The Blank Canvas: Starting New Work [178]

This week, Louise is joined by best-selling novelist (and good friend) Jonathan Hall, who writes under the name JM Hall. Louise is making a start on a new series of abstract paintings and Jonathan is beginning his third novel. In this conversation, we explore the challenges of starting again, or perhaps it's more a case of building on what went before? After all, Jonathan is writing about the same characters and Louise is bringing in elements of previous work, so are we ever really starting with a blank canvas? As we chat, we uncover many similarities between writing and painting, share our thoughts on imposter syndrome, discuss the value of taking creative detours, and agree on the importance of an underlying message or theme to our work. Sometimes it helps to step back and see our situation in a whole new light and we hope this comparison with writing makes that possible for you.  Mentioned Find Jonathan on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jm_hall_writer/ Jonathan's first novel: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09F5N8FR8/ Jonathan's Radio 4 Play 'Trust:' https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000mb2k Find Alice and Louise at: www.alicesheridan.com  www.louisefletcherart.com Follow us on Instagram: @alicesheridanstudio @louisefletcher_art Credits: "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License