1. I’m Jillian, a physician, mom, coach, and wellness leader in my organization.
2. I’m joining from Michigan in the USA.
3. I’ll be writing a non-fiction self-help book featuring personal stories from my own experience with recovery from burnout and depression. My goal is the same as my Substack publication: something that helps other people learn to live less stressed, more satisfying lives.
Hi Jillian, fellow midwestern (WI) physician here. Definitely relate to the burnout! I haven't totally settled on my topic, but I'm leaning toward writing about a vision I have for rewilding healthcare.
I think I'm right there in the burnout and depression phase of my writing right now. So your book sounds like something I certainly would read. Thank you for writing it.
1. I'm Shirley, 31, always working hard to try and keep my plants alive and just started out on Substack. My life will be very much in transition next year, so I would love to have one goal each month that's the same the whole year through AND helps me to write more and at a steady pace.
2. Joining from The Netherlands. 🇳🇱
3. I want to dust off the autobiographical book (in Dutch) I was writing before I started my entrepreneurial journey. I also want to write a book about how to work with tarot cards to cultivate more self-compassion and self-trust (in English). Not sure which one I'll be working on next year. 🙈 But I'm really happy to not have to do it alone! 💛
Here’s to transition years 🙌🏼✨ so excited for you. I’m just exiting my transition year, and not sure what the next year will bring but it’s super exciting.
🥰🦋 Thank you so much!! So lovely to read how excited you are for what's to come, even though you don't know exactly what it is yet. I hope to respond with as much resilience as you are on my own adventure next year. 😊
I know you will be able to for sure. Top tip, is take the moments of rest when you need them. Huge transitions sap your energy, and deep rest is needed regularly so don’t feel guilty about it :)
My Substack is all about creative and playful support for introverts and folks navigating shyness, self-consciousness and social anxiety.
In 2025 I’d love to write 12 Chapters of my book. It’s a memoir about my experience of social anxiety – and using play, drama and improv to escape it :)
Been at it for years! Made it a priority over the last 2, still yet to have more than on e published though 🙃 but I’m on it🙂 very excited for next year!
I feel so excited to be part of this community of wonderful writers to see what the 12 Chapters Club will bring for us all. Thank you Claire for creating this group!
1/2.
My name is Emily, and I am 37 and I live in Norwich, Norfolk with my Husband, Bear.
I am a writer (yes, we say it out loud now!) and Slow and Gentle Living advocate - I write Generosity of Spirit https://emilymale.substack.com/ dedicated to exploring all things slow and gentle, alongside a lot of bookish/reading content.
Please do come over and say hi, look around a little - you are very welcome.
3.
I have wanted to write a book for as long as I can remember, and I have been circling around an idea for a little while now- I have already given my book idea a little code name 'Project North Star' - while it takes shape. Does your book idea have a code name or project name???
I am so excited to be part of the 12 Chapters Club. EEK!
Hi Emily! Your substack looks wonderful, I've just subscribed :) And my book's had about 12,000 different code names/working titles over the past few years and I don't like any of them 😅
I'm Louise and joining from near Cambridge in the UK.
I'm planning to write a book based on knitting anecdotes and snippets of knitting life based on work from my blog over the last 10 years and more recent work. Hopefully humourous and relatable, I'll be writing about life as a knitter and some of the weird and wonderful situations I've found myself in
I’m so sorry Amy. I’m a motherless mother too, and it’s the grief from the loss of my mum that I’m exploring in my writing too. I’m walking with you and sending you so much love and care ❤️
This invitation came at the perfect time! I turn 50 on January 8th.
I've been slowly working on a book centered around the self-care method I created in 2018 called FLOW (Feed your body, mind, spirit, Love yourself + your season of life, Own your time and space, Weed out what's not working to welcome something new).
The concept has been published in a collection of essays by The Kind Press (2021), but I'm taking the idea and making a guidebook for women in midlife. It's based on practices, practical advice, and poems that helped me navigate perimenopause and menopause while working, homeschooling three teens, and trying to stay connected to myself. I have the outline done, and the first two chapters are done.
