Around the Writer’s Table

All Episodes (30)

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From new to old From old to new

1. 

   1. The New Era of Subscriptions for Authors (Ep. 30)

   In this "extra" episode, we delve into the world of subscription models for authors and their impact on creativity and community building!KimBoo and Gina share their journeys into the world of subscription-based writing, highlighting its transformative power. KimBoo reflects on her earlier exposure to subscription models in fanfiction communities and how it inspired her creative vision. She emphasizes the appeal of building a community and fostering deeper connections with readers.Gina reveals h

   Nov 16,2023 33:35
2. 

   2. Creativity Quest: Inviting Authentic Existence (ep. 29)

   Welcome to another episode of Around the Writer's Table! While Melody is off dealing with a big move (ack!) Gina and I are diving back into the world of the Creativity Quest, a paradigm Gina has been shaping and exploring together with us. As always, this journey isn't linear; it's more like a dance, sometimes two steps forward, one step back.In this episode, we're focusing on the guidepost, "Inviting Authentic Existence," which is the 'I' in the CREATIVITY acronym. If you're new to this concept

   Oct 15,2023 32:05
3. 

   3. Embracing Your Creative Authority (ep. 28)

   Welcome back to Around the Writer's Table, where we are on a creative journey through the seasons. In this episode, we delve into the heart of summer, both in nature and creativity, to explore the theme of "Taking Ownership."Melody shares insights from her book, "Soul of the Seasons," linking the seasons of life to the writing process. Summer signifies a time of heightened productivity and maturation, emphasizing leadership grounded in integrity and authenticity. We discuss the importance of sel

   Oct 01,2023 35:20
4. 

   4. Creativity Quest: Taking Ownership (ep. 27)

   Welcome to the next step of our creative journey! In this episode, we're diving into the stage of the Creativity Quest called "Taking Ownership." This is where our creative adventure starts to get really interesting!So, what is this "Taking Ownership" guidepost all about? Well, it's the stage where our authentic selves get to shine. It's when we step into our creative power and start to truly own our creative identity. At this point, we're moving away from relying heavily on mentors or teachers

   Sep 15,2023 35:05
5. 

   5. Critiquing Your Inner Critic: Healthy Self Assessment (ep. 26)

   In our last episode, we delved into one of the crucial phases of the creative journey, assessing and acknowledging. This stage involves not only evaluating specific pieces of our creative work, but also reflecting on ourselves and our creative lives as a whole. It's about understanding our growth, recognizing areas for improvement, and acknowledging the progress we've made so far. As we explore the different phases of the Creativity Quest, we draw parallels to the five seasons, examining how eac

   Sep 01,2023 39:15
6. 

   6. Creativity Quest: Assessing and Acknowledging (ep. 25)

   In this insightful episode, we journey further into the Creativity Quest with Gina Hogan Edwards, diving into the critical stage of assessing and acknowledging. We explore this often-overlooked phase, where the true voices of creative individuals begin to show up and discuss how the Creativity Quest isn't linear and how the stages of assessing and acknowledging lead to a deeper understanding of oneself as a writer. We reflect on our personal experiences with self-coaching, the importance of hone

   Aug 15,2023 33:37
7. 

   7. When it’s All Just So Much (Ep. 24)

   In this ad hoc episode, KimBoo and Melody hold down the fort while Gina is dealing with some unplanned traveling up north (well, "north" for Florida, which in this case means her homeland of North Carolina). Circumstances being what they are, we go into a deep dive on grief, trauma, stress, and (you guessed it!) creativity. We talk about ways of being compassionate to ourselves while also being true to our creative nature. When Melody tells you "be like a wolf!" it might surprise you what she ac

   Aug 01,2023 46:39
8. 

   8. Mirroring to Find Our Own Author Voice (Ep. 23)

   In this episode we dive into the essence of the creative quest - from emulating and mirroring your favorite authors to eventually finding your unique voice as a writer. We discuss how learning from the masters and those we admire is not about copying their work but about absorbing skills and identifying the qualities we desire in our own writing. We also touch on the potential pitfalls of comparison, the fear of never being able to write as well as those we admire, and how this could potentially

   Jul 15,2023 28:09
9. 

   9. The Creativity Quest: Emulating and Mirroring (ep. 22)

   In our latest episode titled "The Creativity Quest: Emulating and Mirroring," we dive into the intricacies of the creative journey. This process is far from linear. As artists, we move through various stages, sometimes repeating or skipping others, based on our unique challenges and successes. Our focus for today is the stage of emulating and mirroring.Have you ever been so profoundly moved by a book that you thought, "I want to write like that?" We all have authors whose work stirs something de

   Jul 01,2023 31:38
10. 

    10. The Season of Releasing in the Creativity Quest (ep. 21)

    In this episode, we dived deeper into the season of fall, which represents a vital stage in the Creativity Quest, in the form of Release (ref. ep 20!) and its significance in both the natural and creative world. The fascinating correlation lies in the necessity of letting go, both in nature's fall, as plants shed their leaves, and in the writing process, as we release unnecessary clutter to allow new ideas to flow. Like trees letting go of their leaves to survive harsh winters, we need to learn

    Jun 20,2023 29:55
11. 

