Standout Creatives: Business, marketing, and creativity tips for solopreneurs launching their ideas

What if the book you want to write isn’t waiting for the “perfect time” but for a version of you who’s willing to start messy?Jennifer Locke helps people turn ideas into books.Not someday books.Real books that get written in the middle of family life, busy schedules, self-doubt, and the very normal fear of being seen.In this conversation, Jennifer shares what it really looks like to follow through on a writing life, how nonfiction and fiction require completely different muscles, why marketing can’t be an afterthought, and why community might be the thing that keeps you going when motivation disappears.HighlightsMastery comes from consistency, not perfectionJennifer offers one of the simplest, and hardest, truths about writing.You don’t finish a book by waiting for the perfect conditions.You finish it by showing up.“Writing a little each day, even if it’s just 10 minutes, accumulates into a completed book. Consistency outpaces perfectionism in long-term growth.”Ten minutes doesn’t sound impressive.But it’s how books get built.Your unique voice is your greatest differentiatorSo many writers spend years trying to sound like someone else.Jennifer gently pulls you back to what actually matters.The thing that makes your work stand out is you.“Focus on what makes you feel alive and true to yourself, because no one else can replicate your authenticity, making it your most powerful asset.”Your voice is your advantage.Rejections and revisions are part of the jobJennifer doesn’t sugarcoat the creative process.Books don’t come out fully formed.Drafts get rejected and ideas get reshaped.The people who finish don’t avoid setbacks, they learn from them.“My experiences with multiple rejections led to stronger drafts. Setbacks often precede breakthroughs when approached with curiosity and resilience.”Rejection isn’t the end.Sometimes it’s the edit that makes the work better.Marketing should start earlier than you want it toThis is the part writers love to avoid.But Jennifer makes it clear: Marketing isn’t something you add on at the end.It’s something you build alongside the writing.“Identify where you enjoy showing up and dedicate your efforts there, instead of chasing every trend or platform.”You don’t need to be everywhere.You just need to be somewhere that’s enjoyable.The core of a creative business is self-knowledgeJennifer keeps coming back to alignment.The writers who last are the ones who know what matters to them.“Focusing inward, what excites and energizes you, rather than external metrics or comparisons, is the key to long-term differentiation.”Your work grows when it’s rooted in who you actually are.Creativity is meant to feel joyfulRevision doesn’t have to be misery.Writing doesn’t have to be constant pressure.Jennifer reframes the creative process as something that can still be playful even when it’s hard.“Turning edit and revision into playful opportunities for discovery, not solely tasks to be endured, keeps the joy in crafting.”Community makes the writing life possibleJennifer pushes back against the myth of the lone genius writer.Books are personal but writing doesn’t have to be lonely.Feedback, support, and people matter.“Critique groups and collaborative relationships foster resilience and inspire continuous improvement.”Community keeps you going when your brain tells you to quit.Closing ReflectionJennifer Locke reminds us that writing a book is about building trust with your own voice, starting marketing earlier than feels comfortable, and surrounding yourself with people who understand what it means to create something from nothing.If you need help bringing your book to life or balancing your endless to-do list, I want to help. Sign up for a free call where we get all those ideas out of your head and into the world.