I'm a published writer, certified life coach, and speaker. I live in North Carolina, US. I am dreaming and manifesting a trip to Scotland, specifically the Isle of Skye.
I just joined Claire's membership, too! I am launching my Substack publication/newsletter, Flourish&Flow, in early January to coincide with the big 5-0! I've already started using Claire's 30 days to set up, and I posted some things on my personal page just to start playing.
Ohhh this sounds so lovely! I look forward to your publication in January! I do love the FLOW framework. It is so interesting that your pub will be Flow&Flourish because I am working on a FLOURISH framework (a similar idea to your FLOW).
How wonderful! Yes! I took the name from my 1:1 Voxer Coaching Program I created in 2023. I love alliteration! Looking forward to connecting more in this space. :)
Vanessa, I love your FLOW paradigm! And I love knowing there’s a publisher called The Kind Press! Good luck to you and your new Substack. Looks like you’re starting in the right place with Sparkle!
Hi Marta, thank you so much! Yes, The Kind Press is out of Australia. Natasha Gilmour is lovely! So thankful I came across Claire and her work via another project we're both being published in. Happy Holidays!
Your FLOW sounds so helpful. I look forward to the guide book. As someone who has also developed similar methods and has dreamed about making guidebooks, workbooks etc, (but never got past the dreaming stage) I'll be paying close attention and cheering you on! <3
1. My name is Amber and I’m a writer! Also, visionary healer, migraine warrior and space holder💜
2. I live in a static caravan immersed in nature between Scunthorpe and Doncaster - where you’d least expect it here in that part of Yorkshire (UK).
3. I published my first ebook this year (Unleashing My Inner Power), I’m in the process of publishing companion, guide and journal - Migraine & Me (plus another).
But it’s my 4th book that has captured the interest of global publishers, Hay House. So I’ll be writing up a selection of pieces that may not yet be full chapters that are linking to that - I have an outline to get me started 🤩 excited to get stuck in!
1. I am Jana. I publish Coffee Break in my spare time. I am a manager by profession. I love reading nonfiction—as long as I learn something each day, I’m happy.
2. I’m joining from the UK.
3. I'll be writing non-fiction very related to my publication based on two main ideas:
First, many people think that achieving something big takes a lot of time, knowledge, and skills they still need to learn. But really, it's about taking consistent small steps and making incremental progress every day that can lead to impressive results over time.
Second, when you don't know something, books are your best friends. Everything you need to learn is out there; you just have to be willing to look for it.
I'm still figuring out how to connect these two points smoothly, but they're at the heart of what I want to share.
Love both ideas but especially the second! It’s how I overcame chronic illness to the point of disability - I read books on the disease, hormones, healing, trauma and lots of inspiring stories/memoir!
I’ve been sharing wide and varied aspects of it on here for the past 2.5 years, created a hell of a resource here. Series 2 of my new and improved podcast, Your Story Matters launched this Friday! (So if you know of any migraine warriors who want to enjoy a virtual cuppa with me - send them my way!)
Next year I’ll be writing about how I made peace with migraine🩵
Jana I just discovered your substack and I love it! Delighted to be on this adventure with you <3 I too am a big believer in tiny action steps and incremental progress. :-)
1. I'm Hilda, dreaming about a writing life and writing a book. A mum, working for a boss and also writing about trying to live a slow and simple life, living with the seasons, handling the Wildmess and a wannabee Wildflower.
2. I'm from the Netherlands, the Northern part (Friesland) just outside a small village.
3. I'm not sure (yet) where to write my 12 chapters about... Hope the (almost) perfect idea will come to me before we start 😊
1. I am Susan, a retired neonatologist. I have been writing MomsMatter for about one year. I am thrilled that I gained an amazing 635 subscribers. I write about things that bother working moms, about burnout, about emotional labor, about depression, and about various topics that have to do with child health. I also write some medical stories - mostly those about moms who inspired me over the years.
