The Written Compass

In today’s episode, I share 10 powerful and inspiring writing prompts to get you out of your head and into your words! Some are my own, some are borrowed, all are going to support you in going from blank page to writing flow. I have them all written down, but I dive further into each in the podcast. Try one and see what shows up! “The scariest moment is always just before you start.” -Stephen King...

I was talking to an amazing artist and writer recently. This woman had been working on her book for years. She was struggling with what so many aspiring writers do: overwhelm. We have such an unhealthy fascination with doing things on our own, stretching ourselves too thin, and wondering why the things we really value are not actually happening. In this episode, I unpack the sneaky ways overwhelm...

I was on a recent coaching call with a client and she was elbow-deep in some powerful, healing, and messy personal writing. But, she felt stuck in writing “the book.” This got me really curious about how we often compartmentalize the “messy” parts of our writing journey and process versus writing that is polished, ready for publication, and “forward facing” as my client called it. As we begin a ne...

In this episode, I share all the different ways myself and my team support people just like you on whatever their writing journey may be! Our mission: We envision a world where all voices are heard and all experiences are valued. We believe writing is a pathway to connecting with self and honoring our experiences. We encourage the sharing of our voices with the world because we believe it promotes...

In this episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with the amazing, direct, powerhouse that is Karen Taylor! Karen is one of our amazing authors who has participated in our two collaborative books at Synergy Publishing Group: Capturing the In-Between and Unveiling the Secrets. Her first solo author debut book, Learning to Respect My Strut, is due out just before the new year! In this episode, we...

In Episode 92 I did some fun exploring of what work and living and writing gets to look like. Hopefully that episode supported you in realizing you are basically always writing. So, in today’s episode, I offer some practical steps on how to capture your continuously creative self. These are the very tricks and tools our clients use to help them go from what feels like a slew of random ideas to bea...

Often coming up with ideas for writing is presented as this thing we don’t yet have and must come up with, and then we can write! In this episode, I get curious about how we can actually tap into the bazillion ideas we have swirling around through the practice of gratitude. Join me as I walk you through some fun questions and writing prompts that can help you tap into the spirit of gratitude while...

I have been leaning into what “work” gets to look like these days. Am I working when I am on a walk with my dog? Am I working when I take my son and I to dinner? Am I working when I take a nap? And since my work revolves around writing, I thought it would be fun to do an episode exploring the “art of writing,” which for me and those of you who have a desire to write a book, lends itself to explori...

In today’s episode, I keep the spooky Halloween spirit going and talk about why we often feel so scared to write! I dive into some of the ways that I coach people through naming the fears, how our body responds to these fears, and what might support you in moving with and through the fear (yes, my dear, the fear is gonna be there no matter what!). Some highlights from the episode are: Normalizing...

In today's episode, I share my experiences in receiving royalties from my books. I have published traditionally with a big publishing house and self-published. In the episode, I break down: In today's episode, I share my experiences in receiving royalties from my books. I have published traditionally with a big publishing house and self-published. In the episode, I break down: The differences in r...

I cannot wait to share this week’s episode of The Written Compass Podcast with you!!!! It was my absolute pleasure to sit down with Tonya Reid. Tonya has been a client of ours for over a year now, and I am.so.proud of where her writing journey has taken her!!! A hairdresser by trade, Tonya has always had a knack for entertaining and storytelling behind the chair. After raising her blended family o...

Many writers don’t think about the interior formatting of their book! Today I asked the amazing designer and published author, Melisa Graham, to give us the nitty gritty on all the things you need to consider for the inside of your book. We discussed what Melisa considers the top 4 elements involved when formatting the beautiful pages of your book: Your readers’ expectations based on the genre, yo...

Meet the Authors of Unveiling the Secrets: Kristin Bowen & Melisa Graham! In today’s episode I’m thrilled to slowly introduce you to some of our amazing authors for our most recent collaborative book, Unveiling the Secrets: An Encyclopedia by Women, For Women (and Those Who Love Them). Today I had the pleasure of speaking with authors Kristin Bowen and Melisa Graham. In this episode, we discus...

