Yes, You May, Artist
My tips and tricks for creativity, as someone deep in the writing process
It feels fitting to end May, this month of permission, transformation, and blooming, with a demonstration of free flowing creativity.
Here’s what can happen when you give yourself permission to create from anywhere, even from a church pew.
On Memorial Day weekend, I celebrated a wedding between my sweet University roommate and her sweetheart. And many of our friends from University were there celebrating too. It was a thrill to catch up with folks, though I left feeling like I wanted more time to catch up with everyone.
I also found myself reflecting on my own wedding. I think it’s natural to compare the small differences and love the similarities. I love the vows. I love that ours were both in chapels, and I pretty much think that all chapels are beautiful spaces. I love the meaning behind the ceremony. I love the seriousness. I love that tears sprung to all of our eyes in the same moments— all 250 of us. Which is amazing. Few things do that. These monumental ceremonies and events in life really move the emotion well.
I was so moved, I picked up the small golf pencil in the church pew and began taking notes on a donation envelope.
This is one example of how I allow my creativity to flow, and I hope that this is a helpful example to you.
I give myself the permission to be ‘that weird girl who is writing something down,’ if say, someone were to speak of me that way, as my inner teenager would have me fear.
What does it matter if someone says that? Yes, this is me.
I go further into my process notes, tips and tricks for writing, for creativity in the section that follows, but for now, just know that you can give yourself permission to be creative anytime, and I feel, one must respond when the impulse comes. Even, if you happen to be in a wedding ceremony. Just be polite and discreet, wherever you are. Pen and paper is definitely the way to go in these instances.
What follows is a poem drafted from those notes—
To Madeleine and Vince.
A warm swell of emotions rises up from the altar
A tidal wave so sweet bears down on all of us
Yet disperses gently, as the bride approaches the groom, their eyes meet, faces glad and bright
and this warm tidal wave washes over us,
saltwater hot tears rising in our eyes
until we feel the sting at the eyelid—
perhaps one large tear falls over,
but then the wave falls back, receding with joy
as the pastor jokes about the young ring bearer being unwilling to give the rings.
It is inevitable that another swell will toss our tears over the edge,
perhaps a different moment for each, perhaps the same moments for many.
It’s an honor to behold — to be a seer —
of a new life, a new chapter beginning.
Yes, we will uphold the marriage. We will support.
So sweet. Trust built, love deepened, over time.
Their vows resonate with our hearts —
their vows resonate with my heart, echoing back to my own vows, my own voice, my own husband’s voice.
So sweet.
These voices are so distinct, each is. The vows are their own kind of music.
A swell of music— a swell of emotion— we receive with joy.
My husband, my heart goes out to you in such a distinct way when your eyes are red-rimmed with tears.
So sweet.
Below, I am answering the four questions that keep finding me about writing and creativity. The first, on getting started with Substack, is here for everyone. The remaining three — on journaling, writing a book, and getting into the creative flow — are waiting for you in the inner garden.
Q: How do I get started writing on Substack?
My advice is to start sharing, at least once a week, and allow your publication to evolve naturally as you go.
If you would like a guide alongside you in this work, I offer two consultations.
For new writers, my Set Up Your Substack for Success call is a 40-minute personalized session where we build your publication together, draft your first post, and clear every question standing between you and your first publish. You will leave with a clear path forward and a personal follow-up email with curated next steps and a Substack Success Checklist tailored exactly to your publication. Reserve your spot here.
For writers already on the platform and ready to grow with intention, my Substack Success Audit is a 40-minute deep look at your publication together, with honest and encouraging feedback on what is working, what wants to shift, and a custom playbook with your next best steps. Reserve your spot here.
Once your publication is opened, and I’ve shown you how to draft a post— whether it be an article or a podcast, my first recommendation is to start writing. Start sharing.
And most importantly— allow it to evolve naturally over time. Share something you love every week. Aim to provide value to yourself and your readers. Allow it to evolve, and rebrand when you feel the need. I have rebranded four times in three years of writing here. Recently, I loved using my name, but my last name felt too complicated. With my first and middle name, I think I have finally landed on the publication name that will stick. But I loved all my brand iterations. You are free to experiment through them too.
Your publication does not need to be set in stone. It does not need to be perfectly laid out before you start writing. The writing will reveal what wants to change, naturally, over the course of time.
Use these tips and start. Go. Enjoy. Have fun. Spread love.
If you want to go even deeper, I celebrated three years of writing on Substack with this podcast post — 3 Strategies from 3 Years of Writing on Substack. I recommend it as a companion to this.
Those are my tips for getting started on Substack. What follows is where I go deeper — my journaling practice, how I am structuring my first novel, and how I get into the writing flow. This is inner circle information on my craft. It lives here, behind the garden walls, for paid patrons who are deep in this creative life with me. I am honored to share it and honored to welcome you in at only $5 a month.
Inner circle, gather at the wellspring, take all the inspiration you need from here, and leave what does not serve you. Thank you for being here in this community.
