Thank you if you’ve been following along with the Substack virtual tour for the Creative Health Cartography workbook!
If you missed any stops along the way, you can catch up with them again here. More importantly, I want to make sure that you get to know the amazing people who are writing on Substack and supported this tour so you’ll also find links to some of the best pieces of their work. Please check them out, support who you love, share their work, etc.
Stop 1: Shinjini of Studio Diaries
Shared my essay on creative consistency:
One of Shinjini’s best pieces for you to check out is Escaping the graveyard of abandoned ideas, about which she shares:
“If you’ve ever experienced the rush of starting a new project, only for that excitement to fizzle out in a few days and for your idea to get tossed to the side, I wrote this for you!”
Stop 2: Dr Alisdair Wiseman of Creativity 4 Life
Shared my essay on the psychology behind creative blocks:
Alisdair shared:
“Welcome to Creativity 4 Life lays out my proposition: a solid creative identity is all you need to be creative for the rest of your life. It highlights the myths I intend to bust, the problem with conventional definitions of creativity, and confirms that every person on the planet is innately creative because creativity is an evolutionary adaptation. It also hints at what’s in store.”
Learn more:
Stop 3: Meredith Lewis of Methods and Madness
Shared my essay on on how business and creative health aren’t separate:
One of the best pieces Meredith has for you to check out is Tenebrize, about which she says:
“Into the dark we go, looking for the fragments of our creative selves hiding there.”
Stop 4: Allegra Chapman (she/her) of Creative Fix
Shared my essay on the nervous system’s role in creative life:
Learn more about Allegra’s inspiring creative work:
Stop 5: Tim ONeill of Living By Making
Shared my thoughts on the difference between rest and avoidance for creatives with health challenges:
A related post by Tim to check out:
Stop 6: Undone by Manuela Thames
Shared my piece on how grief and loss change creativity:
A piece I love by Manuela:
Stop 7: Emily Geleske of The Artist’s Journal
Shared my essay on what healthy sustainability means in a creative life:
The piece of Emily’s to check out is this one about which Emily says:
“Even if someone calls it delusional, I’m still choosing to make art - I believe in perusing what feels true, holding on to possibility, seeing beauty, and in creating a life that feels meaningful to me.”
Stop 8: Mariah Friend of Heartbeats
Shared my essay on the creative’s imperative to rest:
The piece of Mariah’s to check out is about “what a week of solo parenting taught me about creating sustainably.”
Stop 9: Emma Simpson of Lemon Soul
Shared my love letter to long form writing:
The piece of Emma’s to check out is “Publication is not all that it’s cracked up to be...but writing is.”
Stop 10: Monique Mulligan of A life (Extra) Ordinary
shared a Q&A with me about burnout and creative blocks:
Here’s a piece to check out from Monique, about which she says: “The insidious creep of busy-ness invites a reminder to tread lightly.”
Stop 11: Keva Epale of your Creative Letter
Shared my essay applying creativity to the idea that “the body keeps score”
Keva has “a piece about the hidden pain behind creative work. How artists carry physical pain, discomfort, and injury as part of their craft” that is “a great compliment to the workbook’s purpose and mindset.” Read here:
Stop 12: Sam Galloway (she/her) 💕 of Divergent Menopause
wrapped up the tour with my guest essay for people who like the idea of creativity workbooks but never actually finish them.
Sam is “a late diagnosed AuDHDer, tenacious midlife struggler, and unapologetic neurodivergent menopause advocate.” Learn more:
Massive gratitude again to each of these amazing people who shared my work and added their own thoughts along the way.
You have gifted creatives with so much wisdom, Kathryn.
I’d love to read the guest post on Allegra’s Substack but it’s behind a paywall.
The workbook-tour format is smart because it turns a project into evidence of movement, not just a static launch. The creative health angle is even better when it shows people how to map their own experience instead of consuming another generic wellness sermon.