Hello, friend.

Welcome to SoulStack, the much-loved newsletter and writing community from me, British author Beth Kempton.

Here on SoulStack I write about life and writing, beauty and darkness, joy and sorrow, the grand juggle and the tiny miracles – all of it, sending out all my musings from my writing room in a little thatched cottage in Devon, England. I am proud to say that SoulStack is a Top 10 Education publication here on Substack.

SoulStack is also the home of SoulCircle, my beautiful writing community (for writers of all levels and experience).

In SoulCircle (for paid subscribers) you can find weekly inspiration and year-round belonging in my gorgeous community of writers.

About Soul Circle

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If you already subscribe to my Substack, this handy article explains how to change your Substack settings to become a paid subscriber and member of SoulCircle (it’s easy!)

I am a bestselling author, mama, Japanologist and curious explorer of the world. I have been writing ever since I can remember, but only had my first book published a few weeks before I turned forty. I have since written six books, including Wabi Sabi which has been translated into 28 languages, recommended by the likes of TIME Magazine and Vogue, and sold one copy every ten minutes since it was published more than five years ago. I am also founder of Do What You Love and co-founder of one of the world’s longest running online art schools, MakeArtThatSells.com, and host of the UK’s #1 favourite seasonal podcast, The Calm Christmas Podcast.

But what you really need to know about me is this:

I believe that you are a writer and the world needs your medicine.

OUT OF ALL THE SUBSTACK NEWSLETTERS OUT THERE, WHY SHOULD I SUBSCRIBE TO SOULSTACK?

When I quit the corporate world more than twelve years ago, I began blogging. My first blog was called ‘A Special Journey of my Own’ to reflect my grand experiment to live a more creative life. It opened up a whole new world of possibility for me, and led to connections with artists, writers and other inspiring folk from around the world, which have been instrumental in the building of my company (and life!) ever since. Then blogging went away, and I spent a lot of time on Instagram, which I love for its visuals, but it has changed significantly in the years I have been on it. Then I heard about Substack, tried it, and fell in love.

In the eight months I have been on here, I have seen my free subscriber community explode from zero to more than 30,000 souls and become a Top 10 Substack publication in the Education category, which I find absolutely staggering. The interaction, kindness and support here is just like nowhere else, and I hope you will sense that in the essays that I write, and the responses that you read.

Here on SoulStack I share things I don’t share anywhere else, including what it’s really like to write books and call it work (often blissful, sometimes painful, always a juggle!), and reflections on doing what you love in a world that wants you to do what makes other people money. You can see an example of this in Confessions of a Self-Help Author and When Living The Dream Looks Like a Tracksuit and a Warmed Up Fish Pie from Tesco.

I often see things through a lens of all I have experienced as a Japanologist and through years of living and working in Japan, and share that here (such as in this essay on The Life-Changing Magic of Writing Haiku).

I hope you find beauty and inspiration here. After all, life is wild and glorious, hard and beautiful and we are all just stumbling through it, figuring it out as we go along. Let's make the most of it, together.

Beth Xx

WHY HAVE YOU CREATED THE SOULCIRCLE WRITING COMMUNITY?

I have created SoulCircle (the writer membership for paid subscribers) for several reasons including because:

- I wanted ONE intimate place to bring together my community, where we can connect with each other and support and inspire each other year-round.

- I wanted to offer a sprinkling of regular inspiration to writers all year round, to help keep the words flowing

- I wanted to gather regular with people ‘with my sort of heart’*

- I wanted to find a sustainable way to write deeply-inspiring, thought-provoking long-form essays regularly outside of the relentless demands of traditional publishing.

- There are many things I would like to share about doing what you love, and the business of writing and publishing, which I do not feel comfortable sharing publicly for anyone to stumble across, but I am happy to share with my trusted community (think vulnerable posts, insights and revelations from twelve years of running my own business, and landing more than fifty book deals, including all of the Big Five publishers, for my six non-fiction books).

I hope you will join - I cannot get to know you!

*Back in the 8th century, Indian scholar Bhavabhuti wrote a wonderful poem about how critics scoffed at his work, but he didn’t care because he wasn’t writing for them. It ends, ‘I write these / poems for a person / who will one day be born / with my sort of heart.’ ^-

→ This can untitled poem translated by Andrew Schelling can be found in Dropping the Bow: Poems of ancient India, (New York: White Pine Press, 2008)

WHY UPGRADE TO JOIN SOULCIRCLE?

When you upgrade to paid for less that the cost of tea and cake, you will become a member of SoulCircle - not only will you be part of my gorgeous community (and chat!), and get weekly Journal Notes with sparks of inspiration for your writing, you will also get invitations to my bi-seasonal SoulCircle Live Writing Circles (every 6-7 weeks on Zoom), Quarterly Group Mentoring (ask-me-anything Q&A) and other paid subscriber-only delights.

Your subscription also supports my work as an author, allowing me to write beautiful, thoughtful essays here on Substack and dive deep into life’s questions in writing books. From me, my family, and all my future readers, THANK YOU. I hope you find SoulCircle deeply nourishing for you too.

