Welcome to Episode # 8 of Hiding Under the Desk the podcast for unconfident but ambitious creatives.

This is a solo episode, a rather chatty episode where I talk about an issue that has been pressing on me for a few months: what am I all about? Specifically, what is my Substack all about?

And I think I’ve cracked it thanks to journaling it out for this episode and:

Beth Kempton’s book: The Way of the Fearless Writer

And an episode of Sacha Black’s podcast. I forget which episode but she’s got great insights so subscribe to them all!

I refer to The Confident Creative Club in this podcast. You can find out more here: https://helenredfernwriter.com/the-confident-creative-club-join

I also refer to my writing journals. They are a fabulous source of inspiration for me. If you fancy watching my video on how I use my writing journals then my latest video is here:

I do hope you enjoy this chatty, lengthy episode where I veer off on tangents every now and again. But it all comes together in the end - I think ;)

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit helenredfern.substack.com/subscribe

Beth Kempton is an author, Japanologist and writer mentor. She is also my teacher as I took her course, The Book Proposal Masterclass last year.

I was so thrilled to interview Beth for my podcast to celebrate the launch of her new book, The Way of the Fearless Writer.

In this interview we talk about:

Writing a non-fiction book proposal.

Trying to control the outcome of our writing.

Beth’s new book, The Way of the Fearless Writer.

Self-doubt.

The creative process.

Waiting for permission.

The three states of writing: gaseous, liquid and solid. And how Beth’s fear comes from the ‘solid’ state.

PLUS - Beth gives me advice on my own book proposal!

Links

The Way of the Fearless Writer by Beth Kempton

Freedom Seeker by Beth Kempton

The Book Proposal Masterclass

The Fearless Writer Podcast with Beth Kempton

bethkempton.com

Photo of Beth by @hollybobbins_photographer.

If you’d like to follow my book proposal journey you can read about it by becoming a paid subscriber.

To receive writings about my book proposal journey consider become a paid subscriber.

You can also watch me working on my book proposal here:

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit helenredfern.substack.com/subscribe

Today is a solo episode. I share my experiences of ‘chasing the sparkly’ where I look at other writer’s and creative’s success stories and feel that I should follow their ‘formula’ for success and that I should follow the ‘internet rules’. I’ve been down rabbit holes convinced there is a right way of doing things - only to find this rabbit hole search leads to frustration, exhaustion, a feeling of failure and yes, a little bit of embarrassment.

Inspired by Sarra Cannon’s Kanban board process on her YouTube channel called Heart Breathings I discovered the tiny post it. And that, alongside my writing journal, changed my writing and creative life as I knew it.

The Substack post I refer to is this one: Planning for a Productive October

The Bite-Sized Course is this one: Using Your Journal & Planning for Productivity

And the YouTube video is this one:

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If you enjoy this episode then do please share to spread the word.

The Red Fern By Helen Redfern is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit helenredfern.substack.com/subscribe

Today is a solo episode. I wanted a ‘catch up’ episode where I share where I am with my creativity at the moment after a low period in my life.

I talk about:

My Substack experience and how much my subscriber base has grown.

How my mental health affected my writing and the pivot I made for joy and comfort.

YouTube.

My previous podcast interviews (episode numbers 1 to 4).

If you’d like to sign up to my newsletter go to: helenredfern.substack.com

If you enjoy this episode then do please share to spread the word.

The Red Fern By Helen Redfern is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit helenredfern.substack.com/subscribe

What an absolute thrill and joy to interview Deborah Carr today. Deborah is the author of historical fiction including her most recent The Beekeeper’s War.

Deborah also writes contemporary fiction as Georgina Troy and psychological mysteries as Ella Drummond.

Deborah is inspiringly prolific for a writer who was too scared to put herself out there (and still is). I gained so much from this interview.

Writing is “a constant battle with yourself. Do I want to write this book?… Do I want this? Right, I must sit on my bum and make myself write some words.”

Links

The Beekeeper’s War by Deborah Carr

Finding Love on Sunshine Island by Georgina Troy

The Darkest Summer by Ella Drummond

Deborah’s website: https://deborahcarr.org/

Deborah on Instagram: @ofbooksandbeaches

Deborah on TikTok: @georginatroy_deborahcarr

Deborah’s book recommendation: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

This podcast is brought to you by my Substack, The Red Fern. To subscribe for free and receive monthly newsletters or to become a paid subscriber and receive weekly writing as well as bite-sized courses (the first one is about writing on Medium) then sign up at helenredfern.substack.com/subscribe or by using the button below.

If you enjoyed this episode please consider sharing. I’d be incredibly grateful.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit helenredfern.substack.com/subscribe

Today I’m delighted to be sharing the interview with Zoe Lea. Zoe is the author of the psychological thrillers If He Wakes and The Secretary.

I’ve known Zoe online for many years, but this is the first time we’ve chatted directly (via Zoom) and I found her incredibly effervescent, wise and inspiring.

Zoe credits investing in a writing course with changing her life and marking the stage where she decided that it was ‘her time’. Soon after that, she found an agent and her debut, If He Wakes, was published.

More recently Zoe has been studying TikTok and has been fascinated by how it can help sell books. Marketing is often not easy for writers and creatives - but Zoe has thrown herself into it and now credits TikTok with giving her confidence.

