Episode 192: Interview with Heather Caliri

What this episode covers

These notes include affiliate links. Today on Fable and the Verbivore, we’re sharing our latest interview with writer, artist and editor Heather Caliri. Heather Caliri is an active and supportive member of the Instagram creative community. We connected with her on social media, because she is a truth teller in the truest sense and has such a great way of conveying nuanced and in-depth thoughts on a variety of complex topics. She is a writer, artist and editor whose work has appeared in Christianity Today, The Other Journal, Fathom Magazine, Image Journal, In Touch Magazine, and Geez Magazine. Her debut non-fiction book Ordinary Creativity: How to Survive with Joy was released on June 6th, 2023. More information on her work can be found on her website at https://www.heathercaliri.com/ . Throughout this episode, Heather shares about the etymology and backstory of the concept of creativity and the words genius, normalcy, and hobby. She also links the original study of creativity to the creation of the concept of eugenics, noting how our backwards narratives about giftedness and talent can be linked to those distorted and false beliefs about who is worthy and valuable within society. She also talks about her own story with creativity and unpacking some of the toxic dynamics and beliefs within her own family. She approached writing Ordinary Creativity: How to Survive with Joy in response to her own experiences with creativity as well as exploring some of the personal anxiety she experienced when reading other books on the writing craft. In it, she talks about reconnecting with the delight in creating something and unpacks the complicated and fraught nature that she feels is part of the creative experience and hasn’t been touched on in other books. Here are just a few of those topics: - Challenging our tendency to compare ourselves to other creatives - Unpacking and reframing our narratives around creativity and giftedness - Redefining what success and value look like, as well as digging in with why we create - Normalizing that best practices may not work equally well for everyone We hope you enjoy this episode! It was such an encouraging conversation focused on fully acknowledging the history of our beliefs about creativity, so that we can more clearly understand and challenge these ideas, as well as rediscovering and leaning into the delight and internal value that creativity can bring outside of its societal value. It was truly a pleasure to get to be a part of it. Keep reading, writing, and putting your voice out there! Into the woods, Fable & The Verbivore