54. Giving yourself permission to write now w/ Megan Clancy
10/10/23 • 41 min
For many parents, moms in particular, society perpetuates the idea that we should sacrifice everything for our children. So how do we push that aside and give ourselves permission to write now and pursue our creative dreams?
In this episode, you’ll hear how Megan Clancy did that—not only for herself but also the writers she coaches. Megan is a writer of upmarket women's fiction and queer contemporary romance, a book coach, a former high school English teacher, and a mother of two young children.
Needless to say, she has a lot to say on this topic.
So stay tuned to learn how she’s overcome these obstacles. And bonus: Find out how to own your identity as a writer today.
Topics discussed in this episode:
- Losing yourself and writing in parenthood
- Fighting against societal norms
- Changing your mindset
- Setting boundaries with the family
- Owning your identity as a writer now
- Addressing the impossibility of writing dreams as mothers
- Getting past mom guilt
- Finding your confidence
- Sapphic women’s fiction
- Favorite books
About Megan:
Megan Clancy is a writer of upmarket women's fiction and queer contemporary romance. She has a BA in English/Creative Writing from Colorado College, an MFA from the University of Melbourne, and worked as a high school English teacher before becoming a full-time writer and book coach. She loves to travel, which frequently inspires her writing, and has lived and worked in Australia, Nepal, and the United States. She currently lives in California with her husband and two young children.
Get her book:
- The Burden of a Daughter: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1937818993/
Connect with Megan
- Website: http://www.meganaclancy.com/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/mclancyauthor
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mclancyauthor/
Books discussed during the show:
- The No-Show, by Beth O’Leary
- Lessons in Chemistry, by Bonnie Garmus
- Delilah Green Doesn’t Care, by Ashley Herring Blake
- The Magic Treehouse, by Mary Pope Osborne
- Dragon Masters, by Tracey West
- I Built a House, by Chris Van Dunsen
- Maybe, by Kobi Yamada
- The Remember Balloons, by Jessie Oliveros
- Robin and Her Misfits, by Kelly Ann Jacobson
- Tinkerbell and Wendy, by Kelly Ann Jacobson
Looking for an editor or book coach?
As an indie author, editor, and book coach, I teach authors how to untangle their jumbled ideas and tackle each writing stage one at a time.
With my 20 years’ experience and my master’s in writing, I have a 4-stage process that takes authors from struggling with overwhelm to finishing their manuscripts with confidence and direction in 6 months.
As such, I love spending time with my clients and watching them grow into strong, knowledgeable authors. Read more here, and schedule a call to see if we're a good fit: https://calendly.com/erinptcanning/30min-meeting.
For many parents, moms in particular, society perpetuates the idea that we should sacrifice everything for our children. So how do we push that aside and give ourselves permission to write now and pursue our creative dreams?
In this episode, you’ll hear how Megan Clancy did that—not only for herself but also the writers she coaches. Megan is a writer of upmarket women's fiction and queer contemporary romance, a book coach, a former high school English teacher, and a mother of two young children.
Needless to say, she has a lot to say on this topic.
So stay tuned to learn how she’s overcome these obstacles. And bonus: Find out how to own your identity as a writer today.
Topics discussed in this episode:
- Losing yourself and writing in parenthood
- Fighting against societal norms
- Changing your mindset
- Setting boundaries with the family
- Owning your identity as a writer now
- Addressing the impossibility of writing dreams as mothers
- Getting past mom guilt
- Finding your confidence
- Sapphic women’s fiction
- Favorite books
About Megan:
Megan Clancy is a writer of upmarket women's fiction and queer contemporary romance. She has a BA in English/Creative Writing from Colorado College, an MFA from the University of Melbourne, and worked as a high school English teacher before becoming a full-time writer and book coach. She loves to travel, which frequently inspires her writing, and has lived and worked in Australia, Nepal, and the United States. She currently lives in California with her husband and two young children.
Get her book:
- The Burden of a Daughter: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1937818993/
Connect with Megan
- Website: http://www.meganaclancy.com/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/mclancyauthor
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mclancyauthor/
Books discussed during the show:
- The No-Show, by Beth O’Leary
- Lessons in Chemistry, by Bonnie Garmus
- Delilah Green Doesn’t Care, by Ashley Herring Blake
- The Magic Treehouse, by Mary Pope Osborne
- Dragon Masters, by Tracey West
- I Built a House, by Chris Van Dunsen
- Maybe, by Kobi Yamada
- The Remember Balloons, by Jessie Oliveros
- Robin and Her Misfits, by Kelly Ann Jacobson
- Tinkerbell and Wendy, by Kelly Ann Jacobson
Looking for an editor or book coach?
As an indie author, editor, and book coach, I teach authors how to untangle their jumbled ideas and tackle each writing stage one at a time.
With my 20 years’ experience and my master’s in writing, I have a 4-stage process that takes authors from struggling with overwhelm to finishing their manuscripts with confidence and direction in 6 months.
As such, I love spending time with my clients and watching them grow into strong, knowledgeable authors. Read more here, and schedule a call to see if we're a good fit: https://calendly.com/erinptcanning/30min-meeting.
Previous Episode
53. Becoming an author through journaling w/ Erin Leigh
Ever wondered if journaling can lead to more than dear diary entries?
