You Cannot Mess This Up with Amy Weinland Daughters

Freelance writer Amy Weinland Daughters mostly wrote about college football until she decided to try her hand at, in her words, “a hilarious time travel novel.” That novel, You Cannot Mess This Up: A True Story That Never Happened, turned out to be a catharsis, giving her a whole new look at her childhood and her family. It’s gone on to win the Silver Winner for Humor in the 2019 Foreword INDIES and the Overall Winner for Humor/Comedy in the 2020 Next Generation Indie Award. Amy and I talk about the experience of writing about sports as a woman, what happens when a creative project becomes “real,” the importance of supporting each other’s creative dreams, even if they seem a little crazy, and just how she re-constituted Thanksgiving weekend 1978, and her whole family from an adult point of view, in her book. Episode breakdown: 00:00 Introduction 01:22 Always creative, imaginative childhood eventually inspired writing. 09:27 Support networks vital for achieving difficult careers. 10:42 Creative doubt and imposter syndrome affect identity. 18:23 Creating requires empathy; art preferences are subjective. 21:14 Believe in yourself; push to create magic. 27:52 Unexpectedly transformative journey, beyond initial intentions. 36:41 Book evoked nostalgia, laughter, and personal reflection. 38:59 Embraced younger self, now proud and united. 45:44 Memories change with age and perspective. 52:18 Nostalgic, relatable, thought-provoking, humorously realistic moments. 53:12 Misunderstood as sci-fi; divided reader opinions. 59:29 People share personal childhood stories with Amy. Check out the full show notes (now including transcripts!!) at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack. Please leave a review for this episode—it’s really easy and will only take a minute, and it really helps me reach new listeners. Thanks! If you enjoyed our conversation, I hope you’ll share it with a friend. Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my previous interviews with guests in writing.