How to overcome creative blocks: Experienced journalist Linda can't finish her own book proposal (ft. Melanie Bates)

We tell ourselves so many stories about why we can't finish the thing we most want to create. We call it procrastination, we call it perfectionism, we call it simply not having enough hours in the day, and sometimes we call it brain fog, as if our own mind had quietly turned against us for no reason at all. But creative blocks are rarely about the craft itself, especially when the person stuck is someone who has done this work for decades without trouble. More often there is something unconscious sitting between us and the page, an old voice or an old role we absorbed long before we ever sat down to write, and it only reveals itself when we stop trying to push past it and instead turn to look at it directly. In this episode, we watch that process unfold in real time with 'Linda', a professional writer of nearly thirty years who finds herself unable to finish the one book that is actually hers. Shagun is joined by her former coach Melanie Bates, known for years in the publishing world as the book shaman, to unpack everything from Jung's idea of the autonomous complex to the martyr and rebel archetypes hiding underneath a stalled book proposal.

• 00:00 Introduction
• 01:49 Melanie's journey to becoming the 'book shaman'
• 09:57 Coaching session with Linda: Writer's block, brain fog, and fear of being canceled
• 35:18 Coaching session breakdown: Debunking standard writing advice and embracing the autonomous nature of creativity

ABOUT THE HOST: Shagun Chopra is an individuation coach, speaker, and educator. Her unique approach combines Jungian depth psychology with ancient Vedic wisdom to create the ultimate personal transformation. She supports professionals, entrepreneurs, and creatives in bringing their wildest dreams to life and leapfrogging their career, business, and relationships. To learn more, visit shagunchopra.com

ABOUT THE GUEST: As the 'Book Shaman', Melanie Bates helped authors write their books, build their businesses, and land on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists. What she eventually understood was that the book was never the point. The writer always was, and what the writer needed wasn't craft. It was excavation. Today she works as a Master-Certified Jungian Depth Coach, Certified Equus Coach, and Certified Spiritual Teacher. She guides women in the second half of life who are done making the trade the culture offers and are ready to welcome home their heretics—those exiled, disavowed, and still-wild bits within—so they can finally create: the writing, the business, the life. She can be found at https://melaniebates.com/ and her writings at https://melaniembates.substack.com/

JOIN THE SHOW: To ask a question or get coached on the show, visit shagunchopra.com/ask - all coaching clients are assigned a pseudonym and given the option to not share their video

DISCLAIMER:  Conversations on Partners in Sublime are for educational purposes only, and do not constitute medical or psychological advice or treatment. Please consult a licensed professional for any mental health concerns.