I’m putting the newsletter on break for the month of July. I’m quite overwhelmed at the moment with a jam-packed summer — mostly fun stuff! — and can’t commit to writing to you all weekly, despite how much I want to. I’ll be back in August and have some great posts lined up.

I’m also excited to announce my next in-person event! If you’re in Seattle on August 30th, please come by. Paid subscribers get in free, and tickets are on a sliding scale from $8-$15, no questions asked. You can sign up here. I’ll be promoting this a lot more in August, but wanted to give you all first dibs :)

I’ll be taking a break from Instagram as well, but will still be active on Substack Notes.

I’m wishing you a wonderful July. Thank you so much for being here; your support always means the world to me. May your creativity be liberating and unfettered.

Softly yours,

Auzin

Leave a comment

Greetings to the 1,459 softies who subscribe to this newsletter! Thank you for being here.

If this newsletter is truncated in your inbox, you can click on “View entire message” to read the whole piece.

“Play” is a big word this year — have you noticed? It seems that adults everywhere are rediscovering the pleasure, benefits, and necessity of play. According to this article from Psychology Today (click through for academic sources), “play relieves stress, fuels creativity, imagination, and problem-solving abilities, and facilitates happiness and well-being. Play is also a gateway to empathy, communication, and relationships. It reinforces the ties that bind us together and helps to create a sense of community.”

That all sounds great, but if you’ve become distant from playtime as an adult, it can be hard to know how to pick it back up again. Obligations on your time and energy are overwhelming, and you might struggle to fit play and creativity into your packed schedule. In these trying times, may I offer a book recommendation?

The Daily Play by Brittany DeSantis is a beautifully illustrated, year-long guided art journal built around one simple idea: what if creativity didn’t require hours, but just 10–15 minutes a day?

Through bite-sized prompts split up into the four seasons, ranging from meditative calligraphy and watercolor exploration to creative journaling, the book offers an approachable, low-pressure way to build a daily creative ritual. It’s less about “becoming an artist” and more about rediscovering focus, play, and presence.

I’d been feeling stagnant in all my creative endeavors, so I decided to challenge myself by doing at least one short exercise from this book every day in the month of May. Usually, I accomplished it in the morning, right after breakfast. Keep reading to learn more about how the challenge went for me and see pictures of the artwork I created!

Note: This post is not sponsored, but I was sent a copy of the book by the publisher in PR. This writeup contains my honest thoughts and takeaways.

You can watch a 1-minute intro to The Daily Play below:

Buy the book

First, I set up my play station

My goal was to create as little friction as possible, so I had a solid chance of completing an exercise from the book each day. And I’m happy to report that I only missed two days! I made up for those days by doing two or more exercises the next day. Here’s what I did to make my experience smoother:

1. I chose the spot I would create in each day — the kitchen table.

2. I set up my 3-tier art cart with all the pens, brushes, paints, and other tools I’d be using on the top shelf, plus The Daily Play and some scrap watercolor paper on the middle shelf.

3. I kept my paint cup filled with water and just kept using it each day, replacing it whenever it got too dirty. I wasn’t too fussy about it.

4. I decided on the three specific paint palettes I’d use all month, instead of wasting time picking new ones each day.

5. Before May started, I went through the “Spring” section of the book and put sticky tabs on all the prompts that I felt most excited about completing.

Day 1-3: Getting familiar with the book

There are three main categories of prompt in The Daily Play: calligraphy, watercolors, and continuous line drawings. Other types of creativity are interspersed throughout, and I’d encourage you to try all of them. Play is an antidote to perfectionism, and it’s okay to be less-than-great at something. I’ll tell you right now that my calligraphy skills are quite weak — I’ll blame it on being left-handed.

Here are some bits from The Daily Play’s introductory section that really resonated with me as a recovering perfectionist:

• “Inevitably, perfectionism will peek into your pages. Do them anyways. The more you create, the quieter perfectionism gets.”

• “Remember inertia: objects in motion will stay in motion, and objects at rest will stay at rest. What can you do to stay in motion?”

• “Think of the prompts as guides instead of rules.”

I realized pretty quickly that I didn’t have the optimal kind of brush pen for the calligraphy prompts, but I still wanted to try them because I have this beautiful glass fountain pen that I never use, and I love dipping it in ink to write.

There are some prompts to help get you familiar with watercolor brushes and basic color theory. This helped me understand how much water the pages of the book could handle, and how to properly mix my paints to make a light wash. I’m a very ~watery~ painter, so the practice was nice.

Day 3-12: Florals and linework

Since I started The Daily Play in its Spring section, florals and greenery were a frequent part of the prompts. I sketched and painted a lot of flowers, which you won’t hear me complain about — I always appreciate learning the names of the beautiful plants I see around me. These exercises are very beginner friendly, since you are often tracing over lines with a brush pen or adding linework to already-existing watercolor sketches. I frequently found them relaxing and meditative.

My drawing skills are very childlike, two-dimensional, and simple. We’ll call it ~my style~ lol. Here are some cuties:

Day 12-23: Starting to go off-book

My boyfriend can attest to the fact that I don’t like following instructions to the letter. That burns me on baking recipes, but I felt like my instincts were validated by these exercises. Nothing is over-explained or dictated, and you’re welcome to skip or combine prompts as you see fit. I loved being able to focus on the prompts that really got me excited to create, instead of being locked into a rigid system or numerical order. Rigidity is not a friend of playtime, after all!

Mid-month was around the time that I started creating even more once I finished my daily prompt. I felt inspired and soothed by watercolors in a way I hadn’t felt since my initial obsession with them in 2022. My fifteen minutes of creativity often turned into half an hour or more.

Day 23-31: Routine vs. life

May 31st is my birthday, and life really started to speed up near the end of the month as I prepared for my party, went to my first renaissance fair of the year, and was generally a busy bee. Sometimes, I had to shuffle my Daily Play time to the afternoon or evening — happily, natural light remains until 9pm in this season. I can see this routine becoming harder to stick to in the darkness of Seattle fall/winter.

I will be honest and say that I did often feel guilty or stressed over the prompts during this time. Which is really not the point, but perfectionism and an anxious disposition can’t be fixed by a single book. However, the exercises in The Daily Play never stopped being fun, encouraging, and unique. I appreciated the occasional focus on reflection and introspection paired with art.

One of the best things that happened this month was falling back in love with watercolor painting, which led to the creation of multiple original pieces after playing with the daily prompts. I’m really thankful to this book and to myself for prioritizing creativity and making space for it.

Here’s a bookmark:

And here’s a groovy snake:

My takeaways from a month of daily play

This was genuinely such a great way to start the day. Exercising my creative muscles for 15 minutes was an approachable daily achievement that had a noticeable positive impact on my state of mind. There’s a lot of choice and freedom with these prompts, but enough guidelines and examples to keep you from feeling overwhelmed with options. Everything is geared towards being low-stress and fun, so even if you’ve never sketched or painted before, you can have a good time.

Who would love this book:

• Anyone who is working on their analog hobby game

• Those who need to stop the scroll and quiet their minds

• Hobbyist/amateur watercolor painters, sketchers, and art journalers

• Anyone interested in art journaling for their mental health

• Extremely busy people who still want a way to create instead of consume

Who is not the best audience:

• Children — the book is best suited to teens or adults

• Professional artists, unless you want a super low-stakes outlet

• If you really don’t like using a specific medium that’s explored in the book

If you’re intrigued by The Daily Play, feel free to check it out and purchase it here. I recommend it! You can also use my Bookshop affiliate link to toss me a few coins with your purchase ;)

Make sure to follow the author, Brittany DeSantis, on Substack or on Instagram.

Thanks for reading! If you got this far, drop a comment with which of my Daily Play pieces was your favorite.

Softly yours,

Auzin

Leave a comment

Greetings to the 1,438 softies who subscribe to this newsletter! Thank you for being here.

This series is a Soft Hobbies classic at this point, so I’ll let you get right to it. Please restack or share with your friends if you find this post helpful. There are no sponsorships or referral codes in this post.

Don’t forget to check out all the previous lists of free resources I’ve pulled together for you!

Free writing groups and community offerings by Corporeal Writing

Corporeal Writing is shutting down at the end of this year, so I recommend jumping on these resources while they’re easily accessible. There are virtual writing hours five days a week, recordings of past classes, and a free mini-course in their specific approach to writing. Check it out!

Fund your creative work with Buy Me A Coffee

Very similar to Ko-fi and Patreon! Get tips, start a membership, use it as a website or a storefront.

Describe stuff better with Describing Words

I feel like I’ll be using this one a lot — so simple to use and sure to mix up your vocabulary. Could be very fun to have around for revisions. Just type in any noun.

Get a new writing prompt every day

Language is a virus is dedicated to busting your writer’s block. They have prompts, games, advice from master writers, and more. And no AI here, thank god!

The Phrontistery: for budding linguists and fantasy writers

This is a website that compiles the most niche and obscure words in the English language. You can also piss off anyone you’re playing Scrabble with by using the words on this page. I would love to delve more into The Phrontistery in the future; it’s truly unique. I think it would be great for writers who are crafting fantasy or speculative worlds.

Catalogue all your media for easy reference

I first learned about Libib from this video where someone catalogues her entire movie collection, and it really intrigued me. If you’re a Type-A person who wants to quickly reference what you own—maybe so you don’t overbuy?—definitely check it out. The basic plan should cover most personal collections.

A free monthly writing workshop with a published author

Flash Fiction Magazine runs this workshop, which has a new instructor each month. They cover “Instructor-led writing exercises to get your creative muscles working on the spot, plus any writing or publishing questions you bring.” Plus, they record the meeting if you can’t make it! The next one is on June 20; maybe I’ll see you there?

Private online journaling at 750 Words

A website inspired by the morning pages habit from The Artist’s Way. Your writing remains secure, password-protected, and auto-saved as you work towards the 750-word/three-page goal each day. There are even stats that help you learn about yourself from your journaling habit. Take a look.

Search through every dictionary in a few seconds

Why use one dictionary when you can cross-reference a word across 805 of them? Use it to find definitions, related words, quotes, names, lyrics, colors, and more. Make sure to check out the easy “How to search” guide for the best results.

Save and organize whatever you want with Are.na

Are.na is super interesting, although I don’t think I have the patience to use it. They describe themselves as “online software for saving and organizing the content that is important to you” and “a toolkit for assembling new worlds from the scraps of the old.” Take a look and go down some rabbit holes.

Another option to create your own database

Obsidian is free software with an emphasis on privacy and flexibility. “From personal notes to journaling, knowledge bases, and project management, Obsidian gives you the tools to come up with ideas and organize them.” You can use visualization tools, experiment with thousands of plugins, and sync your notes across any device.

Get more free stuff from Chill Subs

Is this series not enough for you? That’s fine, because Chill Subs has their own monthly newsletter of cool free things for writers! Sign up to learn about contests, events, courses, lectures, etc.

I hope some of these resources can help you in your writing journey. Once again, make sure to check out the previous lists. And if you know of something that should be featured in an upcoming roundup, leave a comment or DM me!

Services reminder: Want professional feedback on your writing? I offer editing services at $40/hr and can provide a free quote based on the length and genre of your work. Just email me at auzin1994@gmail.com or reply to this email in your inbox.

Coming soon to Soft Hobbies: how to write a cover letter for submissions, how to get “enough” validation as an artist, and where to get your independent journalism. My birthday is this Sunday, May 31st, so I’m not sure if I’ll have time to write a post for next week :) but I hope to see you soon!

Save the date: My next in-person arts & crafts event is on August 30th in Seattle! More info to come.

Softly yours,

Auzin

Leave a comment

Greetings to the 1,429 softies who subscribe to this newsletter! Thank you for being here.

I’ve been published a couple dozen times and have multiple poetry chapbooks and zines out in the world, but sometimes I still think of myself an “emerging writer.” It’s such a nebulous term — what takes someone from emerging to established? Will I feel comfortable claiming “established” after I have a traditionally published book? Or maybe I would feel established if writing creatively became my full-time job? I’ve already been asked to speak at a university, been nominated for independent writing awards, and have a steadily growing reader base here, on my newsletter. Maybe I’m already an established writer and don’t need to ruminate on the matter anymore.

Regardless, if you’re in the stage before “emerging,” this post is for you. If you’ve never been published before, it can be confusing to learn how and where to get started. Both the independent and traditional publishing worlds are obscure, niche, and constantly in flux. Getting published at all requires a certain amount of grit, because you will experience rejection, often in a cold and impartial way. You could also experience dizzying heights of pride, validation, and/or joy when your submission gets accepted!

I’ve written before about different approaches to getting your first publication. In today’s article, I’ve done the prospecting work for you — collecting over 15 literary magazines that could be good venues for your work. I used the powerful, comprehensive filters on Chill Subs’ Browse feature to narrow down this list.

The literary magazines fit these criteria:

• They are currently open for submissions. This could change if you’re reading this article later on, so always check their submissions page.

• They permit simultaneous submissions. Here’s an explanation of what those are.

• It’s free to submit. Yay!

• They have been active for at least 5 years. I am wary of younger magazines because you never know if they’ll last, and then your work could disappear without warning. Running a lit mag is very hard and usually unpaid labor.

• They have masthead information available, so you can see who’s steering the ship.

• They have an acceptance rate of 30% or over (according to Chill Subs’ metrics). This is a very high acceptance rate. For context, the New York Times has an acceptance rate of 0.01%.

All these criteria and more are filterable on Chill Subs, which in my opinion is the best tool for writers who want to get individual pieces published online. And it’s completely free to use many of their features! I use their Browse, Tracker, Submitter’s Passport, and Prose Formatter tools regularly. I’m also a paid member, which gets me access to better tools and curated collections of markets. If you’re interested, you can use my code AUZIN for a 10% discount on a membership. Chill Subs didn’t pay or ask me to talk about them, I just really like them and have for years :’)

Note: The following markets are not necessarily appropriate for full-length manuscripts. If you’re trying to publish a book, this isn’t the right post for you. I’m also not covering how to submit; I won’t be giving advice on cover letters, author bios, or queries. If you want me to cover any of those topics in the future, I’d be happy to!

