The Michelle Hickey Design Blog

In this post, I give an update on my book writing journey and share how acting the part can help you stay the course as you pursue a creative dream. We all have creative dreams. Maybe yours is to see your work in an art gallery, host a retreat, write a screenplay, or design a […]

In this post, you’ll get a peek into Michelle writer’s retreat weekend, plus inspiration on how to plan your own. When I began writing my book, almost two years ago, I thought I’d defy the odds. That somehow, I’d be able to execute a quick turnaround. But I don’t know who I was kidding. I’ve […]

In this post, I share a review of the documentary, Pretend it’s a City, my complicated relationship with New York, my newfound adoration of Fran Lebowitz, and the new habit she inspired me to adopt. When I relocated to northeast Florida in 2013, I felt an immediate sense of belonging. The slow pace of life, […]

Your new creative idea is the most brilliant yet. But will it work? Adopting this mindset will ensure that the answer is always a resounding yes. In notebooks. In dreams. In chats with friends over coffee. In the shower. In your doodles. In your wide eyes after you’ve had a second glass of wine. New […]

In this post, I share a book review of You Should See Me in a Crown, plus four joyful finds, including a Hitchcock podcast, a new striped dress, a musical soundtrack, and a docuseries about movies. You Should See Me in a Crown, by Leah Johnson, is about a high school senior named Liz, who […]

In this post, I share a book review of The Giver of Stars, plus four joyful finds, including my new coffee table, a YouTube channel, fancy straws, and an Instagram account. Good things come to those who wait. I remember picking up The Giver of Stars at a Barnes and Noble in Virginia, right before […]

In this post, I share a book review of American Spy, plus four joyful finds, including makeup, a tv show, my new office couch, and a great article on refrigerator organization. I had been looking forward to reading American Spy, by Lauren Wilkinson, all summer. Every time I passed my bookshelf, its cover would catch […]

After 125 consecutive days of writing, the first draft of my novel is complete! In this post, I share the next steps in my book-writing process. What’s next? Now that I’ve reached the end, it’s time to go back to the beginning. In the next phase, I’ll be reading and revising every chapter, one word […]

Within every story, there’s another story to be discovered. In this post, I share the creative lessons learned from the book, Hamilton: The Revolution. On March 12, 2020, I got an email from my library. Hamilton: The Revolution, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter, was available for pickup. I had been on a waiting […]