What if the thing you thought was pulling you away from writing was actually preparing you for it?Andy Hodges didn’t set out to follow a single creative lane. His path winds through anthropology, academia, fiction editing, and now novel writing, all held together by curiosity and a deep respect for story.In this conversation, Andy and I talk about what it really means to balance structure and freedom in your creative work, why genre expectations matter more than many writers want to admit, and how building a sustainable creative life often requires letting go of the paths that once felt “safe.”This episode is for writers who love the craft, feel pulled in multiple directions, and are trying to figure out how to make creativity fit into real life, not an idealized version of it.HighlightsCreative freedom is intentionalAndy speaks candidly about choosing creative work because because it felt necessary. Writing fiction became a way to reclaim time and energy for the work that made him feel most alive.“I just thought, well, you only live once. And I really, really want to spend some of the time that I have on this Earth doing this kind of creative work, like writing a novel, writing short stories, learning the craft of all of that.”Genre tropes aren’t creative limitsAndy breaks down why understanding genre expectations isn’t selling out, it’s showing respect for your audience. Readers come to a book with emotional expectations, and ignoring that can break trust fast.“There’s expected tropes when you’re writing for certain genres, especially, like you said, the mystery and the romance and people are expecting what they expect and that’s the reason they picked it and that’s reason that they like it.”You can still surprise readers. Just don’t surprise them by giving them the wrong book.There is no single “right” way to writeAndy pushes back hard on the idea that writers need to follow one approved process. His early fiction work was intuitive, unpolished, and deeply influenced by everyday life, and that wasn’t a weakness. It was the point.“There’s no one right or wrong way of doing things. I think it’s important to lean into your intuition and do things in a way that just sits right with you.”The goal isn’t to copy someone else’s system. It’s to build one that actually fits how your brain works.Sustainability protects your creative workAndy is clear that balancing editing, consulting, and writing wasn’t about diluting his passion. It was about protecting it. Financial stability gave his fiction room to grow instead of forcing it to perform.“My route into that in a way that was sustainable for me was to strike a balance between doing this sort of academic editing and consulting work and the fiction stuff. The fiction stuff is the stuff I’m really passionate about.”Originality comes from combination, not inventionAndy reminds us that no story exists in a vacuum. Every book is both familiar and new, shaped by what the writer loves, reads, and notices.“Every new novel is not a completely novel invention. It’s very familiar in some way and it’s new in some way.”Building an audience is about ownership, not platformsAfter stepping away from social media, Andy refocused on what he could actually control. His takeaway is simple but powerful: your book doesn’t stand alone. It lives inside a bigger ecosystem.“Your book is not just a book by itself, but it’s part of a wider platform that you cultivate.”“Loads of people actually do make a decent living, not from the book by itself, but from the kind of ecosystem that they have linked to their book.”Closing reflectionAndy’s journey is a reminder that creative careers are rarely neat or linear. They’re built through experimentation, financial recalibration, uncomfortable transitions, and a willingness to learn new skills without abandoning your core interests.Whether you’re navigating publishing paths, trying to balance creativity with stability, or questioning how much structure you really need, I’m here to help you on your journey.Sign up for a free consultation to see how we can build a better path creative path forward together.

What if the thing you’ve been taught to ignore is actually the thing guiding you?In this episode, I talked with Julia Carmen, a curandera, spiritual healer, and founder of the School Without Walls. Julia has spent her life walking between the physical and non-physical worlds. Seeing, sensing, listening. Not as a party trick, but as a way of being.Julia talks about presence, self-worth, grief, choice, and the courage it takes to listen to your soul in a very loud world.Walking Between WorldsJulia was born into a lineage of healers. Seeing spirits, hearing guides, sensing the unseen wasn’t something she learned. It was always there.“I don’t know what it feels like not to see things.”But walking in both the spiritual and physical worlds came with real challenges. Confusion. Fear. Being misunderstood. Learning how to stay grounded while holding what most people can’t see.Actionable Insight:You don’t need to escape the human experience to be spiritual. Take a moment that is especially chaotic and ground yourself.Bonus:Today, pause once. Put your feet on the floor and notice where you are.The Container of Unconditional LoveAt the heart of Julia’s work is one idea: the container of unconditional love.Just hold space for yourself and for others.This is the foundation of the School Without Walls, where learning happens through relationship, soul care, and deep listening rather than rigid systems.Actionable Insight:Growth requires a container. Ask yourself where you feel safe enough to tell the truth.Bonus:Identify one relationship or space where you can show up without performing.Intuition vs. the Soul SelfOne of my favorite moments in this conversation is when Julia separates intuition from the soul self.Intuition, she says, is human.The soul self is eternal.Your brain matters. Logic matters. But so does the quiet voice underneath all of it.