Heart of the Story

250 Nadine shares her summer break plans for the podcast. Use the time to catch up on episodes you've missed! If you’d like a highlight reel of the last 5 yrs, we’ve released a “Best of” Heart of the Story compilation almost every year. Best of 2025 Best of 2024 Best of 2023 Pt 1 and Pt 2 Best of 2021 Join Nadine at an upcoming retreat: Let Go Retreat June 14-17, Door County WI Revision Retreat: C...

249 Nadine reflects on an essay she wrote in a time of deep despair. Join Nadine at an upcoming retreat: Let Go Retreat June 14-17, Door County WI Revision Retreat: Craft Your Best Draft Aug 24-28, 2026, Madeline Island School of the Arts, WI About Nadine: Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded Wr...

248 Nadine reflects on an essay she wrote about her favorite place to be in the summertime. Join Nadine at an upcoming retreat: Let Go Retreat June 14-17, Door County WI Revision Retreat: Craft Your Best Draft Aug 24-28, 2026, Madeline Island School of the Arts, WI About Nadine: Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing pr...

247 Nadine reflects on an essay she wrote about a friend swooping in just when she needed it and how it inspired her to pay it forward. Join Nadine at an upcoming retreat: Revision Retreat: Craft Your Best Draft Aug 24-28, 2026, Madeline Island School of the Arts, WI Tiny True Stories and Sketches: A Micro Memoir Retreat October 26-Nov 2, 2026, SPAIN About Nadine: Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an awa...

246 Nadine reflects on an essay she wrote about anxiety and safety. Join Nadine at an upcoming retreat: Revision Retreat: Craft Your Best Draft Aug 24-28, 2026, Madeline Island School of the Arts, WI Tiny True Stories and Sketches: A Micro Memoir Retreat October 26-Nov 2, 2026, SPAIN About Nadine: Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen ye...

245 What is it like to be a midlife mom raising a middle schooler—when time seems to speed up just as you wish you could slow it down? When your child is reaching for independence, but every part of you wants to keep them close? As her son approaches his 13th birthday, Nadine reflects on the emotional tug-of-war of this stage of motherhood. She revisits an early moment that first sparked the pang...

244 Ten years ago, during a particularly stressful and uncertain time, Nadine started a practice of of gathering good moments as reminder notes she could read when anxious. She compiled them into an essay that she shares in this episode. Now, Nadine looks back on that time and reflects on all that has evolved (and stayed the same) in the decade since. Join Nadine, Molly Wizenberg, and Hallie Batem...

243 Five years ago, Nadine's father passed away at the age of 57. Nadine looks back on the spring of '21 and the years since, reflecting on all that has evolved. She explores important questions like: How to we go on in the wake of deep loss? How do we overcome the fear of our own mortality? In this deeply vulnerable episode, Nadine shares a personal essay that is an excerpt from her book, Come Ho...

242 Nadine revisits an Easter-themed essay she originally wrote in 2021 and reflects on what's changed in the 5 yrs since. She also shares the writing process behind the essay and gives some writing tips for how to express emotional depth in a narrative. Join Nadine, Molly Wizenberg, and Hallie Bateman in Spain from Oct 26-Nov 2 for Tiny True Stories and Sketches: A Micro-Memoir Retreat . Whether...

241 What if a gap year wasn't only reserved for high school grads trying to find themselves? In this encore episode, writer, hiker, and anti-capitalist tiny biz owner, Nic Antoinette, discusses the inspiration behind their grown up gap year, and Nadine opens up about the moment of jealousy that led to her "apprentice year." This is not a new-year-new-you, live-your-best-life episode. Instead, Nic...

240 Nadine gives a personal update by sharing her recently written essay, Sometimes It's Just Hard, in which she opens up about her upcoming move, the state of her marriage, and the past events that impact her present day choices. She shares a recent conversation with her husband that inspired the essay and the writerly techniques she used to craft it. If difficult moments have prevented you from...

239 Author Susanna Daniel joins Nadine to talk about her new novel Girlfriending —a deeply personal work of autofiction inspired by heartbreak, midlife reinvention, and the messy joy of dating again. Susanna shares how a breakup and a suggestion from a writer friend led her to begin writing from life for the first time. Together Nadine and Susanna explore the creative process behind autofiction, t...

