As writers, we often let our imagination work against us. How many times have you pictured your book failing, or thought of a million reasons to call yourself a "terrible writer"? All these things come from our imagination running rampant in a negative direction. In today's episode, I discuss how we can nurture our creativity and fuel our stories by using our imagination for good, instead of letting it hurt us.

Has the nip in the air, the changing leaves, and the looming holiday season got you struggling to be productive? It can be hard to put words on the page when all you want to do is put up Halloween decorations or curl up with a creepy horror novel. While I firmly believe that taking time for the joy and play and rest in our lives is important, sometimes we neglect do the one thing that makes us writers: write! On today's episode I talk about joy and productivity, as well as give you some encouragement and tips to find a balance between the two.

As writers, we tend to focus on big, external achievements: getting an agent, publishing our work, earning enough from our writing to make a living off of it. And while these are all great goals to have, sometimes they get so big in our eyes, they hide what's really important from us: the whole writing journey, how it makes us feel, and everything that encompasses it. So many writing stresses can be linked to these massive goals we feel we have to accomplish, and accomplish in a certain way. So often these stresses can steal our joy. So join me today as I discuss the ways I have brought more joy and hope into my writing life by taking a step back and remembering that one crucial truth: writing is a journey. 

Does perfectionism stifle your creativity as a writer? Do you feel pressured to write a perfect book, follow the perfect path of publishing, and do every single thing perfectly? You're not alone - this is something I struggle with on a daily basis. On today's episode of The Joyful Writer Podcast, I talk about perfectionism: how it affects us, and how we can overcome it and live out the joyful, victorious writing life of our dreams.

Do you struggle with embracing every part of your writing process? Do you set impossible to reach standards for yourself, and then beat yourself up when you can't accomplish them? If so, then you share the same worries with every other writer on earth, including myself. For the very first episode of The Joyful Writer Podcast, I confess some of my anxieties with my writing process, then encourage you to challenge your own mindset struggles, to see your writing process differently, to love the way you write, and to find joy in every aspect of the journey.