"Start Here" Directory
This corner of the internet is designed to help you (stable-career professionals) spark creative joy in your life without the pressure of starting over.
đđťââď¸ So, youâre new to the community (or, maybe youâve been around for a while and need a little tour) â start here!
Below, youâll find 1) a brief orientation to the main features of our publication, 2) some starter resources, and 3) where to find the rest!
#1 For Inspiration
For inspiration, check out our Facet and Amid columns! â
A peek inside Facet:
Inside the Brilliant Mind of Anna Sale: The Fearless Voice Behind âDeath, Sex & Money Interview with Anna Sale - Host of Death, Sex, & Money and Author of âLetâs Talk About Hard Thingsâ
How Two Friends Crafted a Community Living Room in Berkeley Interview with Elena Fong & Naomi Phan-Quang, Co-owners of IMASALA Collective
Alchemizing Corporate Burn-Out Into Art, Comics, & Humorous Storytelling Interview with artist Alice Yang , & a mini showcase of her works
Unscripted: This Filmmaker Lets People Tell Their Own Truth Interview with Stebs Schinnerer, Documentary Filmmaker & Co-Founder of Crews for a Cause
He Built a Community-Centered Gym So Adored that Members Throw Birthday Workouts There Interview with Ian Birnam, Owner and Coach at IBX Fitness
A peek inside Amid:
Why I Started this Publication & how I alchemized my parentsâ worst fear
Music Was My Crutch, Until It Wasnât On the classical music community that changed my life
Hosting This Event Changed Everything (But I Almost Called It Quits) 3 Takeaways From Launching My 2nd Live Workshop Of 2025
An Ode to Creative Rest A Poem & a Birthday Wish
Letâs Get Shallow: 20 Questions with Vanessa Li Letting Creativity Breathe, & Getting to Know Me...on a Surface-Level
#2 For Community
To immerse into our creative community, join the subscriber-only chat! â
How it works: Every week, Iâll post prompts and topics for the community to explore, and youâll be invited to jump into the discussion! Think of it as a friendly group chat (or a private subreddit) to hang out and converse about all things worth dreaming about. Paid subscribers get to start new threads!
Every month-ish, join us for Community Coffee Chats! These are informal Substack Live conversations with entrepreneurs, creatives, storytellers, and small-business owners in the Tomatokind community. Theyâre not interviews, but rather an open dialogue about whatâs on our minds this season/ month/ day of our creative journeys. Think of it as a virtual water cooler: weâll yap about topics that are relevant and resonant, and come out feeling a little more seen and supported.
#3 For Practical Tools
For tools, tips, and tiny experiments, check out our Spark column!
A peek inside Spark:
Acts of Self-Love for Every Creative On biomimicry, procrastination, the 100-Day Project, & more
The Art and Power of Remembering 5 Ideas for Deeper Remembering and Celebration in a Digital Age
The Myth of the Perfect Creative Space Redefining creativity beyond aesthetics & mood lighting
10 Lessons from Spending the Weekend with 500+ Women Entrepreneurs Experimentation, making a âdo-not-do list,â and not staying quiet
âWhat star is that?â An amateur stargazerâs epiphany on a dream life 5 things that stargazing can teach you about creating a dream life
While this is not everything (for example, we have a podcast launch scheduled for Summer 2026, as well as an occasional travel column filled with lots juicy hot takes), itâs a great place to start!
I am so happy youâre here. đą
With zeal and gratitude for this creative life,
Vanessa