Before you submit your work to a magazine, I recommend reading at least one of their back issues. If the venue doesn’t do “issues,” read a handful of pieces published on their website. Be honest with yourself: is your work is a fit for them in style, tone, and genre? If so, get your piece(s) as polished as you can, follow the submission guidelines for formatting, and send off your work. Then settle in for the most painful part — waiting for a response.

Keep reading for poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and hybrid markets.

Great literary magazines for unpublished poets

Name: Corvus Review
Website / CS stats
Open for submissions: Yes, always open
Reported response time: 91 days
Theme: “Spooky, unsettling, and bizarre.”

Name: Across the Margin
Website / CS stats
Open for submissions: Yes, always open
Reported response time: 15 days
Theme: “Across the Margin strives to publish only the best in fiction, poetry, and nonfiction, and we enthusiastically tout an open door policy. “

Name: Agapanthus Collective
Website / CS stats
Open for submissions: Yes, always open
Reported response time: 30-80+ days
Theme: “At the Agapanthus Collective, we’d like to see works from voices never heard, particularly those of people of color, women, and the queer community.”

Name: Corporeal Lit Mag
Website / CS stats
Open for submissions: Yes, always open
Reported response time: 17-60 days
Theme: “The mandate of Corporeal is to host work that explores, explains, and/or troubles our experiences of embodiment; that is, the having of a body.”

Name: Vagabond City Literature
Website / CS stats
Open for submissions: Yes, but poetry closes on May 31st, 2026
Reported response time: 42-58 days
Theme: “This is a world in which the loudest voices are the marginalized. This is a world of poetry, prose, art, reviews, and interviews that fits outside the mainstream literary scene, yet still of significant literary merit.”

Exciting markets for unpublished fiction writers

Name: Wild Willow Magazine
Website / CS stats
Open for submissions: Yes, but closes on June 16th, 2026
Reported response time: 14-58 days
Theme: Currently for Hispanic writers only, on the theme of Ceiba trees. “Formerly The Minison Project, Wild Willow Magazine is a literary magazine founded by Melissa Ashley Hernandez that intertwines nature and the human experience, showcasing the wonderful, weird, and wild aspects of the human condition. We publish quarterly, exploring rotating themes of trees, herbs, fruits, and flowers.”

Name: 101 Words
Website / CS stats
Open for submissions: Yes, always open
Reported response time: 76 days
Theme: “We accept fiction stories that are exactly 101 words.”

Name: Flora Fiction
Website / CS stats
Open for submissions: Yes, always open
Reported response time: 55-90 days
Theme: Current theme is Unfolding. “Flora Fiction is a collective of creative muses and inspiration. From original writing, to photography and illustration, there’s always something to be discovered.”

Name: Bewildering Stories
Website / CS stats
Open for submissions: Yes, always open
Reported response time: 17-28 days
Theme: “Bewildering Stories is a weekly Internet webzine devoted to speculative and experimental writing as well as “mainstream” literature. All genres are welcome in both fiction and non-fiction.”

Name: Mind Matters
Website / CS stats
Open for submissions: Yes, always open
Reported response time: 14 days
Theme: “Our mission is to empower teens and young adults by sharing authentic mental health stories, creative expression, and accessible resources that foster connection and self-understanding.”

Name: For Page & Screen
Website / CS stats
Open for submissions: Opens on July 1st, 2026
Reported response time: 76 days
Theme: “‘'For Page and Screen’ began as a single-person blog run by writer/filmmaker Sarah Edmonds. We have since expanded to include a variety of voices from all different kinds of storytellers. Our goal is to explore the creative process. To find similarities and differences in how we tell stories across genre and form.”

Welcoming venues for unpublished creative nonfiction or hybrid work

Name: The Daily Drunk
Website / CS stats
Open for submissions: Will re-open in 2026
Reported response time: 7-21 days
Theme: “The Daily Drunk seeks film, TV, music, video games, and all pop culture-related submissions of previously unpublished fiction, nonfiction, poetry, lists, reviews, quizzes, and comics.”

Name: 5 Minutes Lit
Website / CS stats
Open for submissions: Yes, always open
Reported response time: 60 days
Theme: “Five Minutes explores five minutes of a life in one hundred words.”

Name: Unlikely Stories
Website / CS stats
Open for submissions: Yes, always open
Reported response time: 56-65 days
Theme: “Unlikely Stories is an electronic magazine of literature, art, and culture that attempts a direct engagement with society and sociopolitical issues. We believe that art and philosophy are synonymous, and that they are the appropriate source of all social activism and political thought.”

Name: Pomona Valley Review
Website / CS stats
Open for submissions: Yes, but closes on June 30th, 2026
Reported response time: 38-180 days
Theme: “PVR is an online, annual literary arts journal which publishes short fiction, poetry, and art on a selective basis by new and established authors.”

Name: Another New Calligraphy
Website / CS stats
Open for submissions: Yes, always open
Reported response time: 90-100 days
Theme: “Another New Calligraphy seeks work exploring the human experience, our internal worlds, and life among others; these complex systems are often clearest in our slightest moments.”

You guys, this actually took a mega long time and I’m tired out now, so I really hope this list is helpful! If so, please share it with your writer friends, followers, and family. If you need help getting your pieces publication-ready, I offer editing services at $40/hr and can provide a free quote based on the length and genre of your work. Just email me at auzin1994@gmail.com or reply to this email in your inbox.

Coming soon to Soft Hobbies: another free writer tools roundup, how to get “enough” validation as an artist, where to get your independent journalism, and another in-person arts & crafts event in the glorious Seattle summertime!

Softly yours,

Auzin

Leave a comment

Greetings to the 1,417 softies who subscribe to this newsletter! Thank you for being here.

This post was originally published in February 2025. Life has conspired to keep me from writing for you this week, but I hope you enjoy this piece that seemed to resonate with a lot of folks last year.

Want to feel creative and artistic, but not be scared, pressured, or overwhelmed?

At this point, we all know that creative hobbies are really good for us. They help our brain health, relieve our stress, connect us with our communities, and may even prolong our lives. Hobbies make life less gray and uniform, so every day doesn’t feel the same. They give you something to point to and say, I made that. That was me.

It’s worth trying to create things instead of only consuming them. Especially now, and especially if you’re like me, a person who makes emotional purchases all-too-frequently. You’ll probably never create more than you consume, but that’s okay. It’s still good for you, your community, and the environment at large for you to try making things more often, especially if they’re made with materials or tools you already have access to. Time spent making is time spent not buying.

You don’t have to make things that are useful, or beautiful, or understandable. And your stuff definitely doesn’t have to be perfect. Creating is a human right that you were born with. Every person on this planet is an artist, but most of them had their art taken away from them at an early age. I had to learn all this on my own, and it’s a truth I will always hold onto.

Subscribe now

Perfect is the enemy of done and perfectionism is the enemy of artists. I remember the first time I described myself as a perfectionist to my mom — I was probably in middle school or early high school. She was surprised because of how I appeared to her on the outside: a procrastinator who spent too much time on the internet and always took the shortcut to the end goal. “Half-assing” it, as she often described my homework and how I went about doing chores.

What she didn’t see was how insecure I was about my worthiness and abilities, and how inferior I felt to my peers. I wanted to be great so badly, but I knew that the result of my work would never measure up to what I saw in my head. And if that was the case, why put in the effort? If anything short of perfection is failure, why even try?

Perfectionism doesn’t always mean that you give 150% and keep going until your eyes cross. Sometimes it manifests as what looks like laziness or escapism on the outside. It can hurt extra that way, because while people might praise you for overworking yourself and thereby validate your perfectionist tendencies, far fewer of them will tell you “good job” for playing videogames while feeling guilty over not writing (me).

Perfectionism in any form serves very little useful function because it hinders and prevents creation, rather than supporting and inspiring. And you deserve the latter! This post won’t tell you how to overcome perfectionism because #1: I don’t know how to do that and #2: it’s probably a book-length topic — anyone have a recommendation? This post is for finding a new hobby, one that puts your perfectionism high up on a shelf, where it can occupy itself for a while while you have a good time.

You don’t need to learn any new skills for these! The learning will come slowly and organically. These hobbies are relaxed and chill for busy, stressed-out people with too much on their plates (me again…) and I recommend picking one or two that you loved doing as a kid. Maybe some of these seem childish and that’s a good thing because you know who’s generally not stressed? Children!

The hobbies:

1. Coloring with crayon, marker, or pencil. I prefer children’s coloring books over adult ones—the adult ones tend to stress me out a bit.

2. Play with clay (especially polymer or air-dry) in front of the TV.

3. Read below your grade level.

4. Lego or other building sets.

5. Write fanfiction or make fanart, family-friendly or otherwise.

6. Go for a walk and find leaves and flowers to press between heavy books. Use them as decorations, bookmarks, or additions to your paintings.

7. Pick 3 interesting-looking objects in your home and try to take the most artistic picture you can with your phone. Mess around with camera settings, lighting, and the angle you shoot from.

8. Try a new game demo on Steam.

9. Make a blackout poem with a page from your favorite book and this tool. It’s super easy, I promise.

10. Grab a friend, a pen, and a piece of paper. Play Exquisite Corpse. A great time-filler when you’re waiting in line.

11. Collage! PLEASE MAKE A COLLAGE IT’S SO EASY AND FUN.

12. Scrapbooking or junk journaling. Just glue all the random stuff you’ve been keeping into a journal, so you can look at it later and remember your strange and wonderful life.

13. Puzzles, if you’re into them.

14. Make a bucket list or list of goals. Dream big. Maybe your goal is to do more hobbies? If so, please stick around!

I hope this was helpful. My comments section and DMs are open for you to yell about how much perfectionism sucks and what we can do to overcome it. I hope you can make something with your hands this week.

Softly yours,

Auzin

Leave a comment

If this email is truncated in your inbox, you can click on “View entire message” to view the whole post.

Greetings to the 1,407 softies who subscribe to this newsletter! Thank you for being here.

So, obviously the economy is…concerning right now. People are struggling. It makes total sense if you’re having a hard time doing your hobbies or making art, because just living is expensive as hell—especially if you live in a big city.

But if you’ve still got a roof over your head, are relatively safe, and can feed yourself adequately, I hope you can also prioritize the activities that bring you joy and help you express yourself. You deserve it, because you are a human and creation is the birthright of all humans.1 You can and should make things regardless of the body and mind you live in.

Let’s get you some financial breathing room with your hobbies, so you don’t have to feel guilty about spending too much money on what our culture continues to insist is “frivolous.” I hope this post can spark some ideas for you!

Note: This was not written for folks in dire financial need. I advise reaching out to your local 211 agency or looking at this federal resources page.

Use what you have.

Part of this is knowing everything you have and keeping track of it. My method is sort of KonMari-inspired: Go around your house and grab everything you use to create or unwind. Look for craft supplies in the attic and basement. Collect all your stationary, even printer paper. Put it all in a big pile, and start going through that pile. If you want to literally catalogue it in a notes doc or a spreadsheet, be my guest, but that’s not necessary.

Your goal is to clean what needs to be cleaned, donate what no longer serves you, and organize your crafting nook(s) so you can easily see and reach for what you have. A bonus of doing this is that you feel RICH looking at your little artist’s hoard. You’ll notice any obvious gaps or supplies that are running low, and you’ll be less tempted to buy duplicates or shiny new toys. Yay!

Tip: This may seem obvious, but make sure you’re storing all your supplies as optimally as you can. Do your research and preserve them so they’ll last you as long as possible.

Use your network.

Who else in your circle knits or paints with watercolors? Is there someone you could swap athletic gear with? Can you and a bookworm friend keep each other on track to finish your TBRs instead of buying new books? Ask (nicely) to share supplies, time, and/or space. Also, make your hobbies known! People will think of you when they’re cleaning out their craft carts or finding a good deal at Michael’s.

One idea I’ve been thinking about recently is a shared spreadsheet or a Libib catalogue (free cataloguing software) for borrowing between friends. You could do this for anything: art supplies, nail polish, books, etc. The spreadsheet would show who the original owner is, who’s currently borrowing and next in line to borrow, what the condition of the item is, and maybe even pictures. For this idea to work, there will have to be a few type-A freaks like me in the friend group :)

Revive the barter system.

We all dream about it. We all want it back. We all miss trading Pokémon cards on the playground. Well, the power is in our hands! You can offer to trade your time, labor, and/or creations for hobby supplies. Make a list of dream items and what you’d be willing to trade for them. Post about it online, look for swap meets in your area, and ask around. If you’re really brave, talk to local small businesses about potential discounts and trade-ins. Accept rejections graciously.

Shop small and/or used.

Find a local crafting thrift store! For example, we have Seattle Recreative. Local art supply stores often have sale sections with heavy discounts on B-grade or slightly damaged items. Look into Fabric & Notions sales near you. Goodwill, dollar stores, and other general thrift stores might have small sewing kits, blank canvasses, and cheap frames. Plus, you can always rip up secondhand clothes and bedding for your sewing projects. Ask local artists and makers where they get their supplies!

If you prefer to shop online: eBay is your friend, and you can use this website or this one to automatically look for misspelled listings that might otherwise slip through the cracks. Folks on Etsy create custom palettes from fancy paint brands—you can avoid buying the whole tube by just paying for a smaller amount, like the watercolor kits from this seller. Try searching for “travel watercolor palette [brand]” or “handmade [brand] watercolor kit.”

The Buy Nothing app and Facebook Marketplace should also be in your back pocket—I’ve personally scored almost my entire painting setup from them.

(Thanks EJ!!)

Quick tips for saving $$ on my favorite hobbies:

• Writing: Use Chill Subs to track your submissions and find places to send your work. They also have a newsletter for free stuff you might like. I have over 50+ free writing resources and tools linked on Soft Hobbies — see the below posts!

• Reading: Go to the library!

• Zinemaking: Zines are one of the cheapest hobbies to pick up, and I have a ton of free resources to share — see below.

How to make a zine template

Zine resource collection

Another zine resource collection

Make a zine online

Make a booklet from a PDF

• Thrifting (online): Depop is overpriced. Use ThredUp or eBay to find brands you like, Vinted for new discoveries, and Gem to find exactly what you need for a good price across all secondhand-selling apps.

