8 Questions for... Luisa Skinner

Writing Around the Edges

Photo by Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash

Hello! I’m a mother, a fitness instructor helping NHS patients living with long-term health conditions become more active, an avid reader, and (gulp) a writer. I live along the wild coastline of the southwest of the UK, where Exmoor meets the sea. Most often you’ll find me hiking the moonlit beaches with my children and soppy lurcher or playing with tarot cards and dancing like a loon in my driftwood cabin yoga studio. I joined Substack originally in summer 2021 and am probably best known for my frequent creative fires; ruthlessly burning my Substack publications to the ground and rebirthing them from the ashes. My only online home is at Writing Around the Edges. Shall we jump in?

1. Why Substack?

I was unknowingly gearing up for burnout, having pushed myself to the brink through physical, mental and emotional exertion during the previous decade. I’d written the odd article on health and wellness for Melanie Sykes, editor at FRANK magazine, and toyed with a WordPress blog about hiking the Southwest Coast Path fueled by raucous girlfriends and prosecco, but I think I was guided towards Substack by curiosity, led by others I admired gravitating there. I’d built successful online communities through my fitness business, and run a book club via Facebook, but was being nudged towards exploring longer form writing; real, raw writing. I’m a double Leo but also a desperate introvert, so that desire to be out there, blazing, alongside the pain that bright exposure inflicts on me, is a constant struggle.

2. How long did it take you to find your groove?

Hilarious as I am most definitely still looking! Since I came back from my latest creative fire (I deleted my original Substack publication ‘Salted’ in December 2022, coming back in January 2023 with ‘This Writerly Life’, then burned that to the ground to make way for ‘Writing Around the Edges’ in November 2023, before becoming completely overwhelmed and deleting everything again in summer 2024 - finally relaunching fresh in November 2024) it is feeling…better? I have to take real care with anything online, consciously having absolutely zero social media presence now other than Substack. I go through phases of having the Substack app on my phone and then removing it and enforcing strict boundaries on accessing it via my laptop only. I guess I’ve worked so hard these past few years to regulate my nervous system that I’m fearful that any kind of over-excitable ‘success’ may nudge it out of its comfort zone again. But I have some soft intentions for this coming year, the loosest of structures but a structure, nonetheless. I’m getting there.

3. How has it changed you?

I’ve maybe spilled too much of my heart, at times? But that’s the writing I love to read, the crude, explicit self that we may otherwise hide. It helps you to make your mark and connect with readers. And it’s been healing. All of it. I’m now in my mid-forties and have changed beyond recognition since my thirties; still the same face, but inside, oh-so different. I’m humbled by my writing’s resonance with others, and by its brief life when I fearlessly burn it down and rebuild.

4. What mistakes have you made?

How long do you have?! I try not to see them as mistakes, but I do honestly have regrets. Although making them has built resilience, I think. I had three weeks when ‘This Writerly Life’ grew from 0 to 1,000 subscribers and I felt physically sick, rather than elated. One time I took a deep breath and hit ‘delete publication’ (that red zone at the bottom of your Settings page? If you have a trigger finger, like me, stay clear!) when I had over 200 publications recommending me to over 1,000 new subscribers. There’s a weirdly addictive euphoria that you feel when you wipe that out. I’m aiming for 2025 to be a more consistent year though. No more boom ‘n’ burn.

5. To pay or not to pay?

Ouch, another tricky topic! I’ve ‘gone paid’ twice, and both times have instantly thrown up, reverted to free, and promptly refunded everyone. It’s a very personal thing, and entirely about that black dog of overwhelm, of responsibility. I do have a penciled sketch in my brain that I’ll see how consistently I can show up for the next twelve months and then revisit this question, so who knows. I have a feeling though that opportunities that have absolutely nothing to do with money may float their way to those who write for free via this platform in 2025. We need space to receive them.

6. What artistic and technical choices have you made?

I’m currently playing with ‘Sections’ on my homepage and titles for those, which is helping me find that soft structure I need, to keep my ideas within the lines. I use Substack Notes to interact with readers and authors of my ‘Gentle Book Club’, just about to enter its second, quiet year. I’m not diagnosed but am positive my brain is not neurotypical, and so all of my choices online are intentional, with ease being priority. I work a busy, stressful, responsible day-job, running a charity-funded gym for those with chronic health conditions, and I’m a mum of a 13 and 11 year old. All of that can sometimes feel pretty heavy. My reading and writing time have to bring joy. Everything we choose should bring joy, these days more than ever.

7. What’s been the effect on your writing?

I kept a few early posts from creative fires and in a short time can see how my writing has evolved, to be less conversational, with less flippant humour (though I still write to make myself laugh at times!) I can also pick out those posts written in a wild frenzy of utter writing flow and published with only the lightest of editing. Those are where the real magic sparks. I’d urge you to be brave and share that kind of writing. Keep your eyes wide open, don’t cut deeper than you can bear, but let it spill, and share it. Someone will love you for it.

8. In it for the long haul?

The golden question! Today, I’m going to say, yes. I love the ease of the interface on Substack, the familiarity I feel with my favourite people there, the true friendships I’ve found, the way my voice has developed after decades of feeling the need to be quiet. I’ve made space elsewhere in my life to really explore Substack this year, and travel with my words where my feet can’t follow. It’s taken a while, but I’m ready.

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Luisa Skinner

‘Gentle Book Club’, beginning its second year of independently reading eight handpicked books at spring equinox (always for free and with absolutely no Zooms), supporting and celebrating female authors who also write on Substack.

Gentle Book Club on Substack is back

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Luisa Skinner