Episode Description In times of economic uncertainty, industry upheaval, and personal burnout, it can feel impossible to imagine a hopeful future—especially as an author whose dreams are often tied to outcomes beyond their control. In this episode of What If? For Authors, Claire tackles one of the hardest questions writers face: What if there’s no hope? Drawing on the Enneagram, existential psychology, and real-world author experience, Claire reframes hope not as an emotion or a promised outcome—but as a courageous choice we make, even (and especially) when things feel bleak. This episode is an invitation to loosen cynicism’s grip, detach hope from specific results, and rediscover the kind of hope that sustains creativity, value-based decisions, and long-term resilience—regardless of what the market, algorithms, or economy are doing. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: Why outcome-dependent hope inevitably collapses—and what to replace it with How losing hope shows up differently for each Enneagram type Why cynicism feels protective but quietly drains your creative life How privilege shapes our relationship to hope and “proof” What sustainable, outcome-independent hope actually looks like in practice Why you don’t need to feel hopeful to choose hope Small, concrete ways authors choose hope every day (often without realizing it) How writing itself can be an act of hope—for yourself and for others Key Takeaways: Hope is not a reward for good outcomes—it’s a prerequisite for meaningful action You can choose hope even when you’re tired, burned out, or unsure Small choices (rest, water, boundaries, honesty) are legitimate acts of hope Stories matter precisely because they imagine possibilities beyond present conditions Resources & Links: Learn more about Claire’s coaching, courses, and books: liberatedwriter.com Write Iconic Characters: books2read.com/WIC Happy writing!