• Thrifting (in-person): Head outside of the city center, keep track of sale days, learn how to recognize well-made clothing of good quality, write your measurements down on your phone, take a tape measure with you, and get good at trying on clothes without a fitting room. Don’t be afraid of going home empty-handed if you don’t find anything; you can always look again next week!

• Gaming: Use this website or this one to check prices across multiple platforms for the games you’re interested in. Keep an eye on Steam for its very frequent sales.

• D&D/TTRPGs: Use this website for creating characters and campaigns, dndbeyond to run games in-person or virtually, and startplaying to find free or paid games with small groups of strangers (be safe!).

• Cosplay/LARP/Renaissance Fairs: Repurpose as many of your old clothes as you can! And you already know this, but YouTube is your best friend. Here are some of my favorite cosplay and crafting creators: Alexsandrea Kagachi, Incandescentkiki, RhianneMan, WizardsKeep.

• Use the Freeprints app and only pay shipping for dozens of 4x6 prints you can print straight from your phone. I use this all the time!

• Make your Canva Pro subscription go farther by using it for as many projects as you can think of, and offer its powers to friends in exchange for a software or service they can trade you. Really, Canva Pro can do a lot!

• Make birthday/holiday gifts and cards for people instead of buying them! Then you have more money for crafting supplies >:)

I could keep going, but I’ll stop here. I truly hope this was helpful. Please let me know what you’d add to this list, what you’re excited to try, and how you’re staying creative nowadays. Thank you so much for reading this whopper of a post.

Soft Hobbies update: my Etsy store is now open for the first time since October! I sell stickers, zines, and writing prompt packets. Everything’s under $15! This is a great way to support me and read my personal creative work.

Visit my store

Softly yours,

Auzin

Leave a comment

Greetings to the 1,374 softies who subscribe to this newsletter! Thank you for being here.

Today’s post is brought to you by my friend Nina, who has great taste in books, art, and film. She runs a super-fun quarterly book swap that’s helped me get tons of new authors and genres on my radar! Enjoy these awesome book recs and I’ll be back with a purely Auzin-written post next week <3 Note: I’m a Bookshop affiliate, so I’ll earn a few bucks if you decide to purchase any books through my links with them.

Bio: Nina Wattana is a multidisciplinary artist from Seattle, WA. Her key mediums are photography and mixed-media art pieces that explore themes of pop culture, night life, and the beauty of everyday existence. She is also an avid reader and founder of a quarterly all-genre book swap in Seattle called Tale Swappers. For more info on the book swap and to get on the next RSVP list, please email her at nwwattana@gmail.com.

Pivotal moments in life often occur when we’re at an existential crossroads. What happens when we’re older, further along down the line, and the rug gets pulled out from under us? Some people handle the changing of life’s seasons with grace, but let’s be real, most of us are left disoriented, fighting for our sanity, and pushing down the impulse to spend all of our money on questionable online psychics.

Maybe the last part is just me, but we’ve all done things we question later, after we get clarity. Instead of looking back at destabilizing times in our lives with cringe or regret, we can appreciate the knowledge we glean from the breakdown. This helps us mourn our past selves, learn who we want to become in our new season of life, and understand what we can no longer tolerate.

Each of the novels listed below are about women who are either on the verge or fully in the throes of a nervous breakdown and how they work through it. I chose these books because of the complicated nature of some of the protagonists. We often put an unconscious pressure on female characters to have a virtuous storyline and make the right decisions no matter what, but that’s not realistic. There might be times when you are frustrated, or even infuriated, with these characters. Their process of self-discovery is wild and messy, but that’s what makes them so fun, interesting, and often relatable.

I hope I shared some books you’re intrigued by or haven’t heard of before! Share with me in the comments what some of your favorite books in this genre are!

#1: The Good House by Tananarive Due

Tananarive Due deserves all the flowers for this masterful book exploring the effects of generational trauma, grief, and racial inequity in the Pacific Northwest, all while intertwining a truly terrifying haunted house story. There are so many moments in this unnerving book that left me gasping for air.

When we first meet Angela Toussaint, the protagonist of The Good House, she isn’t a woman on the verge of a breakdown, she is fully in the throes of it. Navigating the grief and untimely death of her son, and a burgeoning career with high demands in talent management, Angela is barely holding on by a thread when she receives a call that ultimately takes her back to “The Good House,” the place where her son died and the cause of town gossip and legend in Sacajawea, Washington. Once there, events start unfolding that makes Angela second-guess everything she’s known to be true. Frightening, thrilling, and heartbreaking, Angela’s journey in The Good House had me breathless the whole time.

#2: Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

Keiko Furukura, the protagonist of this delightful novel, is a woman in her mid-30’s who lives an unconventional life by Japanese standards. She’s unwed, childless, and has been working at a convenience store for the last 18 years. But you know what, girl is living her best life! Keiko has cultivated joy and pleasure in her routine and job – something most of us seek but never find in a 9-5.

But as the novel goes on, pressure from her parents and others around her to “grow up” threaten to upend the harmonious life she’s created for herself. Keiko must ultimately decide whether to give in to societal demands or live the life that she knows will ultimately make her happy. Convenience Store Woman inspired me to examine my life and ask what I’ve compromised in the name of societal expectations and whether or not it really brought me true happiness.

#3: All Fours by Miranda July

I’m not gonna lie – this book will make you cringe. It’s an extremely polarizing novel that people either love or hate, but you gotta give it props for stirring up conversation. The main character of All Fours is a nameless woman in her mid-40s who, to put it frankly, is a messy, messy bitch. Throughout the novel, there will be times when you are baffled, frustrated, and infuriated by the trail of destruction she causes and leaves behind. But what I found compelling about this character is the raw nature of her breakdown.

We’ve all experienced catastrophic impulses we have to fight back from acting on, but what would happen if we just gave in to them? All Fours frames these moments of crisis within the context of an under-discussed stage of life – perimenopause. Although it is something everyone with a uterus will ultimately experience, it’s a major period of intense shifts that we are often told nothing about, except that “it will pass.” When we don’t even have the basic blueprints on what to expect or how to talk about it, is it any wonder that sometimes the way to find your way back to yourself is to ultimately break everything down and start anew?

#4: The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar

Amal El-Mohtar has a truly magical gift of inviting readers into her stories and enveloping them in her fantastical world. I never wanted this short book to end, but I was so grateful to have spent time in it.

The River Has Roots is a fantasy novella about Esther and Ysabel, two adoring sisters who dedicate their lives to tending a mystical willow tree through the power of music. As they get older, Esther is pursued romantically by a man from a neighboring farm who wants to marry her as a way to combine their family’s fortunes. Esther finds him repulsive and instead falls in love with a being from a magical realm at the edge of their town, by the willow tree. Falling in love with this being means that Esther will have to make many sacrifices to secure their future together, and she must ultimately make a decision that could shake up the foundation of her whole family.

Compelling and heartfelt characters, gorgeous illustrations, and a cackle-inducing revenge scene made this book one of the most pleasurable reading experiences I’ve had this year.

#5: My Soul to Keep by Tananarive Due

Yes, I’m recommending another Tananarive Due book! This book is not an easy read, but my queen comes through again with some of the most excellent character and storyline developments in modern literature. This page-turner left me shocked, short of breath, angry, and yearning for more. The first novel in her “African Immortals” series, My Soul to Keep is a horror/fantasy about Jessica, an investigative reporter happily married to a man named David, and her daughter Kira. As mysterious deaths and disturbing events start to unfold around the family, David is forced to reveal that he is part of a secret sect of immortals who want him to leave his life behind and return to Africa. David refuses and instead wants to invoke a forbidden ritual to keep Jessica and Kira with him forever.

Y’all, believe me when I say this man is dizzy as hell. He is the WORST. There were also many times in this book where I was so angry with Jessica for not being able to see clearly. But what I loved about this book is the all-too-real turmoil that flows through Jessica as she navigates her new reality and has to decide between her head and her heart. Does she make good decisions throughout the unraveling? Absolutely not. When cornered into unfathomable circumstances, it’s hard to see through the fog and find clarity. To me, this is what makes Jessica’s story so interesting, relatable, and devastating.

Thanks again to Nina for this guest post — all five of these books are on my TBR now! Have you read any of these? What did you think? What are some of your favorite books with challenging and complicated protagonists?

Softly yours,

Auzin

Leave a comment

Greetings to the 1,362 softies who subscribe to this newsletter! Thank you for being here.

Today’s post is an interview with local Seattle musician Persephone Darke. I first met Persephone in dance class — we both attend classes at PopRox and other studios around town. Not only is she stunningly beautiful and talented, she’s incredibly kind, thoughtful, and puts clear intention into everything she does. I recommend sending this interview to all the hard-working independent musicians in your life.

Share

Persephone just released a new single called “I’M ALIVE.” Listen to it here and make sure to follow Persephone on her socials for updates on her music and concerts. By the way, I think if you listen to Olivia Dean, Emily King, or Cleo Sol, you’ll love Persephone’s work!

Bio: Oakland-raised, Seattle-based singer and songwriter Persephone Darke uses her cross-genre training to inform a rich and developed sound, characterized by raw and entrancing vocals, lyrically-driven storytelling and groove-centered production. After a year devoted to writing, reflection, and refining her sound, Persephone is stepping into a new chapter of her artistry with intention, vision, and new music that is both personal and undeniably current.

Spotify / Apple Music / Bandcamp / YouTube / TikTok / Instagram / Website / Linktree

Soft Hobbies: Persephone, tell us about yourself and your new single.

Persephone Darke: So, my name is Persephone Darke. I’m from the Bay Area, and I am currently getting ready to release “I’M ALIVE,” which is a jazzy, soul, old-school vibe of a song I’m really excited about. I’ve been working on it for almost three years now and it means a lot to me — it has a lot of people playing on it who are really close to my heart.

Soft Hobbies: That’s exciting. What was the writing process like for this song? And the story behind it?

Persephone Darke: I started writing this song almost three years ago, when my partner sent me a phone recording of him playing some chords on guitar while I was visiting a friend in France. I was staying in Notre-Dame-de-Monts, which is this tiny little beach town in France, and I was visiting a friend I hadn’t seen in some time. I rode a bike for the first time in five or six years, and went to the beach, and did all these things that made me feel alive.

As I was heading back from Notre-Dame-de-Monts to Paris, I was listening to that guitar part in my earbuds on repeat and thinking about all the memories I’d made. I started writing down all the things I was experiencing that made me feel alive. And that’s how the song started.

A couple years later, we got the opportunity to record at Bear Creek Studio in Woodinville and I invited a bunch of my friends. I had a friend come up from LA to record drums, and we did it all in a nine-hour recording session at Bear Creek. It came out even better than I could have imagined.

It’s called “I’M ALIVE,” and it’s about those moments that bring you back to reality and back to Earth — it reminds you to bask in those moments. It’s about how you’re alive on this planet, and everyone’s alive, and the miracle of that. Especially coming from a place where I haven’t always seen those moments as things to be grateful for, and there have been times when I’ve felt like it would be easier to not be alive — like the act of living was more difficult than it was worth. So this song was really healing for me to write.

Soft Hobbies: What is your background as a singer and songwriter, and how has your environment influenced your work?

Persephone Darke: I’ve been singing and writing from when I was like, three years old, when I wrote my first little refrain. And then when I was 11, I started attending a public charter in Oakland called Oakland School for the Arts. I practiced music two hours a day throughout middle school and three hours a day throughout high school. I took classes in songwriting and music theory and all kinds of stuff.

I started studying music, and that definitely gave me a new perspective on writing by introducing me to all kinds of different genres that I didn’t know about before. We studied world music and classical and jazz and musical theater, and they really forced us to learn a little bit about everything, which was super influential in my writing. Then when I went to Berklee College of Music, I studied contemporary writing and production.

I think my style now is definitely pulling from a lot of different places that I’ve encountered through all those years. And for this song, it was my first time writing a string arrangement since graduating. So the all the string parts — it’s a four-part violin arrangement. I went in and wrote out every single note, and the violin player that I was working with, he sight-read it all beautifully.

Soft Hobbies: Did you write every instrumental piece of “I’M ALIVE”?

Persephone Darke: No, I had a basic idea of what I wanted, and then I explained that to the players. But I love writing for strings, and I had a really distinctive vision for what I wanted the violin to sound like, so I wanted to write a fully fleshed-out arrangement.

Soft Hobbies: You’re currently on the challenging path of turning your artistic passions and talents into a career. What has that process been like for you?

Persephone Darke: Yeah, it has been difficult for sure. It’s also been really rewarding. I’m not a full-time musician yet — I’m a server, and I also teach singing lessons, which has been really fun. I have several vocal students now. And then I’m also making music, so I’m switching between a lot of different hats right now.

That’s what artists are doing right now; you need at least a couple jobs to make the music thing work, even if all those jobs are in music too. If you’re an independent artist, you’re doing all the marketing, all the advertising, all the booking and managing. It’s been a learning curve. And I’m just at the beginning, really. So I’m trying to enjoy the slow moments of it before I get really caught up in full-time music.

Soft Hobbies: How did you make the decision to start pursuing music more seriously? Was it something you always wanted to do?

Persephone Darke: I made the decision when I was 10 years old that I wanted to pursue music, and then I went to school for music for 11 years. But in middle school and high school, there were some times I thought, “Maybe I could be a journalist. I love writing. I could be a lawyer. I love talking. I really am good at arguing.”

Soft Hobbies: That’s a great skill. More people need that skill.

Persephone Darke: I thought maybe I could be an American Sign Language interpreter. I was really passionate about disability justice, and I started taking ASL classes. I had a lot of different hobbies and interests, so it was hard for me to balance all the things I loved or was interested in. But what kept me on the path of music was that it was the thing that really never faltered. I would always come back to music. I think even if I had tried to go down another path for a career, I would have ended up back at music anyway. So it wasn’t really a choice, necessarily. It was just kind of what happened.

Soft Hobbies: How do you balance making music with other hobbies you enjoy and your obligations?

Persephone Darke: There’s so many lessons you can learn from different hobbies and different interests that can carry over. As long as you’re learning and making your brain work, I think it’s all really helping each other.

