Creative Check-In: What I Learned (and Loved) in Q1 2025
Wins, Opportunities, free notion template, and even books I loved.
TL;DR:
Q1 Recap: A flexible approach to goals and creative growth—moving forward, one inch at a time.
Projects: From grant applications to fiction writing—big ideas are taking shape.
Updates: First guest blog published and photos finally up on Stills.
What I Learned: Balancing big projects with small tasks and staying connected through creative check-ins.
Q2 Focus: Carving out time for competitions, residencies, and creative outreach.
Book Picks: A few five-star reads that shaped my creative mindset this quarter.
Tools I’m Loving: My go-to apps and resources that keep the creative flow going.
Free Notion Creative Dashboard: What I use to stay organized
Part of growing a creative life and career means pausing every once in a while to see where you’re at. I set out a pretty simple list for this year (listed below), and I can say I’ve moved an inch forward. Maybe two.
I used to set elaborate goals, but I found they often left me feeling anxious rather than excited. Personally, I prefer simplicity. Instead of rigid, overly detailed plans, I treat my goals as something living—something that evolves and grows with me. As a photographer, I had to gain experience and give myself time to learn what I actually liked (or didn’t). I could never have known without trying.
Because I’ve been doing this for years, I’ve also learned a lot about myself and gained clarity on my personal values. I’ve found a system that works for me, but it took time. So if you’re new to all of this, I recommend taking some time to journal and reflect—not just on goals and to-dos, but on what matters to you. A list of prompts is built into the Notion dashboard I share below.
I'm sharing my Q1 recap to offer transparency that might prove useful—or perhaps spark an idea for you. I'm in the trenches too, working to build a creative life, and being open about the process feels important.
I’m also including some books and resources I’ve enjoyed or found useful over the last three months.
Updates:
I'll begin with wins and opportunities, as tracking both is integral for honest self-reflection and measuring growth.
Win: My first ever guest blog,
On the Writer's Fear of Being Seen
I recently shared my first guest blog on the Freewrite site! Working with an editor was surprisingly enjoyable—their feedback on transitions and flow made the piece stronger. It was refreshing to have another perspective after being used to writing and editing alone.
While I'm familiar with client feedback, this editorial process felt different—more thoughtful and focused on craft. It reminded me how valuable good feedback can be in the creative process.
You can read the blog here: On the Writer's Fear of Being Seen
Opportunity: Photo Licensing
I signed with Stills a year ago but only recently started uploading images. This step aligns with my dream of seeing my photos on book covers, while the platform handles licensing and connects my work with designers.
Interestingly, my abstract textures are getting the most acceptance—pieces that feel most authentic to my style. While not every submission makes it, each acceptance feels meaningful.
The fact that it took me this long is the ‘oops’.
If you want to take a look, you can find my work here: Stills Portfolio
Here’s what I’m working on in 2025:
Apply (and get accepted) to The Canada Council for the Arts
I hit a roadblock with my artist CV since I've focused more on building my career than documenting my artistic path. While initially daunting, I'm pushing through with the application because grants could help fund my dream projects.
Submit 1 Grant
I'm treating this as separate from the Arts Council since other grant opportunities are available. Setting a goal of one grant will help build my confidence for future applications - it's about taking that first step.
Apply for an Artist in Residence program
I've found several programs to apply for, though many residencies are more vacation spots than creative opportunities. Thankfully, I've identified a few genuine artist residencies worth pursuing.
Submit photos to competitions
I've identified several competitions and noted upcoming deadlines. I submitted photos to Playbook - you can see my submission here.
Write 12 essays I love
After writing 52 weekly essays on Substack last year, I'm shifting focus to quality over quantity. While maintaining consistency with projects like the Freewrite guest blog and Playbook photo submissions, I'm prioritizing intentional writing and giving pieces the time they need to develop.
Create 1 zine
After writing weekly on Substack, I want to create a physical version of my work. I'm planning a zine with 12 essays about nature and creative cycles, though the concept continues to evolve as I develop it.
Start writing my novel
This goal feels daunting since I'm shifting from personal essays to fiction. The story is based in folklore, and while I'm researching, I'm trying not to overthink it. Starting with short stories seems manageable—after all, Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John began that way.
What I Learned in Q1:
I've noticed small daily tasks taking priority over larger projects. While I recognize this pattern is limiting progress on important work like grants, competitions, and novel writing—all of which need dedicated time and focus—I'm still working on finding the right balance (and let’s be real, I know the answer is ‘do less’, I just need to accept that).
