Inspired Writer Collective Podcast

It’s an especially exciting episode this week as we welcome an author who is local to us, here in Colorado, and we’ll be welcoming her to our local book club meeting next month. Lara’s book, The Table: Seasons on a Colorado Ranch , was the result of completing her MFA at Western State University and submitting it for consideration for publication by the University’s press. It was selected and Lara...

This week we’re talking about our September Book Club reading of Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey. . It’s a memoir by a celebrity that will surprise you. You’ll stop and think about the aspects of your life that shaped your decision making and paved the path you’re on today.   We’ve all had moments in life when we’re at a crossroads with a decision to make and opportunities present themselves. W...

In this week’s episode of the podcast we’re talking about our decision to offer our own weekly writing sessions on Zoom for anyone on our email list rather than join or promote the offerings from NaNoWriMo. If you’ve been in the writing community for a while, you’re familiar with NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month, which has occurred every year in November since 1999, and became a non-prof...

You’ll be quickly drawn into Paula’s story of researching, writing, and publishing her book that shares the heart-wrenching details of child soldiers in Colombia alongside her own coming-of-age reflection as someone who was born, but not raised, in Colombia. Paula Delgado-King is the author of Leonor. It’s her first book that started as a policy paper when she was a grad student at Columbia Univer...

Episode 44: Healing Through Storytelling If you’re interested in memoir, here’s another great episode of the podcast that follows an emerging theme we have going right now focused on the power of sharing our stories. In this week’s episode, Elizabeth talks with Lenore about how her need for healing, after experiencing a myriad of health symptoms, encouraged her to create a podcast dedicated to sha...

In this episode, Elizabeth talks with Andrea Seiler (pen name: Cheydrea) about her experience writing a memoir. During the process, Andrea shifted into writing poetry and creating art, which brought so much healing to her life creating a transformation she wasn’t expecting. Her life has been forever changed because she started writing down her stories.  Andrea started writing down the stories of h...

In this episode, you'll learn about Elizabeth's Memoir Cohort Course and the huge benefit of writing in community. You'll discover that when you take this upcoming course, you'll get the benefit of two writing coaches! As our fall schedules get underway and we settle in for the end of the year, I'm excited to begin thinking about the next cohort of the Memoir Master Plan G...

Our Book Club selection for the month of August was Go As A River by Shelley Read and we’re talking about it in this week’s podcast. There is so much packed into this novel that is both enjoyable for readers and for writers. We balance our discussion this week with insights for both, but definitely lean into what we learned as writers. We’re not putting all of the details in the newsletter because...

It’s Part 2 of our podcast series with guest Mariska Maas (@rubreart). This week Elizabeth chats with Mariska about the readability and visual branding of your book. For many authors, it might not be the most exciting part, but depending on your genre, you may be able to have a little bit more fun with it than you think. Mariska has a “Cinderella” approach to her design process meaning she wants t...

In this week’s episode, the first in a two part series, Elizabeth interviews Mariska Maas (@rubreart) about cover design. Elizabeth connected with Mariska on Instagram about book design, especially for writers who are interested in self-publishing, and so this week the emphasis is on cover design and next week will be about formatting the inside of your book. Mariska, who lives in the Netherlands,...

Have you ever found yourself stuck when trying to develop your characters? You’ll find guidance in this week’s podcast episode, #38: Having Fun With Character Development Using Coffee Chats.   Stephanie shares her experience approaching character development from the perspective of calling the process “coffee chats”. Whether you enjoy spending time in a coffee shop, or not, you’re familiar with th...

This week’s podcast episode with guest, Alyssa Brade, is packed full of insights into mitigating burnout as a Mother and Author. You’ll come away with insights and strategies for your writing. You’ll find yourself connecting right away with Alyssa’s stories of motherhood that led her to write, Mommy Needs a Minute: From Burnout to Empowerment (this is an affiliate link, so if you click here and pu...

Our Book Club selection for July was Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez. It’s the latest contemporary romance by Stephanie’s favorite author that has received many accolades across bestseller lists and was a Good Morning America Book Club this summer. As Stephanie continues to work on her own contemporary romance series, which will be written using a pen name, Abby’s books and daily social media...