2. I’m in Austin, Texas, a lovely city in this awful red state. So many of you here are from the UK. Nice.
3. I have an eBook called Defeating Burnout. It’s a guide for working moms, and it needs some work with additional narrative to illustrate the points. That will be my 12 chapters Project for 2025. I enjoyed reading what you all are writing about.
Hello - so good to meet another Susan in Texas. Yes - it's a huge struggle for me to be in this awful red state. I'm up by Fort Worth, and am only here because I love being with my new husband who is sort of stuck here! It's a shocking place for immigrants who come from more informed and globally conscious cultures...I commend what you are doing. I have fortunately survived the hard work of solo-motherhood, although it's never really over!
Susan this sounds amazing! I have a podcast coming out soon called The Burnout Rebellion. There is so much to discuss around this topic. Have you seen Clover Stroud recent piece on burnout and motherhood?
The short answer, Amy, is to do less and one of the things you keep doing is YOU. Self-care is key. Even one thing that nourishes you will help you through the tough times. PS. It’s not alcohol.
This sounds so exciting Craig! One of my book ideas was around 5 brothers in a 1950s coastal village in England and the various lives they weave. There is something about brotherhood isn’t there? Is this based on a real crime?
That's great Craig! For some reason, writing fiction feels really edgy for me because I worry so much about if what I made up is believable. Kudos to you for getting past the urge to have "the right answer" that's so programmed into us in med school
1- I'm Rachel, all about nature, creativity and building a new life and career after chronic health issues. Often found either in wellies on the downs, or in a swimming costume in the sea.
2-based on the South coast of UK (Sussex)
3- I've already had 2 ideas. Firstly a monthly walk through the year, noticing nature as a way to build myself back up after grief and chronic health issues. Secondly, one that came to me in Beth Kempton's recent soul circle gathering. Letters from the nature fairies. A more fictional series bringing the seasons to life through fairy characters. Think an updated version of The Flower Fairies.
So let's see what these turn in to! I feel the need for new notebooks for each idea.
1. I’m Julie and joined Substack in February 2024. I’m a qualified marketer and learning modern astrology. I love it. I write a free weekly Sun sign horoscope column and have c260 subscribers 🥳. I also write longer think pieces on astrology. I’m a guest contributor to The Astrology Show Substack podcast and write a monthly script and audio its host, psychic astrologer Jessica Adams. It’s a thrill.
2. I have an unpublished marketing course that could become an e-book. It’s for people who don’t understand marketing and don’t know how it all works. It’s called Know Love Trust the Value of Marketing . Think I could now add the value of Astrology to that. As JP Morgan once said ‘Millionaires don’t use astrology, billionaires do.’ There’s a best time to publish something and times you need to avoid, like on a Mercury retrograde (on now) as tech gets hit by glitches and miscommunications of any kind happen.
3. I live in the UK but currently on Prince Edward Island in Canada staying with family for a couple of months.
Today I bought your book ‘How to build a world class substack.’
1. I'm Melissa – author, editor, illustrator, mum, creative with lots of projects always bubbling away and a million and one things to do. My Substack is all about living a successful creative life, and thanks to Claire and Sparkle on Substack I'll be tweaking and changing things on there to further refine my focus.
2. I'm in Australia – writing and creating on Darkinjung Country.
3. I'm undecided on what manuscript I'll work on next year. Tossing up between a witchy junior fiction book about a witch who loathes humans or a witchy adult (though it could end up YA) romantasy. I could also go with something completely different!
Looking forward to joining in and making progress on writing!
1. I’m Marbellys, formerly a lawyer, latterly maker of shiny things, writer of thoughts, emotions, feelings and all things related to being a complex human, sometimes in prose, always in poetry.
2. I’m joining from Dorset, U.K.
3. I’ll be writing a memoir about being both wife and carer to my late husband, our struggles after a terminal diagnosis and the crumbling down of our lives as we knew them.
Marybellys I’m so sorry for your loss. I was a caregiver for both my parents so I know how difficult that is. Your story will help a lot of people who’re facing the same tribulation.
