Although different, birth requires the same surrender from mothers as creatives. I found this truth rising quietly as I sat attempting to write my first book, while my young son slept in his room.
The energy to create asks for the space to grow. It needs dedicated time and a high diet of nutrition or inspiration. These are the minimal components necessary to fortify the life of an idea. For a creative, taking in content that feeds your inspiration, and protecting your calendar from busyness are necessities. Leaving blank space, where you re-align with your self and let the world drop away helps bring creativity to form.
Patience and practicality are also high on the list. You cannot rush a book, but you cannot wallow in the nothingness either. A writer needs a creation deadline to come to completion. This means looking at the arc of your project and being practical about what you can accomplish in one sitting, and creating a writer’s agenda so you can mark your growth. Practicality is not always about doing though; we still need to have the patience for stillness and rest. Yes, you read it rest. How can you craft the subtlety of the word if you are drenched in the buzz of the world or rushed between working and writing? There needs to be a space between.
Does this sound impossible? Without good boundaries it can be quite difficult. Boundaries are easy when one understands what they are protecting. Unfortunately in the pace of the modern world the pace of the mother and the creative are often misunderstood, but that does not diminish the need to reinstate the rhythm of the creative.
Many of the questions we have on how to midwife the creative come from aligning and surrendering to what is. Decide on what you want to write and let it lead you. Find a trusted circle to let your draft stand the merit of its own growth. A mother likewise needs to trust her truth and the uniqueness of her child, and allow those that support them both, into their family circle for guidance and growth. What the modern world needs is less answers, and more people asking the right questions and listening to whispers inside. When we make beauty and meaning for the sake of the process, unexpected grace arises for us as writers and as mothers.
My book, Rebirth, started as a postpartum project which I almost dropped because I had such little time as a new mother, but it was my creative outlet, and those few conversations of women leaning in to their truth and making courageous choices gave a reciprocal nourishment. I kept going and when a friend called because she was starting a publishing company to sign me as an author, I listened to the whisper and said yes. Even though I was going from mother to single parent.
I would have never guessed that a podcast would turn into my first book, and be received so well. One chapter I built the book around, is the one where I share the perspectives of birth through a conversation with my midwife, Terri Simons, she talks about how we can’t “push it or pull it,” but that we have to simply be with the energy of birth. The rest of the book talks about courage and inspiration through so many different verticals, but that chapter on Beauty & Belief is my dedication to the energy of birth, making me a mother and a creative, and its rightful place at the center of it all.
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If you enjoy Kate's writing and insight, then you'll love her new book Rebirth: Real-Life Stories About What Happens When You Let Go and Let Life Lead
You can also check out more of Kate's writings on the Women on Writing (WOW) Blog tour.
Blog Tour Calendar
November 21st @ The Muffin
Join as WOW's blog The Muffin as we interview author Kate Brenton about her inspiring book Rebirth and give away a copy to one lucky reader.
https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com
November 21st @ Rachael's Thoughts
Join Rachael as she reviews Rebirth by Kate Brenton
November 24th @ Deborah-Zenha Adams' Blog
Join Deborah as she features a guest post by Kate Brenton about writing where and when you can.
http://www.deborah-adams.com/blog/
November 25th @ Freeing the Butterly
Join Michelle as she reviews Rebirth by Kate Brenton.
https://www.freeingthebutterfly.com/
November 27th @ Shoe's Seeds and Stories
Visit Linda's blog where she reviews the insightful book Rebirth by Kate Brenton.
https://lschuelerca.wordpress.com/
November 29th @ Lisa Haselton's Reviews and Interviews
Join Lisa as she interviews Kate Brenton about her inspirational book Rebirth.
https://lisahaselton.com/blog/
November 30th @ Author Anthony Avina's Blog
Join Anthony as he reviews Kate Brenton's book Rebirth.
https://authoranthonyavinablog.com/category/blog-tours/
December 1st @ Michelle Cornish' Blog
Read Kate Brenton's guest post about story as medicine over at Michelle's blog.
https://www.michellecornish.com/blog
December 2nd @ The Frugalista Mom
Join Rochie as she shares her thoughts about Rebirth by Kate Brenton. You can also win a copy of the book!
December 3rd @ Beverley A. Baird's Blog
Join Beverley as features Kate Brenton's guest post about writers needing a high inspiration diet.
https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/
December 5th @ Balance and Joy
Join Sheri as she reviews Rebirth by Kate Brenton.
https://www.balanceandjoy.com/
December 6th @ Anthony Avina's Blog
Join Anthony as he features Kate Brenton's guest post about why what you love will get you through.
https://authoranthonyavinablog.com/category/blog-tours/
December 7th @ Katherine Itacy's Blog
Come by Katherine's blog and read her review of Rebirth by Kate Brenton.
December 8th @ Beverley A. Baird's Blog
Join Beverley as she reviews Rebirth by Kate Brenton.
https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/
December 9th @ Rebecca J Whitman's Blog
Join Rebecca as she features Kate Brenton's guest post about when to keep going on faith.
December 10th @ A Story Book World
Deirdra showcases Rebirth by Kate Brenton, a must-read book for the new year!
https://www.astorybookworld.com/
December 13th @ Word Magic
Visit Fiona's blog and read Kate Brenton's guest post about the evolution of podcast to book and how it was a walk of faith.
http://fionaingramauthor.blogspot.com/
December 15th @ Create Write Now
Read a guest post by Kate Brenton on Mari's blog today about the power of birth as a mother and as a creative.
https://www.createwritenow.com/journal-writing-blog
December 17th @ Boots, Shoes and Fashion
Linda interviews author Kate Brenton about her writing and her inspirational book Rebirth.
https://bootsshoesandfashion.com/
December 18th @ Choices
Visit Madeline's blog and read Kate Brenton's guest post about mothering, writing, and working in the modern world.
http://www.madelinesharples.com/
December 19th @ Liberate and Lather
Join Angela as she reviews Rebirth by Kate Brenton. Don't miss this inspirational book!
https://liberateandlather.com/blog
December 20th @ World of My Imagination
Visit Nicole's blog to read her review of Rebirth by Kate Brenton.
https://worldofmyimagination.com/
Book Summary
When life is calling, often we need only the space and the support to remember our way. Sometimes we lean into our expansion, and sometimes we bolt from our greatness. The biggest shock is that big change happens in small choices. In Rebirth you will find real-life stories of people who made courageous leaps, inspiring you to make your own. It’s time to step out of line and back into the spiral of life—that’s where the alchemy is. This book fits right into the side pocket of your bag + your life to inspire you as you read others’ stories of how they listened and learned to make embodied changes in their own lives.
Purchase a copy of From Promising to Published on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, you can also add this to your GoodReads reading list.