We recently connected with Binaebi Calkins and have shared our conversation below.

Binaebi, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Do you think folks should manage their own social media or hire a professional? What do you do?

I manage my own social media. I have two business Instagram accounts, and one TikTok. I used to do Twitter, and I have a Facebook presence but don’t do much with that right now. I don’t hire anyone to manage my social media (yet), but I do have a pro Canva account because it allows me to schedule posts. I also use the Simplified app because it allows me to upload carousel posts to Instagram, which Canva doesn’t, for some reason. I mostly go for convenience and least amount of time put toward content creation so I can focus on building relationships.

Binaebi, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I have always loved writing and writing stationery, but alas, I’ve also always been a pantser / discovery writer. All the resources for writers, when I relaunched my Etsy store back in 2017, were focused on supporting plotter / planner type writers. I wanted something less strict that supported my writing methods. I was already really into Bullet Journaling (check out Ryder Carroll for the true, simple method), and started applying it to my writing journal.

That led to me wanting a repeatable way to do this, rather than having to handwrite my spreads every time. So I popped open InDesign and got typing. I threw up my Novel Notebook on my Etsy storefront, Bright Bird Press. By the time the pandemic hit, I had a couple variations, each catering to a different need. Want help brainstorming while tracking your writing habits monthly? Check. How about brainstorming a project with 30 undated daily writing spreads to track your NaNoWriMo progress? Double check.

As Bright Bird Press grew, I realized there was an opportunity to provide the best of both worlds. I created an year-long, undated planner that allows you to brainstorm two separate writing projects, and then break down your writing goals by quarters, months, and weeks.

Bright Bird Press creates stationery for intuitive writers who flip between pantsing and planning, between scheduling and winging it. I’ve tested all the stationery options myself, based on my writing needs and feedback I’ve received from customers. I focus on undated stationery because I think it’s super important to recognize life happens, and we shouldn’t punish ourselves if we have to put our passion projects aside for a bit to take care of things.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Seeing my work out there. I will always create something, it’s practically a compulsion. But to create stationery that helps other writers get through their trouble spots is super rewarding.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

It’s against most advice, but I am my own customer. I feel my products show that I care, and that I get it. I cater to writers seeking flexible systems that don’t shame them into making progress, and I belong to that demographic. I don’t want to look at a notebook and see half the year went by, and I can never get those days back. I want to open a notebook to a new page and write in the date, celebrating instead that I’ve written for another day. The focus is on progress, not perfection. Commenting on others’ posts, staying positive and funny in my social media, these are small but important actions. There’s enough negativity in the world, writing stationery doesn’t need to contribute to that.  

Contact Info:

• Website: https://brightbirdpress.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/brightbirdpress

Image Credits
Binaebi Akah Calkins / Bright Bird Press