"What do I have to say that is different from anyone else?" This is a common stumbling block when writing your book and sharing your messages in business and life. In today's episode, I share how what makes you unique IS your legacy, and I break down 3 secrets for identifying that uniqueness, that difference: 1. Connection 2. Love 3. YOU I can't wait to hear what resonates and what makes you uniqu...

Welcome to Part 2 of understanding the secret of writing anything! Today's episode is Part 2 of 2 on the next key elements of the rhetorical situation: 1. The purpose 2. The topic 3. The context and culture Tune in as I break down the key to using these elements of the rhetorical situation to confidently write whatever you desire. As always, leave us a review so that more people see the podcast an...

Wouldn't it be awesome to have a powerful process for writing anything, from an email to a social media post to a book? The secret is understanding what is called the "rhetorical situation." Once you understand this, you can literally write anything! Today's episode is Part 1 of 2 on some of the key elements of the rhetorical situation: 1. The writer 2. The audience Tune in as I break down the key...

You likely have heard the term "writer's block" before, but do we really understand what it is? In today's episode, I break down some of the elements I see in my own work with writing clients and how to begin to shift out of writer's block. I discuss ideas like: - fear of failure - discomfort - imperfection I also discuss how you are your own best resource for moving with and through writer's bloc...

Whether we realize it or not, writing your book requires an investment of time, energy, and resources. In today's episode, I get real about the costs of writing and self-publishing your book. In the episode, I talk about: - editing - cover design - interior formatting - support throughout the process - marketing - earning potential What shows up when you consider the investment for writing your bo...

Self-publishing is a very popular option for writers today! In today's episode, I go over the step-by-step details of Amazon KDP's publishing process. In the episode, I go over: - The book details (like title, subtitle, categories, etc.) - The book content requirements - The pricing requirements - Account setup As always, leave us a review so that more people see the podcast and get the writing su...

If we wanted to hang out with a friend, visit with a family member, or go on a date, would we just sit and wait and “hope” it happens? No, we’d need to take some intentional action to make this happen or at least create an invitation for it. The same goes for our inner writer--we need to invite her in! In today's episode, I share 3 simple ways to invite this part of you to come out and play. Here'...

How to wrap up your book can be tough! We often feel a lot of pressure to do something magical, which can lead to us getting stuck and potentially never finishing. In today's episode, I share details on the following techniques to wrap up your book in a way that feels great for you as the writer and for your readers! Just end Share questions Offer practical tips Write a letter to the reader Share...

Getting "stuck" in your writing process happens to everyone who writes a book! In fact, the good and bad thing about writing is that you can keep writing and drafting forever! But, eventually, you have to stop writing and shift into revision and finalizing your book. Here are the tips I cover today to help you do just that! Tip #1: Get back to your big picture WHY for your book Tip #2: Get clear o...

I am doing something brave (and that I preach on this podcast): reading an excerpt from my current book in progress! The working title is, Writing is Not That Hard: Ending the Self-Judgment and Recognizing the Writer Within. As you listen, you'll learn: - Where the myth of "writing is hard" comes from? - Who benefits (and who doesn't) by perpetuating this myth? - How I am introducing the "so what"...

Threads is Instagram's text-based conversation app , and it's taken the social media world by storm this week. I want to offer you 3 practical types for activating your writing self on this new platform! I give details about: - being playful in this new space - easily sharing all your different types of words - focusing on connection As always, leave us a review so that more people see the podcast...

“Kill your darlings, kill your darlings, even when it breaks your egocentric little scribbler’s heart, kill your darlings.” ― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft In today’s episode, I will break down why and when it is best to heed this famous advice from Stephen King as well as how to actually do it… without too many tears! Here is an overview: “Darlings” are those favorite parts, sto...