You might not always think of lists as a go to writing tool when you get stuck, but they’re a tool you’ll want to keep in your “writer’s toolbox”. You’d be surprised how often lists appear in all types of literature, often hidden in lengthy prose, or within the lines of poetry. In this episode of the podcast, Stephanie leads the conversation, inspired by a workshop led by Leath Tonino at the Mount...

Adapting Writing Practices to the Changing Seasons of Life, a conversation with your podcast hosts, Stephanie Oswald, Ph. D. and Elizabeth Wilson As a writer, you often find yourself navigating the ebbs and flows of life alongside your creative pursuits. This delicate balance becomes even more apparent during the summer months, as you may be faced with a disrupted schedule and demands for your tim...

Facing the Shadow as You Write and Share Your Work In this week’s episode, number 33, of the Inspired Writer Collective Podcast, Elizabeth speaks with psychotherapist, Catherine DeMonte, about the presence of the shadow and how it can emerge in your life and through your writing. What is “the shadow”? Every one of us has shadows in our life. They’re the blocks that appear that prevent you from sho...

In this episode, Stephanie talks with ADHD Productivity expert, Ian Tenenbaum, about how to be more productive and embrace your ADHD. If you've felt overwhelmed and haven't been sure how to get started, this is an episode you don't want to miss. While the conversation centers around those with ADHD, there's something here for everyone, especially writers, who come to the blank...

In this episode, Elizabeth and Stephanie discuss why "The Alchemist" is a book every writer, creative, and entrepreneur should read. They touch upon quotes that provide inspiration and guidance on your writing journey. We all have a "personal legend" to discover in our life, and when we follow the path to uncover who we're meant to be, the universe opens the doors to make...

In this episode, Elizabeth welcomes guest, Miriam Rachel, to discuss using tarot cards for finding writing inspiration. Miriam shares how she has used tarot in her own writing to provide insight into the benefits of using the cards for content planning, book writing, and personal development.  Who is Miriam Rachel? Miriam Rachel, out of Toronto, Canada, is a tarot reader, astrologer, podcaster of...

In this episode, Elizabeth talks with Brooks Elms about using screenwriting techniques to enhance your writing. With examples from Hollywood blockbusters to stories from our own lives, you won't want to miss the insights and writing guidance provided by Brooks Elms.  From Brooks in this episode:  There's a generosity and a curiosity that drives professional storytelling.  and it's n...

In this episode, we share what we learned from sessions at the Mountain Words Festival in Crested Butte, CO focused on world building. While it's typically discussed heavily amongst science fiction and fantasy writers, we discovered there's a lot that can be applied to writing in other genres. The sessions featured authors Olivia Chadha and Paolo Bacigalupi.   Send us Fan Mail  Welcome t...

In this episode, we share nuggets of wisdom and insight from attending the Mountain Words Festival in Crested Butte, CO from May 24-26, 2024. There's a lot to learn from authors outside your own genre. It's easy to find yourself deeply immersed in your own genre, so in this episode we speak to the benefits of learning across genres. We attended a variety of sessions led by authors across...

In this episode, Elizabeth chats with Lina AbiRafeh, Ph. D. about the parallels between searching for an agent and the world of dating. Lina gets to the heart of her memoir writing process and her experience searching for an agent. You won't want to miss this delightful and insightful conversation! Connect with Lina by signing up for her newsletter on her website: https://www.linaabirafeh.com...

In this week's episode, we're focused on writing craft with Elizabeth sharing a presentation on Showing vs. Telling that she presented for Central Colorado Writers. You can get the PDF of the presentation in the link below.  At one time or another, we all struggle with this as writers to find the right balance in our manuscripts between showing and telling. There's a time and place...

A conversation with children's book author, Anandamayi Baker, about her inspiration for writing Bee-Coming Strong.  You can find Anandamayi Baker online at: https://anandamayibaker.com/  A note from Anandamayi Baker: As a child growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, nature served me as a protective friend. I would spend countless hours studying ants on their journey to and from their nests...