Welcome to This Creative Life
A space where creative writing thrives alongside brand strategy, styling and storytelling, and a place to connect with those who value seasonal ways of living and working.
When I first launched this publication, it was entitled Brand Seasons. I imagined a playground of curiosity, creativity and connection, a space where daydreams could be explored and plans could be made. That vision now lives under the umbrella of This Creative Life, where stories, poetry and essays meet practical branding insight.
I created the Brand Seasons® Method in 2023 and this seasonal approach to branding and business charts the phases of:
🌱 Sowing (Spring): clarifying your strategy
🌸 Blossoming (Summer): shaping a style
🍂 Harvesting (Autumn): telling your story
❄️ Grounding (Winter): building with substance
This evolved into the Brand Seasons® Playdeck — a pocket-sized source of creative encouragement funded on Kickstarter — and later the Playgroup, where 25 creatives explored how to build a brand rooted in strategy, style and story. The Playbook, a digital journal and workbook, is soon to arrive.
Who I am
First and foremost, I’m a mother, and while I often find myself writing and making around the edges of family life, my children inspire me to stay curious and remain true to my values.
Day-to-day, I’m a writer, mentor, designer and the founder of fonn ~ a storytelling studio where I support small businesses in creating their strategies, visual styles, and stories. My ultimate aim is to help them nurture a brand that feels like home.
Originally from Edinburgh with roots in the Outer Hebrides, I now live in the Scottish Borders with my folklore‑loving daughter and nature‑seeking son. My memoir‑in‑progress (very much a side project at this stage) explores inherited stories and the reclamation of creativity.
What you’ll find here
Story Time – memoir excerpts + the creative process
Paper Trails – collective essays, poems, stories + visuals
Brand Seasons – helping you craft a brand that feels like home
Community tiers
Free – essays + podcast
Paid subscriber – memoir excerpts, glimpses into the writing process, collective essays, poems, stories + visuals, plus a Press Play session on the last Friday of each month
Founding member – everything above plus access to my resource library + the launch diary for Shape Your Brand Story (publishing autumn 2026 with 91 Editions)
Away from Substack, you can find me on Instagram and Pinterest or via my seasonal Inside Story email letters.
“Thanks so much for the co-working session today! It was a great opportunity to have some accountability. I was impressed by how much I got done, and it was lovely to see some friendly faces!”
Want to go deeper?
I enjoy writing about my experience of using Substack and have curated two articles you might find helpful:
Shaping my brand on Substack, about my first six months writing on the platform
Setting up home on Substack, with encouragement for those who are new to this community
And for those seeking to infuse their lives and work with more curiosity and creativity, some popular posts include:
Collaboration fuels me, so I occasionally contribute to other publications. Some highlights include:
a branding series about strategy, styling and storytelling for The Author Stack
an interview about shaping space for curiosity, creativity and collaboration for Story & Thread.
a conversation with Dulcify Journal about business, inspiration and playfulness
a podcast about quiet ambition and the importance of balance with Moments of Moxie
a guest article about creative rest for
“I love Sarah's gentle nudges and thoughtful writing. She really helps me to think more deeply about my brand and that's something I value very much.”
How to stay connected
I’d love to welcome you into the fold and make this a season of curiosity, creativity and connection for you.
If this resonates, you can:
Thanks for being here. Let’s make something meaningful and maybe even a little magical together.