Joining today’s conversation is Erin Leigh, a writer, author, and mother of four. In this episode, Erin shares how a lifetime of journaling not only strengthened her writing but also lead to her publishing her first nonfiction book and becoming an author.
Bonus: She also shares the positive impact journaling has had on her family, as well as two tips from her award-winning parenting book, Navigating the Newborn Months and Beyond: A Mother’s Guide to Routine, Sleep, Fussiness, and Self-Care.
Topics discussed in this episode:
- A lifetime of journaling
- The shift in journaling as a new parent
- Different forms of journaling
- Journaling tips for parents
- How journaling helps our creative writing
- Self-care through journaling
- Writing a manuscript and referencing old journals
- The learning curve of self-publishing
- Two parenting tips from Erin’s book
- BONUS: Asking for help
About Erin Leigh:
Erin Leigh has enjoyed nonfiction writing since she was a child. Her passion for research and writing were the primary reason she pursued a career in law. Finding writing to be rewarding, challenging, and fulfilling, Erin writes nonfiction pieces about parenting, motherhood, self-care, and outdoor adventures, and is also a contributing writer for Her View From Home, Motherly, and Motherzing magazine. She also writes a monthly author newsletter.
Erin is the proud mother of three sons and one daughter. She and her family reside in Northern California. Prior to having children, Erin practiced health care law in the legal department of Stanford University. She enjoys swimming, running, reading, hiking, playing the piano, and spending time outdoors as much as possible.
Get her book:
- Navigating the Newborn Months and Beyond: A Mother’s Guide to Routine, Sleep, Fussiness, and Self-Care: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578361868
Connect w/ Erin Leigh:
- Articles: https://linktr.ee/erineileenleigh
- Website: http://www.erineileenleigh.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erineileenleighauthor
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/erineileenleigh
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/erineileenleigh-author
Resources discussed during the show:
- Reconnecting with Myself: A self-reflection journal for parents, by Erin P.T. Canning, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CJDJ67XY/
- SPARC plan article, “Good Parenting
Looking for an editor or book coach?
As an indie author, editor, and book coach, I teach authors how to untangle their jumbled ideas and tackle each writing stage one at a time.
With my 20 years’ experience and my master’s in writing, I have a 4-stage process that takes authors from struggling with overwhelm to finishing their manuscripts with confidence and direction in 6 months.
As such, I love spending time with my clients and watching them grow into strong, knowledgeable authors. Read more here, and schedule a call to see if we're a good fit: https://calendly.com/erinptcanning/30min-meeting.
Next Episode
55. From struggling writer to urban fantasy author w/ Michelle Summers
In this episode of Parents Who Write, Michelle Summers shares her inspiring journey as an urban fantasy author who brought mythological characters to life through the power of human beliefs.
Listen to her discuss her experience as a mom of three, her background in studio art and martial arts, and how she transformed her writing dreams into a reality.
But here's a delightful twist: Michelle and your host Erin share a long history, going back to their high school days, making this episode a nostalgic journey through decades of friendship.
We're diving into Michelle's journey as a writer, her experiences, and the development of her Guardian series. You'll hear about her early attempts at writing, her struggles with getting started, and the turning point that led her to embrace her passion for storytelling.
And be ready to discover the touching story behind a significant revision in Michelle's book and how real-life inspiration found its way into her fantastical world.
Michelle's story is filled with determination, resilience, and a touch of humor, making it a must-listen for aspiring writers and parents who share her passion for storytelling.
Get her books:
- The Predecessor: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/4hbaitb32j
- The Chosen One, My Ass! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BZQCQ68P
- The Chosen . . . Two (forthcoming Nov. 16, 2023): https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0BZQH7FT6
Connect with Michelle:
- FB page: https://www.facebook.com/msummerswriter
- FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/michellesummerssuperheroes
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msummerswriter
- Website: https://msummerswriter.com
More about Michelle:
Michelle Summers writes urban fantasy / paranormal romance with strong female main characters who save the day and their love interests. As an author, she finds catharsis in writing the situations that arise when human characters have to handle fantastical elements in their everyday world. Family dynamics and relationships play a big role in Michelle’s stories, as do sarcasm and humor.
Michelle is a mom of three inspiring (and exhausting) children whom she is raising to be their own superheroes. In addition to having a blue belt in karate, she is PTA president and an avid crocheter, and while technically a stay-at-home mom, she likes to think of herself as a domestic goddess instead.
Looking for an editor or book coach?
As an indie author, editor, and book coach, I teach authors how to untangle their jumbled ideas and tackle each writing stage one at a time.
With my 20 years’ experience and my master’s in writing, I have a 4-stage process that takes authors from struggling with overwhelm to finishing their manuscripts with confidence and direction in 6 months.
As such, I love spending time with my clients and watching them grow into strong, knowledgeable authors. Read more here, and schedule a call to see if we're a good fit: https://calendly.com/erinptcanning/30min-meeting.
Embracing the Fiction Author Journey - 54. Giving yourself permission to write now w/ Megan Clancy
Transcript
For many parents, moms in particular, society perpetuates the idea that we should sacrifice everything for our children. So how do we push that aside and give ourselves permission to write and pursue our writing dreams? In today's episode, you'll hear how Megan Clancy did that, not only for herself, but also the writers she coaches. You'll also learn about changing your mindset, setting boundaries with the family, and not waiting to own your identity
If you like this episode you’ll love
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