I came across a difficult decision last year. I studied martial arts for about 10 years; I grew up studying Danzan Ryu jiu jitsu, which is Hawaiian-style jiu jitsu. I did that all throughout high school, and I taught kids’ classes. I was really, really into it. When I graduated from college and moved to Seattle, I started doing Aikido at a local dojo here. It was very nostalgic and it felt like everything was still in my muscle memory, so it was really exciting for me.

I also started doing dance again. I had danced in high school, so I was doing all these things that I used to do, and it was really fulfilling. I felt like I was really coming back to myself, but then I started burning out. I didn’t have enough money to keep up with all the memberships, and I didn’t have enough time in the day or enough energy. I was working a nine-to-five, and there was so little time for myself that I felt like I was starting to lose sight of the music.

So I gave up martial arts, at least for now. Dance felt like more of a priority because it is closely related to music. It makes me think about my writing process from a dancer’s perspective, and it also helps me feel more comfortable in my body and performance skills. I just felt like it had more crossover with music. I think the way I balance everything is by prioritizing transferable skills.

Soft Hobbies: Makes sense. You’ve educated yourself a lot on the marketing aspect of being a modern musician. What has that process been like for you?

Persephone Darke: I still feel like I know nothing, but I think this past year, I’ve been writing a lot and researching the way that marketing has changed. Even just in the past five years with social media, it looks completely different than it used to.

I’ve been doing a lot of case study work, watching other artists that have really made it big in the past year. What did they do? What does their social media look like? What are these independent artists doing that is getting them big shows? How are they selling out their shows and selling merch? And how are they making money? Because touring doesn’t make money anymore. There’s all these things that have changed drastically — I’ve also watched a lot of YouTube videos.

The first artist that comes to mind is LaRussell, because he’s from where I’m from, and he works with a lot of people I know from my old school. He’s grown exponentially as an independent artist, and he’s done it all completely different than what other independent artists have done. He’s kept it really community-centered — he’s made all of his shows, and a lot of his merch and albums “pay what you can.” He’s constantly giving back to his community. When he makes bigger income, he pours it back into the community in the form of rental assistance and utility assistance.

He’s doing things very differently from other artists I’ve seen, and it feels much more ethical. It just shows that there’s multiple paths that you can take to get to that kind of level.

Soft Hobbies: Very cool. What are your artistic and personal goals or dreams as a musician?

Persephone Darke: My real purpose with my art and my music is to create an impact on people. I think that’s the whole purpose of music, to create connection between humans. The sound I’ve cultivated, especially over the past year, is very focused on building people’s self-esteem through the healing of my own.

My goal for every show is: I want the audience to walk out feeling better about themselves than when they came in. Every time they listen to my music, I want them to end up feeling more confident and happier about who they are as a person and the life they’re living. This world has so much negativity and horrible news and everything is bombarded at us nonstop. We need ways to build ourselves back up, to continue facing the day.

That’s where art comes in. We have to protect ourselves, trust ourselves, and feel good about ourselves in order to show up for other people too, and to show up for our communities. It’s something I don’t think there’s enough of in the world right now.

Soft Hobbies: That’s beautiful. Thank you for sharing that. What would you tell folks who are in a similar situation as you, where they’re turning their passions or their hobbies into their careers?

Persephone Darke: No matter what it is that you want to do, you have to do it with 100% of yourself and be clear about your intentions with it. The world is so wild and silly and ridiculous, and our economic state is even worse, so do whatever you want to do. Sing your song, you know. Just give it your all, whatever you’re going to do.

Thanks so much to Persephone for her time and energy! Make sure to follow her and give “I’M ALIVE” a listen wherever you listen to your music.

Softly yours,

Auzin

Leave a comment

Greetings to the 1,356 softies who subscribe to this newsletter! Thank you for being here.

Today’s post is brought to you by my friend Yasmeen, who was the genius behind the local romance bookstore tour I went on last year. We’re also writing accountability buddies! I’m excited to present her story about rediscovering her love for reading, which I think many of you can probably relate to. Note: I’m a Bookshop affiliate, so I’ll earn a few bucks if you decide to purchase any books through my links with them.

Bio: Yasmeen Wafai is a multiplatform editor at The Seattle Times. Outside of work, she loves reading, spending time with friends and family, and obsessing over pop culture.

When I was younger, I often relied on the library for a safe place to entertain myself. My dad was a working single parent, and we had limited resources when it came to money and transportation. This was especially difficult in the summers. With no school, no one to drive me places, and no money to attend activities, I had to make my own fun.

So when I wasn’t at a friend’s house or perfecting my Mario Kart skills, I walked to the library. As a tween, I was a frequent flyer to the young adult section. I gravitated toward romances, but picked up a few fantasy books as well. This was during the era of popular dystopian YA novels where teens had to fight for their lives, so there were a few of those, of course.

I was quite the reader, but that changed once I got to college. Between classes, extracurriculars, and socializing, I didn’t have a lot of time to read, or at least, I didn’t really make the time. I read a few books here and there, but it was hard to want to read for fun when I had to read so much for school. After graduating, I would often say, “I want to read more,” or “I want to get back into reading.” I really meant what I said, but for some reason, I couldn’t keep up the habit.

Then, in 2024, my cousin lent me her copy of “Fourth Wing” by Rebecca Yarros, and something clicked.

The writing style of “Fourth Wing” isn’t for everyone (I didn’t always love it, and see Auzin’s last post for her reaction), but I was still able to enjoy it because of its fast pace, pulse-racing action, and swoon-worthy romance. I became so wrapped up in this story that I would stay up until 2 a.m. reading because I couldn’t resist finding out what was going to happen next. I learned that staying open to reading for fun and, for lack of a better term, good vibes, makes a big difference. Essentially, how do you expect me to put a book down when there’s an epic battle going on or the enemies are about to become lovers?!

This eventually carried over into my other reading endeavors, even after I was caught up with the series. Once I formed the habit, it became a no-brainer to make the time to read.

Given my schedule, the best time for me to read is before bed, but I found myself trying to sneak in reading throughout the day because the short while before falling asleep wasn’t enough. I began to actively choose reading over doing something else in the evenings, like watching TV or playing a video game. There were times when I carried the book I was currently invested in around the house and read as I walked from room to room, or while eating. I even tried to read while putting away dishes once, but that didn’t really work.

Beyond finding a story that hooks you and shifting your priorities to make time to read, here are a few more tips I recommend trying if you also want to get back into reading:

1. Make the act of reading special. The great thing about reading is it’s also a way to relax! It can be hard to carve out time for yourself, but it truly is important. Find what would make the experience exciting for you. Think about what, beyond a good plot, would make the act of sitting down to read even more enticing. A cozy blanket and a cup of tea? A coffee shop with lo-fi music and a fireplace? A quiet park on a sunny day? Reading shouldn’t feel like a chore. So get comfy and meet your needs before starting.

2. Try audiobooks. I was skeptical of audiobooks for some time because I worried about my mind wandering, but once I tried it and got used to it, I wished I had given them a chance sooner! I know there is some debate over whether listening to audiobooks counts as reading that I won’t get into here, but for some people, audiobooks are a really great option (and the better way to read while putting away dishes!). I find audiobooks help me get through books faster–my TBR list is thankful–and I love being able to listen to one title when I’m puttering around doing errands and then pick up a different one when I’m able to sit with a physical book. The more books, the merrier!

3. Find a community of readers. Another thing that has been so fun for me as I’ve gotten back into reading is talking about books with my friends (and sharing funny book-related Reels on Instagram). Maybe you and a friend can make a goal to read the same book. Even if it’s at a different pace, it can help motivate you to finish it so you can discuss it. I’m not on TikTok, but I know BookTok has become a really popular and fun way for people to share their love of books. You might also consider a silent book club where you read on your own for a bit in the company of other readers, then talk about what you’ve read.

5 books to get you back into reading

Now that you have a few ideas for how to pick up reading again, here are a handful of book recommendations if you don’t know where to start. I happened to read all of these via audiobook. I found the listening experience for all to be great, and doing so allowed me to get to some books I’d been meaning to read for a while. Another win for audiobooks!

“Daisy Jones & The Six” by Taylor Jenkins Reid. This book is a great pick if you love music. It follows the rise and fall of a fictional ’70s rock band (think Fleetwood Mac) as they navigate the addition of the rebellious but talented Daisy Jones and the relationship she develops with the band’s frontman. What’s fun about this novel is that it’s written as a documentary interview, and if you listen to the audiobook, each character is played by a different voice actor, which makes for an immersive experience.

“James” by Percival Everett. This is one of the best books I have ever read. The story is a retelling of “Huckleberry Finn” from the perspective of a slave named James. It’s an emotional journey from start to finish as James runs away from his owner to avoid being sold and separated from his wife and daughter. I appreciated that Everett sprinkled humor throughout to break up the heaviness.

“Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus. I was late to this book and didn’t read it when it was popular, but I’m glad I finally picked it up. It follows Elizabeth Zott, a scientist-turned-cooking show host (who refuses to give up the science) in the 1960s. Elizabeth is constantly at odds with her boss, who wants her to follow the scripts, but her refusal to be anything but herself during a more restrictive time for women becomes an inspiration to her viewers. While the novel doesn’t shy from tough topics, it’s ultimately an uplifting read that had me absolutely charmed.

“First-Time Caller” by B.K. Borison. I’m a sucker for a rom-com, and this quickly became one of my favorites. It tells a “Sleepless In Seattle”-type story that follows Lucie, a single mom in Baltimore, who winds up the subject of a radio show crafted to help her meet that special someone. But when sparks fly with the show’s host, love may be easier to find than Lucie thought.

“I’m Glad My Mom Died” by Jeanette McCurdy. I love a memoir, and this one is equal parts heartbreaking and well-written. McCurdy doesn’t just “spill tea” about being a child star; she dives deep into the complicated relationship she had with her mother and what her life was like after her death. I was so impressed with McCurdy’s writing, and hearing it in her voice made it all the more compelling. (Ed. note: I also love this book!)

In terms of my reading habits today, I recently moved to a new home, so physical books have been tough to make time for. However, I zoomed through several audiobooks while packing and unpacking. When I do get the chance to pick up a book, I’ve slowly been making my way through “Throne of Glass,” by Sarah J. Maas. I’m hoping to finish the series this year. Wish me luck!

Whether you have a goal to read one book a month or one book a week, I hope these tips and recommendations help you get to a place where it’s a fun habit rather than a looming chore. Happy reading!

Thanks so much to Yasmeen for this post! Have you read any of these books? What got you back into reading for fun? Or are you still looking for that gateway book?

If you’ll be in Seattle on April 12, I’ll be vending at Tractor Tavern Maker’s Market from 10am to 3pm! I’m selling some brand-new zines, my poetry chapbooks, stickers, watercolor art, and beaded bracelets :) I’d love to see you there.

Softly yours,

Auzin

Leave a comment

Greetings to the 1,325 softies who subscribe to this newsletter! Thank you for being here.

When you get this email, I’ll be walking around Paris with Ethan for our fourth anniversary of dating! We’ve both been to the city before, but it’ll be our first time staying in Montmartre — I can’t wait to see Sacre Coeur and hopefully not get kicked down all its steps like John Wick did.

It’s also officially Spring now, despite the continuous grey rain in Seattle. This has been a long, cold, dark winter and I’m eager to say goodbye to it. Please send multicolored blossoms and butterflies my way.

Here are three of the best books I read this winter, and one of the worst. I’m a Bookshop affiliate, so I’ll earn a few bucks if you decide to purchase through my links with them.

Best: The Shadow of the Torturer by Gene Wolf (1980)

Ethan and I are in a book club with a few close friends, and we’ve all been working on this epic science fantasy since August of last year. It’s a beast of a book, the first in a long series, and I’ve never read anything like it before. Set in a far-off future but peppered with archaic and arcane language throughout, Shadow is challenging, bewildering, and fascinating. It’s a great book club pick for your nerdiest squad and I love chewing on its cryptic mysteries. We’re about to start on the sequel!

Best: Foglifter magazine anthology 10.2 (2025)

The bad news is that print copies of this issue are sold out. The GREAT news is that you can read the entire issue online for free in PDF form! I picked this up because I recently became a huge Molly Olguín fan — she’s an amazing PNW horror/fantasy author — and she has an incredible vampire story in this anthology. Lots of other powerful, engaging work from queer writers in here as well.

Best: The Writer’s Portable Mentor, Second Edition by Priscilla Long (2018)

I recently took a six-week class with Priscilla at Hugo House and she’s a kind, inspiring teacher with an impressive, aspirational writing career. This book is a distillation of her writing wisdom and her passion for crafting beautiful language by studying the greats — you’ll learn why writing for 15 minutes per day is not a token amount, how to use the work of masters to improve your own, and the difference between compound and complex sentences (I’m still working on that one). Highly recommend, and I’ve added this to my small list of favorite craft books on Bookshop.

Worst: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros (2023)

This is one of the best-selling books of the past few years, so I’m sure you’ve heard of it or at least seen the cover. It didn’t surprise me that this book is bad. Pretty much everyone agrees that Fourth Wing is a badly-written page-turner. I’m paraphrasing, but one of my writing teachers described it as “plotted like a timepiece.” Almost every sentence and piece of dialogue sets up a part of the plot; it’s expositional to a nauseating degree. I felt like I was reading with a gun pointed at my head because I couldn’t put it down despite hating it the entire time. I got the entire series from someone on Buy Nothing and I’m so glad I didn’t pay for it lol. This will be a donation to my friend’s quarterly book swap!

What else I’ve been enjoying lately:

• Did you know I co-manage my boyfriend’s dark fantasy doom metal band and their new album is out on streaming and Bandcamp?

• If you crochet, this book is for you

• Fae romance quiz for writers

• I’m working my way through the Weird Medieval Guys substack and enjoying every second

• I’m trying to watch every movie in the Cyberzone section at Scarecrow Video and logging it all on Letterboxd

• Ethan and I finished watching Babylon 5 and loved it! For our next show, we’re waffling between a Twin Peaks rewatch, The X-Files, or maybe Stargate…

If you’ll be in Seattle on April 12, I’ll be vending at Tractor Tavern Maker’s Market from 10am to 3pm! All the sellers, including me, will be of SWANA1 descent in support of National Arab American Heritage Month. I’m selling some brand-new zines, my poetry chapbooks, stickers, watercolor art, and whatever else I manage to make in the next couple weeks :) would love to see you there!

