Jen Louden: Power Profile
I met Jen Louden on the interwebs. We swam in intersecting circles, and it was only a matter of time before we connected as actual people (though I’ve still not met her in real life!)
She’s a powerhouse of a woman. She’s a New York Times bestselling author with The Woman’s Comfort Book. Her beautiful creative space, The Weekly Oasis, provides a warm, supportive community for writers to gather and be real. These days, we’re all learning how important community is, and how many ways we can create it. When I was recovering from cancer surgery, I joined her Oasis and it was exactly what I needed to get back into my body and my own work.
Jen is also a revered workshop leader and mentor to many writers. If you’re looking to get inspired or if you need someone who can get in the trenches with you, check out the ways you can work with her.
She’s got a new book coming out called Why Bother? Discover the Desire for What’s Next. I don’t know about you, but while we’re all in various stages of social isolation, it can be hard to remain connected to the soul-based work we all do. It can be easy to fall into the trap of thinking we have nothing to offer, or that there are simply too many “big” needs in the world that our piece of medicine can’t possibly make a difference.
Why Bother? will help you gain clarity. It will motivate you and commiserate with you and really see you. She was kind enough to send me an ARC, and I just finished it up today. I can’t recommend it enough.
I’m so proud to feature Jen here and to lift up her work.
LH: What issues/ideas/questions do you find continue to circle through your work?
JL: Women finding agency to make what they want in and with their lives. Women finding the balance between caring for others and caring for their own desires. The importance of women’s voices in the world. The sheer delight of creating for its own sake. That’s been what I care about for nearly 30 years and doesn’t seem to be changing.
LH: How do you engage with literary citizenship and its role in building a community of supportive writers?
JL: I encourage and support writers who are claiming their voices and giving themselves permission to write, often for the first time in years. I make writing safer. I offer writers love because nothing is possible without love.
LH: Self-promotion is a necessary task in today’s marketplace. How do you approach self-promotion and have your views changed on it over time?
JL: I was raised in a family of entrepreneurs so starting with the publication of my first book in 1992, I've promoted myself. It's harder now because every writer knows they need to do it. Being an earlier adopter made it easier for me because most everything I did worked. These days I find myself sometimes feeling shy because there is so much noise. I’m working on finding new ways that feel genuine and fun to talk about my work and keep my business thriving.
LH: There are so many extreme crises in the world today demanding our attention. Often, we hear push-back from others about how art doesn’t matter or isn’t worth the time of the artist or the receiver. What is your answer to those who say art is a waste of time?
JL: We never know what impact our work has. We never know if our art gets someone off the couch to live another day or not hit their kid or make love to their partner. And even if we don’t share our work, we uplift ourselves and my god, that matters! We give ourselves the gifts of transcendence, the gritty satisfaction of working our craft, and the essential life-giving of creating. Our world needs us to be sane and alive, and resilient and creating offers that and so much more. A world without creativity is unthinkable and unlivable. Let’s not even consider it.
LH: What are you currently working on and why does it matter to you?
JL: I just published the book I have been trying to write for 15+ years. It’s called Why Bother? Discover the Desire for What’s Next. I’m very proud of it. It’s about how we all find ourselves asking why bother or what’s the point in our lives, and that’s actually a good thing.
LH: What writer’s work would you like to elevate here?
JL: I love my client Helene Morales' book Antigone Rising: The Subversive Power of the Ancient Myths.
Jennifer Louden is a personal growth pioneer who helped launch the concept of self-care with her 1992 bestselling debut book The Woman’s Comfort Book. She is the author of five additional books, including The Woman’s Retreat Book, The Life Organizer and Why Bother? With close to a million copies of her books in print in nine languages, Jennifer is a sought-after speaker, addressing audiences across the USA, Canada and Europe. She is a former columnist for Whole Living, a Martha Stewart magazine, and has appeared on a number of television and radio shows and podcasts—including The Oprah Winfrey Show. Her work has been featured in People, USA Today, CNN, and Brené Brown’s books Daring Greatly and Dare to Lead. Find out more about her new book here https://jenniferlouden.com/why-bother/
Pro Tip: If you preorder her book (click on the cover), she’s offering an amazing bonus gift of a live 5-day online training to help you “get your bother on.”