238 This encore chat w/ bestselling memoirist Molly Wizenberg covers it all: partnership, parenting, writing, teaching, navigating midlife, and taking brave action. At its heart though, it's a chat about following our desire, even when it disturbs the status quo. Join Nadine, Molly, and Hallie in Spain from Oct 26-Nov 2 for Tiny True Stories and Sketches: A Micro-Memoir Retreat (just a few spots l...

237 Nadine shares an essay about a couple’s painting night that went awry and how she went about writing the piece. Join Nadine, Molly Wizenberg, and Hallie Bateman in Spain from Oct 26-Nov 2 for Tiny True Stories and Sketches: A Micro-Memoir Retreat . Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just wanting to preserve impactful memories on the page, remember that every story—no matter how small—is worth...

236 What if the secret to a sustainable creative life isn’t thinking bigger — but thinking smaller? In this heartfelt and wide-ranging conversation, Illustrator Hallie Bateman , memoirist Molly Wizenberg , and host Nadine Kenney Johnstone explore the power of tiny containers: daily journal comics, glimmers, four-panel sketches, letters, lists, and small true stories. They talk about: Why children...

235 Creativity often feels elusive, especially when life gets busy. How can we prioritize our writing when there's not a minute to spare? In this episode, Nadine shares how you can harness the beauty of small moments through micro memoirs and sketches to enrich your creative journey. Need a pattern interrupt to jumpstart this creative practice? Join Nadine and bestselling authors Molly Wizenberg a...

234 What happens when the opposite traits that attracted you to your partner become the very things that frustrate you? Nadine revisits an essay she first wrote in 2018 and originally shared on episode 3 in 2021—an essay about her husband and the moments that have exposed their differences, for better and for worse. Nadine also reflects on what it's like to listen back, now that her kindergartener...

Five years ago—amid the uncertainty of a global pandemic— Heart of the Story was born. In this special anniversary episode, Nadine reflects on the journey that began in isolation and grew into a deeply resonant creative practice and community. Looking back at the episode that started it all, Nadine explores how revisiting our own work can reveal surprising truths about growth, desire, and inner wi...

232 Five days. No talking. No technology. Just awareness. Nadine shares her powerful experience from a five-day silent Vipassana retreat—and what emerged when there was nowhere left to escape. From boredom and resistance to unexpected joy, grief, and clarity, Nadine opens up about the emotional and spiritual breakthroughs that unfolded in stillness. She reflects on self-compassion, non-reactivity,...

What happens when you don’t fully step away — but you stop rushing forward? Nadine reflects on the key takeaways from her semi-sabbatical: a year of working part time, studying deeply, and intentionally becoming a beginner again. Instead of chasing output, she followed curiosity. Instead of mastering, she practiced. This episode explores what a slower, experimental year taught her about identity,...

On the next episode of Heart of the Story, Nadine shares takeaways and surprises from her Sabbatical Year, 2025. About Nadine: Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today’s top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. He...

229 While the show is on a holiday break, catch up on any episodes you missed! Reclaim your writing time with the following offerings in 2026: Tiny True Stories, Micro Memoir workshop (virtual) Jan 15 Publish the Personal (Virtual): Fridays Jan 23-Feb 27 Revision Retreat: Craft Your Best Draft (In-person): Aug 2026, Madeline Island School of the Arts, WI About Nadine: Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an...

228 In 2025, Nadine interviewed bestselling authors Catherine Newman, Jen Hatmaker, Molly Wizenberg, and many more! Now, Nadine chats with her producer about their 12 favorite episodes and which bits of guest wisdom impacted them the most. Learn how their personal and creative lives have changed as a result these impactful conversations. While the show is on a holiday break, catch up on any episod...

227 Nadine is taking a semi-sabbatical this year to study, try new things, & travel, and she's sharing her adventures with you in a podcast series that airs monthly throughout 2025. In this 11th episode, she shares the highlights, challenges, and takeaways from November, which was a month of tackling things she's been avoiding. She breaks down the major reasons for avoidance and her strategies...

226: How do you turn a daydream into a life? Tricia Leach has been doing exactly that for the past decade. What began as a bold leap into full-time RV living became a family adventure that took Trish, her husband, and their kids through all 50 states and beyond—stories they’ve shared with a worldwide following through their beloved YouTube channel, Keep Your Daydream . But the journey didn’t stop...