The Creative Sort: 2023 round up
A year of trying new things! Thank you, thank you for reading
As the first year of this newsletter draws to a close, I’ve rounded up all my posts for the year below. I’m also opening up all my archived posts for free viewing through the end of the year. I’ve seen other Substackers do this, and I’ve liked reading posts I missed and re-reading favorites.
Mostly, I’m ending the year so grateful for each of you, however you’ve found your way here.
A Substack subscription to The Creative Sort could make a nice holiday gift for anyone in your life who feels deeply and takes a long time to decide. For anyone struggling with a creative decision or a kid decision or with the vulnerability of trying to be slower and more real in a fast-paced world.
So far, I’ve published 30+ essays on everything from the many forms parenthood can take, to being highly sensitive and introverted, to creativity, book events, losing my brother, and speaking truth to shame. I’ve also published 11 interviews with amazing people about how they’ve made big life decisions and 11 reflections on these interviews.
Here they all are:
Most viewed
The essays with the most views:
The essay on motherhood coming in many forms was also my biggest subscription driver by a longshot. It’s something I believe whole-heartedly—that we can parent in so many ways. This feels like the fabric connecting the parenthood and creativity themes of this newsletter, and it's a focus I'll take with me into 2024.
And to my fellow highly sensitives and introverts out there: I feel you, and I will be scooping you up and sharing even more on these themes in 2024.
Essays on parenthood (5)
On struggling for decades with deciding whether I wanted to be a parent
On strategies for deciding on parenthood, including Cheryl Strayed’s pro-con list
On the unhelpfulness of calling people “natural” parents
On different forms parenthood can take, including reflections on my first podcast interview
On all the writers who chose not to have children and whether parenthood and creative dreams compete
Essays on sensitivity and introversion (4)
On how I came to embrace my introversion while promoting my book
On the hibernation season that follows Halloween being good for introverts
Essays on creativity (14)
On my five-year journal and ways it helps me keep perspective
On Elizabeth Gilbert’s speech that started my favorite journaling practice
On remembering why I make things because of a story I read to my daughter about Halloween
On the connection I’ve found between creativity and yoga
On ways the creative process is helping me tell the truth more often
On the benefits of taking the road you have traveled less in creative work
On this Substack as a workshop in resilience, play, and letting go
On whether word counts and other constraints on creative work help or hurt
The book event series (4)
On answering the question, “How’s it all going?”
On unconsciously moving the goalpost and other wise thoughts from a very wise agent
On mining the hurt and finding the shared humanity in floor-of-the-closet moments
Misc. (6)
On loving and losing my brother Ben, and our one wild and precious life
On feelings and big questions during the summer before turning 40
On a 104-person family reunion outside of Prague and what it taught me about family values
On waking up feeling low and five questions I ask myself
On how shame loves secrecy
Interviews with really great people and my reflections (22)
Interview with Amy Halvorsen on her journey to motherhood of two young girls in her late 30s
Reflections on Amy’s interview, including the challenge of perfectionism in parenting
Interview with Alex Davies on her uncertainty about becoming a parent and her journey to motherhood of two young boys
Reflections on Alex’s interview, including on being “ready” to become a parent
Interview with Ashley Ackley on deciding not to have kids
Reflections on Ashley’s interview, including on “who will take care of you when you’re old?”
Interview with Lisa D’Annunzio on the second kid decision
Reflections on Lisa’s interview, including on why I struggle with “embracing the mess”
Interview with Emily Green on sitting with indecision about kids
Reflections on Emily’s interview, including how indecision can feel so lonely
Interview with Chelsea Williams on becoming a parent and starting a podcast
Reflections on Chelsea’s interview, including on being creative and analytical
Interview with Amy Drum on quitting her job as a dietician to launch a bakehouse
Reflections on Amy’s interview, including on how helpful a project champion can be
Interview with Noemi Johansson-Miller on preserving food and the memory of her mom in her son’s life
Reflection’s on Noemi’s interview, including on pauses when something we loved doesn’t fit our current life
Interview with Dawn Khosravi-Amos on how helpful creative projects have been during anxious times in early motherhood
Reflections on Dawn’s interview, including on finding quiet corners in the busiest and hardest times
Interview with Caroline Fleetwood on “getting on the train when it comes”
Reflections on Caroline’s interview, including on comparison as the thief of joy
Interview with Robert Schenk for a Gen-Z perspective on career and creativity
Reflections on Robert’s interview, including on fitting creative work into small pockets in a busy life
It's amazing to see all you wrote when I look at this list! Thanks for the inspiration!