Host Jillian Anthony (author of the Cruel Summer Book Club newsletter) interviews author and podcast host Madeleine Dore about her many creative pursuits over the past decade. Dore takes us through the winding path of pursuing journalism, interviewing creatives for her newsletter, Extraordinary Routines, then writing her own book, I Didn’t Do the Thing Today. They discuss the tensions between productivity and creativity; the 10-year path to Dore’s first book (and her writing habits); and the importance of accepting your own creative process (and yourself). Plus, they talk about how personal projects can open important doors — even though they sometimes feel like a slog.

Dore’s best advice? “Just take the next step, and make it a very small step.”

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Follow guest Madeleine Dore:

Newsletter: On Things

Book: I Didn’t Do the Thing Today

Podcast: A Social Life with Friends

Follow host Jillian Anthony:

Subscribe to the Cruel Summer Book Club newsletter

Website: jilliananthony.com

Instagram: @jillathrilla

Threads: @jillathrilla

Resources mentioned:

Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman

Milanote

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

Women Who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés

Written Into Being workshop with Giselle Buchanan