What have you been creating and enjoying? How are your hobbies going? Has Spring sprung splendid in your part of the world?

Softly yours,

Auzin

Leave a comment

Greetings to the 1,325 softies who subscribe to this newsletter! Thank you for being here.

Do we have any fiber artists in the audience today? I have an exciting new book for you! Beth Povey, also known as Realm Designs, is a pattern designer and crochet artist based in the Midlands in England. Her crochet patterns are full of bright colors and 70s designs, and she has been sharing her work online for over 9 years.

Beth just released her first book of fun, wearable, beginner-friendly crochet patterns — Not Your Grandma’s Crochet, available in paperback. You can order it from stores in the US (Barnes & Noble/Bookshop.org/Books A Million/Hudson Booksellers/Powell’s) or in the UK.

Beth called me from the Midlands in England to chat about her book, her crochet journey, and her feelings about social media. Keep reading to see our conversation and her beautiful crochet patterns!

Soft Hobbies: Beth, congrats on your book coming out. That’s amazing. Can you tell us about yourself and your book?

Beth Povey: Well, my name is Beth, I am 28, and I’ve just released the book “Not Your Grandma’s Crochet.” It’s got 20 patterns that are, hopefully, things you really want to wear. There’s a mix between clothing, accessories, and a few little bits of home goods They’re all quite beginner-friendly, but there are a few more intermediate ones in there. Mostly I wanted things that are fun to make and fun to look at.

Soft Hobbies: What skill level as a crocheter would you say someone needs to get the most out of your book?

Beth Povey: I think you can definitely get the book if you’re a beginner. It’s a really great place to start. Or if you already know how to crochet and want to get into wearables, it’s a really good way of getting into that. Hopefully if you’re a more advanced crocheter, it kind of gives you inspiration and that drive to make something.

Soft Hobbies: Definitely. I’m not a fiber artist and I’ve never crocheted, but as I read the book, I was really struck by how cool the designs are. I love how bright the colors and the patterns are. Is that a style you’ve always gravitated towards, or is it something you kind of created?

Beth Povey: Well, I definitely had a phase when I was a teenager where I would wear all black and nothing but black. I quickly got out of that, and since then, I’ve always loved color. I’ve always been an arty person. I was an art student. So I’ve been very into color my whole life.

I’ve always loved crafting and all that, and as I created my brand, the colorful aspect of it is something a lot of people resonated with. So I’ve kind of stuck with that, but I just I love color. I want color everywhere. I hate black and white and beige. I would never be a beige girl.

Soft Hobbies: I love that. I feel like the style you have in the book is really for the maximalism girlies. How did you get into crochet initially?

Beth Povey: I joined a knitting club at college, and I was going there at lunchtime. I kept showing my tutor all these inspiration pictures, and she was like, “That’s crochet. All of these pictures you showed me are crochet. I can teach you how to crochet, rather than knit.” So she basically taught me to make a little flower. And instantly I was like, “This is the best thing ever. I love it.” My mum can crochet, but I’d never really had the desire to do it. And then, when I just started doing a little flower, I was like, “This is my new personality.” I never stopped after that.

Soft Hobbies: What do you think spoke to you about it initially?

Beth Povey: It just felt really satisfying. And I’ve always loved 70s fashion, so I think that’s what I was drawn to. I love flowers and color and and all that. So I was looking at vintage crochets, like 70s blankets and 70s clothing, and that’s what I was really drawn to.

Soft Hobbies: That’s awesome. What was your journey like to becoming a crochet influencer?

Beth Povey: I went to uni to study fashion, but I was only there for a couple of months because it wasn’t for me; it wasn’t the right fit. My plan was always to start my own business anyway. So I was like, “I’m going to just start now.”

At the time, I was doing a little bit of crochet, but it was kind of upcycling, and I was sewing and making clothes. So I thought, “I’m going to have a small business, and I’m going to make things to sell.” I made some little crocheted earrings, and they took off, and people loved them. That pushed me in the direction of going down the crochet route more, and I left the upcycling and the making clothes behind a little bit. But to be honest, crochet became everything to me anyway. So it worked out well.

Soft Hobbies: Was the social media always there from the beginning? Or were you kind of selling crocheted things first, and then jumped on social media?

Beth Povey: It was kind of hand-in-hand. When I created the business, I created a website, and I created an Instagram. Obviously at the start I didn’t have many followers, but that was my advertisement. That’s how I got myself out there.

Soft Hobbies: I’m sure, as a full-time content creator, there’s fun parts and challenging parts. Could you talk more about both of those?

Beth Povey: To be honest, I don’t really like posting on social media. I wouldn’t call myself a content creator — I’m a pattern designer that uses social media to promote my work. If I didn’t have to post on social media, I wouldn’t; personally, I don’t think it’s where my passion is. But I have to do it to get customers and for people to find my work.

My favorite thing is getting feedback when people say, “I saw something you made and it inspired me to start crocheting.” That is the best feeling ever. I don’t really get that many negative comments. Luckily, I’ve got a very nice audience, but I have ended up on the wrong side of Instagram and TikTok before, and people can be a bit mean. But yeah, there is the pressure of comparing yourself, and even when my followers grew, I thought I wouldn’t need to compare myself anymore, because I reached that level. But then you still do, and certain posts don’t do as well as you think they’re going to, and it makes you think, “Why? What have I done wrong, and is it all going to end?” It makes you feel very on edge. So that’s definitely the downside of it.

Soft Hobbies: I like that you speak as an artist first, because that’s kind of how I feel, too, where I’m a writer who’s using social media or using Substack. How do you balance the content you have to post with making the art you want to make, and all the other obligations I’m sure you have in your life?

Beth Povey: I don’t have notifications on Instagram or anything like that, because it otherwise it’s too much. And I always try to have weekends off, where I switch off and try not to do anything. I sit on the sofa and crochet, but not for work purposes, just for fun.

Soft Hobbies: Nice. I think my readers would be interested in knowing more about the publication of your book. This is your first one. How did that become a reality? Did the publisher reach out to you?

Beth Povey: So, I think it was because I had a video do really well on Instagram. Shortly after that, I got an email from the publishing company [Ebury Press] saying, “Would you be interested in doing a book?” It had always been a bucket list thing I wanted to do, I just didn’t think it would happen so soon. It was sort of in my 10 year plan rather than right now. So I was very excited.

Soft Hobbies: That’s so cool. What was the process of writing it like? Was it pulling from patterns you already had, or creating new ones?

Beth Povey: That was one of the amazing things about when they contacted me, that they were happy for it to be a lot of the work I already had out there. If they wanted 20 brand-new patterns, I don’t think it would have been feasible. There’s five years’ worth of work in there, and to create good-quality patterns, it takes time, and getting them tested and checked that they work. Testing them relies on a community of people doing that, which most people are doing as a hobby. You can’t expect them to turn around a cardigan within two weeks.

Soft Hobbies: Would you ever do another book in the future?

Beth Povey: I would definitely love to. I would need a bit of time for sure, but yeah, it’s been an amazing experience, and I’m so proud of it. It’s been magical to be able to have something so physical and be such an amazing representation of all my work.

Soft Hobbies: Congratulations again. Do you have any rituals for getting into creative flow or getting inspired for crocheting?

Beth Povey: I’ve always got ideas in my head, to be honest. At the moment, I’ve got five projects on the go, and I can’t decide which one I want to do, but sometimes it’s not like that. Maybe I’ll have one, or I’m feeling a bit more like focusing on doing content and things like that. But I think I’ve always got ideas in my head. I never really seem to run out.

For the book, I definitely had to plan my time better. In a normal day, I can just do what I want, unless there’s certain things in the schedule. So I had to be a bit more rigid with my days and remember, “Oh no, this needs to get done,” because I’ve never really had deadlines. Any deadlines have been my own deadlines that I’ve put on myself. I did quite enjoy having that new structure, to be honest. And it came at the perfect time, when I felt I needed something to give me a little bit of a boost. I needed a new challenge.

Soft Hobbies: This is clearly such a lifelong passion and dedication for you. What are your goals and dreams for your book, and for your online community going forward?

Beth Povey: I would love for anyone that gets the book to just enjoy it. That is the main thing, and if it inspires anyone to crochet more, that’s the best feeling ever. I love what I do, and I want to carry on what I’m doing. I feel very grateful for the fact that I can do this as my job, because it truly is my favorite thing in the world. If I wasn’t doing this, I don’t know what I’d be doing. I hope that it all carries on.

Soft Hobbies: What would you tell folks who are in a similar situation as you or a little bit before, where they want to start turning their hobbies or their passions into their careers?

Beth Povey: Consistency is key, and it’s hard at the start, because it’s so easy to be like, “This isn’t going to work; I’m going to give up.” That’s the time you definitely shouldn’t give up, and you need to push through that. It isn’t going to be great when you first start.

When I first started, I had no idea what I was doing, but you’ve got to find your niche and what you can bring to the table. If you’re not bringing anything new, no one’s going to care. So you’ve got to bring something fun and exciting and authentic to you, and just keep going. Because if you want to do it, it’ll work.

Soft Hobbies: I love that. Thank you so much.

Thanks again to Beth for her time, and don’t forget to order Not Your Grandma’s Crochet for yourself or the crocheter in your life!

Barnes & Noble / Bookshop.org / Books A Million / Hudson Booksellers / Powell’s

Follow Beth on her socials: Instagram / TikTok / YouTube / Etsy / Website

Softly yours,

Auzin

Leave a comment

Greetings to the 1,313 softies who subscribe to this newsletter! Thank you for being here.

If this newsletter is truncated in your inbox, you can click on “View entire message” to view the whole post.

Anyone else feel stretched beyond their limits? Are you teetering on the edge of burnout, or maybe in recovery from it? Is it hard to find time for yourself and the things you enjoy doing?

It’s only March, but I’ve felt this way a lot in 2026. Getting older comes with more responsibilities, to yourself and to others, and it’s hard to justify activities that don’t fit into the capitalist frameworks of productivity and optimization. We’re told not to do things that are frivolous, useless, or amateur. Except — those things are awesome, and good for your brain, and having fun is what makes life worthwhile. So let’s try to do our hobbies no matter what, okay? I’ll help you.

Please note: I am not a health professional of any kind; I’m just writing from personal and shared experience.

Problem: “I can’t get off the screens!”

Solution: Okay, I won’t make you. But let’s keep it to one screen, and find something to do with your hands other than scrolling. Coloring, painting, drawing, playing with clay, building a Lego set, putting a puzzle together, painting your nails, knitting, crocheting, embroidering, finally working on that sewing project, scrapbooking/junk journaling, lifting weights, doing yoga, step aerobics, braiding your friends’ hair. Just do it for one episode of your show and see how you feel.

Problem: “I barely have 10 minutes to myself in the day.”

Solution: Take that 10 minutes, put your phone in another room, and journal. Write about why you feel so much pressure, where it’s coming from, and how it makes you feel. Write for 10 minutes every day about how overwhelmed you feel. Writing by hand works best. After a week or two, you’ll see what needs to change in your life.

Problem: “Too many people rely on me and I feel guilty taking time for myself.”

Solution: You are a human, not a machine, and you can’t keep going forever without taking care of yourself. Your emotional world is part of the whole, and is nourished by hobbies and creativity. Human beings are creative by nature.

Are you setting a good example for all these people by ignoring your wants and needs? Do they even know you have needs, or have you kept them hidden? Lean on the people who love you. If things really will collapse without you, it might be time for a more supportive community.

Problem: “I keep overcommitting. How do I scale it back?”

Solution: Be honest with others about your overcommitments and how they’re affecting you. Mature loved ones will understand! Take a comprehensive look at your calendar and see how much time you can free up.

Also, get comfortable spending time just by yourself. Oftentimes, overcommitting socially stems from discomfort with being alone. You are your own longest and most important relationship, so make sure to keep nurturing the connection with yourself.

Problem: “I can’t shake this feeling of guilt when I do things I enjoy.”

Solution: I wrote this for you!

Problem: “Okay, I found an hour to work on my hobbies. What’s the best way to spend it?”

Solution: Awesome! Sit down, close your eyes, and take three deep breaths. Think about what’s calling to you. What sounds like the most fun, or what you’d get the most satisfaction from doing? Do that. Enjoy your flow state!

This is a topic close to my heart and I’ve collected some reading material for you, both from Soft Hobbies and other sources:

• The Creative Independent: Balancing full-time work with creative projects

Creativity Under Capitalism

How to shift out of "work brain" and into creative mode

You’re reading Creativity Under Capitalism, a free biweekly newsletter about reclaiming and sustaining creative joy under tricky socioeconomic circumstances. I’m Adrianna, a journalist and creative writer based in Phoenix, AZ…

Read more

a year ago · 53 likes · 8 comments · Adrianna Nine

Creativity Under Capitalism

My favorite tips, tricks, and tools for distraction-free creating

When you’re writing, do you find yourself flitting from Thesaurus.com to your latest online purchase’s tracking page and then, guiltily, to social media? Do you ever set down your sketchbook to take a quick glance at your emails, then find yourself hurrying to tap out long-overdue replies? Do your attempts to create often end in a flurry of distractions…

Read more

2 years ago · 50 likes · 10 comments · Adrianna Nine

Changing The Channel with Kirsten Powers

Blocked Artists And The Lies We Believe

This essay is free to read + comment. You can support this publication by liking this post, commenting and/or sharing this post with anyone who might enjoy it. To never miss a post, become a subscriber…

Read more

2 years ago · 502 likes · 134 comments · Kirsten Powers

Know that you are worthy of this time. I hope things slow down for you soon, and remember that your creativity gives you power over both time and oppressive systems. Please let me know your tips and tricks for finding more hobby time — I bet you have great ideas!

Softly yours,

Auzin

Leave a comment

Greetings to the 1,310 softies who subscribe to this newsletter! Thank you for being here.

Back in high school (about 14 years ago), I dreaded school assemblies. Sitting in that big auditorium with over 1500 other students and faculty was my first experience with social anxiety. Instead of feeling like I was disappearing into the crowd, I felt more exposed than ever, as if everybody was looking at me — even though they assuredly weren’t. The mass of humanity in front of me seemed, as a whole, unlikeable and unintelligent. I didn’t want to be part of it, and there was no opting out.