Thank you for your comment Amy, and I’m sorry for your loss. It’ll be 9 years in January and I finally feel that I’m in a place where I can share my story for the benefit of others
Hello!
1. I’m Jillian, a physician, mom, coach, and wellness leader in my organization.
2. I’m joining from Michigan in the USA.
3. I’ll be writing a non-fiction self-help book featuring personal stories from my own experience with recovery from burnout and depression. My goal is the same as my Substack publication: something that helps other people learn to live less stressed, more satisfying lives.
Looking forward to joining you all!
That sounds great. I’ll be writing in a similar space. Looking forward to connecting!
Wonderful!
This sounds epic Jillian! I’m championing this from afar. I would love to read this book.
That’s so kind! ✨
What a great book to write! So many people are struggling with this. I love that you're so ready to help them!
Thank you for the encouragement ✨
Hi Jillian, fellow midwestern (WI) physician here. Definitely relate to the burnout! I haven't totally settled on my topic, but I'm leaning toward writing about a vision I have for rewilding healthcare.
Whatever you write, I will read!!
That is really sweet. Are you writing a book too? If so, what are you writing about?
That sounds exciting!
Waving to a fellow Midwesterner, from over here in Wisconsin! How lovely that we are regionally so close by. xo
Hello! 👋🏼
This sounds like a great book and one I would definitely read! Thanks for alerting me to this club!
I would love to read! Burnout is at the top of my mind. I am always encouraging my team to care for themselves so they don't go into burnout.
We all need less stress. Carving out time for yourself even small pockets in the run up to Christmas with kids keeps escaping me.
It is escaping me too!!!
I've done it. After a big bubbling meltdown. Why does it take a meltdown?
I know. It is rough. I try to focus on pro-active self-care and stress reduction, but those meltdowns are no joke!
I think I'm right there in the burnout and depression phase of my writing right now. So your book sounds like something I certainly would read. Thank you for writing it.
Hi lovely humans!
1. I'm Shirley, 31, always working hard to try and keep my plants alive and just started out on Substack. My life will be very much in transition next year, so I would love to have one goal each month that's the same the whole year through AND helps me to write more and at a steady pace.
2. Joining from The Netherlands. 🇳🇱
3. I want to dust off the autobiographical book (in Dutch) I was writing before I started my entrepreneurial journey. I also want to write a book about how to work with tarot cards to cultivate more self-compassion and self-trust (in English). Not sure which one I'll be working on next year. 🙈 But I'm really happy to not have to do it alone! 💛
Here’s to transition years 🙌🏼✨ so excited for you. I’m just exiting my transition year, and not sure what the next year will bring but it’s super exciting.
🥰🦋 Thank you so much!! So lovely to read how excited you are for what's to come, even though you don't know exactly what it is yet. I hope to respond with as much resilience as you are on my own adventure next year. 😊
I know you will be able to for sure. Top tip, is take the moments of rest when you need them. Huge transitions sap your energy, and deep rest is needed regularly so don’t feel guilty about it :)
Thank you so much for your support, Anna! I will definitely take your tip to heart. 💛
Hi Shirley, lovely to see another person from the Netherlands here 👋🏽 I’m in The Hague, where are you based?
Ohh how nice, Ingrid! 👋🏻 I live in Utrecht. So if you ever want to arrange a live writing session or just chat about the process, I'm down. 😊
Oh I would so love a writing session, and Utrecht is such a beautiful place!
Awesome! Maybe we could meet up in the new year to start out strong? Just let me know & we'll make it happen. 😊
I love that you two are making IRL connections!! Cheers!
I look forward to the tarot book. <3
Yay!! 🤗🤗
Tarot cards as so fascinating. I can see how they align with storytelling.
Hi! 🧡
I’m Susannah, joining from London (UK).
My Substack is all about creative and playful support for introverts and folks navigating shyness, self-consciousness and social anxiety.
In 2025 I’d love to write 12 Chapters of my book. It’s a memoir about my experience of social anxiety – and using play, drama and improv to escape it :)
Excited to be in the Club with you all!
