The Ink-Smudged Writing Desk
Helen Redfernexploring the messy, beautiful process of creativity — the hidden stories behind books, films, music, and my own writing journey
| Platform |  | Pricing | Freemium | Publishes | Twice weekly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Issues | 315 | Founded | 5 years ago | Last Issue | 9 days ago |
| Active | |||||
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helenredfern.substack.comLatest Issues
STORIES FROM MY DESK | May 2026: A Monthly Update on Writing, Reading & Watching
June marks the fourth anniversary of my writing here on Substack. I actually created my Substack the previous year, in 2021, but it took me an entire year to work out what I wanted to say and pluck up the courage to start (so if you’ve been...
JUNE'S Virtual Body-Doubling Writing Sessions: Zoom Links Inside
Happy June, everyone.
Happy June, everyone.
Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Stories: Maeve Binchy’s Writing Process
I was fifteen years old when I read my first Maeve Binchy. We were on a two-week villa holiday in Portugal, and in the hall was a small bookshelf filled with novels past guests had left behind. Being a teenage bookworm, I’d quickly gone thr...
Little Miss Fix It
What losing subscribers taught me about fear, burnout, and letting things breathe.
When something isn’t working, the impulsive side of me, which, incidentally, is extremely strong, wants to immediately try to fix it.
STORIES FROM MY DESK | April 2026: A Monthly Update on Writing, Reading & Watching
It’s been a little longer than a month since my last ‘Stories…’ and, for someone who spends a lot of time sitting on the settee in the corner of the kitchen, I feel a lot has happened. Nothing massive. Just lots of teeny-tiny steps.
After...
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| Subscribers | Engagement | 76 | Monthly Web Visits | ||
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| Accepts Sponsors | Estimated Cost per Ad | ||||
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the view from my ever-cluttered writing desk
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