    11. The Creativity Quest: Releasing (ep. 20)

    In this episode, we deep-dive into the topic of the creative process and the challenges it poses for writers like us. We expand on Gina's Creativity Quest, introducing the next step in the process: the concept of "Releasing," and its impact on our writing journeys.Gina kicks off the discussion with a description of how the former step, "Carrying Inner Disquiet" (see episode 19) directly leads to "Releasing" in a healthy creative process. One of the critical things we discuss is the struggle of r

    Jun 01,2023 31:20
12. 

    12. The Creativity Quest: Carrying Inner Disquiet (ep. 19)

    On this insightful episode, we delve into the first stage of the Creativity Quest: the stage of 'Inner Disquiet'. This phase, although not necessarily the first one you experience, is marked by an uncomfortable longing for self-expression, which can sometimes last for years. Gina  shares her personal experiences with this phase both as a writer and as a creativity coach working with other writers, and discusses  her time in the corporate world when she felt an overwhelming sense of dissatisfacti

    May 15,2023 32:36
13. 

    13. The Creativity Quest (ep. 18)

    We are launching a new series as we enter the second year of the podcast! We're so glad to have all our listeners on this journey with us as we explore new ways to help writers embrace their creativity and conscious living. Gina does most of the heavy lifting in this episode. She introduces her Creativity Quest framework by providing an overview of how it is designed to help writers plan, unplan, and get unstuck throughout the writing process. Future episodes will have us digging into each step

    May 01,2023 32:46
14. 

    14. Spring Redux: : Nurturing New Projects

    In this episode of Around the Writer's Table, my co-hosts Gina, Melody, and I discuss planning versus pantsing in the new-project creation process. We explore how different writers approach their work, whether by meticulously outlining and planning or by writing spontaneously and "flying by the seat of their pants." We emphasize the importance of discovering one's own writing style and being open to experimentation.Gina shares her experience of transitioning from a planner to a pantser and how i

    Apr 15,2023 40:11
15. 

    15. Three Cs (Critique, Compassion, Craft) Part 3: EDITING dun dun dun

    On this episode, Melody, Gina, and KimBoo discuss the importance of editing in writing. Whether you're a professional writer or a hobbyist, working with an editor can help elevate your work to the next level. Gina breaks down the four different stages of editing - developmental editing, content editing, line editing, and copy editing - and explain what each one entails. We also give tips on how to clarify what kind of editing services an editor provides before hiring them, and why proofreading i

    Mar 31,2023 38:06
16. 

    16. Seasons of Writing: Winter (pt.2)

    Winter is coming to an end here in North Florida where the three of us live, but it is a season that can affect writers any time of the year! This second part on winter in our Seasons of Writing series we dive deep into the imbalances that can happen in this part of the cycle, including immobilization, detachment, hyper-criticism, and impulsivity. Gina talks about how immobilization has affected her ability to progress with her author career, while KimBoo recounts how impulsivity and impatience

    Mar 16,2023 30:45
17. 

    17. Seasons of Writing: Winter (pt.1)

    Welcome to Around the Writer's Table 1st Year Anniversary Episode! We started this podcast in February of last year, and the airing of this episode marks a full turn of the seasons! We started with spring and slowly worked our way through the five seasons as explained in Melody's book, Soul of the Seasons, in ways that relate to writers and the creative process.Rounding out the year, we start with part one of "Winter," a time quiet "underground" creation, conservation, contemplation, and sometim

    Mar 03,2023 27:48
18. 

    18. The Three Cs: Critique, Compassion, and Craft! Pt. 2 (ep.13)

    The daring trio continue our discussion about critique as an important tool in a writer's toolbox! Once you've gone as far as you can with a manuscript, what do you do next?In this episode we discuss the next step in the process, when you've moved past alpha readers and early critique groups and are ready for beta readers and professional editors. If you are wondering how to find and vet beta readers, how to set expectations, and what to do with the feedback you get, then this is the episode for

    Feb 15,2023 31:46
19. 

    19. The Three Cs: Critique, Compassion, and Craft! Pt. 1 (ep.12)

    It often feels dangerous to offer our work up to others for critique and feedback. It requires a lot of vulnerability, but is a crucial part of the writing process as it is required to improve our work. In this episode, Gina, Melody, and KimBoo talk about letting go at a lot of levels: letting go of attachments to what we write, letting go of words, letting go of expectations, letting go of the creation process, and more. Sometimes that means "kill your darlings," sometimes (if you are KimBoo!)

    Jan 31,2023 38:47
20. 

    20. Season of Writing: Fall pt. 2 (ep.11)

    We're back with part two of our overview of Fall (autumn) as a season for writers. It's a challenging time because even though we're at the point of completion of a project, there is grief to deal with (listen to ep.10 for more on that!) and the mental mindset needed to deal with getting ready to receive. Receive what, you ask? Criticism, feedback, and even new ideas to start spring with!In this part of our series, we discuss how to declutter your brain and your ego so you can clarify the discer

    Dec 15,2022 26:12
21. 

