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An unprecedented cultural history of reproductions of medieval manuscriptsFacsimiles are, or claim to be, exact copies of objects, and medieval manuscripts h...

Happiness is a quiet kind of bravery.

In this episode, Melody, Gina, and KimBoo really dig deep into what it means to be in the writing season of "Harvest." Coming off of several episodes focusing on burnout, this time we talk about the feelings that rise to surface when we have "harvested" all of our hard work. It's a time of rough drafts, beta readers, early feedback and...insecurities! What does a balanced harvest season for writers look like? How can we practice self-care when our worries are driving the bus? Can we share our excitement without slamming the door on our creativity? Join us as we talk about "writers who aren't writing," healthy ways to rest from writing, and ways to nurture the creativity we both love and, sometimes, fear! Be sure to visit our website to download a helpful worksheet that provides more information and an empowering creative exercise!  

We're back with part two of our overview of Fall (autumn) as a season for writers. It's a challenging time because even though we're at the point of completion of a project, there is grief to deal with (listen to ep.10 for more on that!) and the mental mindset needed to deal with getting ready to receive. Receive what, you ask? Criticism, feedback, and even new ideas to start spring with! In this part of our series, we discuss how to declutter your brain and your ego so you can clarify the discernment you need to for the tasks ahead. You will need to be ready to decide what to keep and what to let go off, and learn to value your own authority over your stories. It's a challenging time but the Writer's Table Collective is here to help you out!

Curiosity cannot be taught, but it can be sparked.

It often feels dangerous to offer our work up to others for critique and feedback. It requires a lot of vulnerability, but is a crucial part of the writing process as it is required to improve our work. In this episode, Gina, Melody, and KimBoo talk about letting go at a lot of levels: letting go of attachments to what we write, letting go of words, letting go of expectations, letting go of the creation process, and more. Sometimes that means "kill your darlings," sometimes (if you are KimBoo!) it is about adding and embellishing the story and letting go of impatience. The important part of critiquing is knowing where you are at as a writer, knowing how to take a break, and finding the balance of what works for you. This episode goes in depth on how to find a supportive critique group, what an alpha reader is, and how to find the right people to help you critique your writing. It is the first part of a series of episodes focused on editing and critiquing, and we start with a look at the early stage of editing, either when a draft is freshly done (or not even quite done yet!). Visit our website at https://www.aroundthewriterstable.com in order to access the downloadable worksheet(s) referenced in this episode!

The most radical act is to make hope possible.