T. Thorn Coyle, a salty-tongued, tattooed mystic, professional writer, and amateur photographer

The Creative Council

Welcome to The Creative Council, where I interview creatives about their lives and work and the ups and downs of being a creative soul.

Today’s interview is with T. Thorn Coyle!

Thorn worked in many strange and diverse occupations before settling in to write full time. Buy them a cup of tea and perhaps they’ll tell you about it.

Author of The Witches of Portland, the Seashell Cove Paranormal Cozy Mysteries, the Pride Street Paranormal Cozy Mysteries, The Steel Clan Saga, The Mouse Thief Capers, and The Panther Chronicles, Thorn’s multiple non-fiction books include Sigil Magic for Writers, Artists & Other Creatives, Crafting a Daily Practice, Kissing the Limitless, and Evolutionary Witchcraft. Thorn’s work also appears in many anthologies, magazines, and collections.

An interloper to the Pacific Northwest U.S., they pay proper tribute to all the neighborhood cats, and talk to crows, squirrels, and trees.

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The Interview

Hi Thorn! As a big fan of your work, I’m so happy to have you here and ask you all the questions! Ready?

·  When did you start creating? Do you remember what pulled you in?

I began reading very young, and writing poetry almost as soon as that. There was something about the music of language that I loved. That’s also when I discovered stories, which I often say saved my life. I was basically raised by the public library, and escaping into stories really helped me get through a tumultuous childhood. Stories and books are still a great refuge for me.

Since childhood, I’ve practiced several different types of creativity. I did musical theater as a youth, dabbled in journalism, have been a semi-professional dancer, written four CDs of music, am an amateur photographer, and, of course, a writer.

·  When did you start pursuing your current craft for real? As in, when did you begin to take yourself seriously as a creator?

I’ve always made time in my life for creative pursuits, which led to some very odd jobs, let me tell you! My first book on magic and spiritual practice was published by New York in 2004, and I seriously dove back into writing fiction around ten years ago, after many false starts and struggle, and more than a decade away.

·  How long did it take you to complete your first work?

That’s a tough question! Songwriting always came easily to me, as did poetry, and I was publishing articles and poems from my teens on. My first non-fiction book either took me two years or twenty, depending on when you start counting! My first completed novel took around six months to one year to write, after which I did a lot more writing study to improve my craft. I began seriously publishing fiction in 2017.

·  How long does it generally take you to complete a work?

It varies. The more years I work on writing, the quicker the process becomes. These days, shorter novels that don’t need research tend to take two months to write, while non-fiction varies greatly, depending on how much space I’m giving myself to develop the material.

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·  Of all the milestones you’ve reached thus far, what has been your favourite?

Becoming a full-time writer has been huge for me! It is one reason I try to give back to the writing community!

·  When was the last time you celebrated a creative milestone?

As someone raised to be a perfectionist, historically I have not celebrated my creative milestones nearly enough! These days, running Kickstarters are a great way to get me to celebrate. I celebrate every pledge and each completed campaign. I also have brag shelves of all my completed full-length works in my office. Just looking at those books gives me a sense of deep satisfaction.

·  What do you struggle with most as a creative person?

Right now, my physical disabilities are my biggest creative struggle. Some days I just don’t have the energy or brainpower to do generative creative work. I keep learning how to adapt to this, and the creative urge keeps me going, but that doesn’t mean some days or weeks aren’t hard.

· Have you always had that struggle or has it changed over time?

Before my disabilities increased, my struggles with creativity used to be more based around a fear of getting it wrong, or fear of other people’s opinions. I’ve done a lot of work to clear those voices out of my creative—and business—space. This makes life much easier.

· What advice would you give to creatives dealing with the same?

If you’re dealing with internal or external critical voices, find as many ways as possible to clear the toxic voices from your life. Go to therapy. Stop reading reviews. Find more supportive friends. Set firmer boundaries. Do affirmation work… the possibilities of believing in your own creative voice instead of those critical voices are numerous and varied. Find a way that works for you.

If you are dealing with physical or mental health issues or major life upheaval? Find ways to be flexible with your creative process. Learn to work in ten-to-twenty-minute bursts, wherever you can find them. Find ways to keep inspired.

·  What do you do to stay inspired?

I find inspiration in the small, joyful moments of life. On my daily walks, I notice clouds, flowers, animals, people, a drop of rain on a leaf, a snatch of music… all of this feeds my soul and my creativity. I also read a lot, listen to new music, and watch movies! Other people’s creativity is a great help in refilling my well.

·  What’s the best creative advice you ever received?

Author Dean Wesley Smith once said, ‘Write the next sentence.’ If I’m ever feeling resistance, I remember that, and let the creativity just come, without trying to control it. The more I practice this, the more my creativity shows up.

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You can find and connect Thorn on their website, Facebook, Mastodon, and YouTube.

Their current Kickstarter campaign for their next non-fiction book—The Midlist Indie Author Mindset: Find Success Your Way—ends 7 May and can be backed here.

And yes, I’ve already pledged. Do you even have to ask?

If you missed Thorn’s previous non-fiction campaigns, these books can be added on during their Kickstarter campaign. I own Sigil Magic and You Are the Spell and I highly recommend both.

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Are you a creative and would you like to be interviewed next? E-mail me at marielle@mswordsmith.nl and we’ll make it happen!