Honeycomb Hive: Hurley Winkler tells us about the magic of creative community
Welcome to the 1st edition of The Hive—Honeycomb's very own artist salon
Hello and welcome to the first edition of The Hive—Honeycomb Club’s very own artist salon! A monthly meeting of the minds where I introduce you to your new favorite creative, or help you learn more about one you already adore.
The Hive #1:
We’re kicking things off with the lovely , a writer from Jacksonville, FL. She writes , a newsletter for writers and readers, where she leads the Book Club for Writers.
Throughout the summer, she's hosting Summer Writing Nights, a co-writing group that meets every Wednesday, 7:30-9:30PM EST, through September 18.
In addition to leading writing groups online, Hurley works as editorial assistant for Rose Books and host of the Jax Music Hour on WJCT. She's currently on submission with her first novel.
Katie: Hi Hurley! Let’s start with the building blocks. What daily habits or routines do you have that support your creativity?
Hurley: I'm a regular at Morning Writing Club, a group that meets every weekday morning, 8-10AM EST, on Zoom. The writer Chelsea Hodson has been leading the group for two years, and it's the sole reason I finished my novel and started writing my second book.
The meetings are very simple: Chelsea begins by pulling a card from Brian Eno's Oblique Strategies deck, then we write camera-off for two hours. On Fridays, we have a 15-minute check-in, and it's my absolute favorite part of every week.
I'm such a regular that Chelsea asked me to help her co-coordinate the Morning Writing Club, so I'm often leading the Zoom calls, which adds in another layer of accountability for my writing life: it's my job to be there!
K: I know what you mean, I’ve always found digital co-working and co-writing spaces to be weirdly powerful and magical. That being said, when you do face moments of creative block or self-doubt, how do you navigate them?
H: When I'm feeling blocked or doubtful, I like to write about the writing. I keep a notebook solely for this purpose, adorned with a sticker my agent sent me that says THE BOOK WAS BETTER.
If I'm having a particular problem in my writing project, I'll try to write my way through the problem with pen and paper. Retreating to a notebook frees me up to be less tidy and careful.
Whenever I feel like I'm losing steam, I'll ditch the laptop and notebook entirely and get in the ocean, which is the best thing about being a Floridian.
K: Wow, I’m jealous—my only option is to jump in the shower or bath.
Beyond blocks and doubts, can you tell me: what role does failure play in your creative process, and how do you handle it?
H: To write fiction is to constantly try and fail. I never have a clear idea of what's going to happen when I begin writing a scene, and I have ideas as I go.
But so often, those ideas don't work within the greater context of the story, so they get crumpled up and tossed out. This is just part of the process—clearing away the low-hanging fruit and getting to the sweet stuff at the top of the tree.
K: I love that—I think we often judge ourselves for churning our way through the low-hanging fruit first, when really it’s inherently something we need to just get out of the way before we can get to the juicy stuff.
So when you’re working on longer term projects, how do you stay motivated, especially when the initial excitement fades?
H: I love setting a mini deadline with a friend. I have a brilliant, long-time writing swap partner, the novelist Laura Lee Smith.
Laura and I will get a deadline on the calendar, usually a week or two away, and I'll begin to write a brand new scene. I write the bad first draft as fast as I can, and then I try to make it better because Laura is going to see it, and she's a genius, and I have this endless desire to impress her. We'll meet at a coffee shop halfway between our houses and talk about our writing.
We have done this at least once a month since 2019, and it's been everything to me. Riding these tiny deadline waves keeps my excitement ignited, and the tiny waves add up over time.
K: It’s cool to see how much the idea of community plays into your creative practices, from your daily routines to your long-term goals.
When it comes to burn out, how do you recharge your creative energy—whether alone or alongside others?
H: I'll bob around in the ocean, write my morning pages, sing karaoke with my partner (we've perfected our rendition of "Love Shack" by The B-52s), and read read read read read.
Reading books by friends always helps—I'm a big believer in the power of proximity. Recently, I read my friend
's debut novel, Log Off, and it completely lit me up and renewed my love for writing. Right now, I'm reading an ARC of 's novel Blue Light Hours (out in October), and it's having the same effect.And speaking of the power of proximity, it also energizes me to go see my friends' bands play.
K: Agreed—live music is the ultimate energizer.
Thanks so much for your thoughtful answers, Hurley! Before I let you go, one last parting question: what advice would you give to someone struggling to find their creative voice?
H: Write and read constantly. Get in the habit of writing a daily word count—500 words a day is a great place to start!
Round up the last three great books you read and list 10 things that those books all have in common. Chances are, those are 10 things you'll have fun incorporating into your own writing.
Want more from Hurley?
Deep dive her writing over at and join her for Summer Writing Nights!
And below, enjoy Hurley’s suggestions for your weekly Creative Input & Output ♡
***The following are three pieces of creative input. Consider them inspiration to refill your creative cup. I encourage you to give your inner artist a sweet treat this week—even when you don’t think you deserve it, even when you’re hesitant to call yourself a creative person.
1. Listen to the new Kairos Creature Club album
“I've been listening to this on a loop since it came out in June. Come for the surfy rhythms, stay for the of-the-moment lyrics.”
2. Watch Ruby Granger's YouTube channel
“I recommend this channel to anyone who constantly longs for back-to-school energy. This twenty-something YouTuber has been studying at Oxford for the past year, and her study-day vlogs give me the feeling that I'm back in school, too.”
3. Read the newsletter
“I love
's outlook on spirituality, recovery, and creative joy. Their newsletter is an anchor for me week after week.”
***The following are three ideas for creative output. Consider them as prompts for creative living in action. Because you have every right to practice your craft, engage your innate human creativity, and have a fuckin’ good time doing it.
1. Bring a notebook to the symphony.
“It's the best place to free-associate. If I could do this every night, I would. The Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra has a great program called Symphony in 60, an abridged version of the works they perform, and it's very inexpensive to attend. If you're lucky enough to have a symphony orchestra where you live, see if they have something similar, and bring your notebook along!”
2. Join a writing workshop…
“but don't be in a workshop all the time.
It's important to get feedback on your writing, but it's more important to teach yourself how to write on your own terms.”
3. When it's time to revise, print out your writing and put it in a special three-ring binder.
“I got myself a vintage Lisa Frank binder on eBay, and when I print out my work and slot it into the rings, I'm immediately more interested in working on it.”
That’s all for now, friend.
Talk soon,
Katie
P.S. Have a suggestion for who should be featured in The Hive next? I’m all ears, simply reply to this email! You’re welcome to nominate yourself or another creative you love.
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Aahhh loved reading this so much! Thank you ladies 💗
Thank you so much for having me, Katie! 💛