Burnout as a Writer | Ep. 1

Learning to Stay When Everything Feels UnfinishedIn this first episode of Cracks in Time, I’m talking about what it means to create in the cracks of time — the small, stolen moments between homeschooling, motherhood, self-doubt, rewrites, burnout, and trying to build an author career that actually works for me.This episode is raw, minimally edited, and very much a ramble. We talk about choosing the word “stay” for 2026, why 2025 felt like a failure (even though it wasn’t), and how comparison, hustle culture, and “doing it the right way” almost made me quit writing altogether.If you’re an author who feels behind, unfinished, burned out, or stuck in learning mode instead of writing — this one’s for you.In this episode, I talk about: - Why the podcast is called Cracks in Time - Creating in small moments as a mom and homeschool parent - Choosing “stay” as my word for the year - Rewrites, self-doubt, and almost quitting - Why not publishing in 2025 felt like failure - Finally loving my book after 10+ rewrites - Why Save the Cat Writes a Novel doesn’t work for my brain - ADHD, burnout, procrastination, and hyperfixation - Comparison, hustle culture, and moving at your own pace - Why it’s okay to be unfinished going into 2026Where this fits in my weekly content:Mondays: Main YouTube video Wednesdays: Substack (deeper, more reflective writing)Fridays: Podcast (Unfiltered, minimally edited rambling — just saying what needs to be said)Links & Resources:🎥 YouTube video mentioned: Cracks In Time | Ep. 1✍️ Substack: Cracks in Time: What 2025 Taught MeIf this episode made you feel less alone, you’re in the right place.It’s okay to fumble. It’s okay to be offbeat. It’s okay to stay. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ashkairieauthor.substack.com