Hi, friends! After a year of cyclical burnout, unexpected self-discovery, and hard-won identity shifts, I'm choosing to focus on lowering demand in my life to better support my recovery and the long-term sustainability of my business. This focus comes with the difficult decision to put the Wildmaking podcast on permanent hiatus. I've loved creating…

As both a creative and a creative coach, I consider self-coaching to be one of the most importance practices for personal creative success. By holding yourself accountable to the work of self-reflection, commitment to growth, and cultivating loving self-talk, you can open up a work of joy and fulfillment in your creative journey. But it all begins …

After a very unexpected hiatus from the podcast (for both you + me!), I'm making a triumphant return this week — but moving forward, things are going to look a little different here at Wildmaking. Specifically, things are going to look a little uglier. In today's episode, I'm breaking down what led to my unexpected hiatus, what this year is teachin…

Hustle culture would have us believe that our joy and fulfillment as creatives lies just over the horizon of achievement. But focusing solely on external success is a recipe for burnout and seemingly relentless limiting beliefs. In place of hustle culture, I propose the Slow Making movement — an intentional commitment to slowing down, prioritizing …

I'm a fairly pragmatic person. But if there's one 'witchy' practice that I've regularly made use of in my creative journey, it's oracle cards. Over the last year, my deck of cards has helped me un-shame my relationship with myself and my art by offering me the opportunity to intentionally reconnect with my intuition and self-trust — both of which h…

In last week's episode, I mentioned that all art is political. But what exactly do I mean by this? And how can you use this knowledge to make a powerful impact on the world through your art no matter what you create? Tune into today's conversation to find out! Website: www.kristenkieffer.co Instagram: www.instagram.com/kristen_kieffer…

Ready for a dose of radical transparency? The recent launch of my new Consistently Creative program has failed. Yikes. What I've realized upon reflecting on this experience is that the launch didn't go as planned because the trust + safety that I've built with you, my audience, has gotten a bit shaky over the last year and a half. And trust + safet…

After sharing some snippets from my debut novel online this week, someone admired how brave I was for doing so — only I didn't feel brave because I hadn't felt any fear around sharing my work. But that certainly wouldn't have been the case for the writer I was in years gone by. How have I grown comfortable and confident enough to share my work with…

When you consider what it means to be consistently creative, you probably think about regularly making art. Makes sense, right? Yet it's my firm belief that consistent creativity has little to do with regularly making art and everything to do with faithfully and holistically nourishing your creative spirit. What in the world do I mean by that? This…

When you consider what it means to be consistently creative, you probably think about regularly producing art—and that’s not a terrible definition! Making art is a huge part of what it means to be an artist, and regularly making art can be a richly fulfilling way to live your life. But if you define consistent creativity solely through the lens of …

Make a comparison between your creative work and someone else's (or even you're own past work or current expectations) is perfectly natural and normal. What matters is how you respond when you find yourself making comparisons. Comparing and despairing? You might just be erasing the beauty of your humanity! That's why, in today's episode, I'm going …

Over the last few weeks, I haven't been sleeping well — and that lack of sleep has been deeply impacting my creative work. But in a strange way, I'm almost glad to find myself in this position. Why? In today's episode, I'm sharing how this period of exhaustion in helping me un-shame my relationship with my art and why you should consider re-framing…

Creatives are often taught to be original so that their art stands out from the crowd, and there's certainly nothing wrong with wanting to craft unique and compelling creative work — but there's a dark side to prioritizing originality in your creative practice. In today's episode, we'll explore what makes the pursuit of originality so destructive a…

You have a creative spirit inside you; it's the part of you that has big artistic vision and wants to partner with you to bring that vision to life. But if you haven't been making art with joy and ease, there's a good change you might be in unhealthy relationship with your creative spirit. In today's episode, I'll break down the five ways you could…

In working to shed your shame stories, you're now on a healing journey. But when it comes to the topic of healing, there's a massive misconception that may be holding you back rather than helping you along, and that's the belief that you could ever be fully healed in the first place. Simply put, there is no such thing as "being healed." But if you …

