Anxiety has been a feature of several periods throughout my life, and I’m not alone. Studies report that anxiety disorders (an umbrella definition encompassing a range of conditions from generalized anxiety to OCD) affect 60 million people across Europe, and women are twice as likely to face debilitating anxiety as men. Anxiety can make those experiencing it feel isolated, cast adrift from the world around them, yet in reality it seems clear that many women – just like me – find themselves bound by the weighty chains of fear. To illustrate just how common the issue is, I’m delighted that this week’s blog features a contribution by Sara McQueen, a talented guest writer based right here in Sco

To quote Hamilton – a musical I have listened to on loop to such an extent that my collie Gypsy now barks along in tune! – ‘every action’s an act of creation’. For me, particularly when it comes to novel writing, this is a reminder that we are not only creating when we consciously sit down with pen and paper (or Macbook and fingers, but that’s not quite as catchy, is it?) Instead, we are making choices and ‘creating’ our own worlds all day long. We can’t control everything, of course, but there are many small ways in which we can express what power we do have over our lives. Can that power be harnessed when it comes to writing? This week, I’ve been thinking about what it means to be creative