Editor's Note: Conversations spark ideas. Field Notes are what happens next. They're not a transcript or a recap—they're my reflections on the ideas that stayed with me after we pulled away from the Publisher's Desk. Conversations explore ideas. Field Notes capture what was worth remembering.
📓 Field Note
Writing Comes First. Publishing Comes Second.
When Odel Asseille and I sat down for the very first Conversation at The Publisher’s Desk, I thought we were going to spend our time talking about burnout.
Instead, we spent nearly five hours talking about writing.
Somewhere in the middle of our conversation, Odel said something that completely changed the way I think about publishing.
→ “When I write, I don’t think about posting. I just write.”
That sentence stayed with me long after we ended the conversation because I realized something.
Writing and publishing aren’t the same thing.
For a long time, I’ve treated them like they are.
I’ll spend hours researching an article.
Then formatting it.
Designing a thumbnail.
Adding images.
Creating a downloadable resource.
Tweaking the layout.
Checking every heading.
By the time I hit Publish, I’ll tell myself I just spent eight hours writing an article; however, I didn’t.
→ I spent part of that time writing.
The rest?
→ I was publishing.
Those are two completely different creative acts.
Writing asks:
What do I want to say?
Publishing asks:
How do I want people to experience it?
Both matter, but they’re not the same job.
That realization helped me understand something else.
Maybe burnout doesn’t always come from writing too much and maybe sometimes it comes from expecting ourselves to write and publish as if they’re one continuous task.
They’re not.
→ Writing requires curiosity.
→ Publishing requires craftsmanship.
→ Writing creates the work.
→ Publishing shapes the experience.
Neither is more important than the other; however, recognizing the difference changes how I think about both.
That’s what I’m taking away from Conversation 001.
Not a new productivity system and not a better publishing schedule.
Just a quieter reminder that writing deserves its own space before we start thinking about headlines, formatting, thumbnails, and everything else that comes after.
Sometimes the best thing we can do is simply write.
We can worry about publishing tomorrow.
Conversation 001 Takeaway
Writing creates the work. Publishing shapes the experience. Don’t confuse the two.
Continue The Conversation
Thank you for pulling up a chair at The Publisher’s Desk.
If today's conversation sparked a new idea or perspective, I'd love for you to continue the conversation by sharing your biggest takeaway in the comments.
↑ Listen to Conversation 001 of The Publisher’s Desk:
Write What You Can Sustain
One of my favorite parts of The Publisher's Desk is introducing you to thoughtful people whose work I genuinely admire.
I'm grateful that Odel’s the first person to pull up a chair at The Publisher's Desk.
About Odel Assellie
Thank you so much for everyone who tuned into this live, your presence is truly appreciated, and to the people who are watching the replay, thank you!
Odel Assellie is the author of The Mirror Room.
Through thoughtful essays, reflections, and poetry, Odel explores identity, relationships, and human behavior, helping readers better understand themselves and the lives they're living.
If today's conversation resonated with you, I think you'll really enjoy Odel's work in The Mirror Room.
Scan the QR code below to subscribe to The Mirror Room →
Scan the QR code below to subscribe to Unstuck to Published →
Thank You
Thank you so much for everyone who tuned into this live, your presence is truly appreciated, and to the people who are watching the replay, thank you!
-Jess, The Creator & Odel Asseille
