Hi! I’m Chelsea Bieker.

I’m the author of three books of fiction—Godshot, Heartbroke, and the national bestselling novel, Madwoman. I have two kids, seventeen years of sobriety, and over twelve years of experience teaching, editing, and coaching writers on the path to their highest creativity. I am currently developing a platform for creative awakening called The Fountain with fellow writer Kimberly King Parsons.

Here you will find deeply thoughtful pieces about creative practice based on my many years of experience both as a writer and also a writing coach and teacher. I sometimes offer recorded visualizations, meditations, and guided somatic journeys to bring you to a place where you can access the work that is authentically you. My aim is always to help you reduce the noise and get you back to the heart of why you wanted to write in the first place. I share authentically about the things that actually work for me, things that can seem counter to the mainstream energy of writing advice out there, but I’ve seen work countless times.

This substack was born out of my desire for a space beyond instagram where I could connect with you all in a deeper way—about the writing life, somatic healing, creative practice, my endless fascination with the subconscious mind, motherloss, motherhood, magic, sobriety, and the ways we attempt to care for and re-parent ourselves; if that sometimes involves the pursuit of the perfect mascara, so be it. Vibes here lean Julia Cameron, witches around a cauldron, The Body Keeps the Score, the moon, and neuroscience.

We love going deep into psychology and we love cracking open a new lip gloss; both/and

I want this place to feel like opening a letter from a best friend and a place we can deeply connect to our most creative selves.

For free subscribers

Books I am reading, the occasional free essay about creativity, occasional updates on Madwoman and The Fountain related content

For paid subscribers

Deep dives on the creative practices that help keep the pages coming.
More personal, close to the heart type content about my experiences as a writer and human with a tie in to “craft”.
Recordings, meditations, guided journaling prompts from my heart to yours
**New stuff to come in 2025!

Subscribe to Make Up Your Life

A newsletter about creative practice by a fiction writer; awakening, inspiration, psychology, healing, motherhood, and sometimes grief. Vibes here lean Julia Cameron, witches around a cauldron, The Body Keeps the Score, the moon, and neuroscience.

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Chelsea Bieker

@chelseabieker

Author of three books, most recently the national bestselling novel, Madwoman, and Godshot and Heartbroke. I write the Substack "Make Up Your Life" about creative practice. Co-Creator of The Fountain with the writer Kimberly King Parsons.