In episode six of Courage to Create, Bethany talks about how to become what writer Elizabeth Gilbert calls a deeply disciplined half-ass. Our own inner critic and perfectionism can stop us from even getting started with our writing.
Bethany discusses how we can overcome this and stop our stopping when we are scared. She encourages listeners to forget about perfect and focus on the good, realistic, possible, and fun. Perfectionism keeps us from feeling joy in our work, and Bethany gives tips on how we can find a middle ground and a balance between perfectionism and keeping our work hidden away in our own heads or in the drawers of our desks.
With references to authors Anne Lamott and Elizabeth Gilbert and how they are fiercely themselves, Bethany encourages us all to learn the art and humor of becoming our own deeply disciplined half-ass and finding joy in our work.
The dark night of the soul. As writers, we've all been there. We've all had those moments where we feel like our work is not good enough. Will never be good enough. That we are not good enough. In Courage to Create episode #5, Bethany Hegedus walks us through this dark night and leads us back out.
January feels like a fresh start, a new page, a time to move forward. But if you're experiencing a crisis of faith in your work and/or yourself, moving forward can feel impossible. Bethany delves into the hurt of rejections, the shame we often feel, and how we tend to turn that into wondering why we're not good enough and fearing we never will be.
She uses inspiring quotes and vignettes from Anne Lamott and Flannery O'Connor, both successful authors who have been through dark nights of their own. Bethany also reads a letter from one of her Write. Submit. Support. students and encourages listeners to send her their own letters detailing what they say to themselves when they're in a place of doubt and despair.
Most significantly, Bethany guides listeners back into the light and shows us how we can overcome our own dark nights and keep moving forward in our literary lives. You won't want to miss this inspiring episode of The Porchlight.
On this episode of The Porchlight we flip the script and interview Matthew Winner, Librarian and Podcast Host of All The Wonders, a podcast that we here at The Writing Barn hold near and dear to us. We just knew we had to interview Matthew for The Porchlight. Listen to this in-person interview at The Writing Barn during our Picture Book Intensive (for which Matthew was faculty).
Today's Porchlight guest is elementary school librarian, author, and host and creator of The Children's Book Podcast (formerly All the Wonders), Matthew Winner. He is the author of ASHA WENT WALKING, a webcomic for young readers, and in 2013, Matthew was named a Library Journal Mover & Shaker.
Matthew and Bethany discuss the origins of his podcast and how he's just recorded his 469th episode! Matthew details the evolution of his podcast over the years and how he's come to use it as a platform for marginalized voices so that all children feel heard and seen. He believes books should serve as both mirrors and windows and talks about why this is so important. Matthew also discusses how he finds guests for his podcast and who his dream interviews are.
Join Bethany and Matthew for an open, honest, and inspiring conversation on this episode of The Porchlight. And find out all about Matthew and his work at: http://www.matthewcwinner.com
All The Wonders is a home for readers to discover new books and to experience the stories they love in wondrous ways. It is an entertainment channel, a variety show, and a modern library all wrapped up into one digital home. Be sure to subscribe!