How Women Write

Years ago, when I heard Alex Hormozi read his entire book on his podcast, The Game, for free. I thought it was brilliant and knew I'd do it for my next book.

Why aren't more authors doing this? So I'm doing it.

In this episode, I begin reading Writing with the Moon aloud — in full, for free — starting with PART ONE, INTRODUCTION.

I cover:

• Why I wrote this book, including the declaration that felt like a confession

• Using Astrology as a Writing Tool

• The Sun (Yang) and the Moon (Yin)

• How to Use the Moon as a Gentle Architecture to Find Your Unique Writing Rhythm

Welcome to How Women Write, hosted by author, writing mentor, and founder of The Intuitive Writing School, Jacqueline Fisch. On this podcast, you'll hear how to find your writing voice, write with your natural rhythm, and use your words to grow your business and leave your mark.

Grab the book: https://theintuitivewritingschool.com/writing-with-the-moon

Tired of writing alone? Click here.

00:00 Welcome

01:40 Introduction: A Writer Not Writing

04:15 Surrender and Finding Flow

05:55 Discovering Moon Alignment

07:50 Astrology as a Writing Tool

09:40 Faith and Celestial Wisdom

13:20 Sun and Moon Energies

20:18 How to Use the Moon as a Gentle Architecture to Find Your Unique Writing Rhythm

21:51 Moon Phase Overview

Substack: Energy-First Writing | LinkedIn | Instagram | LinkedIn

I absolutely loved this conversation with Rose Hurst, author of the new memoir, I Ate Everything But the Napkins: How I Overcame Overeating. Rose's story is truly a testament to the idea that the path you think you're on might not be the one that leads to your most meaningful work.

Rose and I dove into the incredible story behind her 2026-released memoir, which spans her life from a sheltered upbringing on a farm in Canada to working in the Arctic, and then an unexpected journey to Australia, where her overeating began. She shares how she accidentally discovered the root cause of her compulsion: the fear and anxiety of being so far from home. It's a powerful conversation about finding your way back to your native country, your native self, and healing through writing.

Rose also walks us through the challenges of moving from freelance magazine writing to publishing a full-length book, including why she chose self-publishing—and the endless, unexpected tweaks involved in the process. We discuss the criticism that nearly made her quit (and did, for over a year!), the sheer vulnerability of sharing your deepest life memories, and why sometimes you just have to let your imperfect work go.

• Rose accidentally started her memoir while taking a writing course in 2020, proving you don't always need a grand plan to begin your most important work.

• The memoir covers Rose's adventurous, non-linear life, including working in the Arctic and meeting her first love, who she met while working at a bank in Yellowknife, and how she overcame overeating.

• Another writer told Rose she should cut her memoir by a third, a devastating criticism that led her to put the draft away for over a year.

• Rose's favorite writing ritual involves doing her diary from the day before, followed by "Future Scripting," which she says has been better than antidepressants.

• Book marketing advice: If you're sick of hearing yourself talk about your book, say it three more times, because not everyone is hearing your message.

• Rose's advice for memoirists is to be prepared for the vulnerability of reliving your memories and to understand that you don't have to publish it—you can write it purely for yourself.

00:00 Meet Rose and Her Memoir

00:57 The Memoir Class

02:01 Yellowknife Arctic Adventures

04:52 On Overeating

06:06 Why Australia Triggered Food

08:23 Daily Writing Habits

09:15 Self Publishing Choices

12:30 Endless Book Production Tweaks

17:03 Short Form Writing Adventures

18:19 A 50 Word Story

19:20 Book Marketing Marathons

21:48 Substack as Fuel

22:45 Letting The Book Go

24:42 How Rose Celebrates

26:30 Memoir Vulnerability Advice

33:31 Finishing And Farewell

• Rose Hurst's book: I ATE EVERYTHING BUT THE NAPKINS: HOW I OVERCAME OVEREATING: A Story of Adventure, Lost Love, and the Consequences

• Rose Hurst's Substack: Memoirist in the Museum

• The Intuitive Writing Studio
• Private Coaching & Writing Support
• Substack: Energy-First Writing
• LinkedIn
• Instagram

My fourth book, Writing With the Moon: Daily Practices to Unlock Your Voice, Write with Flow, and Align With the Power of Astrology, is officially out in the world, and I'm taking you behind the scenes of my release week.

