The Sunday Roundup & A New Perk for Paid Members
Lots of recommendations, thoughts on reframing our relationship to social media, and introducing 15 minute one-on-ones.
What does it mean to write from the soul, rather than the ego?
I’ve written here less frequently in the past month or so. This is because, for the past 10 weeks, I’ve been leading a group of subscribers in doing The Artist’s Way (have I mentioned that yet?! jk) Through the deep introspection of completing the workbook myself, I’ve recognized how thin I’ve spread myself with creative pursuits and how deeply I need time to myself, specifically time off social media to connect to my core creative voice and wants without seeing the lives of others or inviting others into my life.
Part of why I started a Substack was to get off Twitter and Instagram. But I simply transferred my attitude about other platforms to this one. I wanted the external validation, to succeed. I paid close attention to my subscriber count, to likes and comments, and largely determined the success of a post based on the reader response. In the past weeks, I’ve reframed my relationship with this platform. I think of it now as a place to play, explore, build community, and engage — not succeed or fail. As long as I’m bringing myself authentically to my writing, I am succeeding.
Engagement is still meaningful to me, but it’s because I love the sense of community it brings. The chat in particular has been such a wonderful space to get to know subscribers and feel how more than a newsletter, we are a group of artists committed to our creative and spiritual well-being. We even had two in-person subscriber meetups, one in LA and one in NY!
Those doing The Artist’s Way, or who have done it before, I’m interested in hearing from you as to whether the workbook has also changed your relationship with social media. Do you have a new approach to your phone, social media, or Substack? A new understanding of external validation or of your desire to create?
Now onto a great, big roundup, and an exciting announcement for paying subscribers!
✨To The Lighthouse. I am in my Virginia Woolf era. A couple of weeks ago I wrote about A Room of One’s Own, which I loved so much that I immediately picked up To The Lighthouse. Woolf’s sentence construction and her ability to get deep inside her characters while constantly changing POV is so masterful. To The Lighthouse is one of the most unique novels I’ve ever read. There is not a wasted word.
✨Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder is weird and dark and funny. It’s a voice-driven, idiosyncratic novel about the mother of a two-year-old who believes she’s turning into a dog. It’s not the first exploration of the violence and animalism inherent in womanhood, but it is a delightful and distinct one. Perfect for fans of Milk Fed or My Year of Rest & Relaxation.
✨Two fun audiobooks I listened to: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry (an exceptional narrator), and Book Lovers (an ideal “chick-lit” listen).
✨Follow me on Goodreads for updates and recommendations as I read.✨
✨Tiny Beautiful Things on Hulu, which features a perfect Kathryn Hahn and was created by a brilliant, kind, wonderful person, Liz Tigelaar. Whether you’re already a fan of Cheryl Strayed, the Dear Sugar column, or the book Tiny Beautiful Things, or whether this is the first you’re hearing of it, I recommend checking out this heartfelt tearjerker.
If you listened to last week’s podcast episode, then you heard me share that there’s a post-it note hanging near my desk that reads: I am responsible for my own life and happiness. We all have agency over our lives. Reminding ourselves of that is empowering and crucial, and perhaps Adrienne Rich says it best:
“Responsibility to yourself means that you don't fall for shallow and easy solutions … It means that you refuse to sell your talents and aspirations short... and this, in turn, means resisting the forces in society which say that women should be nice, play safe, have low professional expectations, drown in love and forget about work, live through others, and stay in the places assigned to us. It means that we insist on a life of meaningful work, insist that work be as meaningful as love and friendship in our lives. It means, therefore, the courage to be "different"...The difference between a life lived actively, and a life of passive drifting and dispersal of energies, is an immense difference. Once we begin to feel committed to our lives, responsible to ourselves, we can never again be satisfied with the old, passive way.”
― Adrienne Rich
I have an exciting new option for paying subscribers! A lot of people paid for this newsletter to participate in The Artist’s Way. Others pay for access to the writing column. No matter why you’re here, I want to offer you my thanks by adding a new perk — a 15-minute one-on-one meeting!
In order to qualify you must be a yearly paid member ($50/year), a founding member, or have been a monthly member ($5/month) for at least 6 months.
Here’s what we can do during this time:
Discuss the process of starting a newsletter & get tips on how to do it yourself
“Pick my brain,” as they say! We can talk about any career issues you’re bumping up against — getting reps, breaking into the industry, etc.
Talk through a story problem, or ask specific writing questions
Work on effectively pitching your logline and story
Do a 15-minute meditation, journaling exercise, or Yoga class — if you didn’t know, I’m also a certified Yoga and meditation teacher.
Just chat and get to know each other, or talk about whatever else you want!
I’ve already done several meetings (I first announced this in an Artist’s Way Zoom) and I’ve absolutely loved getting to know you. Y’all are seriously cool and talented people, and I’m lucky to have you as part of this community.
So, how does it work? Just click the below link, select “one-on-one,” and throw some time on my calendar. If you’re not on the US West Coast, please note that this calendar is in PST.