Bad News at 5AM, Good News from New Mexico, and the Minimum Viable Writing Week

Krisserin opens with a rollercoaster week: a 5 AM email from her agent pushing book submission to late spring, followed by the joyful news that she's been accepted to IAIA's MFA program in New Mexico. Kelton channeled a burst of creative energy into writing her novel's climax in a single marathon session and is preparing to launch the Spring Almanac of her Rewilding course.The conversation turns to Kelton's concept of the "living week" — the minimum your writing practice needs to survive, like watering a plant just enough to keep it alive. They explore what it means to differentiate between a thin week and genuinely losing steam, and Krisserin takes away a new goal: putting writing on her calendar for the first time.Plus: Rachel Hochhauser hits the New York Times bestseller list, Kelton pulls up her mom's birth chart mid-recording, Krisserin confesses her inability to read books without a love story, and both hosts set realistic goals for weeks that are already overflowing.Writing programs, classes and workshops mentioned:UCLA Extension Writers' Program: https://writers.uclaextension.edu/Leigh Stein — Attention Economy (Substack newsletter + writing classes including Plot Curious): https://leighstein.substack.com/Chelsea Hodson — Morning Writing Club (Patreon membership, writing accountability + classes): https://morningwritingclub.com/Trust & Travel — The Practice (monthly writing membership, ~$40/month, weekly writing groups + monthly classes): https://www.wetrustandtravel.com/Jessy Easton — The Inner Room (somatic writing community for writing about trauma, quarterly membership): https://www.jessyeaston.com/Kelton's The Rewilding (self-guided creative practice course): https://www.keltonwright.com/rewilding The Murmuration (free guided journaling workshops): https://www.keltonwright.com/murmuration Write to us: [email protected] us:Instagram: @penpalspodTikTok: @penpalspodYouTube: @PenPalsPodSubStack: penpalspod.substack.comFollow Krisserin and Kelton:TikTok: @krisserin, @keltonwrites Instagram: @keltonkin, @keltonwritesKelton's Substack: ShangrilogsKrisserin's Substack: krisserin.substack.comMusic by Golden Hour Oasis Studios