Substacks recommended by Jill Swenson | Memory, Time, History on Lake of the Woods

Recommended by Jill Swenson

Above Average: Minnesota's Economy, Past and Present

Pondering the evolution of Minnesota's economy

Louis Johnston is a writer whose grandfather was a commercial fisherman on Lake of the Woods and like me spent many summer vacations in Warroad with family. He shares his knowledge of Minnesota history and economics puts things into a broader context for a deeper understanding of the past and present.

- Jill Swenson

Five Little Lights -- A Calendar

By Laura Jean Baker

Advent, Epiphany, Eastertide, & Equinoxes -- countdown rituals for lapsed church-goers (& other non-believers!) who still long to observe, cherish, and celebrate the liturgical calendar.

Like agates from the lake, memories tumbled to a polish and treasured as precious stones.

- Jill Swenson

Seasons of the Soul

By Deb Sinness

Stories from a migratory snowbird…on life in my sixth decade, retirement, and the places we go. Come along for the ride!

For those who enjoy vicarious road adventures!.

- Jill Swenson

Ink Trails: A Chronicle in Creativity

By Elizabeth Rynecki

WIP: a novel inspired by true events. Writing and recording a podcast about ADHD. Wrote CHASING PORTRAITS + made the docfilm. I’m also Authors Answer

I want to know what Elizabeth Rynecki is up to next. Book, podcast, documentary, essays, op-eds. Her distinctive voice and view of the world tickles my creativity bone.

- Jill Swenson

Cambridge Ladies' Dining Society

By Ann Kennedy Smith

Exploring books, literary lives and Cambridge women’s history

Deep dives into the historical archives with primary sources are my jam and Ann Kennedy Smith turns a spotlight on women at Cambridge whose voices remain relevant today

- Jill Swenson

Rooted--Land at the Edge of the Sky

By George Shurr

Deep history of a place in the Eastern Great Plains where the tall grass prairie carved by deep river valleys intersects with the area that has wooded lakes left by the last glacier.

Your Weekly Writing Exercise

By Mary Carroll Moore

My latest writing exercise to inspire and encourage your creativity.

Shadow Launch Prep (The Widow's Guide to Dead Bastards)

By Jessica Waite

Prepping for July 30 launch with Simon & Schuster. Daily tasks + analysis of what did and didn't work. For debut writers like me, and anyone else trying to figure it out as they go!

Get an insider's look at becoming a debut author from someone who is caring and careful. I have found her trustworthy and kind after having heard about her forthcoming memoir (the title of which grabbed my attention immediately!) If you are wondering about what comes after writing the manuscript and before release of the book, here you go!

- Jill Swenson

Brooke Randel Is Writing

New writing, upcoming projects and some of the inspiration behind it all. I write fiction and non-fiction, and think deeply on issues related to the Holocaust, memory and family.

SubMakk

By Rebecca Makkai

Rebecca Makkai's Substack: mostly writing and books! but also Zillow, true crime, etymology, food, general inanity

Writing in the Dark with Jeannine Ouellette

For people who do language. Writing saved my life—so I teach writing as if it might save yours.

It is a pleasure and honor to teach under the umbrella of Elephant Rock Writing Studio started by Jeannine Ouellette. If you are a writer, then I know you will find value in her work here.

- Jill Swenson

Songs That Saved Your Life

Rock history written from a queer lens.

Place Writing

By Yasmin Chopin

We are a community curious about all forms of writing, but especially Place Writing. We share ideas, pose questions, and find answers if we can.

It's Good to Be Here

By Amy Stewart

Be the artist in residence of your world. Tips, ideas, and inspiration from artist residencies everywhere, from artist and bestselling author Amy Stewart. Supporters get art tutorials and a deeper dive.

The Recovering Academic

By Joshua Doležal

A series on rebuilding a life and a writing practice after leaving academe.

Story Club with George Saunders

A place to explore the way the short story works.

Oldster Magazine

By Sari Botton

Exploring what it means to travel through time in a human body, at every phase of life.

Out of my Mind

By Rebecca Barry

The online home of Rebecca Barry, author of "Later at the Bar," and "Recipes for a Beautiful Life."

If you loved RECIPES FOR A BEAUTIFUL LIFE and LATER, AT THE BAR, then you already know why I subscribe. I'm here for the new stories, essays, and provocation to use my imagination.

- Jill Swenson

Aambe: where books collide

By patty krawec

Alice doesn't live here anymore. If you came here looking for the books I'm reading and what they make me think about, find me at thousandworlds.ca

Patti Smith

The reader is my notebook

Asking Amy

By Amy Dickinson

Advice, essays and snapshots on how it feels to be human

Field Notes

By Christopher Brown

Reports from the edgelands

Finding the wild in urban landscapes helps me connect with the world I am in and cracks my mind open to explore the natural history around me.

- Jill Swenson

Ancestor Trouble

By Maud Newton

Writing, books, art. Kinship, broadly construed. Advocate for acknowledging tough family histories honestly, open-heartedly, and with imagination.

On Substack

By Substack Writers

Resources, news, and stories for and about writers. Written by the Substack team.

There is a learning curve that corresponds to the growth-in-readers curve and I find as a newbie the advice here solid gold.

- Jill Swenson