I had great friends in high school, and I wasn’t relentlessly bullied like I was in middle school, yet I always ached for a group to “truly” belong to. There were a few lunch tables I rotated around, but it felt like all my closest friends were part of different groups and didn’t really know each other. I categorized myself as someone who was constantly on the fringes, on the outside of the circle looking in. I’d always been introverted, with sedentary hobbies and niche interests. Commitment, discipline, and sticking to routines were hard for me. I was weird, but hadn’t dedicated myself enough to my weirdness to become interesting.

These patterns continued into college, a bizarre social time for me which mostly consisted of bad relationships, friends flaking on plans constantly, and driving around listening to Lana Del Rey wishing I had something to do.1

Fast forward to now, and my friendships are the most important and rewarding part of my life. I’ll be 32 this year — I wish it hadn’t taken so long for me to find my people, but I’m incredibly thankful I did.2 And like finding the right romantic partnership, it can’t be rushed or forced.

Nowadays, I feel much more comfortable making new friends and letting my friendships exist/evolve in whatever form they need. My misanthropy has declined exponentially. I have a one-line journal that I often use to practice gratitude, and frequently write some variation of “I am so grateful for my friends.”

In my 20s, I often thought “I’ll have everything figured out in my 30s.” I don’t, and probably won’t ever have everything figured out because that sounds like no fun at all; I do think I’m closer to understanding meaningful friendship.

I hope to grow these skills over the rest of my life, but here’s what I’ve learned so far!

To get amazing friends, you need to BE an amazing friend.

This doesn’t mean you’re self-sacrificing to a fault, or you always behave perfectly. It means you consistently put in effort to celebrate and get to know other people. Tell people what you like about them. Remember birthdays and write good cards. Learn how to be supportive during difficult times. Let the hangout be informed by what you all like to do or have capacity for, instead of what’s expected or conventional.

Build your people skills.

Working in retail or customer service is a masterclass in people skills. It’s a trial by fire, and it’s not for everyone, but I did it for 6+ years and I can have a decent conversation with pretty much anyone now. Talking with strangers for free is way easier after you’ve talked with them for money. So if you’re trapped in a job you hate, just know it won’t be a total loss in the long run.

Other tips for building your people skills: have short, casual conversations with friendly service workers (don’t hit on them, don’t hold up the line); go to meetups/book clubs/classes for things you’re interested in; strike up a conversation at an event where you’re sure to have something in common with the other attendees. This will be awkward, and it will be okay. Compliments and open-ended questions go a long way towards starting conversations.

Get comfortable going to places by yourself.

If you’re showing up with that friend you can’t be vulnerable with or that situationship who won’t hold your hand in public, you’re signaling to everyone else that your attention is occupied. The status quo will remain, and nothing will change for you. Same goes for being on your phone the whole time, even if it’s because you’re nervous (we’ve all done this).

One of the biggest domino effects in the friendship area of my life happened when I went to Short Run by myself and met my friend Yaz. We were looking at the same artist’s booth, and Yaz started chatting with me about a shared aspect of identity we have. We had a short conversation, exchanged numbers, and they invited me to another event. They’re very sociable, and I’ve met a few dozen people directly through them.

My friend group would not be in the wonderful state it is today without one random meeting that happened because I went to something I was interested in by myself. Your people are waiting for you — let them find you!

Curate spaces you want to be in.

I adore hosting events. No driving? No parking? No walking out in the cold in a cute outfit? No boring bars? Sign me the fuck up! Hosting is such a good exercise for perfectionists because it lets you lean into your control freakism just enough to feel safe, but also forces you to ease up on the reins so your guests don’t feel like they’re being steered through a museum or a library. Finding that balance has been great for me. Plus, I only host events I would want to be invited to, and that helps build like-minded community as well.

Events I’ve hosted in the past year and a half:

• a quarterly clothing swap

• a “But I have nowhere to wear that!” party

• multiple arts & crafts events (including this one)

• a powerpoint party with a “corporate cunt” dress code

• a Halloween costume party every year

• a Medieval Times-themed dinner party

Maybe you’re yelling at me in your head right now because you don’t have the space or capacity to host. I completely understand! Four years ago, I would have been in your exact situation. Yet I believe you can create amazing group hangouts without cramming everyone into your studio apartment or sheepishly asking your roommates if you can take over the living room for a craft night.

Hosting is about planning, good communication, and taking initiative. Why shouldn’t you be the person to organize a jog in the park, or a beach excursion, or a day full of bookstores? Don’t dream it be it/make the change you want to see in the world, etcetera. I believe in you!!

Be kids together.

I think this is great advice for all relationships, and friendships especially are one of the safest places for this. We all have an innate reservoir of goofiness. I mean, did you see my list of parties up there? I can be a DEEPLY unserious person. We need to laugh together instead of crying alone.

Being silly with your friends, working on creative projects as a group, doing weird bits, wearing outragoeus outfits together — it will heal a part of you. If your friends are safe and welcoming, you won’t need to pretend to be anyone other than who you are.

Things to watch out for:

Have patience with yourself, because none of this will happen overnight. I have lost friends through negligence, speaking recklessly, time, distance, and bad decisions. Sometimes we just grew apart, and sometimes it was a lot more intense than that. Those painful losses made me value and understand friendship much more. So, learn how to apologize/make amends when it’s needed, and don’t give up.

Also, don’t mistake good friendship for “we only have fun together.” Lasting, deep-rooted connections require vulnerability and sacrifice. If you want to create an ocean, you have to mingle all your rivers together, which includes all the silt and rocks at the bottom. This is something I’m still working on — the idea of crying in front of my friends still scares me. Thankfully, I know that if I did, they wouldn’t think any less of me and would just want to help me feel supported.

Another thing I’m working on: making time for everyone! Aligning adult schedules can feel impossible. I struggle with having enough time for my creative work and quality time with my partner with such a packed social calendar (and doing my job, of course). This is one of my biggest problem areas, so I don’t feel very qualified to give advice. Group hangouts are awesome, but the real growth and trust happens one-on-one. Good communication helps a lot here.

You deserve a group of friends who will uplift, celebrate, and welcome you. The right bunch will make you a better, more well-rounded person — I know mine has. I hope this post was helpful and please don’t feel left behind, no matter what age you’re reading this at. Finding what I was looking for took a lot of time and effort, but luck was also a big part of it. I’m sending a ton of luck your way!

Softly yours,

Auzin

Leave a comment

Greetings to the 1,302 softies who subscribe to this newsletter! Thank you for being here.

Writers Not Writing is a series where I interview professional writers about their non-literary hobbies. I believe that engaging with hobbies outside of reading or writing is healthy, inspiring, and fulfilling for people who write as their main job.

Today’s interviewee is a longtime supporter of Soft Hobbies, and I’m honored by her enthusiasm for my work. We had a fantastic, far-ranging conversation that I’m presenting in a shortened form here. I’m excited by the opportunity to chat more about the mind-body connection in relationship to writing and creativity — hopefully this is the first of many times!

Bio: Amy Mrotek is a ghostwriter and copywriter living in Milwaukee, WI. When she's not writing things that help pay her mortgage, she's writing short stories, usually with a magical realism bend. She is a recent cat mama to Phoebe and avid lover of anything Ocean Vuong or Frank O'Hara.

Soft Hobbies: Hi Amy! What are the main aspects of your writing life?

Amy Mrotek: It’s funny, I’m used to being on your end of things because on the day-to-day, I’m constantly doing this kind of format. I’m a ghostwriter, but the vast majority of people I work with are standard executives or startup founders, or I work with agencies who work with founders and executives.

I’ve worked on longform manuscript work, you’ll maybe see one or two big projects like that a year. But in the month-to-month, week-to-week, it’s a lot of social media, a lot of podcast preparation, a lot of articles we place in third-party websites for PR. Substack newsletters too.

Soft Hobbies: That’s a lot of writing. Do you feel like that ever drains your personal creative reserves?

Amy Mrotek: It’s hard. And I do think there’s aspects about the personal and the creative writing that really can inform the professional writing. Or just keeps your tools sharp. But there’s that baseline fatigue at the end of the day where it’s like, “I have been staring at a damn computer screen for seven, eight hours. I don’t want to look at a screen anymore.”

[Regarding her creative writing] I’ve been noodling on short stories and I go through these waves of being really diligent about submitting them to different magazines or short story competitions, and then there’s waves where I haven’t done anything in six months. I would love to someday either do a short story collection or just get my butt in gear and actually commit to characters long enough to get a much longer traditional manuscript going. I love magical realism. I love a setting where it’s overall realistic, but there’s, like, one tiny little odd thing.

Soft Hobbies: Absolutely. What non-screen, non-literary hobbies do you enjoy?

Amy Mrotek: I make doodle journals! It’s a journal of like, random snippets and lines. Sometimes we do oil pastels on the page and we’re drawing things. Sometimes it’s literally just moving a pencil so we’re letting the brain kind of “go dark.”

The other main thing is when the weather allows here in Wisconsin, I go on my little “album walks.” Which is exactly like it sounds: you put the earbuds in, you pick an album you’ve never listened to, and you walk. No set destination; we’re moving our body, and we are focused on one linear sequence and not on short-form content. It’s a full piece that someone put so much time and work into. This is something I started maybe eight months ago.

Soft Hobbies: Did you come up with it yourself?

Amy Mrotek: Oh, I’ve been doing the doodle journal thing forever. With the album walk, I want to say honestly, it might be someone I follow on Instagram. I was like, “Oh my god, this is such a simple thing. But when was the last time I turned my phone on airplane mode and listened to a full album?”

Soft Hobbies: Definitely. And [before we did this interview] you mentioned lifting too? I haven’t written about that on this interview series before.

Amy Mrotek: I mean, here’s the thing. I haven’t always had exercise and movement in my life in a healthy way, or from healthy motivations. But starting probably three or four years ago, I stopped being a cardio bunny and just decided, “We’re not going to use cardio machines. We’re going to try to push myself and lift heavy things.”

It’s kind of profound, how much that shift—especially as a woman—can change your relationship to your body when you literally feel stronger. You’re entering a new space in the gym that before was really intimidating and only filled with dudes. You’re noticing your body might be changing, even in ways you weren’t accounting for, you know? You get to meet your body in a whole different way.

Soft Hobbies: I appreciate you sharing that with me. I would love to know how these three hobbies integrate into your day or your week.

Amy Mrotek: Five or six times a week, I try to get away from my desk—either go out on a walk, or go to the gym. I schedule it in my calendar. Early-ish afternoon, anywhere from two to four is my window, because at that point I feel like my brain is tired and it’s a good transition into the evening portion of life.

Doodle journaling is usually a nighttime thing. Sometimes when I’m watching TV; it’s very much a nighttime relaxation, sitting on the couch.

Soft Hobbies: Love that. What have you learned from your hobbies that applies to your writing life or to your job?

Amy Mrotek: I do think all three of these things, in a really important way, help me not take my sense of self too seriously. As creative people I really think we put a lot of stock in our writing, in our words, and in how people receive those words. It’s hard to shut off the part of your brain that’s like, “Are people gonna like this? Are they gonna get it?”

I need to set up moments where I’m not like a little bird circling around myself. We’re able to just chill for a little bit. And for what I do professionally, especially as a ghostwriter, it’s literally not about me. So it makes edits and feedback cycles roll off the shoulders a lot more, and you see it more as part of the process, asking: “What is this person’s story? What are they trying to communicate? What is their insight, not my interpretation of it?” And right now, my god, the world could use so much more of people not centering themselves.

Soft Hobbies: I know you already talked about this a little bit, but what do you enjoy specifically about each of your hobbies?

Amy Mrotek: A, they get me off of screens. It is so important to get your eyeballs off of screens. It’s so healthy for you in ways you don’t even realize. B, [my hobbies] make me more present in my body again. I would say also, and you write about this a lot, but also not needing to feel like you’re doing something creative in order to get validation or recognition. These are fundamentally solo activities that I do by myself whenever I want to.

It’s kind of taking back the idea that your creativity or your output is only valid if it’s externally recognized. We live in a world where we all feel so compelled to put everything out in order to get validation. And that’s very normal and human. You have to, like, rewire your brain to do simple things for yourself and not worry about what others will think.

Soft Hobbies: Exactly, and to remember that if you create something and no one else sees it, it’s still valuable because you created something and it still exists.

Amy Mrotek: Yeah, and no one in their right mind would hear that and disagree with it. And yet we all feel this weird compulsion — “I really like to read, so I’m gonna go and make a BookTok account.” And then you feel guilty because now you’re not reading enough, or because your content isn’t growing, you’re not reading the right books.

Soft Hobbies: Do you identify as a perfectionist? And if so, how has that impacted your creative practice?

Amy Mrotek: I think yes. And I think where my brain interprets that is in the inconsistency. It’s in the procrastination. If you really sit and try to talk to that voice, it’s like, “Well, I don’t have my perfect short story plotline figured out, so I can’t.” And that is perfectionism, that you have to have everything figured out before you can even take the first step.

And do I have the remedy for that? I absolutely do not. I’m working on it in different ways, and it’s definitely more of a cycle. Sometimes I’m a little bit more gentle with meeting that procrastination voice, and then it’s easier to keep my personal writing schedule or keep my gym schedule. But I think it’s like the iceberg, really, if you say “perfectionist,” and then there’s so many things that sit underneath.

Soft Hobbies: How do you get into creative flow, whether it’s for writing or for like, the doodle journal?

Amy Mrotek: I definitely think my professional writing has put me in the camp that you can’t sit around and wait for that perfect feeling where the sparks or the juice are flowing. I’m definitely in the camp that consistency matters way more. It’s like getting your reps in, doing it over and over makes it more approachable, makes you have more self-efficiency and confidence.

I don’t think I have a particular ritual. With sitting down to doodle, it’s like, “Hey, this is important to me, and I feel really good when I do this,” and when I keep that front-of-mind, it happens a lot. It’s kind of just a choice. Honestly, sometimes it’s a choice to remember what makes you feel good and make sure you’re doing that.

Soft Hobbies: Are there any hobbies you would recommend to other writers or to everyone? 

