Show Notes
Guest: Eirinie Carson In this episode, Sue Campbell speaks with writer Eirinie Carson about balancing writing with caregiving and processing grief through writing. Carson is the author of the critically acclaimed memoir https://bookshop.org/a/113574/9781685890469 (Melville House, 2023) and the upcoming novel Blood Fire Baby (February 2026). Key Discussion Points: Writing while parenting two young children Processing grief through writing after the loss of a close friend The importance of creating space for creative work as a caregiver Experience at writers' residencies, particularly Hedgebrook The role of supportive partners in maintaining a writing practice How motherhood inspired Carson to pursue writing seriously Writing both memoir and fiction about grief and family history
Notable Quotes: "Writing looks like nothing... It's not like I am toiling in a field. But writing also looks like reading. It also looks like taking a walk. It also looks like thinking about things." —Eirinie Carson Books Mentioned: The Dead Are Gods by Eirinie Carson Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls by T Kira Madden Blood Fire Baby by Eirinie Carson (forthcoming in 2026) Resources: Hedgebrook Writers Residency The Writers' Grotto in San Francisco
Want more help maintaining a creative practice despite life's obstacles? Subscribe to the Write Anyway newsletter from Pages & Platforms. * Some links are affiliate links, we get a small commission when you purchase, but you don't pay more.
More from The Write Anyway Podcast
Here's a question that might change how you think about your main character: Does your protagonist want to change things—or preserve them?In this episode, Gabriela Pereira of DIYMFA breaks down her Storytelling Superpower framework—a surprisingly simple way to understand what makes protagonists like Elizabeth Bennett and Katniss Everdeen work so well on the page.Plus: why "supporting character" is a better term than "side character," the crucial difference between a villain and an antagonist, and what Shakespeare's Fool can teach you about the characters your protagonist doesn't want to listen to (but really should).
Feeling squeamish about your book—or even asking for blurbs? In this episode, Sue Campbell talks with actor–author–coach Jamie Rose about “Madame X,” the inner voice that sabotages women’s creative work. Come for the mindset shifts and bite-size tools; stay for raw memoir moments, smart launch lessons, and a Steven Pressfield surprise. If you want your launch (and writing life) to feel fun, organic, and fear-resilient, this one’s a must-listen.
Sue Campbell interviews Eli Potter, tech track coordinator for the San Francisco Writers Conference and author of the bestselling book Role Modelship: Multiply Your Impact to Influence AI, about writers’ fears and ethical concerns around AI.In this episode, Eli reveals why being rude to AI will sabotage your results, why writer's block is no longer an excuse, and how writers actually have a massive advantage in an AI-saturated world.Plus: the one question that unlocks AI's real power, why your brain is getting "wired" to AI output (and why that's dangerous), and how to use these tools ethically without losing what makes your writing yours.Whether you're AI-curious or AI-skeptical, this conversation will change how you think about technology in your writing life.
On the Write Anyway podcast, host Anne Hawley interviews epic fantasy novelist Don Elliott about a simple strategy he used to rapidly improve his prose and strengthen his author voice without formal schooling. After focusing for years on story craft, Don realized his line-level writing hadn’t advanced as much, so he studied authors he admires—Mark Lawrence, Patrick Rothfuss, Ursula K. Le Guin, George R. R. Martin, and Joe Abercrombie—to analyze sentence-level choices like length, metaphor use, lyricism, and how emotion is conveyed. He then took a fully edited manuscript and rewrote passages multiple times, trimming stacked metaphors and avoiding naming emotions in favor of evoking them, sharing before-and-after examples. Don recommends daily 30–60 minute rewrite drills—rewriting your own work in an admired author’s style or rewriting their passages in your voice—to build muscle memory, reporting dramatic improvement within a week.
Can you really write a book while raising kids? Creativity coach Susie Meserve says yes — but not in the way you think. In this episode, Sue sits down with Susie to talk about what actually gets in the way of creative moms (hint: it's not just time), why having children made both of them more prolific, and the guilt spiral that so many artist moms never talk about out loud. If you're a caregiver who's told yourself "I'll get back to my writing when things slow down" — this one's for you.