In this episode, I'm joined by author Hannah Callan to talk about writing in the margins of life, and building an author platform.

We discuss what it looks like to pursue creative dreams while juggling work, family, social media, overwhelm, and all the other responsibilities that come with being a human being.

We also dive into author platform-building and some of the biggest misconceptions writers have about social media. Hannah shares how she built an audience online, how that audience helped her during the querying process, and why building a platform doesn't have to mean living on Instagram 24/7.

We talk about:

• Why writers often have an all-or-nothing mindset around creativity
• The myth of needing huge blocks of uninterrupted time to write
• Building an author platform without losing yourself in the process
• The difference between an audience and a community
• Writing during busy seasons of life
• Working with fragmented creativity instead of fighting it
• Hannah's querying journey, including agent requests that came through social media

If you've ever found yourself thinking, "I'll write when life calms down," this episode is for you.

About Hannah:

Hannah Callan is a jack of many creative trades—she spent ten years working as a graphic designer, ran her own wedding photography business, and received her bachelor's degree in Editing and Publishing. Now she's an agented author with her first novel out on submission to publishers, and a language nerd with linguistics research up for publication with Cambridge University Press. Above all, she believes stories to be one of the most powerful tools we have in passing on the things we've learned and building stronger communities.

Hannah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannahcallanwrites/

Hannah's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hannahcallanwrites

Hannah's Newsletter: https://substack.com/@hannahcallanwrites

Hannah's Website: https://www.hannahcallan.com/