“Shhh. Be still. Get quiet.”That’s where clarity lives.Actionable Insight:Stop asking for louder signs. Start listening more carefully.Bonus:Before making one decision this week, sit in silence for two minutes.Self-Worth, Creativity, and ValueToward the end of the conversation, Julia drops something creatives especially need to hear.Your work has value.Your presence has value.You don’t need to give yourself away to be worthy.Self-worth is quiet. Steady. Rooted.Actionable Insight:Stop underpricing your energy, time, or creativity.Bonus:Ask yourself where you’re overgiving to earn belonging.Key TakeawaysBeing present is a spiritual practiceYou can walk both worlds and still be humanHealing requires unconditional loveIntuition is human, the soul self is eternalGrief can deepen, not derail, your growthSelf-worth is something you practice dailyYour creative work deserves respect and careClosing ReflectionJulia didn’t set out to build a brand. She chose herself over and over again.If you’re a creative or writer who knows there’s more in you, but you’ve been second-guessing your voice, your value, or whether your work even “fits” anywhere… you’re not broken. You just need the right container.That’s where I come in.I help authors and creatives get clear on their message, build visibility in a way that actually feels like them, and turn their work into something sustainable.If you’re ready to stop circling the same questions and start moving with intention, let’s talk. You can book a free, low-pressure clarity call at The Standout Creatives.

What if writing the story you’re afraid to tell is the exactly what your readers have been waiting for?Leigh Carron, author of Fat Girl and other body positive romance novels, didn’t set out to follow trends, chase algorithms, or fit neatly into what the publishing world expects. She set out to tell her truth. And in doing so, she’s built stories centered on body diversity, biracial identity, desire, and authenticity, even when it felt risky or uncomfortable.In this conversation, Leigh opens up about choosing self-publishing, navigating imposter syndrome, writing spicy romance that centers fat and marginalized bodies, and learning how to market without losing herself in the process.HighlightsDiversity in writing as lived experienceFor Leigh, diversity is personal. Her stories are shaped by who she is and who her readers are, and she writes with the intention of reflecting real bodies and real identities on the page.“I write spicy, diverse, body positive romance. That’s sort of my niche, my brand, and I love doing that, bringing body diversity and racial diversity to my stories. I want them to reflect me and the people that read my books.”Empowerment through characters who take up spaceLeigh is intentional about who gets centered in her stories. Her characters aren’t there to support someone else’s arc. They get to be seen, desired, and fully human.“I want to show fat characters being loved on, being desired, feeling good about themselves, not being the side characters in stories, but being their own leads.”Choosing the indie path without a roadmapTraditional publishing wasn’t the only option, and Leigh chose to take the leap without having everything figured out. What mattered more was resonance and momentum.“I decided I’ll just venture out into this wild world of indie publishing. And I didn’t have a clue what I was doing, but… it sort of resonated.”Marketing as an ongoing experimentMarketing isn’t something you master once and move on from. Leigh talks honestly about the trial-and-error nature of showing up, learning, and staying curious without burning out.“You have to be your own marketer and you have to figure that out... I’m still learning those things. Why do some posts hit? Why do some books resonate and others don’t?”Writing authentically even when it feels riskyChasing trends might feel safer, but Leigh chose alignment instead. That decision comes with risk, but it also comes with clarity.“I have stayed true to what I want to tell and haven’t followed what’s popular in tropes, and I know that can also be a risk.”Writing through cultural and racial identityLeigh shares how early experiences shaped her understanding of identity and belonging, and how those experiences continue to influence her storytelling today.“I learned very quickly that being biracial was not a good thing then. Like that was not something to be proud of. That was something to be worried about and to fear what people would think.”Balancing creativity with real lifeWriting doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Leigh balances her creative work with a demanding professional career, and some days are harder than others.“It’s a challenge some days, especially because I’m a change management consultant. So I work with companies in helping them kind of reframe their culture.”Reader connection over perfectionNot every conversation has to end in agreement. For Leigh, the value comes from connection, curiosity, and dialogue.“I love the reader interaction, even if we’re not on the same page with things, just learning and having that conversation, I think, is great.”Advice that leaves room for both art and strategyLeigh encourages writers to stay grounded in their creative vision while still acknowledging the realities of publishing and marketing.“Write the story that you want to tell and make that your focus. That’s not to say you shouldn’t be mindful of the marketing and all of those pieces.”Authenticity is what lastsAt the core of everything, Leigh believes readers respond to honesty more than polish.“It comes down to authenticity, of being true to yourself. I think that’s what people will see. That’s what will resonate, that authenticity that people can relate to.”Closing reflectionLeigh’s story shows us that our most resonate work comes from honesty. We just need to trust our voice and keep writing, even when it feels vulnerable.If you’re an author navigating visibility, representation, or the pressure to do things the “right” way, this conversation is for you.You might be sitting on a story that the world has been waiting to hear, so let’s share it.If that sounds like you, leave a comment about your journey in the comments.

