Intro/Outro Music: “Feel Good” by raspberrymusic
Guest: Ann Kimbrough – author of The Harvey Girl Mysteries and Darkly
Find her on Substack at Tell Me a Mystery
Ann Kimbrough is a storyteller who grew up in the shadow of adventure.
Her father was a three-star general and pilot whose dinner-table tales helped form the daring spirit behind her fiction.
Today, we dig into the blessing and the trap of having too many ideas.
Why do writers chase new sparks instead of finishing what’s in front of them?
Is it genuine inspiration—or a clever way to avoid the fear of completion?
Ann shares her process for testing ideas with readers, how old projects can be revived into stronger stories, and why outlining and “bookending” can reignite your love for the work you already started.
We also talk world-building addiction, managing multiple projects, learning tools like Scrivener and Vellum, and how Substack has transformed community for fiction authors.
It’s funny, a little chaotic, and brutally honest—exactly what this show was built for.
Key Takeaways
Writers often chase new ideas to escape the grind of finishing.
Test ideas publicly; feedback brings clarity.
Let unfinished stories meet like rabbits—combine ideas to make better ones.
Progress matters more than perfection; forward motion is still motion.
Building community keeps creativity alive longer than isolation ever could.
Favorite Moment
“You can find that same spark inside one story if you don’t give up.”
— Ann Kimbrough
From Jaime
This one’s close to home. Ann has been the spark behind more ideas in the Substack fiction community than she’ll admit.
If you’ve ever been buried in half-finished stories, this episode will shake you awake—and maybe give you permission to fall back in love with the messy middle.
Your Turn
You’ve got a folder full of half-finished brilliance.
This week, pick one and finish it.
Then come tell us about it at JaimeBuckley.com, where writers are learning how to turn chaos into completion.
The deeper dive…“Why We Run From Our Best Work”…drops this week for paid subscribers.
