From Outsider to Fantasy Author: J.M. Shaw on Autism, Creativity & Belonging

Fantasy author J.M. Shaw joins Joe for a candid and often hilarious conversation about creativity, neurodivergence, storytelling and finding where you belong.

Shaw shares how being diagnosed with autism and ADHD in 2019 helped her reframe traits she once struggled with as creative strengths, why writing became a way to understand both herself and other people, and how decades of private storytelling eventually became published work.

They explore what separates writers from people who only talk about writing, why believable characters need flaws, the role of family and nature in her creative process, building fantasy worlds around real human emotions, the importance of accepting imperfection, why “write what you know” may be terrible advice, and why aspiring writers sometimes simply have to risk hearing that their work sucks.

Along the way, Joe and J.M. detour through bell bottoms, man buns, Canadian cowboys, Johnny Cash, cheesy old movies and the dangers of writing a chapter your husband can't put down. It's a funny, thoughtful conversation about writing your own script, finding your people and creating something before fear convinces you not to try.

Guest: J.M. Shaw

J.M. Shaw (official author website): https://jmshawauthor.com/The Callum Walker Series by J.M. Shaw: https://jmshawauthor.com/The Ascension by J.M. Shaw: https://www.thebookfest.com/award_entries/the-ascension/The Fractured Veil by J.M. Shaw: https://goodreads.com/book/show/201004122

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