I often talk about being in better relationship with yourself and your creative work, but what does that even mean? In this week's episode, I'm breaking down the 'self' part of the being-in-better-relationship-with-yourself-and-your-art equation. This episode covers: The two voices that live inside your head Why your instinctive and intentional sel…

Do you often set big productivity goals, give yourself difficult deadlines, or aim for lofty social media growth? If so, you aren't alone. Many creatives have high expectations of themselves and their art. But are such expectations truly challenging us to grow and achieve great heights? Or are they a recipe for burnout and self-blame? In today's ep…

It's normal to look back on the art you've made in the past (or even the art you're making now!) and find it cringe-worthy. Same goes for having to tell others about your creative work or the act of sharing your art online. What can you do to mitigate this cringe factor? How can you stop feeling like your art is embarrassing so you don't lose your …

You may think that confidence is something you gain when you get good at making art or finally achieve that big milestone you've been chasing... but you'd be wrong! Confidence can't be attained through action, only affirmed by it. But, ugh... what exactly does that mean? And how can you take effective steps to start building confidence in yourself …

Despite our best efforts, sometimes things in life go sideways. Your agent quits, your sales dip, you lose a portion of your work to a computer crash... Shit happens. In today's episode, I'll teach you how to make peace with your worst case scenarios by thinking about them through five different lenses. Website: www.kristenkieffer.co Instagram: www…

Think it's bad to want external validation? Think again! Wanting to feel affirmed and supported in your creative journey is a valid desire. But not all forms of external validation are made equal. In today's episode, I'm breaking down the two internal desires that might lead you to seek validation—one healthy and one unhealthy—and how you can make …

Making art doesn't have to be a solitary pursuit. There are a number of ways to get involved in creative communities — and even more reasons to do so! In today's episode, editor Sara Letourneau and I discuss how our experiences with creative community have helped us find invaluable support and encouragement in our writing journeys (and a few ways y…

Often, we subconsciously make assumptions about what other people think about our ourselves or our creative work. Maybe you worry that your family doesn't take your art seriously or that your future readers will think that you're a talentless hack. Whatever the case, the fact remains that assumptions are unfair — both to yourself and to the people …

"I just don't have time to create" is a sneaky phrase, one that may be disempowering you inside of your creative practice and beyond. No matter how true it might feel. In today's episode, I'll break down why "I just don't have time..." is a limiting belief, why you have more control over your time than you think, and the importance of reclaiming yo…

One of shame's most pernicious symptoms is the distrust it creates inside us. Because we feel as though we're not enough, shame insists that we can't trust ourselves. Not what we want, not our knowledge, not our curiosity or intuition... None of it is good enough — or at least, so says shame. That's why rebuilding self-trust is one of the important…

To strengthen the neural pathways that protect you from danger, your brain is always on the lookout for evidence that supports how you believe it is (or isn't) safe for you to show up in the world. In many cases, the beliefs that you adopted as a child no longer support your goals as an adult, including the ways that you'd like to show up in your c…

When feeling overwhelmed inside of their lives and creative practices, many creatives turn to productivity techniques to help them feel more empowered and in control. But trying to hustle your way out of overwhelm is like trying to bail water out of a sinking boat. When you complete a task, there will always be five others to take its place. How, t…

Many creatives struggle with instinctive comparison that leaves them feeling down about themselves and their creative work. But what if comparison could actually be a constructive experience that leaves you feeling empowered rather than distressed? In today's episode, we're exploring why comparison is a morally neutral experience that holds the pow…

Creative success is rarely achieved through pure luck or happenstance, which is why cultivating a proactive approach to your creative journey is key. But what does it mean to be proactive, exactly? In today's episode, I explore the two keys aspects of a proactive mindset and the simple ways you can begin cultivating them ASAP. Website: www.kristenk…

It's easy to look back on art you've made in the past and recognize that it isn't the quality you ultimately want to produce. But when that recognition turns into embarrassment, you open the door for shame to compromise your belief in yourself as an artist. Fortunately, cringing at your art can teach you two important lessons, both of which can hel…

