The most powerful stories are the ones that breathe.

To create is to feel. To feel is to burn. To burn is to become. Nevertheless, Create: Art, Intensity, and the Practice of Showing Up is a guide for artists, writers, and emotionally intense humans who are tired of trying to shrink themselves to fit someone else’s idea of creativity.

Structured in three parts — Root, Burn, Breathe — this book explores what it means to ground your identity, harness your creative fire, and trust your rhythm. Fonseca offers personal stories, raw reflections, gentle tools, and journal-style prompts that invite you to meet your inner artist exactly where you are: not in perfection, but in presence.

This is not a book about pushing through resistance. It’s a book about learning to listen.

Inside you’ll find:

• Affirmations and reflections for creative life

• Tools for navigating burnout, self-doubt, and emotional sensitivity

• Practices that blend somatics and storytelling — helping you return to your body, your breath, and your voice

For every creative who feels deeply and longs to make something true. You don’t have to be fearless to create. You just have to begin.