It’s such a joy to share this Q&A with you! If you’ve ever felt behind in your writing journey, wondered if you started too late, or carried dreams that life kept interrupting, this conversation is for you.

In this heartfelt Q&A, Sheena Black shares how a lifetime of moves, motherhood, chronic illness, and rich family storytelling shaped her path to becoming an author. Her story is filled with honesty, hope, and hard-won wisdom.

https://www.writingdayworkshops.com/blog/when-someday-becomes-today-sheena-black-on-family-stories-second-chances-and-finally-writing-the-books-waiting-in-a-shoebox

Sheena’s journey reminds us that our detours, hardships, and long waiting seasons aren’t wasted. They become the very material that gives our stories depth and truth. Whether you’re just beginning or returning to the dream you set down years ago, your story matters—and it’s never too late to tell it.

Sheena has been such an integral part of our community. Her presence here has been a gift, and I’m so glad we get to celebrate her journey in this space.

Leave a comment and let her know what points resonate with you.

Hey friends,

If you’ve ever felt buried under a pile of “no’s,” questioned whether your manuscript is actually any good, or wondered how on earth some writers keep going year after year… this one’s for you.

https://www.writingdayworkshops.com/blog/from-350-rejections-to-landing-a-book-deal-qa-with-emerald-dodge

I’m so excited to share this Q&A with Emerald Dodge — Virginia-based writer, Navy wife, mom of two, and a storyteller who has been at this for decades. Emerald has written eighteen novels, self-published four books, and has a traditionally published novel on the way. But her path was anything but easy.

You may remember my video with her that I posted a few weeks back. 🙂

We’re super excited and celebrating because one of the novels she’s had in the wings is now on its way to the bookshelves. Woohoo!!!

Emerald’s honesty about rejection, persistence, work/life balance, and writing for yourself first is exactly the kind of real-talk we need. Whether you’re querying, drafting, or somewhere in the messy middle, her words remind us that longevity in this career is less about overnight success and more about refusing to quit.

Which one of her points resonate with you? Please share!

Go grab a cup of tea (or coffee, or whatever comforts you), settle in, and get ready to feast on some honest, soul-stirring truth.

Every time I talk to Derek Davidson, I come away feeling both deeply seen and quietly encouraged—like someone just handed me a lantern for the darker parts of the “thick forest” and the writing life.

Some conversations cut straight to the bone. This is one of them.

Derek Davidson speaks with raw honesty about the inner life of a working writer. From his defiant answers to a brutal inner critic—“I’m garbage, so be it; this garbage-person is still going to write”—to the slow, ornery persistence that keeps him returning to the page, Derek offers something far more valuable than polished inspiration: truth.

He talks about the ache of feeling “not enough,” the loneliness of pressing your face against the glass of the literary world, the shame of being a slow writer, and the fear that time (and memory) might run out before the work is done. And yet, in the darker seasons, he gathers his literary found family close—Borges, Eco, McCarthy, and the rest—and reminds himself: We create our own lineage.

This piece is for every writer who has ever battled self-loathing, imposter syndrome, or the quiet grief of a manuscript that takes longer than expected. It’s a reminder that the writing life is rarely glamorous, but it is deeply meaningful—especially when we show up anyway.

If you’ve ever needed permission to be imperfect and still write, this Q&A is for you.

https://www.writingdayworkshops.com/blog/writing-through-celtic-darkness-derek-davidson-on-mediocrity-inner-critics-and-finding-literary-kin

Please share in the comments what resonates with you — Derek would love to hear it! And since he’s such an integral part of this community, let’s give this wonderful feature the celebration it deserves.

~Brandy

Here’s a beautiful video and an invitation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q41i0wpX4qc&t=113s

The message is simple but powerful: romanticize the process. Fall in love with the daily work itself—not just the finished book on the shelf, not just the “yes” from an agent or editor, but the quiet hours spent shaping stories from your heart.

Lean into what makes you come alive. You’ll be surprised what happens when you do.

The projects that endure—the ones that reach readers across nations—are the ones born from authenticity and joy, even when the path is long and uncertain. Your creative spirit thrives when you stop forcing it and start courting it.

So how’s your relationship with your creative spirit?

How do you make space for silence?

How do you connect with your soul?

What are you doing to make your place of work a sanctuary?

What are you doing to train yourself to feel that this way of life (and work) is fun?

What other thoughts came up as you watched this video? Tell me how you romanticize the process.

This resonates so deeply with what I’ve learned over 20+ years in this industry (and what I often share with all of you here). If you’re in the thick of burnout, grief, or the messy middle right now—I see you. I’ve been there too. The garden teaches me this daily: beautiful fruit comes from consistent, loving care over time, not from rushing the seasons. Healing and creation often walk hand in hand.

I’m so grateful you’re here in this space with me. Keep showing up for your stories. They matter, and so does the way you bring them to life.

With love and belief in your pen,

Brandy

There’s some wonderful wisdom in this Q&A with Andrea Knepper.

https://www.writingdayworkshops.com/blog/taming-the-inner-critic-andrea-knepper-on-self-doubt-healing-and-showing-up-anyway

I so appreciate her honesty, vulnerability, and courage in sharing these deeply personal struggles and insights. One quote that really resonated with me was this:

“I used to see ‘writer’ as a prestigious title that could only be earned by obtaining certain credentials. I began writing later in life, so I assumed all writers—the real ones—thought this way. But through connecting with the writing community, my view on this has changed.”

If you’ve ever battled imposter syndrome, perfectionism, or questioned whether you’re “allowed” to call yourself a writer, this conversation is for you.

Leave a comment below and let Andrea know what resonated most with you.

I stumbled across some great thoughts this week while browsing. Wanted to share these with you all.

I definitely had some mic drops 🎤⬇️on a couple of these.

Which ones hit you the deepest? 🤔