Amy Mrotek: Anything not screen-based. I think anything that gets you outside more is always going to be good. If that’s biking, if that’s walking, if you’re hiking, if you’re a camper. Any of that is refreshing and restorative in a very unique way. 

Thank you so much to Amy for her time, and don’t forget to follow her on Substack and subscribe to her newsletter. If you or someone you know would like to be interviewed for Writers Not Writing, please leave a comment or reply to this email.

Softly yours,

Auzin

Leave a comment

Greetings to the 1,297 softies who subscribe to this newsletter! Thank you for being here.

If this newsletter is truncated in your inbox, you can click on “View entire message” to view the whole post.

We have a lot of new faces around, so I thought I’d drop an introductory post. Welcome! I’m so glad you’re reading this. Scroll down to find your specific journey and the articles I’ve written that can support you.

Some favorite posts from the last couple years:

Want to get crafting?

Level up your writing

Cool free stuff

Take care of yourself

Sending you lots of love and creative energy — see you next week!

Softly yours,

Auzin

Greetings to the 1,282 softies who subscribe to this newsletter! Thank you for being here.

Writers Not Writing is a series where I interview professional writers about their non-literary hobbies. I believe that engaging with hobbies outside of reading or writing is healthy, inspiring, and fulfilling for people who write as their main job.

I’m lowkey a tiny bit starstruck by today’s interviewee. Kristen Felicetti released a stellar debut novel called Log Off in 2024, and I loved it so much that I DMed her on Instagram to tell her so. That’s the fun thing about reading books from living authors and from indie publishers — you can probably get in touch with them if you really want to!

Kristen was kind enough to agree to this interview despite what I’m sure is a very busy schedule as Head of Support at Substack. Keep reading to learn more about a super cool hobby, one I had never heard of before :)

Bio: Kristen Felicetti is the author of the novel Log Off. For over a decade, she was the founding editor of the literary magazine The Bushwick Review. She is currently the Interviews Editor at Zona Motel. Her writing has appeared in The Los Angeles Review of Books, The Creative Independent, and The Rumpus. Her home base is Rochester, NY.

Substack / Instagram

Soft Hobbies: What are the main aspects of your writing life?

Kristen Felicetti: My writing life mostly consists of working on longer projects. I published a novel called Log Off in June 2024, and now I’m writing my second novel. In addition to these longer-form works, I write shorter pieces from time to time, usually interviews with other creatives.

I’m also the Interviews Editor at Zona Motel, where I edit interviews other writers have conducted. However, my writing life is not my primary source of income. I have a day job as Head of Support at Substack.

SH: What non-literary hobbies do you enjoy? What circumstances led to you trying them out?

Kristen Felicetti: I love traveling, walking, film photography, and analog VJing. For the latter two, I have pretty specific aesthetics and tools I like to use. With photography, I like my photos to have in-camera effects, like putting soft filters over the lens or setting up gel lights—very little is done in post. And analog VJing involves creating live visuals by routing video signals from VHS players or camcorders through various pieces of physical equipment, like video mixers or a Tachyons+ machine that you can mix and manipulate in real time and then output via a projector.

The circumstances that led to both were that I lived in Brooklyn for a decade, and most of my friends were musicians, not writers. I’m not all that musically inclined, but I wanted to be involved, so I started taking photos and doing live visuals for their performances. Even though I live in Rochester now, most of the photography I do is still for friends’ musical projects and bands.

SH: How do your hobbies integrate into your day or week?

Kristen Felicetti: I try to go on long walks every few days, weather permitting. And I travel pretty frequently, at least once a month, even if it’s just to see friends. While I sometimes take photos while traveling, my photography and analog VJing are more project-based. I might have a shoot that takes several hours straight and involves some preplanning leading up to it, but then I won’t do it for weeks at a time.

SH: Do you have to sacrifice, work around, or reschedule anything else to make time for your hobbies?

Kristen Felicetti: I think the genuinely hard thing about having non-literary hobbies when you have a non-writing day job is that writing, reading, and literary-related activities are already taking up a lot of the hobby hours in my life (mornings, evenings, weekends).

When you reached out about doing this interview, one of the reasons I said yes is that I hoped it would serve as a reminder to make more time in my day for non-literary things. So I guess the answer to your question here is no, but perhaps now is the moment to start!

SH: Have any of your hobbies inspired your writing practice?

Kristen Felicetti: Log Off took place during Y2K, and a lot of those analog visuals have a Y2K aesthetic, so they complemented each other in that way, lol. And like many writers, I often walk to think or work out my ideas. But otherwise, no. Two of the hobbies I mentioned are visual mediums, but I’m not a very visual writer. As a writer, I’m much more drawn to things associated with sound: narrative voice and character dialogue.

SH: What do you enjoy about your hobbies?

Kristen Felicetti: I like that walking and traveling involve physically moving my body and getting away from screens. And for photography and analog VJing, since I do stuff that’s usually in collaboration with other people, they’re social hobbies by nature and usually involve diving right into a situation that might have moderate pressure (like a photoshoot). That’s so different from writing, where I can really delay getting started.

I usually experience a bit of anxiety leading up to a photoshoot, but in the moment, and after, I feel an adrenaline rush. Also, I like that these hobbies are so tactile. Especially the VJ stuff, it involves frequently, sometimes almost aggressively, turning knobs and sliders to route and glitch the video signals. There’s also usually quite a lot of setup, and dealing with these older and somewhat unpredictable machines feels nearly sculptural.

[Ed note: Here’s a short clip of Kristen’s VJ work. The VHS-C camcorder is aimed at the band, creating a feedback loop image of them, and the flashing lights are manipulated in real time using the knobs/sliders on the mixer.]

SH: Do you monetize any of your hobbies, or do you have any plans to do so in the future?

Kristen Felicetti: Musician friends will pay me to take their photos, and bands have in the past paid me to do VJing, but I’m not actively trying to monetize either of those things. I don’t feel the pressure to monetize my hobbies, but I do struggle with something related: the urge to optimize them.

While I sometimes just wander around taking photos, it’s usually centered around specific projects with people. And even when walking, I’m always checking my step counter. I don’t think that’s necessarily the best tendency, but I also just know how my mind works and that I can’t dramatically change that.

SH: Do you identify as a perfectionist? If so, how does perfectionism impact your creative practice? If not, where do your creative blocks typically come from?

Kristen Felicetti: Yes, especially in my writing, though I think I’ve gotten better about this. I still want the final piece to be as great as possible, but I’ve become more open to showing unfinished work to people for ideas and feedback.

One thing I like about 35mm photography and analog VJing is that you have to embrace imperfection. In film photography, you obviously can’t shoot a million versions to get it right. You just have to commit and hope it works out, but you won’t truly find out until the film is developed. And analog VJing is fundamentally about embracing imperfections, unknowns, happy accidents, and a little chaos. You can’t save or replicate things the way you might digitally, so you have to be fully present.

SH: How do you get into creative flow, whether for hobbies or for writing?

Kristen Felicetti: For hobbies, I enjoy just jumping into it, no ritual. For writing, I’ve recently started taking myself on mini-writing residencies that blend writing with my interest in travel. I’ll take a few days off, get an Airbnb somewhere, and immerse myself in a writing project while taking breaks to explore the area or see friends.

Those kinds of immersive conditions are the dream, but obviously not the norm, so I don’t want to get too used to them. I do think being immersed in your project is good, though. If you’re working on a book, I don’t think it’s necessary or even realistic to write every day, but I am an advocate of thinking about your project every day.

SH: What’s a hobby you recommend to other writers and artists? Or, what’s one you recommend to everyone?

Kristen Felicetti: For writers, I’d recommend any hobby that gets you away from screens. For everyone, I’d recommend a hobby where you’re a total amateur and maybe don’t even have the intention to improve. I think there can be something fun and freeing in that.

Thank you so much to Kristen for her time, and don’t forget to follow her on Substack. If you or someone you know would like to be interviewed for Writers Not Writing, please leave a comment or reply to this email.

Softly yours,

Auzin

Leave a comment

Greetings to the 1,275 softies who subscribe to this newsletter! Thank you for being here.

If this newsletter is truncated in your inbox, you can click on “View entire message” to view the whole post.

IT’S SO COLD. Going outside hurts the inside of my nose. I want to eat phở for lunch every day. Curling up in bed with a book feels like the best activity ever.

Making things with your hands is still grounding and rewarding, even in hibernation mode! But let’s take it easy, be kind to ourselves, and pick one or two projects to try out. This list is an offering, not a checklist to be completed.

Whether you’re planning a winter book swap, making a gift for a bookish friend, or just want to tap into creativity without worrying about outcomes, I hope one of these DIYs speaks to you!

I’m not associated or affiliated with any of the blogs I’m linking to on this post. I have no idea what’s on the rest of their websites, so explore at your own risk ^__^

1. Hollow Book / Secret Book Box

This is one of my favorite DIYs and I’ve done it multiple times! Hollowing out the book does take several hours, so you could do it in front of the TV or over a few days. I find that thick, vintage, hardcover books with non-glossy pages are best for this craft. Secret book boxes make awesome gifts, and you can fill them with little trinkets or cards.

Here are the instructions.

2. Handmade Notebook

Follow the link below for supply suggestions and clear infographics from Jillian Hess of the incredible Noted newsletter! This is a great intro to stitched-spine notebooks, and is very customizable.

Noted

P.S. In Praise of Hand-Made Notebooks

On Monday, I shared ideas for gifting store-bought notebooks. Here’s another option: make the notebook yourself! You’ll be following in the footsteps of Virginia Woolf, Emily Dickinson, and Mahatma Gandhi…

Read more

2 years ago · 87 likes · 18 comments · Jillian Hess

3. Handmade Envelopes

Got some pretty scrap paper? Don’t want to spend money on bulk envelopes when you just need a few? You can make your own mailing envelopes very easily.

Here are the instructions, but there are dozens of tutorials across the internet. Maybe you want to make a mini envelope. Or a money envelope?

4. Lego Printmaking

Ooooh this one is so extremely cool. Make sure to use smooth-top Legos and washable ink or kids’ paint, so the pieces can be easily cleaned afterwards. These would be awesome for handcrafted greeting cards, zines, or even frameable art pieces.

Here’s a tutorial.

5. Zines

Everyone should make a zine at least once, y’all. 2026 is the year of the zine!!!! I already shared how I want to make at least three zines this year. An 8-page mini-zine from a sheet of printer paper is super easy and fun to do, alone or with friends. We need your voice, your story, and your art.

Lots of zine resources here or take a look at this page.

6. Collage

Easiest paper craft you’ll ever do, I promise. Make a visionboard, a moodboard for a character you love, or just cut out images/phrases that speak to you and slap ‘em down in an order that feels right (that’s what I do).

People are always giving away stacks of National Geographic and Life, so keep an eye out on Buy Nothing or Craigslist or your grandparents’ house. Alternatively, ask your doctor’s office if they have any old magazines they don’t need in the waiting room anymore.

I think you already know how to collage, but here’s some inspiration :)

7. Book Purse

This is probably the most labor-intensive craft on this list, but there are multiple way to approach it. You can Frankenstein a pretty hardcover book with the handles of an old, beat-up purse you don’t use anymore, and/or use hot glue instead of sewing. A very cool DIY for someone who doesn’t carry much around with them, since the sides of the purse won’t expand.

Here’s one tutorial.

Here’s another.

8. Page Roses

If you tackle a few of the crafts on this list, you might end up with a stack of ripped-up pages destined for the recycling. Instead, how about cutting, folding, and glueing them into a book rose?

A bouquet of these would be soooo freaking cute in a vintage vase on a bookshelf. Very dark academia, in my opinion. You can also use the same technique with colorful or patterned paper for a different vibe.

Here’s a blog post tutorial. Here’s a video tutorial for visual learners.

10. Corner-Hugging Origami Bookmarks

OMG I want to make these immediately. This website has dozens of tutorials for making “corner” bookmarks of all different colors and designs. I love the idea of a bookmark that hangs on the corner and is less likely to fall out of your book!

Check out the website (it’s a huge page so I recommend opening on desktop).

11. Spell Book Decoration

Maybe this is a Halloween craft, but Halloween is a state of mind so whatever. This tutorial recommends using old (like pre-90s) yearbooks as a starting point; I think any leather-bound book with a thick spine would work well. Love the use of old keys, hinges, and gears!

12. Personalize Your Books

Your books are your own and as long as you’re not messing with any first-editions or historically significant antiques, I think messing with them creatively is totally fine. Here are some ideas:

• Use your sticker collection

• Annotate a nonfiction book

• Glue patches onto the spines of leather-bound books

• Get a personalized ex libris stamp and spend an afternoon stamping your favorites

• Try out fore-edge painting (tons of tutorials online)

• Learn how to rebind or bookbind

So, what do you want to try first? Which DIY seems the most intimidating, or the most exciting? I’d love to hear about or see pictures of anything you make!

Softly yours,

Auzin

Leave a comment

Greetings to the 1,270 softies who subscribe to this newsletter! Thank you for being here.

January always feels really long, doesn’t it? I’m not complaining. The first half of this year is already booked and busy for me, so I’ll take any extra time to plot, scheme, and sneak in some videogames.1

Been thinking a lot about the above post recently! I agree with it wholeheartedly, and I still get the urge to plan out the rest of my year in January, just because that’s how our calendars are set up. A fun aside: the Persian New Year is always the first day of Spring, making it a different day in March each year, which makes way more sense to me as the beginning of a year.

Winter is such a great season to plan and dream. Your mind can push the boundaries even when your body isn’t ready. Fewer people are asking you to go outside. Gatherings feel cozier and more meaningful. Soup and bread taste divinely blessed. I hate being cold and miss the sunlight, but having more excuses to rest and play indoors is always appreciated.2

I have a ton of creative projects in the pipeline this year! I’m very excited about them. Here are all my writing goals, which I’ll revisit at the end of 2026/beginning of 2027.

Career goals

1. Keep my job! I don’t really have control over this, but I’m happy at my current position as a content writer on contract at Microsoft. I’d like to keep it for as long as possible.