I intentionally refer to this as a book "release" — or a "book birth day" — rather than a "launch." A launch feels like carelessly hurling something out, but a release is intentional, like an exhale.

I kept my release day intentionally light and spacious. It started like a regular Tuesday with a trip to the gym, where I was reminded that just showing up (to exercise or to write) can lead to unexpected flow and surprising results. I sat with my book and oatmeal in the sun and realized I hadn't done any journaling specific to the release, so I quickly wrote about my biggest vision for the book. I cleared my to-do list during a Co-Writing & Chill session with studio members, then celebrated with a relaxing pedicure, veggie sushi, and funny TV with my family.

This book felt light and easy to write because I had lived the material for five years and tested it with my clients and community over two years, allowing it to unfold rather than forcing the process. I know writing a book does not have to be a struggle.

If you've already ordered the book, thank you! And if you have the book, an Amazon review would be wonderful — early purchases and reviews really help a self-published author like me with visibility and rankings.

• Choose the energy for your book release day intentionally — you're nurturing sacred work over time, not forcing a high-pressure launch.

• Get out of your own way and show up to write because, once you start moving, the words often pour out … sometimes in surprising ways.

• Journaling about your biggest vision for your book is a crucial step for aligning your energy with your work.

• Writing a book doesn't have to be a struggle — the process can unfold while feeling light and easy.

• Support a self-published author by ordering early and leaving an Amazon review, which is vital for visibility and ranking ;)

• Order Writing with the Moon and get the Bonus Bundle

• Writing with the Moon on Amazon

• Join The Intuitive Writing Studio to live the book

00:00 Book Release Behind-The-Scenes

00:40 Release Not Launch

01:22 Books are Like Babies

02:25 A Low-Key Release Day

02:38 Gym Lesson On Showing Up at the Page

03:43 Future State Journaling

05:04 Release Day To-Do Sprint

06:29 A Cozy Celebration

08:37 Why This Book Felt Easy

10:13 Bonuses Reviews And Thanks

• The Intuitive Whttps://theintuitivewritingschool.com/community

• Private Coaching & Writing Support

• Substack: Energy-First Writing

• LinkedIn

• Instagram

My fourth book, Writing with the Moon, is launching, and I'm giving you a behind-the-scenes peek into the real process. Self-publishing is a lot like owning a business — you plan what you can, and then you let the rest go. This project was a slow-writing one, but not in a draining way.

Writing with the Moon documented not just a writing process, but a process for living — moving through the world by following the moon and my energy.

I started writing in March 2024 on the first day of Aries season, the real New Year's Day. The process came together quickly: I worked on one sign at a time as the moon traveled through it, drafting from the new moon to the full moon, often in 30-60-minute slices. I kept the writing clean by tuning out research and other astrologers' voices — I wanted it to be truly mine.

After the initial draft, I tested the material daily with my writing community, the Intuitive Writing Studio, through daily voice memos and monthly live workshops.

Writing this book was easy and fun, which proved to me the difference that working with my body's energy makes, a major personal growth shift since I drafted Unfussy Life nearly 10 years ago.

Publishing involves many moving pieces, like hiring an editor, a proofreader, and a cover designer, and getting physical proofs — all totally worth the time.

I can't wait to hear how you use this book and what it inspires you to write.

• Writing with your energy and unique rhythm creates a much easier, more joyful process compared to pushing through burnout.

• The book was drafted by writing about each of the 12 zodiac signs as the moon traveled through them.

