Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Erin Duncan. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Erin, thanks for joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I learned how to write from a love of reading in my childhood. Knowing what I know about writing today, there’s nothing I could have or would have done differently to speed up my learning process. I grew with it, and for me, that was a great way to develop my skills.

The skills that were most essential to my writing journey would be, for one, being inquisitive. I love to ask questions and find answers to things I don’t know. This has shown up in publications I have written for and new platforms I want to explore, like Substack, where I write my current newsletter, Notes From Erin, and even shows up when I interview people for different articles and stories. Another skill that has been most essential for me is being comfortable with getting feedback. I am curious to know how many things I have written that people had input on, whether it was something small like a sentence or something significant like a differing perspective. Feedback helps you perfect your craft, whether you agree with it or not.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m Erin, from the Bay Area, although I now live in Maryland. I am a writer and podcaster, and I developed a love of writing through a passion for reading. As an only child, reading was my companion and one of the ways I could explore my creativity. My parents fed into my love of reading by taking me to the bookstore a few times per month and enrolling me in reading programs at my local libraries. My mom would also make me write book reports based on the books I read to help me retain what I learned in the book and also to help me practice my writing – and honestly, I soaked that up. 

As I got older, I kept writing. I had a journal, and my family would encourage and celebrate the little stories I would write. I started writing a lot while in school, writing for my high school and college newspapers. During college, I started a blog called RawEMag (questionable name), where I wrote about music and books. I eventually started another blog with a better name, Beats and Reads, where I talked about the same and started doing interviews. That led me to write for publications like Okayplayer, Wax Poetics, and Frank151. 

Currently, I write a newsletter hosted on Substack called Notes From Erin, where I talk about music, books, and everything in between. I am also co-host of a podcast, Creative Canvas, where we talk about creativity, culture, and music. 

When asked what I am most proud of regarding my creative journey, I would say not being afraid to embrace a pivot. This pivot has shown up several times in terms of content I have created. I went from writing about music primarily to music and books, lifestyle, and more. Also, I am shifting where I am writing, including WordPress, Mailchimp, Substack, and even podcasting. You have to be flexible and adaptable.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

One of the most rewarding aspects of being creative is the community you cultivate. I have met some of the most intelligent and vulnerable people and built lifelong friendships with some of the creatives I have met.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

One way that society can support artists and creatives is by offering tangible support. If something they created, whether it be an article, a story, a painting, or a photo, resonated with you, let people know. Share with your community! Help support their craft monetarily when possible. Provide feedback! Encourage when possible.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.erinashley.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bellametaphor
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bellametaphor