Hello from up north! I’m in East Yorkshire 🙂
Hi Amber! How amazing that you're onto your 4th book ☺️✨
Been at it for years! Made it a priority over the last 2, still yet to have more than on e published though 🙃 but I’m on it🙂 very excited for next year!
Oooh i'm in London too and working on a memoir. Lots of luck.
Hello!
I feel so excited to be part of this community of wonderful writers to see what the 12 Chapters Club will bring for us all. Thank you Claire for creating this group!
1/2.
My name is Emily, and I am 37 and I live in Norwich, Norfolk with my Husband, Bear.
I am a writer (yes, we say it out loud now!) and Slow and Gentle Living advocate - I write Generosity of Spirit https://emilymale.substack.com/ dedicated to exploring all things slow and gentle, alongside a lot of bookish/reading content.
Please do come over and say hi, look around a little - you are very welcome.
3.
I have wanted to write a book for as long as I can remember, and I have been circling around an idea for a little while now- I have already given my book idea a little code name 'Project North Star' - while it takes shape. Does your book idea have a code name or project name???
I am so excited to be part of the 12 Chapters Club. EEK!
I love the idea of a code name!
Hi Emily! Your substack looks wonderful, I've just subscribed :) And my book's had about 12,000 different code names/working titles over the past few years and I don't like any of them 😅
Oh thank you so much! it is lovely to have your company!
Haha - I think I was lucky I settled on Project North Star pretty quickly, encouraged by reading Martha Beck’s Finding Your Own North Star!
Just realized I already subscribe to you! Happy to be alongside you in this club!
Yay 🙌 that's wonderful... Me too ! Excited to see what 2025 will bring for us all ✨
I am already subscribed to you - It's good to see you here! Your code name makes me already want to read it!
Hi Melissa 👋 oh thank you ! I'm glad it has intrigued you ! 💕
Hi Melissa 👋 oh thank you ! I'm glad it has intrigued you ! 💕
Ooooh very intriguing. I lived in Norwich a long time ago as I went to UEA. Hope we get to break the code and find out more soon.
Oh wow. I graduated from UEA too! I love Norwich so much ! 💕
I did one module in philosophy. But I did English Literature and Creative Writing.
Sounds like the perfect combo to me 💕
Cool. What did you study?
Philosophy... How about you ?
haha i love the idea of a code name too! that's awesome
I'm Louise and joining from near Cambridge in the UK.
I'm planning to write a book based on knitting anecdotes and snippets of knitting life based on work from my blog over the last 10 years and more recent work. Hopefully humourous and relatable, I'll be writing about life as a knitter and some of the weird and wonderful situations I've found myself in
You can never go wrong with humour, Louise. Your writing is beautiful, so I look forward to reading more from you in 2025
That’s rally kind of you, thank you.
Oh that sounds lovely already!
This sounds like something you should curl up with in a big squishy armchair by the fire.
Thanks for this Claire, I love the spaces you create for writing and connection ❤️
1. Hello! I’m Ingrid, a mum, wife and lawyer. On my substack I write about grief, parenting, travelling and other joys of my midlife.
2. I’m an Aussie currently based in The Hague in the Netherlands.
3. I haven’t settled on my writing project yet. It will either be a memoir or a grief book. Excited to explore the writing process!
Looking forward to “meeting” you all and reading your books!
I've been exploring grief too. As i'm now a motherless mother. Can't wait to hear more about it.
I’m so sorry Amy. I’m a motherless mother too, and it’s the grief from the loss of my mum that I’m exploring in my writing too. I’m walking with you and sending you so much love and care ❤️
Thank you. It's so needed xx
Lovely to meet you and hear more about your project. I also write a lot about grief and there is definitely a need for it!
Hi Claire + Everyone,
This invitation came at the perfect time! I turn 50 on January 8th.
I've been slowly working on a book centered around the self-care method I created in 2018 called FLOW (Feed your body, mind, spirit, Love yourself + your season of life, Own your time and space, Weed out what's not working to welcome something new).
