In this episode, writer Amal Awad talks about the importance of understanding when a project or pathway is no longer sustainable, discussing  when you might decide to call it quits on something you once thought was a good idea. Also discussed is the importance of knowing when to take a break, as opposed to walking away altogether.

In this episode, writer Amal Awad talks about why it's useful and important to spend time with your creative projects alone before you share them with others,  to avoid depleting your creative energy or getting put off by feedback before you've even begun. She also talks about getting caught in feedback loops, and how to see rejection in more neutral terms.

In this episode of Creative Confessionals, writer Amal Awad talks about some of the practical aspects to writing a non-fiction book vs fiction, what to consider in terms of research, scope and subject matter, and how to take care of yourself emotionally when writing a book. Amal breaks down how she approached three major non-fiction works, and how both fiction and non-fiction ultimately draw from similar storytelling elements.

In this episode, writer Amal Awad discusses what to expect in the process of publishing a book, whether it's self-published or with a traditional publishing house. After you've successfully pitched your book, what happens next? From structural edit to final proofs, how do you deliver a  book you're happy with? Amal also speaks briefly about perceptions around creative brilliance.

In the first episode of season  2 of Creative Confessionals, writer Amal Awad talks about how creativity is a superpower, and such fulfilment leads us better than quantifiable outcomes or what is generally measured as 'successful'. Amal also offers a brief update on her own creative works since last year, including her new non-fiction book, In My Past Life I Was Cleopatra (Murdoch Books) and her new card deck The Creative's Compass - A navigation tool for creatives.

It's a two-parter this week. In the first part of this episode, writer Amal Awad offers tips for pitching to media and writing book proposals, breaking down her own approach to pitching her book, Beyond Veiled Cliches, which successfully attracted offers from a few publishers. In the second part, she talks about creative crossroads and how to navigate the path ahead when it's forked or just unclear.

In today's episode, writer Amal Awad talks about the importance of not squandering your creative talents and urges. Creative freedom is possible, but it requires an honest approach to your pursuits and moving away from the things you think you "should" do but don't really want to. Creativity is an expression of who we are, no matter your professional and personal circumstances.

Have you ever been at work on a project and you hit a wall? You think it's creative block, but really, you've exhausted the idea and you start to procrastinate. But it's not brew time you need - you're actually avoiding your work because you're just not that into the idea. In this episode, Amal Awad talks about creative blindspots, and how to decipher between normal procrastination and avoidance.

Perfectionism is a dirty word, but it's not always a bad thing. Just don't let it divert you from the purity of your creative work and the unique imprint you will give to it. In this episode, Amal Awad talks about the importance of creative joy and balance in your creative process, as well as offering tips for staying true to your creative path - and protecting it. Your creativity is an extension of who you are, and it deserves great care, honesty and authenticity.

Do you feel like you love your creativity but it doesn't always love you back? In this episode, Amal Awad talks about feeling like a creative outcast, how it's a strength, and the need to be flexible in your creative path.

Alyssa Kitt is a woman of many talents. In her own words, she states it plainly and clearly: "Fierce. Formidable. The Feminist Fatale." And truer words could not be said. A performer of burlesque, a feminist, a writer, a journalist and purveyor of the naked arts. In this episode of Creative Confessionals, she speaks to Amal Awad about the whys and hows of her creative pursuit, the necessity for her work to have meaning, her openness about living with bipolar, and the transformative power of burlesque.

Sulari Gentill is an award-winning author of 14 books, with more on the way. She is best-known for The Rowland Sinclair Mysteries and her meta-fiction crime novel, Crossing the Lines (in the US After She Wrote Him), which won the Ned Kelly Award for Best Crime Fiction in 2018. Here, she speaks with candour about her path to a full-time writing career (she ditched the law like so many writers), as well as going deep on finding joy in the writing process, not just the product, and the interaction between author and her imaginary world and its characters. She also touches on diversity, and the ways in which writing transforms the writer.

Creativity draws on moments of inspiration, but this begins with the simple act of paying attention. Creative works are observation, and how you see something from your unique perspective. In this episode, writer Amal Awad talks about how the small can grow larger if you are consciously - and unconsciously - taking notes about the world around you.

Being open-hearted is the artist's job in a lot of ways. So says broadcaster and author Yumi Stynes, who also knows the high cost of this approach. In this episode of Creative Confessionals she speaks candidly to Amal Awad about the highs and lows of the creative path, offering nuggets of wisdom on working on creative tasks (sometimes you need to break it down); on failure and helplessness in the face of it; the importance of exercise and getting support; and curating who gets to influence you and how you work.

Improv theatre can be a mixed bag for some, but for the devotees of the form, it can be more than getting a laugh and creative expression, it can be community and a significant thread to everyday wellbeing. Having studied improv, Amal Awad believes it's a potent form of relief for the isolated creative. In this episode, she speaks to one of the co-founders of Improv Theatre Sydney (ITS), Cale Bain, who is an academic when he's not performing and teaching improv. Cale talks about the transformative power of improv performance and community, as well as the ways in which personal experience shapes our creativity.

Writer's block - or any kind of creative dead end - can be daunting, and often leads to frustration and procrastination. In this podcast, Amal Awad shares some insights on how both blocks and procrastination can be useful creative processes.

In this episode of Creative Confessionals, Amal Awad speaks to award-winning playwright, screenwriter and librettist Suzie Miller, who discusses how she brews ideas, her writing process, and the importance of cultivating your craft. Suzie also talks about how to maintain your passion as a creative in difficult times.

Welcome to my new podcast, Creative Confessionals, which seeks to address the angst and challenges of being a creative. Each episode will navigate a challenging aspect of life as a creative, across different industries, with guest interviews. Amal Awad is a journalist, author, screenwriter and performer.