Exit Plan: Writer

What does it take to write a female-led action-adventure novel inspired by Xena, Buffy and Indiana Jones? Travel blogger and debut novelist Michelle Jensen talks about creating a strong female protagonist , researching real history and mythology, finishing a first draft, editing over several years, and querying literary agents . We also discuss bad editor experiences, cutting word count, and the r...

What do most writing craft books leave out—and how can you avoid getting stuck mid-draft? In this episode of Exit Plan Writer, I talk with developmental editor and story coach Lori Puma, author of the free ebook What Fiction Craft Books Left Out. Free to download here: https://loripuma.com/craft-books-skip Lori shares why genre fiction authors (romance, fantasy, mystery, thriller) struggle with mi...

An update to experiment number two. How exactly is writing going now that I’m back at the day job? In this episode I discuss the sacrifices one has to make to obtain the things we want. I reflect on what I learned during my hiatus from work now that I can compare the two situations properly. Tune in to listen to why I feel unstructured time is important.

In this solo episode, I share the money lessons from my first 8-week experiment of ditching the day job to focus on writing. Running a writing business is still a business, and cash flow matters more than I first realized. I talk honestly about the “cash flow dilemma,” what it really takes to fund creative work, and why pretending money doesn’t matter only leads to stress later. I also pull back t...

A story about leaving everything and building a writing life on board a sailboat. In this episode I interview author and sailor Paul Trammell to talk about creativity, solitude, writing routines, and how he’s built a multi-stream writing life from the sea. Mentioned in this episode: ​Paul Trammell’s website and books ​Dream Chasers and Eccentrics podcast ​Offshore Sailing and Cruising podcast ​Pau...

In this solo episode, I pull back the curtain on my current work-in-progress and share what I’m writing, messy draft and all. You’ll hear about the beginner mistakes I’ve made, what I’m learning about plotting with two protagonists, and how it feels to let others read an unfinished manuscript. I also dig into the potential benefits (and pitfalls) of working with an editor early in the process and...

In this episode I talk to my old writing coach Penelope Trunk about why I’m not finishing my novel - and why you might not be either. If you’ve ever wanted to eavesdrop on an editor/writer conversation, this is it. We unpack my 50.000 ”non-words”, the trouble with editing yourself and why building a writing desk doesn’t count as writing (even if it’s gorgeous). Penelope, in her famously blunt and...

In this episode, Silke Krieger Genckel and I explore what it really takes to claim time for creativity—especially as mothers, writers, and women conditioned to put others first. We talk about guilt, identity, the myth of hard work, and the quiet courage it takes to take yourself seriously as a writer. Silke is embodying the Practical Magic life and I hope she inspires you as much as she inspired m...

What if your day job is riskier than you think? In this solo episode I share more about the plan to build a sustainable writing life and explain the value of intellectual property. The first experiment is all about getting rid of the day job excuse and putting the day dream of a writing life to the test. Listen in to hear me debunk the myths around making money through writing and how I’m doing so...

I’ve wanted to become an author for 20 years, but life, perfectionism, and people-pleasing keeps winning. In this opening conversation I sit down with therapeutic coach Lara Rickard to name what really stops us and to declare—out loud—that I’m building my writing life in real time, mess and all. What actually happens in this episode ​We unpack what’s missing from the conversation about successful...

Exit Plan: Writer is a writing podcast hosted by me; Dajana Holst, an author starting from scratch and building a writing life in public. Through clever experiments in creativity, income, and mindset, you get the juicy how-to—I get the trial and error trauma. Let’s pivot together into a more intentional, independent writing life. Thank you in advance for subscribing—it supports my unhinged life ch...