Reader,
I felt a jolt of energy when a friend, and writer whom I trust forwarded me something Jane Friedman wrote in her Electric Speed newsletter:
“The longer I’m in the business, the more I find that writers’ ability to deal with the psychological pitfalls, year after year, can become more important than raw talent or skill. Because it’s how you respond to these demons that play a role in how you grow your skills and put to work the talent you do have.”
That quote hit home. It was like a spotlight on the truths I’ve been circling around for years. And in response to that quote, if we’re going to make aligned decisions about our creative projects and careers, we first have to put ourselves under the microscope—our evolving selves. We need to really see how our lives, priorities, and even the things we value about writing itself shift over time.
The other day, I joined a webinar about traditional publishing versus self-publishing. It was packed with useful information—pros, cons, stats, trends. But no one talked about how to make these big decisions. No one suggested slowing down, stepping back, and really asking:
- What do I know about myself?
- What do I want from my writing life?
- How does my living situation, energy level, or support system shape my choices?
That’s the gap I’ve been working to fill with Breathing Space Creative. It’s taken me years to refine and define what I’m here to do, but I’m finally crystal clear: starting in 2025, I’ll be saying this louder and more often. I’m here to help writers navigate those invisible decisions—the ones that shape not just their careers, but their entire creative lives.
I know this kind of work isn’t a quick fix. It’s a long-term investment in yourself and your craft, and saying no with love is a big part of that work. But as I’ve been saying since my early days curating literary festivals, the publishing of today isn’t the publishing of 50 years ago. The corporate structures have evolved (plenty of fascinating articles document this—here’s one from The New Yorker), so why aren’t we shapeshifting the ways we support authors?
I’ve been first in line, raising my hand, shouting this into the void, and it finally feels like the industry is catching up. Are we on the cusp of a big change? I think so.
In this video that now holds space on the home page of my website, I dig into why BSC is different—why I’m saying the things few others are.
Spoiler alert: it’s because I’ve been in your shoes, and I know how much it matters to slow down and make decisions from a place of clarity and self-trust.
Reflective Question: What matters to you about your creative work?
with love,
Chelene
As always, if you know of a friend who could benefit from reading this weekly share, please forward share. I want these personal shares within the Say No With Love Newsletter to reach the right people : )
