Gifted Underachievers

In creative and creative-adjacent work, we always seem to have more projects and deadlines than we have time for. The Gifted Underachievers talk about how this situation develops and name a few scenarios:

* Deadlines take priority, which means that other work gets pushed aside til the deadline’s met

* That work then becomes the new priority—the need to catch up makes for more long hours

* Life can also intervene with last-minute changes or challenges.

It’s a reality for many creative workers that client projects and personal projects compete for our time and energy. Can we ever really catch up?

If not, how can we reduce overwhelm, celebrate our accomplishments, and enjoy our brief lives? We have answers.

Questions for Listeners:

* When’s the last time you were caught up?

* What did you do to make that happen?

* How long did you stay caught up?

For Further Exploration:

Bestselling author Brandon Sanderson on working on multiple projects at the same time:

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Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!

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This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

Today, we’re profiling a terrific podcast by Carly Jackson and cohost Christy Lynn, the Book Club Podcast.

If you like smart, in-depth analysis of stories, ranging across time periods and including classics as well as genre best-sellers, this is the podcast for you.

Each season has a theme, and the current one is all about Romantasy (A Court of Thorn and Roses, Spinning Silver, and more). Previous seasonal themes include Millenial Nostalgia, (The Princess Bride, The Giver, Jurassic Park...) Solarpunk, (Walkaway, The Dispossessed...), and Haunted Houses (The Shining, The Turn of the Screw, “The Yellow Wallpaper,” and more.) (Have a listen to the fabulous discussion of Shirley Jackson’s classic novel The Haunting of Hill House in this episode from Season One!)

The Book Club Podcast is available on the major podcast players and Substack. New episodes are released monthly. Check out their website at https://www.bookclubpod.com.

Creator and host Carly Jackson is a developmental editor for science fiction and fantasy, and you can find her at Desert Sky Editing.

Cohost Christy Lynn is a writer and editor with over 10,000 hours of reading discussions accomplished (which she heard makes her an expert). You can find her at https://substack.com/@christylynn10.

Questions for Listeners:

* Want to be featured as a listener profile?

* Send us a brief pitch to: [email protected]

For Further Exploration:

If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No cost, no spam, unsubscribe anytime.

Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

In an attention-based economy, how do creatives honorably and effectively build an audience, platform, and artistic presence without resorting to sensationalism or grandstanding?

Too many believe that the only path is making outlandish claims (you will get a gallery show if you do this…), market conflict (you will never get a gallery show if you…), or some other form of clickbait. The world is saturated with this strategic approach to winning people’s attention.

Obviously, it works.

But is it necessary?

Can we build a presence and audience and platform by focusing with intensity on content and creative work that offers meaning?

Betsy Lerner offers a great example. She gained a large audience by reading her cringey teenage diary entries on Tik Tok. Fun. Curious. Unique. And creative.

Questions for Listeners

* Have you leaned toward clickbait? (“I have in the past,” James admits.)

* Did it work? (“Nope,” James says.)

For Further Exploration

Betsy Lerner: A new start after 60: I read out my old diaries online – and my youthful secrets went viral

Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.

If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No cost, no spam, unsubscribe anytime.

Buy us a Coffee and Win a Book

Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

Gifted Underachiever James Buchanan has just come through an extended period of overwork and is also dealing with a major life event, the death of a parent. Over the past few months, he’s reached a point of low inspiration on his own creative projects. He’s not only finding it hard to do the work, but also realizing that when he does start working on it, his brain’s in overdrive on life stuff.

We’ve all been there. In this segment, we discuss what to do: Keep pushing through, or put everything down and take a break?

Questions for Listeners

* Have you ever had a period of low inspiration on your creative work?

* What’s your strategy to bounce back?

For Further Exploration

Are you in a period of “woodshedding”?

Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.

If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No cost, no spam, unsubscribe anytime.

Buy us a Coffee and Win a Book

Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

Did you know that you can advertise your creative work online? You alone, by yourself, without spending big bucks or lots of time?

In this short segment, full-time writer James Buchanan shares three fundamentals for placing successful online ads.

Questions for Listeners

* Do you have any further tips about advertising online?