• To keep your work "clean," intentionally tune out outside voices and research during the initial, quick, surrendered first draft.

• Self-publishing requires aligning many pieces — editors, cover designers, and physical proofs — and can be prone to minor tech issues — roll with them.

• Strategically choosing an astrological launch date — and how I landed on a Tuesday during the waxing moon to use the moon's light as a "spotlight" to support the project's growth.

• Join The Intuitive Writing Studio to live the book

• Order the Writing with the Moon & get the bonus bundle

00:00 Book Launch Peek

01:36 Moon Guided Writing

03:03 Drafting Without Noise

04:19 Testing With Community

06:50 Self-Publishing On Amazon

09:19 Launch Month Surprises

11:28 Astrological Release Timing

14:56 Next Book Tease

16:19 Book Bonuses And How To Claim

18:08 Final Send Off

• The Intuitive Writing Studio

• Private Coaching & Writing Support

• Substack: Energy-First Writing

• LinkedIn

• Instagram

AI isn't going anywhere. It's here. And if you haven't embraced it yet, it could be time. BUT … there's a way to do it without losing yourself or selling your soul.

I've been thinking a lot about the push for "realness" in an AI world and what it actually means for us as writers and creators. Many people are stuck in the duality thinking, the either-or, where you're either all-in on AI, or all-out.

But AI is a tool, and the key is learning to use it to support and tap into your authentic voice.

For me, that means leaning into speaking my rambling thoughts using a talk-to-text app, getting the transcription, and then using a tool like Claude to summarize, organize, and streamline the text. The words and energy are still mine; I'm not asking AI to write a post from scratch. (I shared a behind-the-scenes video of me actually talking out a Substack essay the other day for Studio members).

Some somewhat troubling examples of how some business owners are using AI popped up the other week — recording every word they say all day to train their tool, using ChatGPT to "add warmth" to naturally direct communication, and relying on AI to filter hundreds of newsletters they've subscribed to.

Much of this behavior leads to a performance, not realness, and creates a whiplash experience when you meet the person in real life. True authenticity is about being the same person in your writing, speaking, and in person.

Being real is more about subtraction — unlearning old conditioning from family, school, or corporate life — than addition. The goal is to show up with your true essence in all contexts, even if your first draft is a messy voice memo.

• AI as a tool, not a ghostwriter: Use AI (like Claude) to organize and streamline your transcribed thoughts, not to generate your first draft.

• Be aware of performing: Constant "warming up" your communication for the sake of presentation undermines your authentic self and creates a disconnect with your audience.

• The power of speaking without a filter: Recording your rambling thoughts captures your genuine energy and allows you to move while creating, leading to faster writing. Treat it like a surrendered first draft (SFD).

• Authenticity is subtraction: Being real is a process of unlearning conditioning and peeling away layers and expectations.

• Embrace the authentic draft: Instead of starting with a structure or outline, capture fragments and let them be messy, knowing you'll edit later.

• My weekly Substack email

• My free workshop: Writing with the Moon

• Pre-order the Writing with the Moon e-book

• Writing with the Moon paperback (available May 19th)

00:00 Realness in an AI World

00:47 Getting Out of Your Head

01:39 Using AI Without Losing Your Voice

03:37 When AI is Too Much

06:34 Why Authenticity Matters Everywhere

08:52 Craving More Realness

09:48 Unlearning and Subtraction

10:59 Free Moon Writing Workshop

• The Intuitive Writing Studio

• Private Coaching & Writing Support

• Substack: Energy-First Writing

• LinkedIn

• Instagram

I am so excited to finally have Kelsey Murphy on the How Women Write podcast! We've been on each other's shows, and I've been a huge fan of her work for years. She's a business and life coach for Fortune 500 companies and has worked alongside some big-name female entrepreneurs.

What I love most about Kelsey is her radically honest, down-to-earth approach to writing and business — especially in her emails. They are never noisy — they're always refreshing. Even when she's selling something.