If you already subscribe to my Substack, this handy article explains how to change your Substack settings to become a paid subscriber and member of SoulCircle (it’s easy!)

ABOUT ME

I am a bestselling author of six self-help books, mama to two sweet girls, a Japanologist, a trained yoga teacher, a Reiki Master, and a curious explorer of the world. My husband Mr K calls me a ‘rebel with a dictionary’ and I love nothing more than using (and helping others to use) words to change the world, one idea at a time.

I have been a student of Japanese life for quarter of a century, and have two degrees in Japanese, which is why you will often find sprinklings of Japanese poetry and other inspirations in amongst my essays. I previously trained in TV presenter skills at NTV in Tokyo and, many moons ago, hosted my own TV show on Yamagata Cable Television (before YouTube, thank goodness!)

I have long been a seeker of beauty, and as a writer I use words to wrangle big questions about how to live well. My work has been featured in a variety of publications including TIME magazine, British Vogue, Wanderlust, Yoga magazine, Psychologies, Breathe, Vanity Fair, the Sunday Times, and the Times Literary Supplement.

As a mentor, I offer support and inspiration to writers and dreamers, teaching how words and ideas can heal, inspire, uplift, connect and help us make the most of our time in this beautiful world. My company, Do What You Love, has delivered original online courses to over 100,000 people, helping them to navigate life, live creatively and do what they love. I love teaching writing and am honoured that more than 35,000 people have taken my writing classes. I am also thrilled to have helped scores of authors land book deals through my raved-about Book Proposal Masterclass, which I run once a year.

My latest book KOKORO: Japanese wisdom for a life well lived missed out on the Sunday Times Bestseller list by 25 books! Such is life… But I am thrilled at the way it has been received by readers, describing it as ‘life-changing’, ‘awe-inspiring’ and ‘the most profound book I have ever read’. It is a meditation on impermanence and a guidebook of sorts for navigating major life transitions. I hope you will read and love it.

Having lived and worked in Japan for many years, I now enjoy a slow-ish life by the sea in rural Devon, England, with her husband Mr K and their two young daughters, and when I’m not paddleboarding I can usually be found coffee in hand, notebook on my lap.

bethkempton.com | dowhatyouloveforlife.com | Instagram @bethkempton

WORDS FROM MY LOVELY SUBSCRIBERS

I am honoured that nearly 500 other Substack writers recommend this publication. Here are some reflections from some of my lovely subscribers:

Beth. Beth. A few reasons to read: Her mind, her heart, her books, her words, her deep admiration of Japanese culture... she reminds me of what's essential in my life.

– Elena Brower

Beautiful, thoughtful, evocative writing... Beth talks about the highlights of life, alongside the more difficult aspects, all with refreshing honesty.

– Carolyn J Roberts

Beth spins beautiful words into gold and holds us steady as writers in our own right. A magical and supportive space.

– Claire Venus, Sparkle on Substack

If you have ever dreamed of writing this is a must subscribe to. I never thought myself as a writer or had the courage to share any of my words until I came across Beth Kempton. Soothing words and voice to inspire your writing life.

– Sam Adams, Moving Through Life

Every story is a celebration of the wild and wonderful. Insights, inspiration, and real-life wisdom await.

– KnowledgeCollective

Truly inspiring writer who writes beautifully and generously empowers authors to share their medicine in the world.

– Rambling Rose

I adore Beth's work. Everything she does feels soft yet deep and endlessly curious, and these are some of my favorite things.

– The Garden of Belonging

If you are craving intentional, creative living you must discover Beth. She is in my top favourite authors, she's a Japanologist sharing wisdom around the deeply inspiring Japanese philosophies around living... She's an incredible writing mentor and just a wonderful human being to be around. Life without Beth's magic would just not be the same.

– Intuitive Living with Jennifer Jane Young

Beth shares such deep wisdom, inspiration and vulnerability for anyone who seeks to write from a fearless heart.

– Sacred Musings with Christine Marie

Beth is an amazing author, and necessary voice in these times. Her insights and encouragement have helped me immensely in my writing journey.

– Christina Dammerman

Calm and cosy - best read next to a fireplace.

– Pen of Ben

Big life lessons but - above all - openness and honesty about the challenges and rewards of a creative life. Beth is so generous in her time and in all she gives her community. She is also a trained Japanologist so there is a touch of Eastern wisdom running through her beautiful work. A really lovely publication.

– Wild Quiet Folk

Beth's writing serves as a reminder in how to see the beauty in creation, within ourselves and the world itself.

– Nourishing Time with Salema Veliu

Beth is so gifted and is dedicated to helping others uncover their own gifts. Insightful and supportive.

– Surviving Stormy Squalls

Sharp observations of life in all its complexity.

– Meg’s Musings

Beth Kempton offers fabulous advice on writing, the writing life, and what it means to get your work out into the world.

– A Creative Life