In the first conversation of Creative, Actually, Elizabeth Carter chats with retired ER nurse and author Jo Taylor about discovering her love of writing while completing an English degree to make a career pivot, and how decades in healthcare shaped her understanding of human nature. They discuss her award-winning 1970s-set novel Margaret of Thibodaux, her Substack Characteristically Speaking, and her use of genealogy and real letters to research historical fiction. Taylor shares craft advice focused on small, embodied character details and explains her character-first “pantser” process, developmental editing with Fictionary, and her experience reaching nearly one million Kindle page reads amid uncertain Amazon marketing and a Substack bookstore listing. About Jo Taylor: Jo Taylor is an obstreperous, retired ER Nurse who is likely an obstreperous writer too. She grew up with three stepmothers—not at the same time—an experience that sharpened her ear for family dynamics, quiet tensions, and the complicated ways people love one another. She's lived on a boat and traced her genealogy back to the year 310, all while collecting the lived details that find their way onto the page. She's been married for 35 years, and she loves to base hero characters on her husband—a hero in real life. Her writing is character-driven, emotionally attentive, and rooted in the small moments that reveal larger truths about grief, resilience, and belonging. Her first book, Postcards: Collected Poems and Short Stories, was released in July 2024. Her debut novel, Margaret of Thibodaux, published in March 2025, marks her first full-length work of literary fiction. Her next novel is Mimi and Maurice, a historical fiction based on true events, due to be published in June, 2026. Chapters & Timestamps: 00:00 Meet Jo Taylor & ‘Margaret of Thibodaux’ 00:49 Finding Writing Through an English Degree (and Falling in Love with It) 01:31 Observing Human Nature Without Writing ‘Hospital Novels’ 03:41 Premonitions, ‘Woo,’ and Sharing Stories on Substack 05:13 Army Brat Life, Autobiographical Threads & Choosing Louisiana 08:45 Genealogy as a Writer’s Secret Weapon (and a Family Link to Martha Graham) 10:42 Writing for Anyone Who Remembers Growing Up in the 1970’s 11:46 Building Your Character With Small Details, Embarrassment, and Emotion 17:13 Pantser vs Plotter, Editing Boundaries, and Writing Good People 21:15 Fictionary, Developmental Editing, and Why Other Methods Felt Artificial 24:36 One Million Page Reads, and Using Fictionary on Margaret of Thibodaux 27:29 Ads, Substack, and Algorithms 30:18 Creativity Through Physicality - Change Your Body, Change Your Brain 33:35 Getting Unstuck With Small Shift That Bring Big Breakthroughs 36:30 AI, Information vs. Wisdom, and Why Human Stories Still Matter 41:07 Lived Experience Is the Material 44:19 Final Thoughts, and Where to Find the Author Links: Jo’s Substack Characteristically Speaking Jo’s Author Website Margaret of Thibodaux novel on Amazon Twitter Instagram Fictionary Fleur Hull Substack Bookstore This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit eacarter.substack.com/subscribe
