[May Edition] The Creative Companion

Stories, strategies, and soul-care for the creative journey

👋 Hello, friend

Welcome to the first edition of The Creative Companion, a monthly newsletter for writers and curious souls navigating the beautiful mess of writing and real life. Each issue offers:

• Updates from my writing journey (and the chaos alongside it)

• Practical writing tips, prompts, and tools

• Mindfulness and mental health insights rooted in real-life experience

• Book recommendations with lessons for writers

Think of it as a warm cup of tea, a gentle nudge, and a creative check-in. Delivered monthly.

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Before we get into it, a confession: I’ve felt a bit lost in this space since I joined as a writer. When I first discovered Substack, it felt like a calm, beautiful little corner of the internet where everyone felt safe enough to be their most authentic selves. As I read piece after piece of heartfelt writing, I felt a clarity of purpose, as someone who hates performing perfection and loves to connect through honest vulnerability, that this was somewhere I needed to be.

But I wasn’t ready yet. It took me over a year to find the courage to write my own Substack, and by then, the platform felt much busier. Many well-known names had joined, and the rise of Notes and the Follow option made it feel more like a traditional social media platform than the quiet, thoughtful space I had first fallen in love with. The most popular Notes in my feed gave the impression that Substack was now dominated by writers who had grown quickly and were making money, largely through a strategic use of Notes.

As I’ve discovered, my Type A, high-achiever tendencies tend to be triggered by spaces that I perceive as competitive. So, one afternoon, after spending an hour trying to map out my ‘Notes Strategy’ (spoiler alert: I still don’t have one) and feeling my anxiety levels climb, I realised that I had lost sight of my reasons for being here in the first place. I didn’t come here to be an overnight success or to make money. My goals were, and still are:

1. To connect authentically with people who are doing their best to thrive whilst living a life that perhaps hasn’t always gone to plan.

2. To showcase my creative writing and give insights into the writing process as I work on short stories and, most importantly, my debut novel.

I still believe Substack is the right home for the space rooted in authenticity, reflection, and real connection that I want to create. But to protect that intention, I need to be mindful of how I engage with the platform. Instead of getting swept up in algorithms, comparison, or the pressure to always be visible, I’m choosing a rhythm that feels sustainable and aligned. I’ll be sending The Creative Companion once a month, alongside a monthly long-form essay exploring a theme connected to writing, mental health, or the winding paths life takes us on. This way, I can show up with purpose, and hopefully create something that feels nourishing for both of us.

💬 Let’s connect:
How have you found the experience of Substack as a writer? Do you have any advice for staying sane while showing up consistently? I’d love to hear it!

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✍️ From the Writing Desk

Last weekend, I had the incredible experience of attending a special literary showcase at the Geneva Literary Group’s Annual General Meeting, where I was invited to read my prize-winning story, Flickers, to an audience of around 35 people. Flickers is an extremely personal story based on one of the toughest events of my life, and reading it in front of a crowd of strangers was, quite frankly, terrifying. But, I did it. And I’m so glad I did. The response was phenomenal. People spoke to me about how much it moved them, some gave me big, warm hugs, and others even opened up about their own similar experiences. It reminded me of my primary reason for writing – to connect. If even one person reads something I have written and feels seen, I will call that a win.

You can watch my full reading of Flickers in the video below, or read it here (TW: Miscarriage, IVF).

💬 Let’s connect:
Have you shared a vulnerable piece of writing recently? How did it feel — and how was it received?

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🛠️ Craft Corner

This month’s tip: Enter short story competitions

If you’re in the middle of a long-term writing project such as a novel, the satisfaction of writing ‘The End’ and sending your precious baby out into the world probably feels a long way off. There are multiple drafts to be written, beta readers to enlist, more edits to be made, query letters to write... the list goes on.

Not so with short stories. Competitions often ask for no more than 5,000 words – the two competitions I have entered so far have both been a very manageable 2,000 words – and, whilst being shortlisted is by no means guaranteed, the practice of completing a story and getting it competition-ready is so invaluable. It will help you hone your drafting and editing skills and identify your unique voice. And hitting ‘submit’ will give you such a confidence boost and reinforce the idea that you are a writer. Not an aspiring author. Not a writer-in-progress. You are a writer who is brave enough to send their stories into the world to be read and judged by people who know what they are talking about.

Yes, I know it means taking precious writing time away from your novel, but believe me, it’s worth it.

🔗 Resources:

• Sign up to Mslexia’s free email list to get monthly updates on short story competitions and literary magazines that are accepting submissions. I also used their fantastic mini Writing Short Stories guide, which is a steal at £3.

• Subscribe to Writers’ Hour Magazine by London Writers’ Salon for access to their free weekly writing contest, for stories of 500 words or under.

• Follow The Hope Prize on Instagram (@hopeprize) for bite-sized advice on short story writing from some of the best in the business.

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🌿 The Mindful Moment

This month’s focus: Mindful mornings

A gentle morning routine sets the tone for your day, calms a racing mind, and helps you begin from a place of clarity and care. My mindful morning routine includes writing a few stream-of-consciousness pages in my journal, setting my intention for the day, and a quick meditation. The whole routine takes 20-30 minutes.

Over the last few months, I’ve swapped traditional meditation for a process called tapping, or Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). EFT combines meditation with tapping on various acupressure points whilst repeating a series of statements that begin with the negative – i.e., the emotion or limiting belief you’re experiencing in that moment – and then move into positive affirmations. It’s a fantastic technique to try if you struggle to concentrate during meditation. I’m using an app called The Tapping Solution (the free version, for now), and find their ‘Motivate me to have a productive day’ particularly useful in helping me meet my writing goals each day.

📝 Journal prompts:

• What would a grounded, intentional morning look like for you?

• Which part of your routine is helping, and which part needs to change?

• What one small shift could support your creativity tomorrow?

💬 Let’s connect:
What does your morning routine look like? Reply and share it with me, I’d love to hear.

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📚 The Writers’ Bookshelf

This month’s pick: House of Odysseus by Claire North

House of Odysseus is the second book in Claire North’s Songs of Penelope trilogy, and, as with the first one, it’s a five-star read. This series is shaping up to be my favourite trilogy since The Hunger Games.

The books have all the classic components of great feminist Greek mythology retellings: an underestimated female protagonist always one step ahead of those who overlook her, the influence of deities woven into everyday life, and brutish antagonists whose toxic masculinity is sure to be their downfall (right?!). But the best reason for any writer to pick up this series is what it can teach us about narrative voice.

The series is narrated by three different, omnipotent goddesses who have their unique agendas, interests, and biases. The first book is narrated by Hera, the goddess of wives and mothers (most famous as the scorned, vengeful wife of Zeus). The second by Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty. And the third by Athena, goddess of wisdom and warfare. Each goddess’s voice comes through so clearly through what they notice, and what they don’t, through the way they describe characters and events, who they focus on, and their small asides, which touch upon their own experiences.

💬 Let’s connect:
Read anything recently that made you stop and think, “Damn, I want to write like that”? Leave a comment or hit reply and tell me about it.

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💌 Until next time

Thanks for being here. If this letter resonated with you, feel free to share it with a friend, leave a comment, or hit reply. I’d love to hear how it landed.

Warmly,
Jess
(Writer, reader, imperfect human)