Sidetracked Stories

"I find it fascinating that most people plan their vacations with better care than they plan their lives. Perhaps that is because escape is easier than change." --Jim Rohn If you've followed the Sidetracked Sisters for a while or listened to some previous episodes of this podcast, you will know that we are all familiar with change. Although it may not be easy, it is something we can...

"We cannot become what we want by remaining what we are." --Max Depree Today Judy and I are open with our audience about some changes we are considering for the new year. We love talking about life "blockages" and talking with others who have overcome writer's block specifically. We love writing and think everyone should be journaling or writing some regular "morning p...

Today all four of the Sidetracked Sisters are here on the Overcoming Writer's Block podcast! We share with you what our writer's group does, how we began getting together, and how we organize our Thursday night "meetings". Later, we get into how this gathering strengthens our relationships and helps us keep writer's block at bay... Listen to the podcast at https://open.spotif...

"Your story matters. More importantly, you matter." -anonymous Today's episode goes out to everyone who considers themselves a lifelong writer...those who haven't written since a high school English class, and everyone in between. It's for those with complicated life experiences...those who have lived calm, secure, healthy "boring" lives--and everyone in between. Ma...

Are you more of a thankful person or one who is grateful? Today Judy and I explore the twin concepts of thankfulness and gratitude. We work through their differences and talk about how they influence our writing. Then we discuss how we can change our perspective on writing and our role as a "writer" when we embody thankfulness and gratitude. Watch our conversation at https://youtu.be/Y-H...

"Life happens FOR us. You can't get it wrong...you just can't. It's gonna be fine." -Gaye Kick Today Gaye and I sat down to discuss her fascinating experience and beautifully written memoir. Her book details her search for freedom and identity. She uses engaging narratives and funny self-reflection to inspire us to join in on her journey to "break free". During our...

Today Judy and I encourage people who want to be more creative to not just work and "veg", but to PLAY. Play...specifically having a weekly "Artist's Date" is a foundation stone of Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way. In the same way, you can't pour water from an empty cup, you must fill yourself up to write or create. In our conversation, we share activities that...

Every day of our lives, we are on the verge of making those slight changes that would make all the difference – Mignon McLaughlin Judy and I talk about "changing it up". Whether you are a writer or looking to be more creative, it's time to flip your schedule, experiment with food, and get out of the house! I believe that we are all happiest when we are creating. Let's get out of...

"Tell the negative committee that meets inside your head to sit down and shut up." --Ann B. Davis Today Judy and I encourage you to clean out the negative self-talk dust out of your life. We get into how it shows up in our thoughts. We also discuss how writing helps us become conscious of our thoughts so we can actively make decisions about how to change them. Watch our conversation at ...

Your task is not to seek for love but merely to find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it. -Rumi Today Judy and I got into how hard writing is when you are feeling down, sad, depressed, anxious, or dark. I usually write easily when life is going smoothly. But it's really deep and precious self-love when you write in the darkness. Watch our conversation at https://you...

All the work you’ve done up until now has been to lead you to this precise moment, to face precisely what you’re facing. -Baron Baptiste (master yoga instructor) Welcome to episode #143 of the Overcoming Writer's Block podcast. Today Judy and I explore three powerful transition words that can help you move from where you are, where you've been, and where you want to be... Listen to the pod...

Today Judy and I dig into the connection between writing and the divine. We both agree that it is definitely a spiritual practice--whether or not that is the intention. In our discussion, we highlight 3 main benefits of looking at our writing as prayer: 1) improved concentration, 2) develop connection, and 3) document your spiritual journey. And here is one more quote that informed our conversatio...

"Breaking down dreams into attainable goals has been the best thing that I could have done for myself." --Amy Freidl Amy is the author of the debut story in the new "Strong Girls Travel" series. The book features AJ, an adventurous girl who explores National Parks throughout the U.S. We talk about Amy's writing life and her experiences working on her character, finding help...

