J.D. Edwin's Blog

The recent addition to my list of creative self-help books is Finding Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (try saying that 3 times fast).

Flow is a concept I’ve heard of in the creative community but never quite understood. The book explores the concept of “flow,” where you’re completely absorbed in what you’re doing, leading to a deep sense of satisfaction.

Csikszentmihalyi, a well-known psychologist, breaks down complex ideas into easy-to-understand language. He shares real-life stories to s...

I have a tendency to rush.

This is actually an understatement. If you said that to my closest friends, they’d laugh and say you have no idea. I can make a new hobby into a routine then into a stressor in the blink of an eye.

When I first learned to crochet, I completed 20 projects in the first 3 weeks. Last year I tried dabbling in painting again after a break of several years, and before I knew it, my dining room was filled with paintings. I don’t do things by halves, and I don’t slow dow...

I started this year with a plan – I was going to finish the first book in my cozy fantasy series (Love, Death, and Other Things I’m Bad At), start working on query letters with my old publishing team’s help, draft book 2, and try to keep up with other creative projects on the side if I had the time.

And of course, keep working my day job and keep my children alive, as expected.

Well, tell the universe your plans and watch it laugh, right? In February I unexpected began my querying process ...

We’re at it again!

If you’ve been around for a while, you might remember my friend Dr. Deborah Lukovich. Deborah and I have collaborated numerous times in the past and in fact, I am in the process of beta-reading her memoir as we speak. This past week, I had the opportunity to speak on her podcast Dose of Depth for the third time and we discussed the undeniable presence of vulnerability in the life of a creative:

If you responded to my newsletter regarding vulnerability, you might hear...

I had a completely different post planned, but something else struck me unexpectedly this week – one of the greatest names in the Japanese manga community, Akira Torikyama, has passed away.

Even if you didn’t know his name, you probably knew his work. He was most well-known for creating the Dragon Ball series, a piece of work that helped shape modern storytelling.

I actually grew up on the lesser-known works of Toriyama, particularly Dr. Slump, which accompanied me through most of ...

Two things got me thinking about the vulnerability of being a creative recently. One was getting the chance to reconnect with a friend and fellow author, Dr. Deborah Lukovich, this past week, when we talked candidly, among other things, about how shame and vulnerability relates to the creative life. The other was reading the popular book Daring Greatly, by Brene Brown.

You see, being a creative is in itself a vulnerable act. 

You must first have the courage to admit to yourself that yo...

Are you familiar with Comic Sans? 

The font has been a subject of both admiration and disdain. Created in 1994, it has sparked endless debates in design circles and beyond. Loved by some for its playful charm and readability, loathed by others for its overuse and perceived lack of professionalism, Comic Sans occupies a unique place in the typographic landscape.

Most of us know Comic Sans as the font of memes.

And perhaps it is this association with silly pop culture that makes it ha...

Almost every reader has that one book that starts off the new year for them. That book that sets a hopeful and positive tone for January 1. For me, the book for 2024 is I Didn’t Do the Thing Today, by Madelein Dore.

It might seem a little odd to start off the year with a book bearing such a name. But far from the laziness and slacker lifestyle the title seems to suggest, I Didn’t Do the Thing Today is actually a most positive and useful book on productivity and the truth behind what really ge...

Despite my best efforts to go to bed by 11pm, the fireworks kept me up quite late. So here’s to big cups of coffee to kick off 2024. Middle age is rough.

I used to be quite the stickler for New Year’s resolutions. I would make lists, pick theme words, try to buddy up with friends to stay on track, and make big speeches about what I was going to accomplish that year. But year after year, those expectations fell short, since life didn’t tend to lend it self to keeping up rigid year-long resolut...

Happy Holidays, dear readers!

This is the final newsletter of 2023. Seems a bit cliché to say what a long, strange journey it’s been, but that’s truly what it felt like to me. This year has held some of the highest highs and lowest lows I’ve ever experienced, and I wouldn’t change it one bit.

In this past week, I had the privilege to be interviewed by the very talented team behind the Writer Syndrome podcast (the episode releases today!). I got to talk about my writing and publishing endea...