Many creatives set goals in a subconscious effort to prove that they're in some way good enough. But approaching goals in this shame-fueled way is often a futile effort that can be incredibly destructive to your health and well-being. Fortunately, goal-setting isn't all bad. In this episode, I'll show you how to set Transformational Goals that effe…

Every artist has innate creative magic — a unique and powerful way of creating that lights their soul on fire and ignites passion in the people who are bound to love their work. Unfortunately, it's all too easy for shame stories to water down this creative magic, making it far less impactful and fulfilling. Why is that the case? And what can you do…

Welcome to Mini Making, a series of short + punchy bonus episodes that are equally as powerful as any of our full-length talks. In this inaugural mini episode, I'll be sharing why it's dangerous to consume this podcast (or any self-help, wellness, or personal development resource) in the belief that it will help you fix some part of you that's lack…

The shame stories that run through our heads often create what I like to call the Faux Problem Phenomenon — the experience of intense doubt and emotional overwhelm that accompanies the belief that you’re doing things the wrong way. Faux problems often heap a world of stress onto creatives’ plates, stealing their joy and drive for creating. And the …

If shame is the act of marginalizing, alienating, and oppressing, then its opposite is offering unconditional love, acceptance, and compassion. One of the most powerful ways you can begin unshaming your relationship with yourself and your creative work is by practicing the skill of offering yourself these radical gifts — a concept I like to call th…

The way you’re showing up (or not showing up) inside of your creative practice is a direct product of your belief system, which is in turn a product of your nervous system’s capacity. So if you’re in any way unhappy with how you’re showing up for your art, then understanding how your nervous system works—and, even more importantly, how you can care…

Over the years, I’ve had thousands of conversations with creatives around the world. Naturally, many of those conversations included talk of perfectionism, procrastination, imposter syndrome, and other internal roadblocks. What I learned from those conversations is that all of internal roadblocks you might experience in your creative practice ultim…

Creativity is often a process a discovery filled with relentless reiteration. Artists edit and revise, shift focus, and explore new ideas, processes, and goals. Oddly enough, however, an experimental attitude among creatives is often cast in a negative light. Hustle culture tells us that to reiterate is to be inconsistent, that the key to success i…

You were never meant to create this way — caged by shame that whispers "you're not good enough, you're not doing enough, and you will never be successful." That's why, here at Wildmaking, we're talking all about how to untame our art and rewild our relationships with our creative work. Catch the trailer to learn more. Website: www.kristenkieffer.co…

In today's episode, Kristen shares the second installment of Book Notes, a blog + podcast series that summarizes and provides key takeaways from books on writing, publishing, and creative living. This episode explores Joanna Penn's "How to Market a Book" — a powerful reference guide that teaches authors how promote their books and build lucrative a…

Running an Amazon ad campaign can be a great way to introduce your book to new readers and increase sales, but there’s no denying that Amazon Advertising comes with a learning curve. In today's episode, Kristen breaks down an introduction to Amazon Ads as a book marketing tool and walks you through the process of creating your first Sponsored Produ…

In today's episode, Kristen launches a new feature called Book Notes in which she summarizes and provides key takeaways from books on writing, publishing, and creative living. This first edition of Book Notes explores Rachel Aaron's "2,000 to 10,000" — an actionable guide to boosting your creative efficiency. Find the episode transcript at: www.wel…

Do you often struggle to write full-length novels, never sure how to fill the gaps in your story without writing filler or fluff? In today's episode, Kristen breaks down one simple strategy for expanding your storytelling and crafting more complex plots: giving your protagonist a side quest! Find the episode transcript at: www.well-storied.com/plot…

Do you often get lost in research rabbit holes or relentlessly re-read old work? Do you toggle between chapters in search of scenes you "feel" like writing — or often fail to write at all? In today's episode, Kristen breaks down the three simple steps you can follow to ditch dissatisfying writing sessions in favor of writing with clarity, focus, an…

Creative are knowledge workers who rely upon information and ideas to create fantastic work. So it’s no wonder that our heads are often chaotic or in the clouds, brimming with all sorts of thoughts that we struggle to organize and employ. That's where a second brain comes into play. By taking the time to create a unified system for knowledge manage…