The Origin Story
Welcome to The Waited—a new Substack about all the waiting that goes into the making, by Kelsey Dundon, a Vancouver-based copywriter turned thriller-writer.
In 2009, I was working as a copywriter in an advertising agency in Vancouver.
My desk was close to the web team where all the techy designer and developer types had blogs. It sounded fun. I wanted one. So I started The Anthology on a whim.
It became my creative outlet from my creative job. And took on a life of its own.
I was suddenly presented with so many different types of opportunities it felt very now-or-never-y. So I left my day job and founded my own company: I wrote a lot—copywriting and lifestyle articles, plus my favourite: travel articles. And started doing a lot of live TV and in-person speaking engagements.
Then I had kids.
I pulled way back and focused on two things: my kids and my copywriting. I wasn’t thinking about writing fiction. I couldn’t think about much outside of snacks and nap time and client deadlines, to be honest.
But when I was with my kids I would often listen to podcasts and audiobooks about creative practices—by Brené Brown, Liz Gilbert and Cheryl Strayed. I was biding my time, I see now that I look back on that time. Hibernating. Absorbing. And you guessed it: waiting.
In 2019 I was heading to Europe for three weeks with my family when I lost my phone. (Boy, did that stress out everyone I knew!) It was the first time since I’d started my own company that I wasn’t also working while I was travelling. I wasn’t doing client work, I wasn’t writing travel articles, I was simply wandering from castle to pintxos bar to beach.
The experience of being off the grid(ish—I still had my laptop with me) made me realize I wanted to write a book. For real.
It had always been a nebulous goal of mine—probably is for every writer—but I was worried I would hate working alone. Copywriting at least means you’re immersed in a team of designers and photographers and clients. But when you’re starting your book, it’s just you and your laptop.
After I got home (and over the jet lag) I started John Grisham-ing things. I woke up earlier than I ever had in my life so I could get my 1000 words in before my kids got up and I had to start my day.
I wrote and wrote and wrote, then started working with the brilliant editor Carrie Frye, who had me rewrite and rewrite and rewrite until my thriller was solid enough to start pitching agents, a wild experience that ultimately landed me with my agent Lauren Spieller at Folio Literary Management in New York.
Which brings us to The Waited
I’m fascinated by the way artists, writers and creative types do their work while also parenting or holding down a day job or both. Because I think there’s magic in the struggle-juggle. I was never more focused and productive than when I had only a single early-morning hour to work on my book. I couldn’t procrastinate for a second. I just had to write.
So I want to talk about that with other creatives. (One day I’ll start a podcast.) I am such a creative cheerleader, I can’t wait to share what my creative friends and friends-of-friends are doing and *how* they’re doing it.
Plus, on The Waited I’ll share things that are…
Worth the Wait
Like, for example:
Design. All the vintage things I love but shouldn’t buy because we have limited storage in our 115-year-old home.
Culture. Though let’s be realistic: probably more low-brow than high-.
Style. Especially vintage clothes that border on costume.
Writing. What I’m working on. How I’m working on it. And who I’m working with.
Reading. I’ve been running a book club for so long it’s become my entire personality.
So hi! Hello! Welcome! I’m so glad you’re here. If you’re from The Anthology days—or even if you’re not!—please shoot me a note and let me know what you’d like to see?
🙌🙌🙌
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