Regular creative check-ins with peers—including a monthly call with a close friend, and weekly chats with marketing, design, and YouTube creator—are keeping me accountable, inspired, and connected to different perspectives in the creative community.
Using a content calendar for my writing has helped me plan ahead and spend more time writing rather than just planning to write. It really is working for me and this alone is making me stick with it.
Q2 Focus
For the next quarter, I need to prioritize outreach activities—specifically guest blogs, photo competitions, and residency applications. I've fallen behind on deadlines since the start of the year, but there's still time to apply for programs running through 2026.
Handy Sites/Apps/Tools I have been using
Obsidian
I use Obsidian for research, reading notes, and deep work. While Notion handles my daily tasks, Obsidian is where I let ideas develop naturally. Its visual mapping feature shows how concepts connect, and having it as my only open window helps me stay focused.
Public Works
Public domain art offers a rich alternative to AI-generated images. Many museums provide free collections for creative use.
Public Works makes discovering art easy with its visual-first approach. It complements The Public Domain Review, which adds context through accompanying essays.
*I include more links in my free Notion dashboard
Notion (free template)
I started 2025 with a fresh workspace customized to my needs. Notion serves as my creative command center—housing my personal calendar, project tracking, marketing efforts, and writing organization. It's the backbone of managing my creative life and keeps everything running smoothly.
I have included a recurring monthly reflection in the journal area to help maintain direction for evolving goals.
You can copy it to your own Notion (which has a free version) here:
CapCut
CapCut surprised me. While I use Final Cut for most video editing, I sometimes need to handle quick tasks like adding captions or converting videos from horizontal to vertical. CapCut has become perfect for these small adjustments. Its desktop version is fast and simple, making it especially useful for exporting subtitle files (.srt) for clients' YouTube videos.
While it won't replace Final Cut for my main editing work, it's an excellent time-saver for quick tasks that don't need the full editing suite.
Fun Goal, Reading!
Books
I am on track for my reading goal this year, and wanted to share some books that really stood out for me aka my five star reads!
The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World
Robin Wall Kimmerer, John Burgoyne (illustrator)
This concise 100-page book offers a powerful vision of community. Robin Wall Kimmerer explores a gift economy based on reciprocity and taking only what we need. Through the serviceberry, she shows how nature models generosity and connection, drawing from First Nations principles.
It's a guide to reimagining community—where abundance comes from relationships, not accumulation. A book I'll return to often for inspiration.
A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life
George Saunders
This is a book I'll return to repeatedly. As both a reader and writer, it helped me understand why certain stories resonate and what makes writing effective.
Saunders walks through each text, revealing the writer's techniques in a way that teaches both reading and writing. Though I was unfamiliar with the included stories, his analysis transformed how I engage with literature—I now notice patterns and question choices more deeply.
Despite focusing on Russian literature, the book is far from dry. Saunders' engaging writing style makes complex analysis accessible and enjoyable, creating an enlightening reading experience that changes how you approach literature.
A Far Better Thing
H.G. Parry
✨ This was an ARC and the expected release date is June 17, 2025
Though featuring fairies, this story explores deeper themes of sacrifice and the moral conflict between revenge and protecting ideals. Through its exploration of changelings and the choice between fairy and human existence, it weaves magic subtly into a tale of human tragedy. The main character's journey from self-loathing to transformation is compelling, leading to an ending that feels inevitable yet leaves readers wishing for alternatives.
This book is also the authors version of A Tale of Two Cities, which I have never read, but officially added to my long list of books I must read after this.
Honourable Mentions:
To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini: Sweeping sci-fi, self-discovery, action, aliens.
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden: Slavic folklore, house spirits, forest demons, and winter magic, a story of change.
Mountains of the Mind Adventures in Reaching the Summit by Robert Macfarlane: A History of a Fascination by Robert Macfarlane: history of mountaineering, our relationship to nature, the sublime, art, literature, and philosophy.
Old Soul by Susan Barker: Eerie, mystery, grisly, atmospheric, chilling story.
Outline by Rachel Cusk: Conversations about life, identity, vulnerability, and the ways we navigate life’s uncertainties.
Hey, you made it to the end! Here's a little secret for you—I thought this would come together quickly, but boy was I wrong! As my "Q1 Learnings" showed, I didn't leave enough room for bigger projects because I fell down several rabbit holes getting this out to you today!
Moving forward, I'm going to focus on 3 essays a month, plus maybe one photo essay or something new. This will help me better manage my time between my weekly writing practice and longer-term goals.
Loved hearing all about your last quarter! Excited to see what the next few months have in store!!
This is awesome! So encouraging to see forward progress.