https://open.spotify.com/episode/7LLCPUJ95BpxFisel54gHF?si=Yy2sFtDxQ22dNWM2mehQBg
Episode 41 Interview with Nick Lyon and Aleasha Wales Shelnutt
In this episode, we talk about time management for creatives and we talk about our hectic lives with Nick Lyon and Aleasha Wales Shelnutt.
Nick Lyon:
https://writernicklyon.wordpress.com/
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Nicholas-Lyon/author/B0BLT1WW4Q
Aleasha Wells Shelnut:
https://www.facebook.com/thestudiopromessa
https://thenutthousediaries.blogspot.com/
Finding Your Writing Rhythm: Balancing Creativity in a Busy Life
In a recent episode of Tikiman and the Viking Podcast, hosts
H.B. Berlow and William Brian Johnson assembled a roundtable discussion on a
challenge familiar to all creatives: time management. Their guests, Aleasha Wales Shelnutt and Nick Lyon, offered valuable insights into how they balance
their creative pursuits with demanding professional and personal lives.
The Three-Way Balance
As the hosts pointed out, most people are familiar with the
concept of work-life balance—the ongoing struggle to divide time between
professional responsibilities and personal life. For writers and other artists,
however, there's a third element at play: creative time. Finding space for
artistic expression means squeezing it into an already packed schedule of work
and family obligations.
Consistency vs. Flexibility
Nick Lyon, author of the award-winning novel "The
Baptist Bootlegger" and a high school English and speech teacher,
emphasized the power of daily consistency. His approach involves writing
400-500 words every day, typically in the evening after his children are in
bed. This habit helps maintain his connection to writing regardless of where he
is—even writing from a hotel room during travels.
"I write better in the evenings than I do in the
mornings," Nick shared, highlighting the importance of identifying your
personal creative rhythm. "I just try to make sure that I do it at some
point."
Nick's approach demonstrates that consistency doesn't have
to mean rigidity. When life occasionally prevents his daily writing routine, he
simply moves forward without guilt: "I might miss one day, but I'm not
gonna miss two days."
The Balancing Act
Aleasha, who manages Studio Promessa and numerous
roles within the Oklahoma Writers' Federation, offered a different perspective
on balance. After "chasing" perfect balance for years, she realized
that life balance isn't like a weighted scale with everything perfectly
distributed at all times.
"It's more like a bear at the circus on the ball with
the spinning plates," she explained. "Nothing's ever going to be
perfectly balanced at any one given time, but the balance is over the course of
the entire act."
Aleasha emphasized the importance of scheduling but
noted that flexibility is equally crucial, especially when living with what she
humorously calls "chaos." Being forgiving with yourself and knowing
when to pivot helps prevent the metaphorical plates from falling.
Finding Your Creative Rhythm
Both guests stressed the importance of understanding your
personal creative cycles. Knowing when you're most productive can make a
tremendous difference in your output. As one host noted, forcing yourself to
write during non-optimal times can lead to frustration—staring at a cursor
rather than producing meaningful work.
Nick pointed out that sometimes, even when you don't feel
like writing, the act of beginning can overcome that resistance: "I come
in here and I'm like, 'God, I don't even want to do this.' And I sit down and I
just start typing away and like, you know, ten, fifteen minutes later, I look
up and I'm hitting 500 words."
The Value of Community
A recurring theme throughout the discussion was the
importance of connecting with fellow writers. The guests emphasized how
attending the annual Oklahoma Writers' Federation conference provides both
escape and rejuvenation. Nick recalled the powerful experience of having
someone approach him at his second conference with the simple question:
"What do you write?"
"These people get me," he remembered thinking.
"I'm like this lonely dude sitting in a dark room tapping away at a
keyboard, and then I can come to something like this and these are all lonely
people too, tapping away at keyboards, and they get it."
Aleasha agreed that such events keep writing "in the
forefront of your mind" and make you "more invigorated and wanting to
do it, a little more hungry for it." She pointed out that "critique
groups, writing groups, conferences, workshops—all of these things are
instrumental in helping you carve out time for writing."
Beyond Obligation: Writing as Recharging
When asked whether their creative time represents an escape
or a recharging station, both guests suggested it's often both. Aleasha described
it as "escaping to it, and when I get there, I'm plugging in and
recharging," noting that writing had helped her reclaim her voice after
"a very long time silencing myself."
Nick mentioned that while he has many escapes—video games,
woodturning, guitar—writing serves a different purpose. The daily practice
helps him feel authentic in his identity as a writer: "Writing every day
makes me feel like a writer."
The Journey Continues
Both writers are continuing to grow in their craft. Nick
recently completed a 65,000-word novel and is planning to return to the sequel
of "The Baptist Bootlegger." Aleasha is spending the year pushing
herself outside her comfort zone by writing in unfamiliar categories and
genres.
Their stories remind us that the writing journey isn't about
perfection—it's about progress, consistency when possible, flexibility when
necessary, and connecting with others who understand the unique challenges of
the creative life.
Whether you write daily like Nick or focus on growth through
experimentation like Aleasha, the key is finding an approach that works for
your life and your creative process.
The Oklahoma Writers' Federation, Inc. conference
"Conjuring the Mysteries of Writing" is scheduled for May 1-3, 2025.
Information and registration details can be found at OWFI.org.