The concept has been published in a collection of essays by The Kind Press (2021), but I'm taking the idea and making a guidebook for women in midlife. It's based on practices, practical advice, and poems that helped me navigate perimenopause and menopause while working, homeschooling three teens, and trying to stay connected to myself. I have the outline done, and the first two chapters are done.
I'm a published writer, certified life coach, and speaker. I live in North Carolina, US. I am dreaming and manifesting a trip to Scotland, specifically the Isle of Skye.
I just joined Claire's membership, too! I am launching my Substack publication/newsletter, Flourish&Flow, in early January to coincide with the big 5-0! I've already started using Claire's 30 days to set up, and I posted some things on my personal page just to start playing.
Ohhh this sounds so lovely! I look forward to your publication in January! I do love the FLOW framework. It is so interesting that your pub will be Flow&Flourish because I am working on a FLOURISH framework (a similar idea to your FLOW).
How wonderful! Yes! I took the name from my 1:1 Voxer Coaching Program I created in 2023. I love alliteration! Looking forward to connecting more in this space. :)
What a cool concept! I write a lot about my concept of "soulful self care" and it sounds like we'd have some meaningful overlap!
Ooh! Soulful self-care! Can’t wait to read more. Thanks for commenting. 🦋
Vanessa, I love your FLOW paradigm! And I love knowing there’s a publisher called The Kind Press! Good luck to you and your new Substack. Looks like you’re starting in the right place with Sparkle!
Hi Marta, thank you so much! Yes, The Kind Press is out of Australia. Natasha Gilmour is lovely! So thankful I came across Claire and her work via another project we're both being published in. Happy Holidays!
Happy holidays!
This sounds like a beautiful calling.
:) It's been a journey! Excited to see where it keeps going. Have a lovely weekend!
Your FLOW sounds so helpful. I look forward to the guide book. As someone who has also developed similar methods and has dreamed about making guidebooks, workbooks etc, (but never got past the dreaming stage) I'll be paying close attention and cheering you on! <3
Amazing! I look forward to connecting with you soon! Happy Holidays!
Hello fellow writers!
1. My name is Amber and I’m a writer! Also, visionary healer, migraine warrior and space holder💜
2. I live in a static caravan immersed in nature between Scunthorpe and Doncaster - where you’d least expect it here in that part of Yorkshire (UK).
3. I published my first ebook this year (Unleashing My Inner Power), I’m in the process of publishing companion, guide and journal - Migraine & Me (plus another).
But it’s my 4th book that has captured the interest of global publishers, Hay House. So I’ll be writing up a selection of pieces that may not yet be full chapters that are linking to that - I have an outline to get me started 🤩 excited to get stuck in!
Congratulations. From what I've heard Hay house really want to see the community of readers you can tap into as an author in book pitches.
Wowza! Hay House!! Congratulations!
Hay House is a great publisher! That is such exciting news!
Hi Claire and everyone,
1. I am Jana. I publish Coffee Break in my spare time. I am a manager by profession. I love reading nonfiction—as long as I learn something each day, I’m happy.
2. I’m joining from the UK.
3. I'll be writing non-fiction very related to my publication based on two main ideas:
First, many people think that achieving something big takes a lot of time, knowledge, and skills they still need to learn. But really, it's about taking consistent small steps and making incremental progress every day that can lead to impressive results over time.
Second, when you don't know something, books are your best friends. Everything you need to learn is out there; you just have to be willing to look for it.
I'm still figuring out how to connect these two points smoothly, but they're at the heart of what I want to share.
Hello fellow uk writer 👋🏻
Love both ideas but especially the second! It’s how I overcame chronic illness to the point of disability - I read books on the disease, hormones, healing, trauma and lots of inspiring stories/memoir!
Amber! I love that you healed yourself from such an extremely difficult physical state. People would find a book about your journey inspiring.
Oh, wow, I am so glad you were able to overcome chronic illness. Is that something you will be writing about in 2025, Amber?
