The Seasonal Say No With Love Letters

A seasonal say no with love letter feels ... right.

Hello Reader,

“Each time I work on a novel, I endure the questions, I live inside them. When I reach the end of these questions—which is not the same as when I find the answers to them—is when I reach the end of the writing process. By then, I am no longer as I was when I began, and from that changed state, I start again. The next questions follow, like links in a chain , or like dominoes, overlapping and joining and continuing, and I am moved to write something new.”—Han Kang, Light and Thread.

I love this quote (and I adore Han Kang's work) because sure, this is true of an individual book project: we follow questions, arrive back where we started, changed. And it's also true of how we share our work.

As writers, we are constantly rejigging or starting over. In fact, we are pretty damn good at this. We ask questions again and again. We always arrive on the other side, changed.

I feel this to my core. Just like there is a process connected to how we write, there is often a delicate decision-making process connected to where we show up with that writing.

I've been strategically and intentionally adjusting the volume knobs on where I share my stories, questions, projects, and resources. Each space has a particular feel, purpose and in each space I get decide what I share. Some spaces will get more, others will get a pulled back version. Despite external pressures, we get to decide how and what we share.

I've also thought about how he purpose of each space contributes to the purpose of the other spaces. I connect everything in such a way it starts to feel like one thing.

So here's where you can engage with my work and in what capacities:

My Seasonal Say No With Love Letters is where I will now share a sketch of my current say no with love map and offer up suggestions for how you can design your own decision-making rubric as part of your creative life. You can also expect a personal story or two about how my "no's' went in the previous season, and how I might do things differently next season. I have a feeling you'll get some cool ideas to alter.

If you're receiving this email, you're already on the say no with love letters list.
​How often? January, April, July, October

​The Writer's Creative Ecosystem Substack is for writers who want to get more from their creative practice. You'll also find me pulling from my book Safekeeping: A Writer's Guided Journal For Launching a Book With Love. I have plans to eventually host private chats/videos etc centred around the book. It will be FUN and interactive.
​How often? Weekly posts

​The 'Forever Writers' Apothecary is a private, free, invite only space where we talk about the realities of our creative and wider lives. We really get to know one another in this space! To me, this is like ... my home. People in this space get to see A LOT and I learn so much about the amazing people who share so openly ; )
​How often? I'm inside this space sharing every other day! : )

​My Workshops List is where I will announce any free and paid public one-off workshops. The next workshop I have planned is for spring 2027 and is all about my specific method for dissecting novels with unique narrative structures. You don't wanna miss that!
​How often? Whenever there's a new workshop!

​My Studio is my heart work! It's the space where I work with writers 1:1 or in small groups.

Where you will no longer find me (much):

Instagram. I think it's run its course for me.
​

Before I go: A reminder: saying no with love is about more than boundaries. It's a small piece of the work we need to do to carve out the creative lives we want. It's a muscle that needs constant working. Hey, here's my current map for the fall!

The next say no with love letter comes your way in the new year! I'll see you in January ; ) ps the annual workshop will likely happen around that time too.

ps I recently ordered a bunch of copies of my books, and I plan to do some fun giveaways (pairing my books with other books I love) in the new year so please stay on this list!

with love, Chelene

Want to support my work? Please share this with someone else in your creative circle!

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