    21. Season of Writing: Fall pt. 1 (ep.10)

    Welcome to Fall! Here where we live in Florida it's just barely dipping down below 70°F degrees, but that's cool enough for us! In this episode we start to talk about Fall as a "season for writers," symbolic of the emotions, triumphs and hurdles we experience working on our stories. This is the first of a two-part series where we cover the balances and imbalances of the Fall season (see our worksheet on our website for a full list!) and discuss the core emotion of this season: grief. It usually

    Dec 01,2022 35:54
22. 

    22. Seasons of Writing: Harvest (ep.09)

    In this episode, Melody, Gina, and KimBoo really dig deep into what it means to be in the writing season of "Harvest." Coming off of several episodes focusing on burnout, this time we talk about the feelings that rise to surface when we have "harvested" all of our hard work. It's a time of rough drafts, beta readers, early feedback and...insecurities!What does a balanced harvest season for writers look like? How can we practice self-care when our worries are driving the bus? Can we share our exc

    Oct 31,2022 54:25
23. 

    23. Bournout and Balance, part 2

    The second part of our exploration of burnout covers a lot of ground, but is focused on ways to find balance in your creative life in order to combat (or simply avoid!) burnout. Melody, A Scout continues her exploration of the season of Summer as a metaphor and spiritual tool for finding that balance, while Gina Hogan Edwards delves into how such things as perfectionism and imposter syndrome contribute to creative burnout. KimBoo talks about the importance of community as she has experienced it

    Sep 30,2022 48:04
24. 

    24. Burnout and Balance, Part 1 (007)

    Burnout turned out to be such a huge topic that we had to break it into two parts! This podcast is focused on what burnout is and is not, how we recognize it, and how it affects our lives. Gina is back from a social media “diet” and self-styled retreat she gifted herself in July, and talks with Melody about how this fits into the “summer” modality of the Five Seasons of Writing (based on Melody’s book about five element theory, Soul of the Seasons). Meanwhile KimBoo grapples with not being able

    Aug 31,2022 47:22
25. 

    25. Seasons of Writing: Summer (ep.06)

    Melody, Gina, and KimBoo return to the Five Spirit Medicine paradigm from Melody's book, Soul of the Seasons, with an look at what it means for writers and other creatives to be feeling the heat of summer! (We live in Florida, we're allowed to make jokes about how hot it is!)Summer as a creative experience can happen anytime during the calendrical year, and represents a specific time in the cycle of creation. In summer, visions are brought to fruition, we work on developing and maturing projects

    Aug 01,2022 54:44
26. 

    26. Boundaries as Self-Care for Creatives (ep.05)

    Writers (and other creatives) often think of boundaries as negative things — restrictions that hold us back from actualizing our creative visions! But that is not always true, and in fact is often the opposite of true. In this episode, Gina, Melody, and KimBoo talk about the good and the bad of setting boundaries, and the different kinds of boundaries a writer sets sometimes without even realizing it! Is an outline a boundary? Yes! Is setting aside writing time and telling your family not to dis

    Jul 01,2022 45:45
27. 

    27. Seasons of Writing: Spring (ep.04)

    This episode starts our new series, Seasons of Writing! We will be exploring the writing process through the lens of the Five Seasons matrix as taught by Melody, A Scout in her book, Soul of the Seasons. Our first stop is spring, a time to find or remember our visions, define healthy boundaries, and make quality decisions about moving forward with our writing projects!More than just a simple metaphor, the five seasons teach us about the value of attuning to our own natural rhythms and life cycle

    May 31,2022 44:56
28. 

    28. An Interview with Melody, a Scout

    This episode is the final entry in our "meet your hosts!" triptych, featuring an interview with Melody, a Scout, who is the author of the book, Soul of the Seasons: Creating Balance, Resilience, and Connection by Tapping the Wisdom of the Natural World. She took nine years to write and edit this book, which she started during her time training with her plant spirit teacher, Eliot Cowan. Melody shares with us a bit of her journey to becoming a published author and a lot about how the concepts of

    Apr 30,2022 43:31
29. 

    29. An Interview with KimBoo York (the Author Alchemist)

    Welcome to the SECOND(!!!) episode of Around the Writer’s Table: Conversations on Craft, Creativity, and Conscious Living! Next up in our journey of interviews with the hosts of the podcast, Gina and Melody put the screws to KimBoo York aka the Author Alchemist (you can tell that KimBoo is the one writing this description!) and find out more than they ever knew to ask about motivation, inspiration, fanfiction, writing while traumatized, neuroatypical brains, and more! Join the fun and listen in

    Mar 31,2022 39:03
30. 

    30. Inaugural Episode! An interview with Gina Edwards

    Welcome to the first episode of Around the Writer's Table: Conversations on Craft, Creativity, and Conscious Living! We're really excited to kick this off. We're starting with an interview with one of our own: Gina Hogan Edwards! Writer, editor, creativity coach, and WomanSpeak Leader! We cover a lot of ground in this episode, jumping off from talking about Gina's long career as a professional writer and editor to issues such as dealing with your inner editor and how to approach long-term writin

    Feb 27,2022 44:41