I’ve been sharing wide and varied aspects of it on here for the past 2.5 years, created a hell of a resource here. Series 2 of my new and improved podcast, Your Story Matters launched this Friday! (So if you know of any migraine warriors who want to enjoy a virtual cuppa with me - send them my way!)
Next year I’ll be writing about how I made peace with migraine🩵
Jana I just discovered your substack and I love it! Delighted to be on this adventure with you <3 I too am a big believer in tiny action steps and incremental progress. :-)
Thank you, Sarah! Your message made my day. I've subscribed to you, let's work on these tiny steps together.
I'm in! And thank you for the subscribe ♥️🙏♥️
This sounds like it would help a lot of people.
Hi Claire and co-writers 😉
1. I'm Hilda, dreaming about a writing life and writing a book. A mum, working for a boss and also writing about trying to live a slow and simple life, living with the seasons, handling the Wildmess and a wannabee Wildflower.
2. I'm from the Netherlands, the Northern part (Friesland) just outside a small village.
3. I'm not sure (yet) where to write my 12 chapters about... Hope the (almost) perfect idea will come to me before we start 😊
Hello to another person in the Netherlands! How wonderful that there are 3 of us from the Netherlands here 😄
Ha, yess, indeed!
hi fellow wildflower!
Hi, nice to meet you!
Hello everyone
1. I am Susan, a retired neonatologist. I have been writing MomsMatter for about one year. I am thrilled that I gained an amazing 635 subscribers. I write about things that bother working moms, about burnout, about emotional labor, about depression, and about various topics that have to do with child health. I also write some medical stories - mostly those about moms who inspired me over the years.
2. I’m in Austin, Texas, a lovely city in this awful red state. So many of you here are from the UK. Nice.
3. I have an eBook called Defeating Burnout. It’s a guide for working moms, and it needs some work with additional narrative to illustrate the points. That will be my 12 chapters Project for 2025. I enjoyed reading what you all are writing about.
Hi Susan! As a mum who's always busy and feeling close to burnout, I can't wait to hear more about your book and your progress :)
Hello - so good to meet another Susan in Texas. Yes - it's a huge struggle for me to be in this awful red state. I'm up by Fort Worth, and am only here because I love being with my new husband who is sort of stuck here! It's a shocking place for immigrants who come from more informed and globally conscious cultures...I commend what you are doing. I have fortunately survived the hard work of solo-motherhood, although it's never really over!
Susan this sounds amazing! I have a podcast coming out soon called The Burnout Rebellion. There is so much to discuss around this topic. Have you seen Clover Stroud recent piece on burnout and motherhood?
That sounds like an awesome podcast!
Thank you, it just launched today!
Working mom here - thanks for writing this!
How do we not get burntout? How please tell me.
The short answer, Amy, is to do less and one of the things you keep doing is YOU. Self-care is key. Even one thing that nourishes you will help you through the tough times. PS. It’s not alcohol.
Solitude is something that really helps me. Even if I can't get to yoga or a walk. Being on my own for a bit helps me process.
Hey y'all!
I'm Craig--retired surgeon/hospital executive/hospital inspector, husband, father, stepfather, grandfather.
I'm joining from Alabama, USA.
I'm in the early stages of planning and researching a novel about four brothers who are bank robbers in the 1920s in Canada.
My Substack is "Doc's Mindful Holiday."
This sounds so exciting Craig! One of my book ideas was around 5 brothers in a 1950s coastal village in England and the various lives they weave. There is something about brotherhood isn’t there? Is this based on a real crime?
That's great Craig! For some reason, writing fiction feels really edgy for me because I worry so much about if what I made up is believable. Kudos to you for getting past the urge to have "the right answer" that's so programmed into us in med school
The title of your Substack makes me smile. :-) Nice play on words.
Wow! 150 of us! A wonderful challenge Claire.
1- I'm Rachel, all about nature, creativity and building a new life and career after chronic health issues. Often found either in wellies on the downs, or in a swimming costume in the sea.