2. Update my author website and social media according to some great advice I got in a consultation from last year.

3. Update my LinkedIn — shouldn’t take more than an hour.

4. Assemble a freelance writing portfolio. I plan to use clippings.me.

Newsletter and Substack goals

1. Host at least one more in-person Soft Hobbies event. Logistically and financially it was a bit tough for me, but I loved planning and hosting this event. I hope to offer another one in Spring 2026. Here’s my plan:

   1. Implement a sliding-scale ticket structure.

   2. Host the landing page on Partiful, Google Forms, or similar, and take payments directly to avoid the sales fees from Eventbrite.

   3. Do more intensive research on affordable venues in Seattle that can comfortably host 30-50 people.

2. Continue to write for Soft Hobbies once a week.

   1. Writing a post during the work week isn’t working for me anymore. Fridays and Sundays seem to be better writing days.

3. Write at least two personal essays that scare me a little bit.

4. Keep engaging with, supporting, and uplifting fellow writers I admire on Substack.

Creative collaboration goals

1. My cousin has an illustrated children’s book that I’ve translated into English with my dad. The three of us want to publish it in Canada (where my cousin and dad live), but if traditional publishing is a no-go, we’ll happily self-publish.

2. I’ve been working on another illustrated book with an artist friend of mine since last year. They’re currently working on the illustrations, and once we have the full book as a PDF, I’ll start submitting it to indie publishers.

3. This is just in the ideation stage, but yet another incredibly talented friend of mine asked if I’d be open to doing a game jam with her, and I think it would be so much fun! This could probably happen in the spring.

4. Another friend has an excellent jazz / classical group and asked to feature me as a guest artist for their next performance!! We’ll be working together to set some of my poetry and short fiction to music, and I’ll be reading my work live onstage with them. The performance will probably be in April or beyond, but we’ll be practicing together up until that date.

5. I’m sharing social media management duties for my boyfriend’s amazing dark fantasy doom metal band and am co-managing multiple admin tasks for them with one of the members. The majority of this work will occur this month and next month.

Big writing goals

1. Get a residency.

   1. I’ve already applied to Monson Arts and the Tumbleweed program — both have rejected me in previous years, so cross your fingers for me please!

   2. I plan to apply to this Writers’ Camp very soon and to Hedgebrook (my second time applying) next month. The Hedgebrook application is a beast, so I’ll need a whole half day or more for it.

   3. I’ll keep an eye out for other residency apps opening up. Chill Subs, Submittable, writer’s newsletters, and classic Google are how I find them.

2. Make three zines. I already have them storyboarded, just need to make time to assemble, draw, write, and scan them!

3. I’m taking this class at Hugo House this season! It requires 2-3 hours of outside reading/writing time per week. This will help with my final, largest goal —>

4. Write the first draft of my first novel. Omggg I’m scared and daunted. I have about 5k words written and they’re basically just worldbuilding and notes to myself — probably none of that will make it into the final draft. Here’s my plan:

   1. Figure out what my characters want

   2. Write the scenes I want to see, even if they don’t make sense

   3. Prioritize fun and play at each drafting session

   4. Don’t revise or edit anything until the 20k word benchmark

   5. After the 20k benchmark, assess what I have and what I need to do

Okay, wow. After writing all that and reading it back, here are my thoughts:

• OMG

• How am I going to do all this???

• I thought I was supposed to be a hibernating mammal!!!

• But most of them are so exciting and fun, I can’t possibly take anything off my plate…

• I’m accomplishing a lot already. I don’t need to be so hard on myself.

• I am so grateful for the people around me <3

What are you working on this year? I want to hear about your dreams and schemes. Leave a comment, or reply to this email.

Leave a comment

Greetings to the 1,262 softies who subscribe to this newsletter! Thank you for being here.

If this newsletter is truncated in your inbox, you can click on "View entire message" to view the whole post.

Happy 2026! It feels good (and a little bit tough) to exercise this writing muscle again. I hosted my first Soft Hobbies event this past weekend, and I’m happy to report that it was a resounding success! Over 30 people showed up for an afternoon of arts & crafts with friends, strangers, and strangers-who-became-new-friends.

I have never hosted a public event before and the stress, logistics, and marketing leading up to it was a whole new frontier. I had a stomach full of pure acid from that morning until about halfway through the event, when I realized everyone was having a good time and all my hard work was actually paying off. I did what I set out to do — I gave back. I made a space for people to be creative without judgement or rules.

The reception the event received and the kindness people showed towards me (helping me set up and break down, asking when the next one would be, so many compliments, taking me out for dinner afterwards) warmed every cell of my body and made me feel fulfilled and joyful.

Some of the beautiful work created by attendees:

If you attended, thank you so much. You made my dreams come true!

If you couldn’t make it this time, don’t worry. I’m determined to host more of these in the future!

Now, on to my romance bookstore extravaganza~

Three brick-and-mortar romance bookstores opened in Seattle in 2025

In THIS economy? In THIS reading-averse cultural climate? Isn’t that incredible?!

Three bookstores within Seattle city limits opened last year, are dedicated primarily to the romance genre, and connect with the local community through selling locally-made products, hosting authors and book readings, offering crafting classes and book clubs, and more.

One of my friends had the truly brilliant idea of making a fun day out of visiting all three of them and I immediately agreed :’) I’m a casual romance reader at best, but I do enjoy the genre on occasion and I’m always down to visit a bookstore I haven’t been to yet. Back in mid-December, we had a lovely day full of good food, laughter, my favorite color (PINK), and contributing to the local literary economy.

My experience in all the stores was awesome. Keep reading for details and pictures of each one!

Beguiled Books

Our first stop was possibly my favorite. Not only is Beguiled’s interior stunning, with gorgeous wall decorations and tall ceilings, but the staff are clearly delighted to be there. Each of them had in-depth knowledge of the store’s offerings and was super happy to help us find exactly the kind of book we were looking for.

They were also stoked to learn about our romance bookstore adventure that day! I felt well taken care of as a customer and can’t wait to go back.

Lovestruck in Seattle

I’ve been following Lovestruck since they were a pop-up, and it’s great to see them get a permanent location. The pink theme is abundant, the selection is curated instead of overwhelming, and the in-store merch (designed by the owner!) is adorable.

I spent a LOT of time looking through the paranormal/fantasy romance section here, being very selective about what I put in my basket. Nobody hovered over me or pushed me into a sale. Love!!!

Swoon City

After getting hot chocolates and coffees nearby, we headed to the last stop on our “Rom Con.” If Beguiled and Lovestruck are fun-loving gals in their mid-20s, Swoon City is their older sister. She’s a little more toned-down, a little more worldly, but she’s just as expressive and self-confident.

There’s more than just romance books on offer, although they’re still the primary focus. There are large displays of jewelry and homegoods from local craftspeople. The decor is incredible — look at that green couch! I can barely speak for envy!!

Plus, there’s a hidden room for all the ~spiciest books on offer…see the video below:

What did I buy?

This was such a lovely day with my friends! Looking back on the pictures makes me thankful for the people I have in my life, and the resources I have that allow me to treat myself to days like this. I bought five books, and a few random trinkets.

• Behooved by M. Stevenson: such a fun book, loved the silly premise

• The Sea Gives Up The Dead by Molly Olguín: not romance at all, but an incredible book of speculative short stories by a local author, loved it

• Blood of Hercules by Jasmine Mas: I really did not like and do not recommend this, didn’t finish

• Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett: haven’t started yet but I’ve heard great things

• A Woman of Forty by Desmond Hall: a vintage pulp from the 40s, haven’t started yet but very excited to read

Those are affiliate links and I get a tiny kickback if you decide to purchase through them <3

Thanks for reading! Have you been to any romance-only bookstores? Do you have any good dark fantasy romances to recommend me? Leave a comment and let me know!

Softly yours,

Auzin

Leave a comment

Greetings to the 1,128 softies who subscribe to this newsletter! Thank you for being here.

Hi lovelies. This isn’t my coziest post, so feel free to bookmark it or add it to your reading list and come back later if you’re not ready to read it today.

I remember when the presidential election results came in last year, and how, throughout all the grief and rage and fear, there was a thin thread of hope. A large slice of people felt determined to do something positive, and to publicly share their ideas for affecting positive change, inspiring others to make a difference too.

On Substack Notes (a strange and silly place), I saw dozens of posts about being a better neighbor, a better community member, and how to live with a higher standard of kindness and ethics. We all felt powerless, but we reminded each other of the small things we can do, and how those add up.

I feel like I’ve been gearing up to write this post all year. A large part of me feels deeply unqualified to tell you how to make the world a better place. I don’t know your life, and I can’t predict the future! But another part of me wants to be reminded: there’s always something you can do, and helping one person is usually better than helping nobody.

This is not a multi-step plan for fixing any societal/environmental problems or overthrowing any governments — there are better-qualified writers for those topics. I also don’t suggest you spend money you can’t afford to spend; that’s why I’ve included both free and not-free ideas. These are suggestions to gradually improve your life and the lives of those around you. I hope they speak to you! Please let me know which ones you want to try, and leave a comment saying what you would add to this list.

The ideas:

1. Vote in your local elections — all of them. If you don’t understand the jargon on your ballot, look at your local independent journalism outlets for clarification, or ask a trusted and knowledgeable person in your life. It’s your right to understand what you’re voting on, and to vote according to your principles. Put aside an hour to do research as you vote.

2. Watch your local city council in action to learn more about who’s running your city and what they believe in. City halls host regular public meetings.

3. Attend school board meetings. You’ll probably get the most out of this if you have kids, but it might be interesting regardless.

4. Get a library card and use it. Go to library events, and join your local “Friends of the _____ Library” chapter to support our nation’s last great bastion of third places. Check out United for Libraries.

5. Vote swap with someone in another state or county. And while we’re at it, advocate for ranked-choice voting.

6. Check out who gives money to politicians you’re curious about, and where they put their own money through party donations. Here are some sites to try:

   1. Goods Unite Us

   2. Open Secrets

   3. FEC Individual Contributions

7. Write to your representatives, or call them. Here are some templates:

   1. ACLU

   2. 5 Calls

   3. LCV

8. Get voter/election protection training, especially if you’re in a state with a strong history of voter suppression.

9. Get trained in ICE watching and consider joining a local watch group on Signal or other secure channel. Make it public when ICE is patrolling your neighborhood.

10. Get CPR training at a hospital or medical school.

11. Take a gun safety course, even if you don’t want to own one (I don’t). In a country where over 45 thousand people die from firearms each year1, it behooves your safety and that of people around you if you know how to safely hold and unload a firearm, and make sure it’s unloaded and not immediately dangerous. Look up “firearms training courses,” “gun safety classes,” or “concealed carry permit classes” in your area, and you’ll find what you’re looking for.

12. Give money to people who ask for it, and carry cash for that purpose.

13. Fill up a bag with easy-to-open, easy-to-eat groceries for people outside of grocery stores.

14. Give money, warm clothes, and/or nonperishable food to a grassroots mutual aid group. Even better, get directly involved yourself. These groups don’t have the funding or visibility of nonprofits, but often make tangible and immediate differences in the lives of unhoused folks. You’ll have to do a combination of online research and asking around.

15. Pay real rent.

16. Restock free pantries.

17. Restock free seed libraries.

18. Restock little free libraries with zines, info pamphlets, and…whatever else, just no more religious books, please.

19. Donate or volunteer to a nonprofit that has made a difference in your life, or that promotes a cause or artform you’re passionate about. Some of my favorites in the PNW are Hugo House, Scarecrow Video, and Hedgebrook.

20. Get to know your neighbors. I know this is intimidating, but knowing your neighbors is important for building community and very personally rewarding. You don’t have to become best friends, or even like them that much. But you’re all part of your block, and mutual respect is the baseline. How can you respect people who only exist to you as loud noises and occasional cooking smells? There are lots of ways to get to know your neighbors, and this could be a post all on its own.2 Here’s a good resource. Here’s another one. Here’s one for “going deeper” with neighbors.

21. Grow veggies and herbs and share seedlings, starts, and harvests with your neighbors, or put them in little free pantries.

22. Download the Buy Nothing app (not connected to Meta) and give things away instead of tossing them. This app has been a cornerstone of my daily routine for a couple years now.

23. Install a birdbath, hummingbird feeder, or hanging seed feeder for local birds to eat and take a rest. I got a seed feeder from the Buy Nothing app and placed it in front of the kitchen window, so we get to see adorable little black-capped chickadees every morning.

24. Pick up trash in your neighborhood. Do beach clean-ups. Install doggie bag stations with clear signage to encourage good dogwalker behavior.

25. Be someone’s movement buddy: visit a gym together, go to yoga classes, go for a walk or hike.

26. Become a grocery buddy with someone on SNAP.

27. Avoid e-commerce and corporate chains. Grow local, shop local, share local.

28. Get more comfortable with hosting, and bring your friends together more often. We need laughter and companionship, and it doesn’t have to be high-effort. For example: I host a quarterly clothing swap that keeps money in all our pockets and clothes out of the landfills.

29. Learn facilitation, conflict mediation/resolution, and how to foster circle processes so you can help people work effectively together and get their voices heard.

30. Walk dogs for your neighbors or a local animal shelter.

31. Attend tenants’ rights meetings.

32. Freely share your hard-earned knowledge and expertise through video calls, coffee chats, Discord channels, or newsletters.3 Make zines with useful info in them. Mentor someone with no expectation of anything in return.

33. Make more ethical choices about which technology and software you use.

34. Make, serve, and/or deliver meals to your community.

35. Help friends get to and from the airport.

36. Make and share art you made with the primary purpose of expressing yourself.

37. Ask for help. Your martyrdom helps nobody.

38. Keep going.

You don’t have to do all of these — that would be extremely expensive and probably impossible! But I hope these can be good thought-starters for you and your community. Let me know if this post connected with you and sparked some new ideas.

There are infinite ways of helping other people, and infinite ways to make a positive impact on the world. I trust you will find the right ways for you. It’s worth remembering that consistency over intensity is more sustainable, and you can’t pour from an empty pitcher.

Softly yours,

Auzin

Leave a comment

Want to experience Soft Hobbies in person?

To celebrate reaching 1000 subscribers, I’m hosting a beginner-friendly arts & crafts hangout on January 10, 2026! No skills, experience, or materials required — just come ready to make friends and make art.

This event is in Seattle, Washington and spots are limited to 50 participants.

You can learn more about what to expect on the event page.

Get your tickets soon:

Buy tickets