Writing while the World Falls Apart

A WORDSLINGER PODCAST How do you keep writing when the world seems to be falling apart around you? Life gets chaotic. Deadlines loom. Social media demands your attention. Politics, family problems, financial pressures, and everyday distractions compete for the time and energy you need to create. But here's the thing: The world isn't going to stop spinning just so you can finish your novel. In this episode of the Wordslinger Podcast, I'm talking about how I keep writing when life gets overwhelming, why I've decided to stop feeding the chaos, and how I'm reclaiming my time and creative energy. I'll share my personal "looping" technique for maintaining writing momentum when producing new words feels impossible, how I use AI to help polish my manuscripts without surrendering creative control, and why writing better books sometimes means writing them more slowly. We'll also talk about something that's become increasingly important to me: Creating more than we consume. Because the world doesn't need more anger, division, and negativity. It needs more people creating things that matter. Whether you're a novelist, an indie author, an artist, or a creative entrepreneur, I hope this conversation encourages you to protect your creative time, keep making progress, and put something good into the world. PLUS: Dale L. Roberts joins us with this week's Rapid Fire News Flash, covering KDP reporting changes, Draft2Digital holiday deadlines, library distribution through Hoopla, and the BookVault/Beventi integration. QUESTION FOR YOU: How do you keep writing or creating when life gets overwhelming? Share your strategies in the comments. Your advice might be exactly what another creator needs to hear. SUBSCRIBE to the Wordslinger Podcast for practical writing advice, self-publishing strategies, author marketing insights, and honest conversations about building a creative career. If you're serious about becoming a better writer and succeeding as an author, you're in the right place! Visit the Knovelton Bookshop at https://knoveltonbooks.com CHAPTERS: 00:00 Welcome to the Wordslinger Podcast 00:40 Writing when life gets chaotic 01:50 My looping technique for maintaining momentum 03:17 Using AI to proofread and improve your manuscript 05:00 Why you should never blindly accept AI suggestions 06:16 How looping helps you get back into your story 07:27 Rapid Fire News Flash with Dale Roberts 07:27 KDP reporting changes and missing page reads 08:23 Draft2Digital holiday deadlines and Hoopla distribution 09:09 BookVault and Beventi direct sales integration 09:51 Back to Wordslinger: Writing through life's distractions 10:42 Deadlines, writing pressure, and slowing down 11:38 Why experienced writers sometimes write more slowly 12:29 Create more than you consume 13:51 Walking away from political distractions 16:00 Reclaiming creative power 17:51 Creating art instead of contributing to negativity 19:49 Why the world needs more creators 23:44 Creating work that reflects your values 25:14 Putting more hope into the world 27:20 Why slowing down can improve your writing 29:21 The value of authenticity in creative work 30:50 Join the Wordslinger community RAPID FIRE NEWS FLASH WITH DALE ROBERTS: 07:27 — KDP Reporting Updates and Missing Page Reads https://www.kdpcommunity.com/s/article/KDP-Reporting-Updates-FAQ?language=en_US 08:23 — Draft2Digital Holiday Print Deadlines https://DaleLinks.com/D2D (Referral link) 08:23 — Hoopla Library Distribution and Licensing Jane Friedman's The Bottom Line (paid subscription required): https://janefriedman.com/subscribe-paid-newsletter/ 09:09 — BookVault and Beventi Direct Sales Integration Jane Friedman's coverage: https://janefriedman.com/beventi-and-bookvault-integrate-for-easier-direct-sales/ How BookVault Printing and Shipping Works with Beventi: https://intercom.help/beventi/en/articles/17764050-how-bookvault-printing-and-shipping-works BookVault Community Feedback Form: https://survey.hsforms.com/160G6TpIFRfuN9owCiY2SVwc62wy Find Dale Roberts and the Self-Publishing with Dale Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@SelfPubWithDale FIND KEVIN: Find Kevin and his books: https://kevintumlinson.com Join Kevin on Substack: https://kevintumlinson.substack.com Wordslinger Podcast home page: https://wordslingerpodcast.com SERVICES FOR AUTHORS: Polish your writing and make it ready for publishing with ProWritingAid: https://tidd.ly/3NCdlk5 Publish your book to every major retailer online, get your book into print and ebook, and get support the whole way at Draft2Digital: https://draft2digital.com/wordslinger Find a virtual assistant to help you market your books (and more!) at AuthorAnchor: https://authoranchor.com #WritingTips #CreativeWriting #SelfPublishing #WritingMotivation #WordslingerPodcast