Episode 115: [Heather Bryant] Letting go after publishing your work

Ep 119: Self-Publishing with Elizabeth Wilson—ARC readers, final edits, book extras

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2289608/fan_mail/new] This week, Elizabeth Wilson sits down with her developmental editor, Allison Lau, to reflect on her self-publishing journey. These are often the steps you don’t see every day from writers.  Elizabeth decided she wanted more control over the publishing process so she could get her memoir in the hands of readers faster. You’ll hear about how Elizabeth decided on her ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) readers and getting over the hurdle of asking them to read her book. Elizabeth shares about taking on the role of project manager for her memoir as she decided to hire out the tasks that would’ve taken her a lot longer to complete. She decided it was better to do this than struggle a lot on her way to publishing her memoir. She sought the support she needed to get her book ready for readers by her launch date in June, and it was worth every bit of the investment.  If you’re curious about what it takes to get your book to print as a self-published author, this is an episode you don’t want to miss. It’s a candid, behind-the-scenes look at decisions Elizabeth made as she prepares to unbox the delivery from IngramSpark when she arrives at her new home.   Welcome to the Inspired Writer Collective podcast. If you've ever felt the pull to write your truth, to shape the chaos of real life into something meaningful and to share your journey with the world, you're in the right place. We're your hosts, Elizabeth and Stephanie, writers, coaches, and entrepreneurs who believe in you and know how important it is to find a writing community to guide you on your path to self-publishing. You’re invited to connect with us by joining our Embodied Writing Experience [https://inspired-writer-collective.kit.com/e2cab66781] where you’ll get a writer’s retreat directly to your inbox on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays each week. Whether you’re working on a memoir, a novel, or journaling for yourself, this is an invitation to slow down, tune in, and write with embodied intention.    Join our Embodied Writing Experience [https://inspired-writer-collective.kit.com/e2cab66781]where you’ll get a writer’s retreat directly to your inbox on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays each week. This is an invitation to slow down, tune in, and write with embodied intention.    Work 1:1 with Memoir Coach Elizabeth Wilson. Book a session here [https://inspired-writer-collective.kit.com/products/one-hour-memoir-coaching]. Feel Good Marketing with Stephanie. Book a session here. [https://inspired-writer-collective.kit.com/products/marketing_with_steph] If you prefer to watch our conversations, you can find all of them on our YouTube channel. [https://www.youtube.com/@InspiredWriterCollective] You can find us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/inspiredwritercollective/]and Threads [https://www.threads.com/@inspiredwritercollective]

