Your Write Life Coach | Motivation and Momentum for Heart-Led Authors

I Almost Got Fired — And the 3 Authenticity Shifts That Changed My Life | Ep03

Have you ever felt so harshly judged that you stopped being yourself just to survive? In this deeply personal episode, I share the story I don't tell lightly — the time I almost lost my dream job, and what happened when desperation finally pushed me toward the most important discovery of my career: the power of becoming my real self. This one is for every heart-led author who's been performing instead of writing — who's been trying to sound like someone else, shrinking back from what feels too real, or waiting for permission to show up as exactly who they are. Spoiler: the permission is yours. And it's long overdue. What You'll Hear in This Episode * The true story of how I climbed from struggling single mom to a 25+ year career in book publishing — without the credentials, the plan, or the safety net * What it actually felt like to almost be fired: the shaking hands, the panic attacks, the lunch breaks spent crying in a parking lot * The decision that changed everything — and why personal development might be the most underrated writing tool you have * Why so many heart-led authors are writing from a performed version of themselves (and how readers can tell) * Three shifts that transformed my career Key Takeaways 1. Stop trying to write like someone else. Your voice, your angle, your specific way of seeing the world — that's the thing no one else can replicate. Lean into it, even when it feels exposed. Especially then. 2. Do your inner work. The stories you tell yourself about your writing will limit you more than any publishing gatekeeper ever could. Investing in your own personal growth isn't a detour from your writing journey — it's a shortcut. 3. Don't wait until you hit bottom. You can choose, right now, to start showing up as the real you — not the version you think should get published, not the one that looks good on social media. The real one. That's the writer readers are waiting for. This Week's Reflection Prompt Where am I performing? Where in my writing — or in my life as a writer — am I being someone I think I should be, instead of who I actually am? Sit with that question. Write about it in your journal. Let it surface something. That's it. Just that one thing. Resources & Links Mentioned 📒 Discover Your Writer's Voice Workbook — Six powerful exercises to help you write from the heart and find the voice that's uniquely yours. Grab your copy here. [https://www.amazon.com/Discover-Your-Writers-Voice-Workbook/dp/1072491745/ref=sr_1_1?crid=27JTG42XZ6P9O&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.V0WkH2K9zKKRdNplZQf5XwGr5APsuAgLUH8Mhj-BzA37s4Rr3ROYcMfxf7aQ67fOyq0vfqrnHN53_0L-0_evFJqQu7-Cyv7SAMF4tMZUxcvmgU_hoYCFj0uu6eaZioUxBlKYvGS_v88X2iKjg7CJAfGCfhPzZdXmYz9nuyikRUYXGrIe7PkT9sIBifL576kF0OU5Ol_VaOLXh6ntZ014VoiwbZixUzjtZMED77Yvloo.vY7b53eiSIM2INKBR2kW1ohTqil_sQYCGG7jdtZ7DFw&dib_tag=se&keywords=discover+your+writer%27s+voice+workbook+crider&qid=1777256515&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sprefix=discover+your+writers+voice+workbook+crider%2Caps%2C227&sr=8-1] 💠 The InkWell Collective — The community for heart-led authors where authenticity isn't just a buzzword — it's the actual strategy. Check it out here [https://www.alicecrider.com/coursesandresources2020-1]. Connect with Me * Website: alicecrider.com [https://www.alicecrider.com] * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/aliceb.crider/]  * The InkWell Collective [https://www.alicecrider.com/coursesandresources2020-1] ************************************* Loved This Episode? If this episode struck a chord, would you share it with a writer friend who needs to hear it? Think of someone who's been pouring their heart into their writing and wondering why it's not quite landing. Send it their way. And if you have a minute, leaving a review helps more heart-led authors find their way here. Every single one means the world. "I'm not the same girl who sat in that parking lot crying. And the difference isn't that life got easier. The difference is that I stopped hiding." — Alice Crider, Your Write Life Coach ************************************* About Your Write Life Coach Your Write Life Coach is hosted by Alice Crider — author coach, book editor, and certified life coach. Alice has worked with hundreds of authors and manuscripts over the years, and she brings that perspective to every episode: not as the expert with all the answers, but as someone who has witnessed the full arc of the writing journey and knows what it looks like from the inside. New episodes drop every Monday. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you never miss one. Keep writing. Keep showing up. Your story matters. Your message can change lives.

