Creating Happy Writers

S3: Edit Your Life: Making Space for Creativity - with Elisabeth McKetta

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Have you ever felt like your life is too cluttered to make space for your writing? Do you wonder if there's a simpler way to live that would free up your creative energy? Well, this month’s guest and I talk about all of this - and so much more!

Elisabeth McKetta is a storyteller and the author of thirteen books across genres, including "Edit Your Life" (2023). Her work includes numerous published poems, and she delivered the TEDx Boise talk, "Edit Your Life Like a Poem."

Elisabeth holds degrees in literature from Harvard (B.A.), Georgetown (M.A.) and the University of Texas at Austin (Ph.d.). Her doctoral dissertation explored the fascinating intersections between memoir and myth, a concept that continues to inform her teaching, writing, and her entire approach to viewing the world. 

She currently teaches for the Harvard Extension School Writing Program and Oxford University's Diploma in Creative Writing, and mentors a select group of writers each year through the Book Year Writers' Circle.

During our brilliant conversation, Elisabeth and I explore the concept of editing not just our writing, but our lives to create space for creativity and purpose. 

We discuss:

  • The natural back-and-forth between creative seasons and the practical, business side of a writer's life
  • How simplifying our lives—from our living spaces to our commitments—can free us to focus on what truly matters - including how she and her family made a radical decision to downsize from their large American house to a tiny 375-square-foot backyard structure that was originally built as her writing shed!
  • Finding your personal creative rhythm and the courage to follow it, even when it goes against what everyone else is doing
  • The power of small, consistent writing practices (even just 30 minutes a day) versus the myth of needing endless hours
  • How dealing with other people's reactions when making big life changes can actually help us get clearer on what we really want

    • I genuinely cannot wait for you to listen to this honest and insightful conversation about creating a life that supports your writing and creativity - it is, quite honestly, remarkable. Enjoy!

    Connect with Elisabeth and her books:
    • Edit Your Life book
    • Website
      • Further resources from me
      • My book, ‘Dare to Write: How to Write a Nonfiction Book to Grow Your Business,’ is available now on Amazon or directly via my website.
        Connect with Steph:

        Website: https://stephcaswell.com/

        Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephcaswellauthor/?hl=en

        LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephcaswell/

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