Episode 118: Go With The Flow for Summer

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2289608/fan_mail/new] Summer has a way of changing the rules. Your routines you’ve had since January or maybe only from Spring Break are about to get upended once again. The weather gets remarkably warmer, you want to be outside more, schedules become less predictable, and the longer days mean everybody’s up later if you have kids at home.  So, when do you find time to write? This is a good question to ask yourself. By meeting yourself where you are right now, and preparing for what’s to come, you relieve a lot of tension. It’s so common to start the season with good intentions, then find yourself frustrated because your writing life doesn't look the way you expected it to. But, if you prepare yourself for what’s to come then you’re less likely to just have “good intentions” on your mind, but actual, actionable tasks for yourself.  Summer and it’s ability to upend everything is what inspired this week's podcast episode: Go With the Flow for Summer. So, instead of fighting with the season, or letting it stress you out, what if you worked with it? What if summer isn't asking you to keep the same writing rhythm you've had all year? You might write less for a while. You’ll read more and this is something that comes up in this week’s episode. You’ll spend time collecting ideas rather than feeling the pressure to have everything on the page. Maybe you'll have bursts of creativity followed by weeks that feel slower and less structured. All of this doesn't mean you're falling behind. It means you're showing up in different ways to your creative process. Your mind may be so set on thinking that drafting is the most important part of writing your novel, but reading, observing, thinking, and living are part of it too. Sometimes the experiences you have during a less productive season become the things you draw from later.  It’s so common to put pressure on yourself to force consistency through every season of life. What I still love about the conversation I watched between authors Abby Jimenez and Meghan Quinn, is both of them talked about being behind on their deadlines and that there are as many different approaches to writing as there are writers. So, this idea of there being one way or that you have to grind on the “hamster wheel” of writing is not realistic for everyone.  Creativity rarely moves in a straight line. That’s what’s so beautiful about being a creative person. You move at your own rhythm.  When you think about this Summer, it may be inviting you into a different relationship with your writing. So, if your writing life looks different over the next few months, give yourself permission to follow where the season leads. Allow for more flexibility. Maybe find opportunities for curiosity.  You can leave word counts behind and focus on another measure for your progress.  I highly encourage you to read the book that's been sitting on your nightstand. I flew through two great books recently by taking this leap.  I read: Good People by Patmeena Sabit and The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez.  Take a long walk and dictate your ideas into your phone. Fill your notebook with observations or from eavesdropping on conversations (I love this one for fiction writing). Write when you can. Forcing the creative process never works.  Trust that you're a writer, even when your creative energy takes a different shape.  Welcome to the Inspired Writer Collective podcast. If you've ever felt the pull to write your truth, to shape the chaos of real life into something meaningful and to share your journey with the world, you're in the right place. We're your hosts, Elizabeth and Stephanie, writers, coaches, and entrepreneurs who believe in you and know how important it is to find a writing community to guide you on your path to self-publishing. You’re invited to connect with us by joining our Embodied Writing Experience [https://inspired-writer-collective.kit.com/e2cab66781] where you’ll get a writer’s retreat directly to your inbox on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays each week. Whether you’re working on a memoir, a novel, or journaling for yourself, this is an invitation to slow down, tune in, and write with embodied intention.    Join our Embodied Writing Experience [https://inspired-writer-collective.kit.com/e2cab66781]where you’ll get a writer’s retreat directly to your inbox on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays each week. This is an invitation to slow down, tune in, and write with embodied intention.    Work 1:1 with Memoir Coach Elizabeth Wilson. Book a session here [https://inspired-writer-collective.kit.com/products/one-hour-memoir-coaching]. Feel Good Marketing with Stephanie. Book a session here. [https://inspired-writer-collective.kit.com/products/marketing_with_steph] If you prefer to watch our conversations, you can find all of them on our YouTube channel. [https://www.youtube.com/@InspiredWriterCollective] You can find us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/inspiredwritercollective/]and Threads [https://www.threads.com/@inspiredwritercollective]

Ep 117: Writers, Your Emails Are The Letters Readers Want to Receive

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2289608/fan_mail/new] This episode is your friendly reminder of why email is important for writers. It's easy to get lost in the sea of apps calling for your attention, but at the end of the day, getting your email at the top of someone's inbox is where the connections happen. AI can't replace your voice and your words connecting with readers. When you lean into email, whatever your write there can easily be repurposed for other platforms, but you want to make sure you've set up your email. With email, you own the list and an algorithm can't take that away from you, but there is the challenge of making sure emails are delivered directly to inboxes. If you're feeling overwhelmed and not sure how to get started, Stephanie Oswald, Ph.D. is offering the Unbound Story System program. Get on the waitlist here [https://inspired-writer-collective.kit.com/1b04cdeb52 ].   Welcome to the Inspired Writer Collective podcast. If you've ever felt the pull to write your truth, to shape the chaos of real life into something meaningful and to share your journey with the world, you're in the right place. We're your hosts, Elizabeth and Stephanie, writers, coaches, and entrepreneurs who believe in you and know how important it is to find a writing community to guide you on your path to self-publishing. You’re invited to connect with us by joining our Embodied Writing Experience [https://inspired-writer-collective.kit.com/e2cab66781] where you’ll get a writer’s retreat directly to your inbox on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays each week. Whether you’re working on a memoir, a novel, or journaling for yourself, this is an invitation to slow down, tune in, and write with embodied intention.    Join our Embodied Writing Experience [https://inspired-writer-collective.kit.com/e2cab66781]where you’ll get a writer’s retreat directly to your inbox on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays each week. This is an invitation to slow down, tune in, and write with embodied intention.    Work 1:1 with Memoir Coach Elizabeth Wilson. Book a session here [https://inspired-writer-collective.kit.com/products/one-hour-memoir-coaching]. Feel Good Marketing with Stephanie. Book a session here. [https://inspired-writer-collective.kit.com/products/marketing_with_steph] If you prefer to watch our conversations, you can find all of them on our YouTube channel. [https://www.youtube.com/@InspiredWriterCollective] You can find us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/inspiredwritercollective/]and Threads [https://www.threads.com/@inspiredwritercollective]

Ep 116: [Shahida Alvarado] Courage, Creative Control, and Publishing on Your Own Terms