"Good thinkers always prime the pump of ideas. They always look for things to get the thinking process started, because what you put in always impacts what comes out." --John C. Maxwell (American author, coach, and speaker) And, what does it mean, exactly to "prime the pump"? According to Google, this phrase means "to encourage the growth or action of something. In the lat...

Today Judy and I get into the all the feels! We dig into WHY we both love to write...and we get deep. We discuss why we write for ourselves and for our loved ones. We recognize that there is a different "why" for us puting writing out for a wider audience--the world really--to read and consume. You see, we believe that we, all of us as humans, have a deep desire to see and be seen, to he...

Thoughts are the cause of all emotions in our lives. Whatever we decide to believe and think will determine how we feel. -Brooke Castillo (The Life Coach School) Today Judy and I get into our heads and talk about our thoughts. As a life coach, I talk with my clients about how a circumstance can trigger thoughts, these thoughts cause feelings, our feelings drive actions, and actions create results....

"Writing is like pizza. Cold pizza, good pizza, bad pizza...it's better than no pizza. So remember: bad writing is better than no writing." -- Lauren Oliver author of Vanishing Girls Welcome to the Overcoming Writer's Block podcast episode #137. Today Judy and I had some fun with pizza. A couple of hours before we talked, I was on a walk with my dogs and listening to a podcast. T...

"I tend to deal with writer's block by thinking, 'What can I simplify in my life?' Because that will get me more in tune with my intuition and the writing will come." -Dana Laquidara (speaker and author) Today I talk with Dana Laquidara. She is a speaker and writer who recently had her second book published. Her first book explored the connection between creativity, simplifyi...

"Sometimes people ask me if I regret 'wasting' those decades before I learned to believe in my writing and take it seriously. No, I tell them. I was gestating, amassing experience and material I tap into when I write my poems today." --Rebecca Faust (poet) As a woman with many diverse experiences behind me, I recognize that life is always changing. We are always learning... somet...

"I'm the other kind of writer. I don't write every day. I don't have set hours that I write (and I know I should). But I get there eventually...I want it to be an enjoyable process." --Heidi Eliason Have you ever felt suffocated by your routine and responsibilities, or just longed for some adventure? Heidi Eliason did, so at the age of 45 she quit her job, sold her house, bou...

"If you have an idea, you should run with it. That idea was given to you for a reason, and you...YOU are the person who is supposed to take that idea and make something out of it." -- Melanie Gareau Today I talk with Melanie Gareau. She is a parent, educator, and author who lost a student to suicide and the experience shattered her heart. As a form of self-therapy, she turned to writing....

Author Lois Lowry was asked about her writing process and how she got over writer's block ( here ). She answered, "I write on a computer and I have never suffered from writer's block. In fact, I don't believe in it. It's a made-up term that has taken on some kind of silly importance. Writing is a job. Some days you don't feel like doing your job. But there is no 'teach...

Today I interview the author of "Untethered", Deborah Staunton. In her book, Deb tells the story of growing up with a mentally ill, alcoholic father and the experience of raising a mentally ill daughter. It follows Deb's journey through multiple miscarriages and the "untethering" of minds, relationships, and pregnancies. At one point in our interview, Deb says, "I just...

"You can always edit a bad page. You can't edit a blank page." --Jodi Picoult Today Judy and I talk about "Blank Page Syndrome". We get into three strategies to help when the writer is ready, the materials are waiting, but no words are flowing... Watch our conversation on Youtube ⁠⁠at https://youtu.be/tXZybyqUGrI Get free monthly writing prompts and more information about o...

"Writer's block is real. It happens. Some days you sit down at the old typewriter put your fingers on the keys, and nothing pops into your head. Blanko. Nada. El nothingissimo. What you do when this happens is what separates you from the one-of-these-days-I'm-gonna-write-a-book crowd." --James N. Frey Today Judy and I talk about writer's block--what it is and what it looks li...