The Hidden Cost of Hustling for Attention | Ep02

Have you ever found yourself posting, promoting, and showing up everywhere online — and still feeling invisible? Or worse, like you've somehow lost the thread back to why you started writing in the first place? In this episode, I get honest about the hidden cost of hustling for attention — and it's not just your time. It's your voice. Drawing on stories from my coaching and editing work, and from my own experience trying to "be everywhere" before I even had a book to market, I explore what happens when heart-led authors trade authenticity for algorithms. The good news? The path back is simpler than you think — and it starts with writing something no one will ever see. What You'll Hear in This Episode * The story of Mary — a writer with a powerful manuscript who stopped writing for six months chasing social media advice from a conference speaker with 60K followers * My own misadventures with online marketing, and what I learned when I ran out of ideas entirely * Why hustling for attention cost you more than your time * The difference between creating and performing, and how to tell which one you're doing * A simple rule I gave Mary that had her writing feeling like "coming home" again within three weeks * Why you don't need 60,000 followers Key Takeaways 🖋️ Notice where your writing energy is going. Creating feels like: I have something to say. Performing feels like: I need to be seen. One is sustainable. The other will hollow you out. 🖋️ Protect your writing time as sacred. Write first — before the metrics, before the posts, before the platform. Keep the thread back to your own voice, because that thread is everything. 🖋️ Visibility without an authentic voice isn't visibility. It's just noise. Your readers find you through your truth, not your hustle. This Week's Invitation Write something you're not going to post. Not a draft, not a caption, not content — just writing. Something private, something true, something for no one but you. Let it remind you what your voice actually sounds like when no one's watching. That's the voice your readers are waiting for. Links & Resources Mentioned 📒 Free Guide — Creating an Ideal Reader Avatar Reconnect with who you're actually writing for — a beautiful reset when you've gotten tangled up in what everyone wants instead of who really needs your words. Grab it here → [https://www.alicecrider.com/coursesandresources2020-1] 🔖 Seasonal Workshop Go deeper into writing with authenticity as your actual strategy. See what's coming up → [https://www.alicecrider.com] 💠 The InkWell Collective A community where authenticity isn't a buzzword — it's the whole foundation. If you're craving a place to write, grow, and be seen for exactly who you are, the door is open. Come find us → [https://www.alicecrider.com/coursesandresources2020-1] Connect with Me * Website: alicecrider.com [https://www.alicecrider.com] * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/aliceb.crider/]  * The InkWell Collective [https://www.alicecrider.com/coursesandresources2020-1] ************************************* Loved This Episode? If this episode struck a chord, would you share it with a writer friend who needs to hear it? Think of someone who's been pouring their heart into their writing and wondering why it's not quite landing. Send it their way. And if you have a minute, leaving a review helps more heart-led authors find their way here. Every single one means the world. ************************************* About Your Write Life Coach Your Write Life Coach is hosted by Alice Crider — author coach, book editor, and certified life coach. Alice has worked with hundreds of authors and manuscripts over the years, and she brings that perspective to every episode: not as the expert with all the answers, but as someone who has witnessed the full arc of the writing journey and knows what it looks like from the inside. New episodes drop every Monday. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you never miss one. Keep writing. Keep showing up. Your story matters. Your message can change lives.

Why “Build a Platform” Is Unhelpful Advice for Writers | Ep01

If you’ve ever Googled “how do I get more readers” and gotten back “build your platform” — this episode is for you. In this episode, I share the story of an unlikely author: a rocket scientist who never set out to write a book, had zero social media presence, and ended up with a six-book deal with a traditional publisher. His secret? He followed his heart and stayed open to creative ideas about how his work could find people. I draw on years of editing hundreds of books to reflect a pattern I keep seeing: authenticity reaches readers in ways that algorithms never will. The “build your platform” advice isn’t just unhelpful for many writers — it can actually pull you away from the very thing that makes your work compelling. This episode will leave you with two practical questions to sit with — and a very different way of thinking about how your book finds its people. WHAT YOU’LL HEAR * Why “build your platform” has become the default advice — and why it’s often the wrong advice * The remarkable true story of a rocket scientist who landed a six-book traditional publishing deal with no social media, no following, and no marketing strategy * Two things I keep seeing in authors who find readers without hustling online * Why your first 100 true fans matter more than 10,000 followers * The questions that might change everything KEY QUOTE “Social media doesn’t necessarily sell books. Authenticity does.” — Alice Crider YOUR INVITATION THIS WEEK Don’t think about your platform. Think about one person. Just one person who would genuinely love what you’re writing. Picture them. Who are they? Where are they? What do they need that your book offers? Sit with that. Let it be specific. Let it be real. RESOURCES & LINKS 📒 Free download: Your First 100 Readers Roadmap [https://www.alicecrider.com/first100readers032026] — A step-by-step path to your first 100 true fans. No ads, no big platform, no guessing. [https://www.alicecrider.com/first100readers032026] 🔖 Go deeper: Explore additional offerings and workshops at alicecrider.com [https://www.alicecrider.com/home-page202032083212-1] 💠 Join the community: The InkWell Collective [https://www.alicecrider.com/coursesandresources2020-1] — a community where authenticity is the strategy, the culture, and the way we gain momentum. Connect with Me * Website: alicecrider.com [https://www.alicecrider.com] * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/aliceb.crider/]  * The InkWell Collective [https://www.alicecrider.com/coursesandresources2020-1] -------------------------------- Loved This Episode? If this episode struck a chord, would you share it with a writer friend who needs to hear it? Think of someone who's been pouring their heart into their writing and wondering why it's not quite landing. Send it their way. And if you have a minute, leaving a review helps more heart-led authors find their way here. Every single one means the world. -------------------------------- About Your Write Life Coach Your Write Life Coach is hosted by Alice Crider — author coach, book editor, and certified life coach. Alice has worked with hundreds of authors and manuscripts over the years, and she brings that perspective to every episode: not as the expert with all the answers, but as someone who has witnessed the full arc of the writing journey and knows what it looks like from the inside. New episodes drop regularly. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you never miss one. Keep writing. Keep showing up. Your story matters. Your message can change lives.

Introducing: Your Write Life Coach

If you're a heart-centered author of non-fiction, fiction, or memoir who is done with confusion and ready for clarity — done with hustle and ready to rise — you're in the right place. Welcome to Your Write Life Coach! I'm Alice Crider, your write life coach. As a book editor and certified life coach with almost 30 years inside the publishing world, I've worked with hundreds of authors across every phase of the publishing journey. And what I see again and again is this: the authors who publish with the most impact aren't the ones who hustle the hardest. They're the ones who get aligned. In this podcast, I'll bring you real talk, practical tools, and the kind of encouragement that actually moves you forward — helping you shift from "What do I need to DO to get published?" to "Who do I need to BE to have the success I want?" Because you don't just have a book to write. You have a contribution to make. And the world needs your words. Subscribe now and start building the writing life you’ve always imagined. And grab free resources at alicecrider.com [https://www.alicecrider.com/home-page202032083212-1]. Take a deep breath, friend. I'm so glad you're here.