Out of our drafts and into the ether...

Essay Club Round Up - Summer '24

Bumper Essay Club Round Up and new invites INCOMING!

Hi all,

I can’t really express how wonderful it’s been to see the enthusiasm for The Sparkle on Substack Essay Club since we launched in March. It’s been a TOTAL joy!

It’s helped you to feel more accountable, connected and ready to press post! Yay!

It’s been a quiet ripple and a conscious choice and I’m so grateful we get to do this work TOGETHER!

Here is a round up of a handful of life affirming posts because we all need a little sunshine in our day from time to time. 🌞

Our writerly colleagues need our support. Substack is just bubbling over into other mediums, we will soon have videographer colleagues, content creator colleagues, right now is the time to put the work in, build your stack, meet your colleagues by the water cooler in Notes and deepen your creative practise.

Enjoy and do support the writers in whichever way you can!

✨

If you published a post for essay club please post it in the comments below?

Multiple posts encouraged and we’ll use this as a library of sorts until the next round up…

You can also head to the chat thread to talk more about this as a creative process anytime, tell us what your stuck with, what you want to write about, what you are thinking.

GO BOLD - Substack is a big giant experiment for me - one I lean into wholeheartedly.

It’s a bold experiment and ask BUT I want to add you all as co-authors of the thread post so that you get the notifications coming through when folks comment so if you are happy for me to do that and edit to display your name in the chat thread like this one, drop me a comment over there?

And say YES PLEASE then I’ll circle in and add you as co-authors! This way you will get notified of the comments and everyone can chat - a bit like our own private chat room.

Any questions just ask!

As this publication gets bigger I am nervous of the unsavoury types or people trying to game the system so I will personally vet anyone who asks and make sure they are sparklers like us!

✨

Ok into my round up…

1. Tides and Seasons UK
   by Anna Rose was a new publication to me and one I’ve really enjoyed reading… you guys know I love a celebratory Substack post so I’ve included hers here for you…

6 months of messiness; The Substack initiation

2. Mackenzie
   over at the lovely road and I have chatted for a long time here on Substack. I feel like I first met her over in
   Cait Flanders
   community. She writes beautifully, so much depth and connection.

"why are you always singing?", she said derisively

3. Again a new-ish and very connected publication to me

   The Curious Magpie
   by the wonderful
   Océane Meftah
   .

Curiosity, Creativity and Magpies

4. Jenna Nicole Stevens
   work is simply stunning…

Some days I don't feel like a poet...

No one tells you about the come down after planning a wedding

5. Letters to my father
   piqued my attention. On the approach to father’s day in the UK as I don’t have a Dad. We just lost our friend who leaves a five year old son behind…there was healing for me here…

Dear Dad, Bon Jovi was right

6. Coffee Break Newsletter
   by Jana was a new space to me but I love the vibe and think you guys will too.

Beyond Time Management

7. Lovely Steph over at

   in the arena
   makes me feel bold and brave and of course connects me to the person I probably quote the most - Bréne Brown.

When the Dopamine Hits Stop

8. The Meandering Muse
   by Amy Ray is a wonderful space that invites us into embodied words - I think you guys will love leaning in…

Always Reaching

9. From

   The Moon Shed
   - this one was a delight in getting to know our inner ‘fool’ and make friends with them…

you're too wild to be consistent

10. From

    Jeanine Kitchel
    at Mexico Sun because we all need some escapism and the reminder we are all spinning round for who knows how long on top of a big green and blue ball.

What's Eating the Sun?

11. A letter to our younger selves is such a powerful tool of Gratitude - loved this one from Rahma over at

    A Woman Who Wanders

A Letter to my 28-Year-Old Self

12. Loved this from

    Louise Tilbrook
    who is a long time pal here on Substack. Swedish Death cleaning is a conscious creative practise and one I’m hear for although it is tricky being a busy mum. Louise and I first met over on twitter as part of
    Sara Tasker - Me & Orla
    instachat years back! Isn’t the internet marvellous?

Swedish Death Cleaning

Want to join in with essay club

Let’s write some, more, all the posts/ essays/ musings in 2024 that feel good…

Out of drafts and into the ether - let’s go! 🌱🚀

Here’s the scoop on what to do…

Join our (free) Essay Club?

In the next round up, I’m giving away complimentary 6 month passes to

Sparkle on Substack

for everyone I feature.

Today for your continued support in my work I made you a 20% off discount coupon to join us in the Sparkle membership.

Valid until the end of June.

Sending sparkles and so much support for your journey of words and wonder here on Substack,

Claire

✨

PS - I wrote a couple of pieces for Essay Club over at

Creatively Conscious by Claire Venus

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