Struggle to believe your work is good enough? Yeh. Me too. We all do. 

Ever wonder what it takes to write in a language that isn’t your first—and still sound like you?

In this episode, I sit down with writer and book coach Karmen Spiljak to talk about what it really means to write without borders. Karmen shares her journey from Slovenia to indie publishing in English, and the mindset shifts that helped her move past perfectionism, comparison, and imposter syndrome to find joy and freedom on the page.

We talk about giving yourself permission, learning to trust your gut as a writer, embracing the messy drafts that lead to growth, and practical ways to keep your creative fire alive—like writing a letter to yourself about why you write and keeping a “Nice Things” folder for those encouraging words we all need to revisit sometimes.

If you’ve ever doubted your voice or wrestled with the question, “Am I good enough?”—this conversation will remind you that progress matters more than perfection, and writing what you love is always worth it!

Timestamps: 

00:00 Starting the Journey: Writing Without Borders
14:59 Challenges of Writing in English
15:42 Mindset Shifts and Comparisons

18:49 Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
21:26 Writing for Yourself and Reconnecting with Joy
24:31 Tools and Resources for Writers
28:40 Final Thoughts and Advice

How to Connect with Karmen

Short Story Blueprint (I've created it for the podcast listeners): https://storyallegiance.com/short/ 

author website https://karmenspiljak.com

Other Links Mentioned:
Karmen has also published articles on Jane Friedman’s blog, including how to use food as a character development tool and how to navigate writing in a second language.

Have a comment or idea about the show? Send me a direct text! Love to hear from you.

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