Courageous Wordsmith

From Amy: In the early days of my podcast, I hired Molly Darling and her now husband, Christian Rivera, to help me understand what it was to be a working creative with a business (as opposed to a dedicated real-life creative). I thought I was hiring them to help make my Instagram design more visually appealing, but I ended up rethinking my Courageous Wordsmith brand in significant ways. This inclu...

From Amy: From the beginning of my work as a "real" writer (which I had tried to be on my own for a very long time, but I couldn't move past the journaling stage... no matter how "gifted" anyone said I was at wordsmithing...) I have found that I cannot succeed without the support of collaborative partners whose gifts and vision complement mine. That's true of this podcast, and it's definitely true...

From Amy: We were originally hoping for a November 22 release of my Tiny Altars audiobook on Audible, but that date came and went while it awaited its turn in Quality Assurance for over two weeks. Now it's December 3, and the audiobook has arrived, which reminds me that books, like children, arrive in their own time and way, no matter how we try to control it. Fun fact: From my first callings to w...

From Amy: I had hopes of my audiobook being one thing, and instead it's another. It's my memoir on coming to deeper awareness of the role I play in my homeland, inside institutions, and how I couldn't stay there, and how I let myself wander and grieve. Anyway, I've said it before and I'll say it again. A book comes into the world in exactly the timing it wants to. The paperback came out on April 2...

From Amy: I have been a fan of Linda's gorgeous imagery ever since I met her in an online writing forum. At the time, we were both publishing our books with birds on the cover. The thing about poetry is, sometimes, especially at a moment like now—one week out from pivotal presidential elections in the United States—where the rhetoric has gotten QUITE LOUD, and it's already been a LOUD nearly-decad...

From Amy: I met Sonya at a Minneapolis bookstore, where she was reading from her latest collection of essays. Her writing voice is engaging. But it's the multiplicity of roles she occupies as a writer that fascinates me: from established professor of creative writing and published author, to her embrace of various voices still waiting to be released. For the people in my audience who long to write...

From Amy: Gin Hammond is a friend of a friend, and when I heard about Returning the Bones , Gin's fictionalized account of her beloved Aunt Bebe, I very much wanted to talk with her. Gin had one request: that we release it before elections because this book's themes are so timely. Twenty days out from Election Day, that's what I'm doing. I highly recommend the audiobook. 1946. Bebe Hammond, a shy...

From Amy: Terry Newby and I met in the spring of 2023 and found resonance between our writing that led us to trade books. We wanted to explore what it was to write about real people related to us, Terry in historical fiction and plays, me in creative nonfiction, specifically memoir. This is the third and final episode that resulted from that conversation. While Terry and I write different genres,...

From Amy: Terry Newby and I met in the spring of 2023 and found resonance between our writing that led us to trade books. We wanted to explore what it was to write about real people related to us, Terry in historical fiction and plays, me in creative nonfiction, specifically memoir. This is the second of three episodes that resulted from that conversation. While Terry writes about real people usin...

From Amy: Terry Newby and I met in the spring of 2023 and found resonance between our writing that led us to trade books. We wanted to explore what it was to write about real people related to us, Terry in historical fiction and plays, me in creative nonfiction, specifically memoir. This is the first of three episodes that resulted from that conversation. In Terry's case, the relative was Dangerfi...

A note from Amy about this excerpt from Tiny Altars: A Midlife Revival Every book, like every child, seems to arrive in its own divine timing and have its own significant birthday, and this is especially true for this memoir of history witnessed in real time. Because I had abruptly ended my teaching career midyear, I was available to be an up-close observer of a remarkable period in America, as a...

Amy chats with Erica Jones about embodied writing. They discuss the healing process through writing, and how their collaboration brings together their unique expertise in writing and somatic nervous system work. In particular, Erica shares her journey of processing trauma through storytelling. NOTE from Amy: In this episode, Erica and I talk about a book and an upcoming writing retreat. We origina...

In this episode of Courageous Wordsmith, author and story coach Amy Hallberg reflects on her personal and professional journey over the past year, marked by the decision to re-center her business and hire a virtual assistant, Brooke Roy. Amy discusses the importance of finding collaborative partners, learning from missteps, and understanding her own creative and working style through the lens of H...