2-based on the South coast of UK (Sussex)
3- I've already had 2 ideas. Firstly a monthly walk through the year, noticing nature as a way to build myself back up after grief and chronic health issues. Secondly, one that came to me in Beth Kempton's recent soul circle gathering. Letters from the nature fairies. A more fictional series bringing the seasons to life through fairy characters. Think an updated version of The Flower Fairies.
So let's see what these turn in to! I feel the need for new notebooks for each idea.
Hi Rachel! Both of your ideas sound lovely, healing and magical. New notebooks are a must! :)
Thank you! See what they grow up to be! I'm excited
ooh i love these ideas! especially the letters, look forward to reading!!
I love things that root you in the changes of the year.
Hi everyone
1. I’m Julie and joined Substack in February 2024. I’m a qualified marketer and learning modern astrology. I love it. I write a free weekly Sun sign horoscope column and have c260 subscribers 🥳. I also write longer think pieces on astrology. I’m a guest contributor to The Astrology Show Substack podcast and write a monthly script and audio its host, psychic astrologer Jessica Adams. It’s a thrill.
2. I have an unpublished marketing course that could become an e-book. It’s for people who don’t understand marketing and don’t know how it all works. It’s called Know Love Trust the Value of Marketing . Think I could now add the value of Astrology to that. As JP Morgan once said ‘Millionaires don’t use astrology, billionaires do.’ There’s a best time to publish something and times you need to avoid, like on a Mercury retrograde (on now) as tech gets hit by glitches and miscommunications of any kind happen.
3. I live in the UK but currently on Prince Edward Island in Canada staying with family for a couple of months.
Today I bought your book ‘How to build a world class substack.’
It’s great to have your company.
Mercury in retrograde has a lot to answer for.
Hello everyone!
1. I'm Melissa – author, editor, illustrator, mum, creative with lots of projects always bubbling away and a million and one things to do. My Substack is all about living a successful creative life, and thanks to Claire and Sparkle on Substack I'll be tweaking and changing things on there to further refine my focus.
2. I'm in Australia – writing and creating on Darkinjung Country.
3. I'm undecided on what manuscript I'll work on next year. Tossing up between a witchy junior fiction book about a witch who loathes humans or a witchy adult (though it could end up YA) romantasy. I could also go with something completely different!
Looking forward to joining in and making progress on writing!
Love a witchy book. Oh I finally did my content bucket yesterday.
Me too! Witchy things all the way <3 OH amazing! How did you find the content bucket exercise? I found it very helpful.
Good. I need to finish some thoughts. I have too many ideas in quick succession.
Melissa, I would read all of these books. Could you write all of them please? ❤️✨
Awwww thank you so much, Anna!!! I definitely want to work on both – let's hope I can figure out a way to finish them both 😅
Hi 👋🏼
1. I’m Marbellys, formerly a lawyer, latterly maker of shiny things, writer of thoughts, emotions, feelings and all things related to being a complex human, sometimes in prose, always in poetry.
2. I’m joining from Dorset, U.K.
3. I’ll be writing a memoir about being both wife and carer to my late husband, our struggles after a terminal diagnosis and the crumbling down of our lives as we knew them.
Marybellys I’m so sorry for your loss. I was a caregiver for both my parents so I know how difficult that is. Your story will help a lot of people who’re facing the same tribulation.
Thank you Marta, that’s what I’m hoping my story will do and also challenge some perceptions of grief
Ooh! Challenge perceptions of grief. That sounds intriguing. I can’t wait to learn more. 🩷
Oh goodness. One of my favourite books I read this year was Richard E Grant A Pocketful
Of Happiness. My mum died last year and reading over people's stories has helped so much which feelings of grief that make you feel very isolated.
Thank you for your comment Amy, and I’m sorry for your loss. It’ll be 9 years in January and I finally feel that I’m in a place where I can share my story for the benefit of others
Amazing. Looking forward to following.
Marbellys, you are clearly a brave strong soul. All power to you.
Thank you Susan 🙏🏽