Hello, this is Celeste. I have been writing poems since 2017 and fantasy fiction since 2022. Letters for Creatives is the place where I share my thoughts on creativity, share resources for creatives and interview creators and authors. Welcome 53 new readers of this creative tribe since the last letter.

2023 Writing Wrapped

I am sure you are familiar with Spotify Wrapped. I was obsessed with ODESZA. But this year, I have been listening to more instrumental music because I have been working on my novel draft. Let’s put a twist on that and turn that into Writing Wrapped.

The most I have written a day (fiction): 1462 words

Total word count for my first novel Project Dylan as of now: 13,880 words

Genre that I have written: Detective crime fiction

2023 Newsletter Wrapped

You can take a look at 2023 creative challenges and the annual review for 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Your favourite 2023 letters

Self-improvement:

The idea of enough

Work-rest-life integration

12 week year and quitting unhelpful ideas

Creativity and storytelling:

Why you should read short stories

One method to be productive when you are creatively drained

Storytelling as sandbox and sandcastle

Following fairytale tropes or not

Interviews with authors and creators:

Danny Miranda

Paul Millerd

Jason Franks

Jo Bahdo

You can check the interview series here.

Letters worth checking (published before 2023)

A mysterious group do these things to get inspired (Walt Whitman, who?)

Imitate your favourite writers

Imposter syndrome and advice from Seth Godin

Learn to be peacefully ambitious

Balancing day job with creative projects

Looking at my archived work

When the fictional and real world collide

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Newsletter audit

It has been months that I have been thinking about revamping the newsletter (yes, again). I have been writing about productivity, burn out, creativity and writing. I am sure that you have vastly different interests.

Some of you are entrepreneurs and indie creators, who tend to think more about business and productivity. I tend to think about business and obsess about optimization for a period of time. Then I would think about writing, creativity and storytelling for other times. I tend to write about the topics that interest me at the time. That swing would probably never end.

But I need your feedback on this newsletter because you are the one reading it. I would like to give the most value in each letter.

Let me know in the comments or hit reply in the email (I am planning to go all in on this newsletter, so your roasting would be very helpful):

• 1 compliment

• Or roast the newsletter

• Or both

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2024 spoiler alert

I have already planned some exciting interviews for 2024. If you would like to get them before they publish, subscribe to get these interviews before they are published. You would get 12 months of writing prompts as you subscribe for free.

• Interview with Rachel Chak on being a DJ and indie creator

• Interview with Karina Kupp on building Chill Subs Newsletter from scratch, managing a literary magazine and literary database

• Interview with Kathryn Vercillo on her virtual book tour and book marketing

Becoming a paid member would grant you full access to the archive, interview series, challenges, exclusive tips, resources and any Saturday issues only for members.

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This week challenge:

Challenge #19:

Reflect your 2023 in terms of creative goals. Celebrate it!

Happy New Year! Buckle up for 2024!

Take care,

Celeste