The SunDaze Podcast

I’ve been sitting with ghosts.Not the kind that haunt houses,the kind that live in old drafts, forgotten notes, and half-finished stories.Recently, I opened a crate of them.Read through everything.Let it all breathe again.There were 49 stories waiting for me.And instead of feeling overwhelmed…I felt something shift.This episode is the beginning of that shift.It’s where I talk about:the anthology I didn’t plan,the city I can’t stop building,and the realization that maybe none of my work was ever random.Welcome to the early stages of Talo, Illinois and Creswell County.🎧 File No. 6 is live.Until next Sunday,— P. RoseIf this piece felt like something warm in your hands…you can leave a little coffee at https://buymeacoffee.com/whoisprose (no pressure, just love) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whoisprose.substack.com

There’s a version of me that still flinches at the sight of a red pen.Not because I don’t love writing, but because somewhere along the way, correction started to feel like rejection. Like proof that I got it wrong. Like my words weren’t enough.In this episode of Between the Drafts, I’m unpacking that fear.Where it started.How it followed me into adulthood.And what it looked like to sit down with intention, and face it head on.This isn’t just about editing.It’s about perfectionism.It’s about vulnerability.It’s about learning how to see feedback not as destruction… but as direction.Because somewhere between the first draft and the final version, there’s a conversation happening, and the red pen might not be tearing your work apart…It might be trying to guide you back to it.🎧 Press play when you’re ready.— P. Rose This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whoisprose.substack.com

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how easily we lose ourselves in the scroll.Not in a dramatic way.But in the quiet, subtle ways:Checking notifications before we check in with ourselves,Responding to everyone else before we respond to our own needs,Staying visible… even when we feel depleted.And the truth is…Sometimes, we don’t stay because we want to.We stay because we feel like we have to.Because if we don’t post, don’t respond, don’t show up…We might fall behind.We might be forgotten or lose something. Or at least… that’s what we tell ourselves.But what happens when you choose yourself anyway?What happens when you log off… without explanation?That’s what this week’s Between the Drafts file is about. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whoisprose.substack.com

In this episode of Between the Drafts, I’m talking about something I didn’t plan for… side quests.I went into 2026 with a clear goal: publish two novels. I’m still committed to that. But after adding an anthology into the mix, the pressure set in… and instead of outlining books or drafting chapters, I did something unexpected.This episode is a continuation of my reflections on creative redirection and my latest post:but it’s also a reframing. Side quests aren’t distractions. They’re invitations to play, to finish something lingering, to learn something new, and to reconnect with why we create in the first place.If you’ve ever felt guilty for stepping away from “the plan,” this episode is for you. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whoisprose.substack.com

In this episode of Between the Drafts, I reflect on January as a month that felt less like a fresh start and more like an unexpected sparring match: challenging, revealing, but ultimately survivable.January held a mix of meaningful moments: welcoming a new year with intention-filled traditions, decluttering and reorganizing my art and writing spaces, and rediscovering dozens of unfinished stories that reminded me just how much creative work I’ve been sitting on.I reflect on the quiet power of organization as creative work, the joy of gifting my daughter her own paint kit, and the clarity that came from finally taking inventory of my ideas. I also celebrate time spent with people I love, laughing, resting, reconnecting, along with stepping outside of my comfort zone in ways that felt deeply empowering. With the experience reminded me that confidence and creativity can exist just for me.Alongside the cheers, I name the jeers honestly: not doing as much fiction writing as I hoped, navigating yet another winter storm, and facing creative redirection that shifted my plans for 2026. Instead of seeing these moments as failures, I’m learning to view them as information, as opportunities to pause, reassess, and adjust.I close the episode by sharing my biggest lesson of 2026 so far: choosing myself to win. I reflect on how often we pour into others even when we’re empty, and my commitment to learning how to pour back into myself without waiting for someone else to do it for me.This episode is both a reflection and an invitation to take stock of your own cheers and jeers, to acknowledge the wins alongside the frustrations, and to move forward with clarity, intention, and self-compassion. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whoisprose.substack.com

This isn’t a finished draft... it’s the construction zone. In Between the Drafts: File One, I talk through a creative roadblock that reshaped how I see my first full-length screenplay. By stepping back to study the craft, I found clarity in the “why” behind my story and learned that sometimes the work is laying the foundation, not rushing to the page. If you’re in the messy middle of a creative project, this one’s for you. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whoisprose.substack.com

I am back with a different podcast. This podcast will serve more as an audio diary as I share my thoughts on my writing process, work through my creative blocks and much more. This introduction- well re-introduction is just teaser of what’s to come. I promise to keep these episodes short and sweet (under 20 minutes) with more exclusive and in-depth content reserved for paid subscribers. I am also taking questions too, so if you have a question about writing, creativity etc, please send your questions to [email protected] Subject: Question for Between the Drafts. Thank you in advance to your support and love for my publications and to future episodes as a whole. Here’s to prosperous season one between the drafts. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whoisprose.substack.com