I'm Fall-ing Behind!
This week's Dear Daisy question is from a reader who just isn't feeling ready for Autumn
Hello, and happy Friday! How are you?
I’ve had a fun, frenetic back-to-school week - it was wonderful to celebrate
’s beautiful new book THERE ARE RIVERS IN THE SKY on Monday. On Tuesday, I went to the brilliant Juno Books in Sheffield for an event with my friend, the author Holly Williams. She interviewed me about PITY PARTY, and we talked about neurodivergence, Eve Babitz and George Michael…Then I interviewed Paula Hawkins and Dawn O’Porter for upcoming episodes of the You’re Booked podcast which will be back in your ears very soon (please do binge the archives here!) and celebrated Dolly Alderton’s gorgeous Terry de Havilland collaboration. I went to see Nish Kumar and Amy Annette (excellent - energetic, enraging and so moving) and I’m preparing for an evening of supreme silliness tonight. I’m going to the Comedy Bang Bang show. I love
so much that I might just sob with happiness from start to finish.Most importantly, I’m going to be seeing some of you on Sunday! The Write Like A Reader course begins on Sunday evening, and there are still some places available. I teach on Zoom, so you can join from absolutely anywhere. It’s designed for writers of all levels of experience - the plan is that it will make you feel confident, creative and truly excited about writing, and I’ll be showing you just how much you already know about storytelling. There’s a focus on fiction, but you might find it useful if you’re working on memoir, too. It’s priced at £350 inclusive, or £295 for paying Substack subscribers. If you’re interested, I’d love to hear from you - email creativeconfidenceclinic@gmail.com
Now for this week’s Dear Daisy question…
I just can’t fall for Fall!
This is a creativity question and a general life question – I’m overwhelmed by post summertime sadness, and I’m not sure what to do about it. Usually, I welcome autumn. I’m so excited to get to work, to start new projects and come up with ideas. The crispness of the new season makes me feel energised and motivated. I write poetry and short stories, and I do my best to live in a creative way. On a good day, I feel as though making dinner can be a creative act.
But my seasonal joy has gone, and I feel totally unmoored by it. I’m worried about the lack of light. I’m anxious, and I have this odd sense that ‘everyone else’ is about to run off and get on with things without me. (Rationally, I know this is ridiculous, I’m not even entirely sure who I’m comparing myself to!) I feel as though I didn’t rest enough over summer, but I’m not even sure what that rest could have looked like or felt like. It’s as though I’ve lost my creative appetite at a time when I’m used to being hungry, and it’s frightening and bewildering. How do I get it back? Help!
Sad After Summer
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