just me alone with my thoughts, I find myself neck-deep in… let’s call it crap.
What The Heck Is Up With The Write Now Podcast?
Remember that one time in January 2015 when I launched a new podcast? It was called Write Now with Sarah Werner and its mission was “to give writers the time, energy, and courage you needed to pursue your passion and write every day”. Since then, a lot has changed.
Why Are We Like This?
Do you ever find yourself sitting on the couch in some uncomfortable position, scrolling through Instagram or reading painful news articles or marathoning something on YouTube or Netflix, and you realize that you’ve had to use the bathroom for the last 45 minutes, but your legs are asleep, and if you get up from the couch, then the realization of all of the time you’ve just spent will come crashing back down upon you like a deadly tidal wave of guilt and self-loathing?
What If It’s Not Actually A Problem?
I feel like all of my best realizations come when I’m talking things out with a good friend, preferably over coffee, and I’d like to share one of them with you today. I was having a heart-to-heart via Zoom with my friend Rebecca last week, during which I mentioned an...
I Thought It Was Over…
I started working my way through The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron this August as a way to enrich my journaling experience. It’s a book I had read post-college and dismissed for a number of reasons — I believed I already knew everything she was saying, it was just...
When You Let Yourself Down
I was talking with a group of writers last week when someone said that they had let themselves down — they had missed a deadline on a story, failed to show up for their Monday and Thursday writing sessions, and had thus far written zero (0) words for NaNoWriMo. I...
NaNo FoMo
Today is the first day of November, a.k.a. the starting date of NaNoWriMo! Wheee! What is NaNoWriMo, you ask? NaNoWriMo is a yearly challenge where you basically write a 50,000-word novel over the month of November. It comes out to writing about 1,700 words per day,...
When Is It Time To Move On?
Have you heard of the sunk cost fallacy? A sunk cost is the concept of “a sum paid in the past that is no longer relevant to decisions about the future” (definition via Wikipedia), or, more simply put, the money we’ve poured into something and cannot get back. The...
“Cook From Frozen”
My 19-year-old cat Midori, like many cats, loves to scratch her claws on cardboard. I didn’t know this when I first got a cat, but unlike dogs, cats shed the outer layer of their claws so that they stay perennially sharp. (The first time I found one of Midori’s...
Two Videos For You (Plus A Bonus Video)
A short post this week, yet still a lot of creativity-related content for you, in the form of two videos.The first is my interview with #1 New York Times bestselling author David Sheff, whose memoir Beautiful Boy was recently adapted into a movie starring Steve...
The Bulletproof Writer – WN 140
We’re constantly trying to move toward being better writers — but how do we make ourselves bulletproof against life? Is one particular system or another the answer… or is it, as we fear, impossible?
But When Do We Get CAKE?!?!
How are you with reward systems? Are you the type of writer who says things like: “Okay, just 257 more words, and then I get to eat this piece of cake!” Or are you more like me, telling yourself that: “Maybe if I eat this piece of cake now, it will fuel and/or inspire...
Taking Down Hustle Culture with Amie McNee – WNP 139
Are you ready to take on the Hustle Culture? Then tune in to this week’s episode, where I get to interview fellow podcaster, novelist, and journal enthusiast Amie McNee! Together, we’ll talk about transforming the narrative, choosing yourself, and finding your creative stride. Don’t miss out!
Escaping Our Art
Usually, when we choose to do something, it’s for a very specific reason. Sometimes the reason is obvious, and sometimes it’s buried deep within our subconscious, but there’s almost always a reason — often two or more. I complete my “necessary” business tasks each day...
Getting Into Flow – WNP 138
Have you ever experienced that magical moment when the words pour from your fingers and send you into a timeless creative zone? That’s what I call flow, and this week’s episode explores what it is and how to get there.
I Need To Tell You About This Horrible Blanket I’m Knitting
Is knitting still cool? Was it ever cool? Is “cool” still the right word to use for things that are, in other words, rad as heck? Huh. It’s… probably not a good sign if I’m diving into tangents in the opening line of my newsletter, is it? Anyway, I’ve been knitting....
Creative Input & Output – WNP 137
Where do our ideas come from? How intentional are we about curating our input and inspiration — and how does it affect our creative output? Today, we’re exploring different types of creative input and how what we pay attention to affects our art.
