I miss my creative community
Why I'm starting a writing club
Hey friends,
I don't know about you, but I currently have the attention span of a baby goat.
No matter how great my intentions are, every time I sit down to write or work, it feels like everything else is more interesting. Even the construction zone out the back.
As someone who knows lots about perfectionism and procrastination, it feels frustrating to be here. But I also know that discipline alone can't fix this.
It's time to call in the big guns.
And, by big guns, I mean call in a community of creatives to all sit down and chat and write together.
Last week, I mentioned my new co-writing/co-creating group, Write Club*. But although I talked about the what, the how, and the when, I only really touched on the why.
*name still TBD
Today, I thought I’d dive a little more into it, including why I really love the comfort and accountability of a creative community, even as someone who has traditionally been a bit of a lone wolf.
In its simplest form, though, it's because it's easier to do hard things when you have support. The more, the better. Especially when it's just… there and you don't have to ask for it (although I am getting slightly better at that).
Even though we might have plenty of reasons to want to undertake creative projects - like writing a book, in my case - that doesn't mean it's always easy.
Often, it's the opposite.
When you're doing something for fun, love, or future gain or whatever, and you reach a point (as we always do) where it isn't fun and you don't love it, it's easy just to shift it to the end of the to-do list. Right under cleaning out the bottom of the fridge and watching paint dry.
But, when we have the accountability and camaraderie of a group, it makes it way easier to get over those speed humps.
In last week's post, I also mentioned that I've been trying to seek out more joy and fun in my life.
Part of that has been leading me to think about other times when things were fun and joyful. So, I've been asking myself questions like:
“What was the best job I ever had, and why?”
I actually ended up writing a whole post in answer to that. It's a bit silly and might knock some socks off, but it’s also too good not to share. Look out for it in your inbox next week.
As I was writing it, though, I realised that the reason I loved that job so much wasn’t just because it was utterly ridiculous or made good dinner party conversation - although that’s definitely true (I even read some to my partner the night we met!)
But it was also because it was easy.
I honestly can’t remember the last time that work felt easy. Fun, interesting, engaging, sure. But not easy. Even sitting down to write these posts is a bit of a challenge.
Reflecting on what actually made that job feel so easy, I realised a lot of it was environmental.
Sure, the pay was abysmal and it was quite low stakes, which helped. But there was so much more to it than that, too.
At the time, I living in Cambodia, surrounded by a bunch of interesting people from all over the world who saw, appreciated, and valued me, just for being me.
Of course, it wasn’t all rainbows and butterflies. There was plenty of drama and lots of life-or-death stuff. I could write a whole book about that, too.
Perhaps I will, if I ever manage to get my head down…
The main point I wanted to make, though, is the difference that it made to feel like part of a community. Especially one forged through fire and floods. (Rainy season is no joke, particularly when you live in a thatch-roofed shack.)
There, surrounded by a team of personal cheerleaders who believed in me, no matter what, I felt like I really could do anything. I’ve never felt so unconditionally loved, supported, and… Capable.
Now, though, living a totally different life in a totally different place, where I spend most of my time with my cat, I don’t feel like that at all. Even with the support system I’ve built these past few years, everything still seems way harder than it did back then.
Part of the problem, I’ve realised, is that most of that is built on 1:1 interactions. They're great, of course, but it’s also not quite the same as having a ready-made crew of ride-or-dies who you feel have your back, no matter what.
And honestly, who has your back more than people on the same journey? Or, at least the “Same, same but different”, as they used to say on the good old Banana Pancake Trail.
In Cambodia, one of my favourite groups was the little tea club we started with all the wannabe journos.
Every day, we'd all meet at the same bar and sit around a big table with our laptops, brainstorm ideas and contacts, and then tap-tap-tap away in the direction of our dreams.
Some of those folks are absolutely smashing it right now. They've reached those lofty goals we used to talk about and then some. It makes my heart soar seeing just how far they've come.
And, so, although this writing club won’t be in Cambodia - or even in person - and also likely won’t be forged in fire (last year’s was close enough, thanks) or floods, I still know the magic that can come from surrounding ourselves with people who are on similar journeys.
A bit like how I might hate group trips and organised fun, but I love being in a beautiful place surrounded by cool people, where we all get what the others are going through.
It feels a bit like getting our ships to the rising tide to be lifted, rather than keeping them tucked up safe in the boatshed*.
*My partner is prepping to sail to Indonesia in a couple of weeks, and I swear almost everything in my life has become about boats!
Also, after writing this, I feel like Write Club may not be as on brand as some sort of creative adventure or gathering place - a bit like Paris in the 1920s for the Lost Generation. Not that I could ever be as cool as Gertrude Stein, but hey.
It's a work in progress. A first draft, if you will.
The ins and outs
Write Club is for anyone who wants to get their heads down and work on a project, soundboard ideas, and/or enjoy some creative community time. Calls will last an hour, although I might open the room early if people want to chat. We’ll bookend the session with a bit of chit-chat, but still have 45-50 mins or so to get our heads down.
For those of you who find unstructured time to write or create a little too wild (been there!), I’ll share some prompts in the chat and in a follow-up email for paid subs. I'll also set up an ongoing chat thread for questions, support, and conversation.
As we’re split between time zones, I think I’ll probably end up running two monthly calls, an Australian one at 10am (Perth-time) on a Monday and a UK one on Thursday at 10am UK time. Exact dates and times TBD - I’m happy to shape them around the group - but we’ll kick things off in mid-May.
To join, simply upgrade your subscription and then keep an eye out in your inbox for a welcome email with all the details.
Paid subs will also get a special treat next week.
I’m so excited!
With heaps of love,
Cxx
PS: If you enjoy my work or my words, you can:
Join us for Write Club, starting in mid May.
Sign up for a 1:1 creative mentoring call where we can talk about all of this and more.
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saw this at the perfect time, cassie!! im about to enter what will hopefully be a really abundant season of writing my dissertation in the next six weeks. i feel stuck in a weird unhelpful routine rn, and am needing refreshed sources of energy and accountability to help me get it done :) 🥰✨
Excited for Write Club!
Also: “tap-tap-tap away in the direction of our dreams…” — love this 🥰