In this conversation, Kelsey and I dive into:

• How she shifted from a high-pressure advertising role to coaching, recognizing her own resistance to reclaiming her creative voice.

• How she learned to embrace writing as a lifelong journey.

• The importance of separating different buckets of writing — sales, personal, and business so that she could protect the therapeutic joy she has for writing.

• The powerful, simple formula she uses for her storytelling in her emails: What happened? What did I learn? What do I urge you to do?.

• How to apply the "One-Person Rule" by writing every email to one specific, ideal client (like her client Ally), which is key to making readers feel seen and heard.

• Kelsey's stance on building a seven-figure business without relying on social media for sales.

• How "writer's block" can often be solved with journaling, like writing a letter from your 80-year-old self, to check your beliefs and direction.

Kelsey's energy, honesty, and wisdom are contagious. You'll be inspired to check in with your own writing practice and discover what's truly lighting you up.

• Kelsey Murphy's Website

• Whiskey & Work Podcast

• Jacq's appearances on the Whiskey & Work podcast:

  • How To Write & Find Flow

  • Quitting Her 9-5, Starting A Failed Blog & Succeeding In A Copywriting Business She Loves

• Book: On Writing by Stephen King This is an affiliate link. If you click and make a purchase, I might earn a small commission.

00:00 Meet Kelsey Murphy

02:29 Early Life and Creativity

06:36 Advertising Career

08:13 Leaving the Advertising World for Coaching

13:38 Writing as a Business Skill

16:29 Journaling and Confidence

20:27 No Social Media Needed

22:11 Email Magic Begins

22:33 Learning to Write Well

24:47 Storytelling That Connects

25:22 Writing To One Person

29:57 No Schedule Just Seasons

33:27 Full Body Yes Momentum

36:25 Book Ideas Without Pressure

37:43 The Why Behind her Podcast

39:32 A Retreat That Changed Everything

41:21 Coffee Ritual And Email Vibe

43:17 Thanks And Wrap Up

Kelsey Murphy is a Business & Life Coach for Fortune 500 companies like Facebook and Twitter, working with entrepreneurs like Marie Forleo, Cathy Heller, & Celebrity Nutritionist Kelly Leveque. Kelsey is a master at helping coaches create highly successful businesses. She takes the big-hearted humans & builds lucrative businesses for them that end up impacting millions.

Previously, Kelsey was the Advertising Director for Nintendo, GoPro, and Elizabeth Arden, and she's been featured in outlets like Forbes, Business Insider, and the Huffington Post. She's a firm believer that each person holds a passion and a viewpoint uniquely their own, and through her coaching and workshops, she equips people with a toolbox of actionable strategies to create the life they envision.

Additionally, she hosts a top-ranked podcast called Whiskey & Work, where she shares refreshingly honest insights on navigating the waters of work, life, and family. Kelsey addresses issues like relationships, dreams, motivation, starting a business, morning routines, and living a life you're proud of. She's a champion for acting brave, embracing your imperfections, and not taking life too seriously.

• The Intuitive Writing Studio

• Private Coaching & Writing Support

• Substack: Energy-First Writing

• LinkedIn

• Instagram

I'm so happy to be back talking with you after missing a week. My voice decided to take a break right as Uranus moved into Gemini for the next seven years — a transit that rules communication. And instead of fighting it, I saw it as an energetic upgrade. Now my voice is back and stronger than ever.

With all this fast-moving energy, AI-generated content everywhere, and the media cycle is getting louder, faster, and more confusing, traditional writing advice is dying.

The old way of writing … working within a linear train of thought, long stretches of focus, a meticulous outline, and the ability to write for hours, isn't going to cut it.

The challenge is no longer about writing faster or harder — it's about staying connected to your body and soul while you think.

The writers who will thrive in this next era are not the most productive or the best at AI prompting — they're the most anchored.