Another New York Times Bestselling Author 👀
I hope you had the chance to watch my interview with New York Times bestselling author Anne Lamott this summer. (And if not, here’s a replay link!) I am excited to announce that I am partnering once again with Strengthening The Heartland to bring you another interview...
Making Your Own Opportunities – WNP 136
If you’ve ever wasted time waiting for the perfect creative opportunity to come along, then you need to listen to today’s episode! In it, we talk about what it takes to stop waiting for opportunities and start creating our own!
All Aboard The Struggle Bus!
Last week, I re-launched both my I Am A Writer and Seriously Successful Podcasters Facebook communities. I’d neglected them for a LONG TIME (yikes), and decided to take action and either revamp them or shut them down. … I’d continue with this story, but, uh, you...
Never Enough vs. Too Much Time
I’ve noticed I have a LOT of scarcity when it comes to time. Maybe you do, too. Time is one of the few things in life I feel I don’t have control over — and when I keep an eye on the clock, counting down the minutes that remain for me to work on a project, read a book...
Too Afraid To Create – WNP 135
Like all creatives, I deal with the fear that comes with producing new things—and I don’t always deal with it well. This fear is the reason I haven’t created a solo episode in weeks, and it might just be the reason why you’re stuck in a creative rut right now. So tune in, and let’s tackle the fear together!
Takeaways From My 2021 Writing Retreat
I just returned from a week-long writing retreat with my sister, Bec, and wow, was it amazing. I’ve come a long way since my disastrous 2015 retreat experience, and I strive to make each year’s retreat a little better, more productive, and (paradoxically) more...
Creativity & Survival with Charlie Jane Anders – WNP 134
Charlie Jane Anders has a list of publication credits as long as my arm, so you can imagine my excitement when she agreed to let me interview her! Join us as we talk about her new books, her experience writing for TV, her past in journalism, and more!
42 Books: Part 3
I never intended this to be a 3-part series, yet here we are: part 3 of the list of all the books I’ve read so far in 2021. Whew! Ready? The Witch Elm by Tana French — This was the first mystery I’d ever read by Tana French, and holy heck was it powerful. I was glued...
Judgment & Acceptance with Rebecca Wiener McGregor – WNP 133
Is your fear preventing you from releasing your creativity into the world? Then you’ll want to check out the recent interview with my friend and mentor, Rebecca Wiener McGregor! Rebecca is a transformational hypnotist, love amplifier, and all-around life coach, and she’s ready to shed some light on our fears as creators. It’s an insightful interview that you shouldn’t ignore!
42 Books: Part 2
In another life, I would have liked to have been a librarian. Or… whatever you’d call a professional book pusher. But as Kazuo Ishiguro said, “There was another life that I might have had, but I am having this one.” And in this one, I’m reading a lot of books. 😀 I...
Doing All The Things with David S. Dear – WNP 132
Have you ever wanted to write an audio drama but didn’t know where to begin? Then you need to join me as I interview fellow audio dramatist David S. Dear! David is the creator of A Ninth World Journal, and we discuss everything from plotting an audio drama, where to find inspiration, how to use elements of theater, and more!
42 Books: Part 1
My goal this year (and every year) is to read 52 books — essentially, a book a week. Many years, I don’t make it, largely because I de-prioritize reading for one reason or another. But this year, since I allowed myself to prioritize reading every day, I’m going to hit...
Surviving Burnout with K.B. Wagers – WNP 131
Want to talk about Science Fiction? Then I’ve got the perfect interview for you! Join me as I interview the one and only Kate (K.B.) Wagers, author of the Indranan War trilogy, the Farian War trilogy, and more! It’s a show you won’t want to miss!
Writing: Hobby Or Discipline?
Writing is a paradox. It’s always been a paradox for me — a truth-filled thing that somehow contradicts itself at every turn. Writing is simultaneously hard work and deep joy, hobby and profession, something I do to make money and something I do to relax and unwind....
Dormant Creativity with Lee Shackleford – WNP 130
There’s nothing quite like a deep conversation with a good friend, and that’s why I’m excited to bring you this week’s episode! In it, I get to talk with Lee Shackleford, the creator of RELATIVITY, about loss, the burnout of creativity, and how to accept ourselves for who we are. Don’t miss it!