What if the thing you’ve been trying hide is actually the reason people remember you?Rachel Lee is a brand stylist and designer who built her business by doing the opposite of what she thought “serious” creatives were supposed to do. From growing up as an imaginative art kid to hiding parts of herself in traditional design roles, Rachel spent years trying to fit in before realizing that belonging to herself mattered more. In this conversation, she shares what happened when she quit a stable job, stopped performing professionalism, and let her real personality lead, cat ears and all.From Art Kid to Self-TrustRachel’s story starts the way many creative stories do: curiosity, imagination, and a slow drift away from those instincts in order to be accepted. The farther she moved from herself, the harder it became to feel fulfilled.“I spent so long thinking that fitting in was the safer option, but over time I realized it was costing me way more than it was giving me.”That realization didn’t arrive all at once. It came through frustration, burnout, and the quiet feeling that something was off.Actionable Insight: Pay attention to where your work feels heavier than it should.Bonus: Name one part of yourself you’ve been muting to feel more legitimate.Choosing Alignment Over SafetyRachel left a steady job because she refused to keep living out of alignment. She talks openly about fear, family expectations, and learning business without a roadmap. “Walking away from something stable was terrifying, but staying would’ve meant ignoring the part of me that knew this wasn’t it.”Actionable Insight: You don’t need certainty to move forward, just clarity on what you’re done carrying.Bonus: Identify one small step toward work that feels more like you.Personal Branding That Feels HumanFor Rachel, personal branding stopped being about aesthetics the moment she stopped pretending. Her brand worked when she did.“Personal branding isn’t about looking polished or put together. It’s about letting people see who you actually are when you’re not performing.”The cat ears weren’t a tactic. They were a signal. And people remembered her because she felt real. Actionable Insight: Make your brand feel like you. Bonus: Ask yourself where you’re trying to sound like someone else.Attracting the Right People by Being ClearWhen Rachel showed up as herself, the right clients leaned in and the wrong ones drifted away. “The moment I stopped trying to appeal to everyone was the moment the right people started finding me.” That clarity made everything simpler.Actionable Insight: You’re allowed to be specific, even if it means being less universal.Bonus: Remove one message from your site or bio that feels watered down.Staying Human in a Noisy WorldAs Rachel moves into content creation, her focus stays the same. Connection over polish. Practice over perfection. “With everything becoming faster and more automated, the thing people are craving most is something that feels human.”Let yourself evolve without abandoning who you are.Actionable Insight: Growth comes from repetition, not reinvention.Bonus: Show up once this week without overthinking the outcome.Key Takeaways Fitting in costs more than it gives. Your quirks are signals. Personal branding starts with self-trust. Art and business don’t have to compete. Standing out begins with letting yourself be seen.Closing ReflectionRachel didn't want to fit in. She wanted to be memorable by telling the truth. Remember, the people you’re meant to reach are looking for you, not a generic version of you.If you want support marketing your book or creative business that showcases the real you, I’m here to help. Sign up for a free consultation at TheStandoutCreatives.com.Let’s amplify your work in a way that is fun for you.