#239 – Finding Yourself with Allegra Huston

VeronicaValli

Allegra Huston was born into Hollywood royalty as the sister of Anjelica Huston and the daughter of famed director John Huston. Allegra discusses her fractured childhood and how she had no sense of self and how writing saved her, restored her mental health and gave her purpose beyond her famous family.

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about this episode

“Developing a practice rather than aiming for a result was a huge difference for me. That’s what enabled me to find satisfaction in myself and in the doing rather than in the result.” – Allegra Huston

Today, I’m joined by author, editor, and publisher Allegra Huston to talk about how writing helped her to find herself and her purpose beyond her famous family.

Allegra Huston is the co-founder of the Imaginative Storm writing method (with James Navé) and the co-author of the book and online course Write What You Don’t Know. She is also the poster child for the Imaginative Storm method. The feared critic Lynn Barber wrote that she is “incapable of writing a dull sentence,” and she has authored several works, including Love Child: A Memoir of Family Lost and Found, the novel A Stolen Summer, and, for writers, How to Edit and Be Edited and How to Read for an Audience (with James Navé).

In this episode, Allegra and I discuss:

Allegra’s writing workshops and her books
What it was like growing up in a creative family
Allegra’s journey to find her own path
The importance of focusing on process over results
What it looks like to recognize and honor our innate creativity in everyday life.
Why writing is much more than grammar and spelling – it’s about expressing thoughts and imagination
How writing and reading provide insights into the human mind and heart
Allegra’s writing process

key highlights

A Creative Career

Unlike her family, Allegra chose not to pursue a career in the film industry. She describes herself as the family rebel and explains that she went to university and eventually ended up working in publishing. However, she left publishing and started freelancing as an editor due to a lack of self-confidence and assertiveness needed for the job.

The Joy of the Creative Process

At first, the pressure to write well and impress others weighed heavily on Allegra. Learning to let go of those expectations and focus on the joy of the creative process helped her to break free from the need for validation and find satisfaction in the act of creating itself.

The Importance of Creativity and Reading

Creativity is not limited to artistic pursuits. It’s present in how we perceive and arrange the world around us. Allegra believes that everyone has the ability to be creative, regardless of their writing skills or book knowledge.

Reading can also play a big role in developing empathy and understanding. As a psychotherapist, I’ve observed that clients who read books have a more vibrant inner life compared to those who didn’t. Reading helps us make sense of our experiences and gain insights into the human mind and heart.