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2289608/fan_mail/new] What does it really take to call yourself a writer?  At the beginning of this week’s episode, you’ll hear an original poem read by our guest Shahida Alvarado. It brings to the forefront the invisible gates women face when we dare to pursue a creative dream. From thinking about "why now?" to the behind-the-scenes realities of navigating the publishing world, Elizabeth and Shahida talk about what it truly means to bring a book into existence on your own terms. You’ll hear about creative control, what success actually looks like for a writer, and how self-publishing has transformed them from writers into something far more expansive. Whether you’re hesitant to walk through the gate and call yourself a writer, somewhere in the messy middle, or inching toward a publish date of your own, this episode will meet you exactly where you are.  Meet Shahida Alvarado: Shahida Alvarado is a writer, educator, and yoga teacher whose work blends personal narrative, mindfulness, and storytelling. She is the author of the reflective poetry collection When I Meet Myself and the children’s book The Gecko Who Learned Yoga, both inspired by her lived experiences, travel, and personal transformation. Through her writing and teaching, she explores how vulnerability, movement, and self-reflection can be translated into meaningful creative work. Connect with Shahida Alvarado: https://bloogeckoliteracy.com/ https://www.instagram.com/alwaysinyogaflow https://www.facebook.com/share/1C6E3wHgFz/  Welcome to the Inspired Writer Collective podcast. If you've ever felt the pull to write your truth, to shape the chaos of real life into something meaningful and to share your journey with the world, you're in the right place. We're your hosts, Elizabeth and Stephanie, writers, coaches, and entrepreneurs who believe in you and know how important it is to find a writing community to guide you on your path to self-publishing. You’re invited to connect with us by joining our Embodied Writing Experience [https://inspired-writer-collective.kit.com/e2cab66781] where you’ll get a writer’s retreat directly to your inbox on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays each week. Whether you’re working on a memoir, a novel, or journaling for yourself, this is an invitation to slow down, tune in, and write with embodied intention.    Join our Embodied Writing Experience [https://inspired-writer-collective.kit.com/e2cab66781]where you’ll get a writer’s retreat directly to your inbox on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays each week. This is an invitation to slow down, tune in, and write with embodied intention.    Work 1:1 with Memoir Coach Elizabeth Wilson. Book a session here [https://inspired-writer-collective.kit.com/products/one-hour-memoir-coaching]. Feel Good Marketing with Stephanie. Book a session here. [https://inspired-writer-collective.kit.com/products/marketing_with_steph] If you prefer to watch our conversations, you can find all of them on our YouTube channel. [https://www.youtube.com/@InspiredWriterCollective] You can find us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/inspiredwritercollective/]and Threads [https://www.threads.com/@inspiredwritercollective]

Episode 115: [Heather Bryant] Letting go after publishing your work

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2289608/fan_mail/new] Elizabeth Wilson chats with author, Heather Bryant, about her experience publishing & marketing her book My Transparent during the pandemic. It’ll help you remember all of the creative ways you can use to get your book in the hands of readers.   Welcome to the Inspired Writer Collective podcast. If you've ever felt the pull to write your truth, to shape the chaos of real life into something meaningful and to share your journey with the world, you're in the right place. We're your hosts, Elizabeth and Stephanie, writers, coaches, and entrepreneurs who believe in you and know how important it is to find a writing community to guide you on your path to self-publishing. You’re invited to connect with us by joining our Embodied Writing Experience [https://inspired-writer-collective.kit.com/e2cab66781] where you’ll get a writer’s retreat directly to your inbox on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays each week. Whether you’re working on a memoir, a novel, or journaling for yourself, this is an invitation to slow down, tune in, and write with embodied intention.    Join our Embodied Writing Experience [https://inspired-writer-collective.kit.com/e2cab66781]where you’ll get a writer’s retreat directly to your inbox on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays each week. This is an invitation to slow down, tune in, and write with embodied intention.    Work 1:1 with Memoir Coach Elizabeth Wilson. Book a session here [https://inspired-writer-collective.kit.com/products/one-hour-memoir-coaching]. Feel Good Marketing with Stephanie. Book a session here. [https://inspired-writer-collective.kit.com/products/marketing_with_steph] If you prefer to watch our conversations, you can find all of them on our YouTube channel. [https://www.youtube.com/@InspiredWriterCollective] You can find us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/inspiredwritercollective/]and Threads [https://www.threads.com/@inspiredwritercollective]