This is an old recording I found (or that found me) while I was working with audio files, and it seemed like the perfect timing to give you a  sense of what it's like to work with me in a group writing session... which I offer regularly in my Circle for Real-Life Writers and when I facilitate writing retreats. Even if you don't want to write, the first part of the recording talks about some of the...

Dr. Martha Jo Atkins , professional counselor, author, and speaker, guides individuals and families through end of life journeys. With three decades of experience, and a passion for storytelling through photography and film, Dr. Atkins fosters a space where fear lessens and courage and understanding bloom, allowing us to embrace the sacredness of dying and what it means to be alive. Facebook Insta...

Emily P. G. Erickson is a Minnesota-based writer specializing in mental health and parenting. You can find her bylines in major digital publications, including Everyday Health, Health, The New York Times, Parents, Romper, Verywell Mind, Wired, and more. A former PTSD researcher for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Emily also holds a master’s degree in counseling psychology. Today her work...

It's a whole new season of Courageous Wordsmith. I've published my second memoir, Tiny Altars, and I'm ready to podcast. Amy Hallberg is the author of Tiny Altars: A Midlife Revival and German Awakening: Tales from an American Life. She is the host of Courageous Wordsmith Podcast and founder of Courageous Wordsmith Circle for Real-Life Writers. As an editor and writing mentor, Amy guides writers t...

Bradley Bodeker is an author of poetry and horror fiction. He is also an illustrator, musician, actor, and ordained minister of the Church of the Latter Day Dude. Bradley is currently working on two novels and a horror anthology. Facebook: https://facebook.com/KingBeeRadley Amazon: https://amazon.com/author/bradleybodeker   Amy Hallberg is the author of Tiny Altars: A Midlife Revival and German Aw...

Michelle Wolff teaches, podcasts, and coaches using story, humor, and some salty language. She holds a Master's degree in Education, has 25 years of experience working with people, and loves to help multi-passionate people stop procrastinating, focus up, and get stuff done. She’s been a therapist specializing in trauma, mental health, and addictions. She’s now an author, trauma-informed coach, Hum...

Michelle Wolff teaches, podcasts, and coaches using story, humor, and some salty language. She holds a Master's degree in Education, has 25 years of experience working with people, and loves to help multi-passionate people stop procrastinating, focus up, and get stuff done. She’s been a therapist specializing in trauma, mental health, and addictions. She’s now an author, trauma-informed coach, Hum...

Amy Hallberg is the award-winning author of German Awakening: Tales from an American Life. She is a podcaster, story coach, book writing mentor, and the founder of Courageous Wordsmith. A lifelong Minnesotan, Amy lives in the Twin Cities with her husband and two cats. https://amyhallberg.com https://write.courageouswordsmith.com You can read more about Tiny Altars here . You can buy Tiny Altars he...

Bradley Bodeker is an author of poetry and horror fiction. He is also an illustrator, musician, actor, and ordained minister of the Church of the Latter Day Dude. Bradley is currently working on two novels and a horror anthology. Facebook: https://facebook.com/KingBeeRadley Amazon: https://amazon.com/author/bradleybodeker   Amy Hallberg is the author of Tiny Altars: A Midlife Revival and German Aw...

Michael Trotta is a mentor, storyteller, natural learning specialist, proud dyslexic, unapologetic troublemaker (the good kind), artist, hopelessly addicted fly-fisherman, and host of the Story Mischief podcast. After ten years in education, Michael set out to prove to himself that it was possible to create a life and living on his terms. One more deeply rooted and aligned with his passions and va...

Emma Magenta is a feminist Life Coach who helps people-pleasers, overachievers, and perfectionists stop being so hard on themselves, and start feeling at home in their lives. As a coach, her North Star is radical self-love. She’s particularly effective at coaching highly sensitive ADHD women, because she is one! Emma loves dogs, long walks in foul weather, Broadway theater, reading, eating, singin...

Sara Taylor is an existential life coach for people with tendencies toward anxiety, depression, and ADHD.  She collaborates with clients to facilitate generational and self healing so they can find more meaning and satisfaction in life, whether it’s in parenting, in profession, or other creative endeavors. Website https://sarabtaylor.com/ Instagram @sarabtaylorphd Facebook @sarabtaylorphd Amy Hall...