“When I realised no-one cares what I did…FREEDOM!”

Links:

If He wakes by Zoe Lea

The Secretary by Zoe Lea

Zoe on TikTok and Instagram is @zoeleawriter. She also has an experimental page on TikTok with page flipping @zoeleabooks.

Zoe’s book recommendations:

The Ugly Truth by L C North

The Beach Party by Nikki Smith

Story Genius by Lisa Cron

This podcast is brought to you by my Substack, The Red Fern. To subscribe for free and receive monthly newsletters or to become a paid subscriber and receive weekly writing as well as bite-sized courses (the first one is about writing on Medium) then sign up at helenredfern.substack.com/subscribe or by using the button below.

If you enjoyed this episode please consider sharing. I’d be incredibly grateful.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit helenredfern.substack.com/subscribe

My Substack address is now helenredfern.substack.com

Well, interviewing writer Carla Calvert was an absolute joy. Carla is one of the original members of The Confident Creative Club and I find her incredibly wise, thoughtful and hugely supportive. As I was editing this podcast I nodded my head in agreement with Carla’s words throughout.

Carla describes herself as a chronic non-finisher with her novel writing projects. But this year something rather magical happened. Despite being utterly terrified, Carla decided to spend some time writing on Medium to feel the achievement that comes from finishing a project.

Why Medium? Because the finished result was so much shorter and quicker to write than a novel.

“Writing on Medium…has given me a freedom from the rules I create for myself.”

I needed a place for my words to land to start with…to push through the fear and the lack of confidence…”

“Because I’ve pressed that publish button thirty-one times on Medium I think I can press that SEND button on an email with my query letter to agents.”

Do listen to Carla’s calm and extremely wise words. And if you’re struggling to finish a big creative project why not try something smaller and shorter to give you that sense of accomplishment. Like Carla, this may lead to increased self-belief and you can carry that with you towards your bigger projects.

You can find Carla’s Medium writing here:

https://medium.com/@carlacalvert

And Carla’s Instagram is here: https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlacalvert

This podcast is brought to you by my Substack, The Red Fern. To subscribe for free and receive monthly newsletters or to become a paid subscriber and receive weekly writing as well as bite-sized courses (the first one is about writing on Medium) then sign up at helenredfern.substack.com/subscribe or by using the button below.

If you enjoyed this episode please consider sharing. I’d be incredibly grateful.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit helenredfern.substack.com/subscribe

When fear of having no ideas and not understanding the steps to take can stop you from starting your creative journey.

“I know that I’m supposed to write…but I didn’t know what to write at all.”

~ Claire Holden

“What if I wasn’t as good? What if it isn’t your dream? You can’t be disappointed if you never try.”

~ Claire Holden

Welcome to my first full podcast episode. I am delighted to welcome writer Claire Holden as my very first interviewee. I am deeply indebted to Claire for taking a step out of her comfort zone and trusting me with her first podcast experience and for being my very first guest.

Claire has been part of my membership, The Confident Creative Club, since the beginning. The Club’s aim is to help writers and creatives who struggle with self-belief and corresponding action.

For the first few months, Claire would show up to the masterclasses, coffee chats and, later, the live writing sessions. She’d journal but was worried about her lack of ideas. She was encouraged to keep journaling, to allow herself time to explore and from February this year, she began to take action. Claire describes it as “taking her foot off the hosepipe”. I simply call it inspiring.

Claire has gone from being the writer who didn’t write to the writer who does. It was a joy to interview her.

You can read her writing on Medium:

https://medium.com/@clairemholden78

And follow Claire on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/its_all_about_the_words/

For more of my writing become a full subscriber to The Red Fern

https://theredfern.substack.com/subscribe

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit helenredfern.substack.com/subscribe

This is the very first, very short episode of Hiding Under the Desk, my brand new, and very first, podcast.

It gives you an idea about what my intentions are with this podcast and where I hope to go with it in the coming months.

My original thoughts were to publish an episode once a month by sharing an interview with a writer or creative who is taking steps towards making their creative dreams come true.

This may change as I progress on my podcasting journey and it may become twice a month or weekly. I’ve not given myself any rules other than to just start.

I’m creating the podcast through Substack, recording straight into Substack using the microphone in my mac and have no special equipment. I’ve even started with the remains of Covid still making itself known in my voice.

The idea is to not overthink, to not worry about spending hundreds of pounds on equipment. But to just do it before the doubts kick in, before the fears try to talk you out of it, before your lack of self-belief makes you pull the plug on the entire thing.

I’ve always tried to inspire by doing. So I hope you appreciate if the quality and sound isn’t perfect but just hear the message and maybe become motivated to start your own creative project.

It’s all about the tiny steps.

Coming soon…

The first monthly bite-sized course

Where to Write

Thursday 30th June via Zoom | 6.30pm UK time/1.30pm EST

* A workshop about where to publish your writing on the internet: Blogging, Medium, Substack.

* Which one is best?

* How do you start?

* Can you really earn money on Medium?

* Which one is best if you want to grow an audience?

If you’d like to upgrade your subscription to receive the audio of future podcasts and to receive the monthly courses and additional writing then you can do so here:

https://theredfern.substack.com/subscribe

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit helenredfern.substack.com/subscribe