The Decision to Keep Writing After Grief, Illness, or Heartbreak

The Decision to Keep Writing After Grief, Illness, or Heartbreak

From #AmWriting by KJ

April 10, 2026 · 14 min · Episode 499

About this episode

This episode explores the decision writers face about continuing to write during difficult life experiences.

In this first installment of Margin Notes —a new series on the big decisions writers face—we explore a question many writers quietly carry: When life falls apart, do you keep writing… or step away? Jennie Nash is joined by clinical psychologist Dr. Diana Hill , author of Wise Effort , for a conversation about grief, illness, recovery and the psychology of returning to your work. Dr. Hill will help us explore the emotional and cognitive side of a creative life. Together, we discuss: * Why “little by little becomes a lot” matters in recovery * How grief, illness, addiction, or heartbreak reshape your creative capacity * The two common paths writers take: stepping away vs. writing to survive * What negativity bias is—and why it gets louder during hard seasons * When writing supports healing—and when it becomes avoidance At the heart of this conversation is a simple idea: You don’t have to return to writing all at once.Sometimes, getting to the “mailbox and back” is enough. Whether you’re navigating loss or a major life transition, this episode offers a compassionate way back to the page—on your own terms. Books Mentioned * Wise Effort by Dr. Diana Hill * Little by Little Becomes a…

People in this episode

Host: Jennie Nash

Guest: Dr Diana Hill

Topics covered

  • grief
  • illness
  • heartbreak
  • writing
  • psychology
  • recovery

Keywords

  • creative capacity
  • negativity bias
  • healing
  • writing to survive

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Wise Effort

Books & works: Margin Notes, Wise Effort, Little by Little Becomes a Lot, the Hashtag AmWriting Podcast, Little by Little

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