Jillian Anthony

Austin

Writer and Editor at Freelance

Host at Cruel Summer Book Club (Podcast)

Writer and podcast host at https://t.co/OllFOgztV4. Editor @mashable, ex @timeoutnewyork @culturetrip, work @popupmag @cosmopolitan @marieclaire

Articles

What I learned in a year of Al-Anon

1 week ago | cruelsummerbookclub.substack.com | Jillian Anthony

Last June, I stepped into my first Al-Anon meeting in Austin. I’d been in these meetings before, as a teenager in LA, then a young adult in New York City. But this time, it finally stuck. For the unfamiliar, Al-Anon is a 12-step program for family members of alcoholics. But to me, Al-Anon is a place you go to learn to let go of the false belief that you are in control. And I’ve come a long way this year.
My #1 tip for freelancers

2 weeks ago | cruelsummerbookclub.substack.com | Jillian Anthony

Before we begin:I am seeking a cat lover to sublet my femininomenal Austin apartment August-December. Details over on Insta. Please share with anyone who’s looking!In 2020, a first-second-of-the-pandemic layoff rendered me a freelancer in an instant. I had no idea I would still be one more than five years later. I basically didn’t work for a year (that’s a whole other story).
Cruel Compendium #89 š"

3 weeks ago | cruelsummerbookclub.substack.com | Jillian Anthony

Hi everyone! Before we begin:1. Write Your Pitch in One HourIāll help you write and edit your pitch, find the right publication fit, and get it ready to send ā all in 60 minutes. Iāll even help you find the right editor and their email address, so you can send your pitch off right away!2.
A View to Build a Life On

1 month ago | austinhomemag.com | Jillian Anthony

In 2015, Dallas residents Jeffrey and Karen Gunning purchased a lot in Jonestown, near Lake Travis, with a vision for their forever home, complete with sunrise views, mid-century modern furnishings, and grandchildren rolling around under oak trees. A decade later, their award-winning home on 5.7 acres of Hill Country land is finally a dreamy reality.
Hot writer summer: Write your pitch and get published

1 month ago | cruelsummerbookclub.substack.com | Jillian Anthony

You can work with me to:1. Write Your Pitch in One Hour (meaning your pitch is ready to send at the end of our session)2. Get one month of 1-on-1 Pitch Perfect Coaching. When we’re done, you’ll have three pitches ready to send, all your writing questions answered, and the confidence to write and sell more pitches that work. Have questions about how you could work with me?
The future is none of my business

1 month ago | cruelsummerbookclub.substack.com | Jillian Anthony

Last week at Alanon, someone shared something that hit me like a ton of bricks: Lately, I’ve been using daydreaming of my future to escape my present. I’ve got big travel plans for the fall; I even have a 1.5-year plan to eventually exit Austin. My present is full of grief, a dull pulse of pain that’s always with me, sometimes a sudden punch in the face. I feel a bit stuck in the mud of Now, and a vision of an uncertain, possibly brighter future is distracting me from what is.
Cruel Compendium #88 đŚ˘

1 month ago | cruelsummerbookclub.substack.com | Jillian Anthony

Greetings from South Congress, one of Austinâs main streets, on a recent weekday morning. đ¤ ICYMI, I wrote about my intensive input week, which turned out to be the most creative week of my year (so far). Something Jade Chang said during their Ideas Intensive workshop has stuck with me:Lately Iâve been coming back to one question that helps me supersede my small, observed ârealityâ: What does my heart most want? Try imagining that there is no end. There is just action and counter action.
In my input era

2 months ago | cruelsummerbookclub.substack.com | Jillian Anthony

In Tarot, 2025 is a collective Hermit year, which stands for introspection, or, for me, leaning into an internal journey and leaning on my High Priestess. During my Hermit year, the pilgrimage is the point. My personal Tarot card of the year is the Hanged Man, which symbolizes taking a pause. My brother died less than five months ago, and I’m nowhere near done processing my grief, and what his absence means for me and my family.
How I'm merging my values and finances

2 months ago | cruelsummerbookclub.substack.com | Jillian Anthony |Nic Antoinette

Today, I’m sharing the system I’ve set up to ensure that 5% of my income goes to supporting causes, organizations, and people I care about.* Moving forward, every month I’ll be donating that amount to a cause of my choice and sharing it with you here. This month, I donated $313 to Gaza Orphanage, which my Palestinian-American friend recommended to me as one of the most vital Palestinian organizations to give to now.
Cruel Compendium #87 ♈

2 months ago | cruelsummerbookclub.substack.com | Jillian Anthony

Here’s my birthday mood board:ICYMI, I recently shared my new and improved, FREE list of my favorite tools and resources for freelancers! Get it!!!An excerpt from the soon-to-be-released book, Notes to John, of her journals written as letters to her husband. Reading about someone else’s therapy sessions is so titillating to me, I pre-ordered the book. I’m in a WhatsApp group with mostly 40-something women in Austin inspired to connect by July’s magnificent book, All Fours.