Advertise on podcast: This Creative Life

Alyssa Sheinmel's psychological thriller and adult debut, Such Sheltered Lives, it out now. In this episode, I spoke with Alyssa about what it's been like to publish in the adult category alongside her ongoing work in her teen lit roots, how she gets it done, and hey, what's going on in YA right now anyway?  Such Sheltered Lives - Out from Atria 1/20/26 Alyssa's website Alyssa @ IG Learn more about me, my books, and my other projects at: www.sarazarr.com The Writers Circle Thanks to Dave Connis for the theme music!  

The Writers Circle Thanks to Dave Connis for the theme music! Subscribe to the newsletter Learn more about me, my books, and my other projects at: www.sarazarr.com    

In which we don't write a novel in a month, and look to the seasons to inspire our writing focus. Special thanks to Joni Sensel. Get Wildly Inspired! The Writers Circle Thanks to Dave Connis for the theme music! Learn more about me, my books, and my other projects at: www.sarazarr.com    

Many thanks to my guest Jasminne Paulino for sharing the story of how her debut novel, The Extraordinary Orbit of Alex Ramirez, came to be, how the pandemic led her to decide to pursue her MFA, and how a late-life diagnosis informs her writing.  Find Jasminne on Instagram @jasminne.notes, and at her website Find her book and all my guests' books at our Bookshop Shop The Writers Circle Thanks to Dave Connis for the theme music! Learn more about me, my books, and my other projects at: www.sarazarr.com    

Sorry about the unplanned hiatus! In this episode I talk about my break from online as my default environment, what that has to do with Our Times, and I guess I'm still learning how to pronounce "authoritarianism."  The Writers Circle Celery Thanks to Dave Connis for the theme music! Learn more about me, my books, and my other projects at: www.sarazarr.com

From childhood journals to Pitch Wars to the Morris Award Honor to the National Book Award Longlist, Hannah V. Sawyerr has been on a journey! I so enjoyed this conversation and I know you will, too. Truth Is comes out September 23rd everywhere books are sold. Truth Is at Bookshop Hannah's website & social links Thanks to Dave Connis for the theme music! Learn more about me, my books, and my other projects at: www.sarazarr.com

Expanding on the first episode of this season, we ask what does "reality-based" mean when it comes to goals? The Writers Circle Thanks to Dave Connis for the theme music! Learn more about me, my books, and my other projects at: www.sarazarr.com    

Finally, another interview episode! This conversation with Thomas Torrey is exactly what I've been craving, and maybe you have, too. We talk about artistic despair and the freeing realization that we're not special. Also the ways in which his film, Long December, could be thought of as This Creative Life: the Movie. Bad Theology Pictures Long December The Writers Circle Thanks to Dave Connis for the theme music! Learn more about me, my books, and my other projects at: www.sarazarr.com    

The Writers Circle is a community for support, connection, and education for writers at all levels, across genres and categories. Check it out: The Writers Circle Coupons! EARLYBIRD10 for 10% off any membership (expires 9/2) FOREVER21 for 21% off a Forever membership (expires 9/2) Thanks to Dave Connis for the theme music! Learn more about me, my books, and my other projects at: www.sarazarr.com    

Podcast home page Take a peek at the Writers Circle The Inbox Variations Quarterly Newsletter Thanks to Dave Connis for the theme music! Learn more about me, my books, and my other projects at: www.sarazarr.com    

When your word count is down but you've got lots of dishes to do. Writers Circle waitlist Angel Down by Daniel Kraus E Lockhart on TCL back in 2015 Incubation and the creative process And preparing for incubation! (point 6)   Thanks to Dave Connis for the theme music! Learn more about me, my books, and my other projects at: www.sarazarr.com  

This week I go over five of the most common pieces of feedback I give on student and client manuscripts.  Got a writing question for a future episode? Email me! Podcast home page The Writers Circle Thanks to Dave Connis for the theme music! Learn more about me, my books, and my other projects at: www.sarazarr.com    

Podcast home page Help for writers and Writers Circle waitlist Thanks to Dave Connis for the theme music! Learn more about me, my books, and my other projects at: www.sarazarr.com  

In the first interview episode of TCL 3.0, we bring back an old friend with a new book. Andrew DeYoung's new domestic thriller, Stay Away From Him, is out this week. We talk about Andrew's path from YA to speculative to thrillers, the pleasures of writing genre fiction, and how he gets it done. Also, why is everything in publishing so slow? Get Stay Away from Him Help for writers and Writers Circle waitlist Thanks to Dave Connis for the theme music! Learn more about me, my books, and my other projects at: www.sarazarr.com    

In this episode, I go over five common reasons we're not writing even though we want to, and offer some ways to change our thinking. Share it with a friend who needs to hear it! Podcast home page The Writers Circle On Becoming a Writer by Dorothea Brande (and other writing books I like) Thanks to Dave Connis for the theme music! Learn more about me, my books, and my other projects at: www.sarazarr.com