Why slowing down isn’t weakness — it’s craft, and craft is care.
What if the pressure to write fast is the very thing keeping your work shallow?
In this episode of Find Your Freaks, award-winning writer and book coach Candice L. Davis joins host Tonya Kubo to dismantle the myth that speed equals success — especially in a world ruled by algorithms, AI shortcuts, and hustle culture.
Candice argues that thoughtful writing isn’t elitist or outdated; it’s how you create work that actually connects. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a creative, or simply someone who wants your ideas to matter, this conversation exposes the real cost of rushing: recycled concepts, thin ideas, and books that should’ve stayed blog posts.
From AI’s limitations to the loneliness of writing to the power of community, this episode reminds you that your depth is your power — and no algorithm deserves to dictate your pace.
Episode Highlights
- [02:10] Why rushing books has always been a problem
- [06:25] What’s lost when speed replaces substance
- [10:40] How “books” become glorified blog posts
- [14:55] When AI helps accessibility — and when it hurts originality
- [20:12] The myth of the “urgent” publishing timeline
- [26:48] How writing communities fuel discipline and creativity
- [31:30] Letting go of deadlines that only exist in your head
- [44:22] How to know if your writing group is actually serving you
- [50:40] A message for writers ashamed of unfinished work
Depth Over Speed
Self-publishing made it easier than ever for anyone to write a book. AI made it even easier — and that’s where the trouble begins.
Candice has seen what happens when people try to write a book “in a weekend,” or when they hand an outline to AI and expect brilliance. The result? Predictable structure, recycled talking points, and work that reads like an imitation of other people’s ideas.
“Some ideas are bigger than a blog post,” she says. “That’s why we have books.”
The deeper truth?
“Readers know when you’ve taken time — and when you haven’t.” — Candice L. Davis Share on XThe Problem Isn’t AI. It’s Outsourcing Your Thinking.
AI can assist with accessibility, transcription, structure, and clarity — tools that support your ideas.
But when you let AI do the thinking, you’re no longer writing.
You’re compiling the internet.
And most of what’s online… isn’t great.
“If AI is doing the thinking for you, it’s pulling from other people’s ideas.” — Candice L. Davis Share on XUsing AI as a tool is helpful.
Using it as a substitute for depth erases your voice.
Community Makes Better Writers
Writing can feel lonely, but it’s not meant to be solitary.
Candice shares how her writer cohorts create accountability and courage. Writers show up for each other. They share drafts. They push each other deeper. They keep going because someone is waiting for them to show up.
“One of my writers said, ‘I didn’t realize how lonely writing my book could be.’”
Candice’s response? “You don’t have to do it alone.”
The Myth of the Perfect Deadline
Most writers believe they’re behind. Behind other authors. Behind their own timeline. Behind their imagined future success.
But those deadlines?
Most of them were made up.
Your book doesn’t need to launch on your birthday, business anniversary, or at that one conference.
It needs to be right — not rushed.
When the pressure drops, the writing finally begins.
Freak Flags Fly
Each episode ends with five quick questions. Here’s how Candice flies her flag:
- You’re my kind of freak if… you love books more than any other media.
- Something you love that friends don’t get: dark, literary fiction.
- Community you’d infiltrate: the young Black male manosphere — to understand and help heal.
- Practice that keeps you connected: attending book events featuring deeply crafted work.
- Someone who deserves a bigger stage: Jesmyn Ward, whose award-winning brilliance is still under-read.
Meet Our Guest
Candice L. Davis is an award-winning writer and book coach who helps experts move past surface-level content to uncover their deepest, most meaningful ideas. Through private coaching, writer cohorts, and her podcast Nothing But the Words, she guides authors toward creating books with clarity, craft, and lasting impact.
Meet Your Host
Tonya Kubo is a community strategist, marketing consultant, and rebel with a cause: helping people find the place where they truly belong. For nearly two decades, she’s built online spaces that feel less like comment sections and more like chosen family. She’s the fixer you call when your Facebook group has gone straight-up Lord of the Flies and the bouncer at the door of internet nonsense. As the host of Find Your Freaks, Tonya brings together unconventional thinkers and bridge-builders who know “normal” was never the point.
Episode Transcript
Get the full transcript from Episode 12.
Resources & Mentions
- Nothing But the Words — Candice’s podcast
- CandiceLDavis.com
Support the Show
If Find Your Freaks matters to you, help us keep it ad-free by buying us a coffee (or two!). Every dollar goes to production so more weirdos can find their people. You can purchase Find Your Freaks merchandise online through Abilities and Attitudes.
Let’s Stay Freaky
What’s Next
Everyone’s in a rush to publish, launch, and “ship it,” but rushing doesn’t create belonging — it creates noise. Next episode, Tonya unpacks why slowing down isn’t weakness. It’s craft. And craft is care.
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