* If you’ve never done it, what have the barriers been? (didn’t know about it, didn’t know how, heard it was difficult, etc.)

For Further Exploration

Crash Course Media Literacy: Online Ads

Pinterest Tools for Creators: https://create.pinterest.com/en-ca/product-features/

How to do online ads: https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/online-advertising

Buy us a Coffee and Win a Book

Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!

Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.

If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No cost, no spam, unsubscribe anytime.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

If you engage in creative-adjacent work or perform, submit, or sell creative services or pieces of any kind, you likely need a contract. As Pat says, contracts remove confusion, manage expectations, and help prevent scope creep.

They are necessary, but what should you write into yours? How flexible should a contract be? How can you use a contract to close a deal? What should you look for—the howlers—in another person’s contract? How does a contract lay out your responsibilities and the client’s expectations? And much, much more.

*Important note: neither Pat nor James is a lawyer. THIS IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE. NONE OF WHAT JAMES OR PAT SAY IS LEGALLY BINDING. But they are more than willing to share what they do and why.

Questions for Listeners:

* What do you consider the must-have clauses in your contracts?

For Further Exploration:

If you’re in the USA: 23 of the Best Contracts for Creatives https://onestoplegal.co/contracts-for-creatives/?srsltid=AU7gw4Xd4ZEv9DYl8CsAXY_DTpbdemRiJXePpW8Z-t7IyHldj_PZPmx1

Buy us a Coffee and Win a Book

Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!

Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.

If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU clubhouse. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

In a recent segment, Prepping for Crunch Time, we discussed ways to prepare for a period of intensive work, whether you’re an understudy called up to play the lead, a visual artist with an impending gallery show, or a writer on a deadline.

Now we have a case study on Pat’s most recent “crunch time,” a 72-hour writing competition that brings contestants to their knees every year.

Despite thorough and logical preparations at the logistics end, Pat found herself scrambling ineptly and producing sub-standard work. We discuss the lessons learned. The ultimate insight? If you need to be in a flow state to get your work done, you’d best do some “flow hygiene” as crunch time approaches.

Questions for Listeners:

* Do you have a “crunch time” coming up?

* What do you do to get into flow?

For Further Exploration:

Creative Hygiene:

How to enter the flow state in 2 minutes:

How to enter a flow state in 11 minutes:

Creative Flow:

Buy us a Coffee and Win a Book

Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!

Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.

If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No spam, unsubscribe any time.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

As part of her pension project, Pat has been teaching courses online at the Editorial Arts Academy [https://editorialartsacademy.com/2020/12/22/tour-of-developmental-editing-for-fiction/] for quite a while.

In one course, she demystifies the art of developmental editing by working with students on the basics and not so basics of this type of editorial service.

Great stuff!

And she has filled up the next cohort for this class.

This segment explores Pat’s marketing efforts and what she believes worked best.

Questions for Listeners:

* Do you create and deliver online courses?

* If yes, what marketing channels do you use?

For Further Exploration:

Buy us a Coffee and Win a Book

Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!

Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.

If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

James floats out a scenario for consideration:

* You’re a midlevel creative

* You get your “big break”--an opportunity that could transform your career

* They want compromises you’re not comfortable making

What do you do?

Pat figures creatives can cross that bridge when they get to it and base their actions on the specifics of the situation: what the compromise is, who’s asking for it, and what’s at stake.

Questions for Listeners

* Do you think this scenario can be usefully analyzed?

* If yes, what’s your red zone when opportunity knocks?

For Further Exploration

17 Stars Who Were Broke When They Got Their Big Breaks

Buy us a Coffee and Win a Guide to World Domination!

Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!

If you aren’t already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time.

Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

Pat is an expert all-nighter puller. In fact, James says that when it comes to understanding how to prepare for an intensive period of work, there’s none better than Pat.

That’s why he asked for her tips on how she gets ready for the international three-day writing contest as well as other demanding periods of work.

Question for Listeners:

* How do you re-find your creative thread?

For Further Exploration

Buy us a Coffee and Win a Guide to World Domination!

Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!

If you aren’t already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time.

Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com