When your nervous system is overwhelmed, everything feels urgent and fuzzy, and your voice gets buried. We're writing differently over here.

Discover:

• Why the biggest challenge right now isn't writing, but staying connected to yourself, your body, and your soul while you think

• Why forcing yourself to write more, faster, or using AI to write in your voice won't help

• Five ways to write and think differently in the age of Uranus in Gemini

• How to recognize the difference between regulated writing (intentional, calm, flowing) and reactive writing (rushing, restlessness, urgent, shallow breathing)

• Why making time for quiet and stillness when nothing seems to be happening on the page is your edge right now

00:00 Welcome Back (and my voice energetic upgrade)

00:39 Uranus Entering Gemini — a 7-Year Shift

01:38 GenAI and Writing Speed

03:38 Why Grounding Matters Now

05:36 Anchored Writers Thrive

08:11 Write Differently in This Era

09:21 Five Simple Practices for Clarity

13:22 Regulated vs Reactive Writing

15:03 Next Episode and Book Release

• Join the Intuitive Writing Studio (to access the full "Writing at the Speed of Thought" workshop recording)

• Sign up for Substack to be the first to know when my new book, Writing With the Moon is available and to get all the book release goodies and details about a free workshop I'm hosting

• The Intuitive Writing Studio

• Private Coaching & Writing Support

• Substack: Energy-First Writing

• LinkedIn

• Instagram

I met Robyn a few years ago, and her story — as she calls it — is one of hurricanes and tornadoes that you have to hear. After building a 30-year career in the fitness industry, coaching, and mindset transformation, Robyn realized that her entire life of adversity and survival was meant to be written. Like, non-negotiable, no other choice.

Robyn is a writer, speaker, developmental editor, and story architect. We dive into the key moment that launched her writing career — a coach's simple advice to "write A book, not THE book."

This was the spark that led Robyn to draft The Machete Mentality in a single week.

You'll hear about how Robyn rarely writes sitting down, how she's busted the myths of daily writing routines, and hear her super smart trick to never ignore your drafts again.

Most of all, you'll appreciate Robyn's ultimate piece of advice for writers: you must write the savage story. The part that's between you and God — you know, the parts you don't want to say out loud. That's exactly what she did, so it could stop owning her.

• Write a Book, Not THE Book — this simple reframe helps writers sink into the honest, imperfect writing that needs to be done.

• "Obey the Obsession" Inside — when you've got multiple writing projects going on, the one you should work on has to do with the idea that won't leave you alone.

• Acknowledge ALL the Work — Everything you do as a writer takes energy — brainstorming, research, creative downloads are all work, so give yourself credit for these mental efforts.

• Writing Changes You — writing a book can be the catalyst that allows you to leave an old identity behind and fully step into a new role as an author, speaker, or whatever you choose.

• The Savage Story is Freedom — to free yourself from your past, you MUST write the part of your story that scares you most.

00:00 Meet Robyn Tanner

09:54 Machete Mentality Origin

13:01 Write a Book, Not The Book

16:17 Managing Multiple Book Projects

22:35 Choosing the Next Book

24:08 AI and Authentic Voice

26:59 Writing While Moving

31:54 Writing Without Deadlines

35:18 Balancing Pushing And Resting

38:32 All the Creative Work Counts

40:38 Machete Mentality Drive

46:03 Write The Savage Truth

50:45 Closing And Call To Action

• Robyn on Instagram: @writer_robynlynn

• THE EDIT, with Robyn

• Robyn's book, The Machete Mentality

• The Intuitive Writing Studio

• Private Coaching & Writing Support

• Substack: Energy-First Writing

• LinkedIn

• Instagram

I'm sharing why the common advice to expect your writing to be "crap" is doing serious damage to new writers. I get the sentiment behind the phrase "shitty first draft" (SFD) — a term Anne Lamott coined in her book Bird by Bird. I was a fan of the SFD for years, even referring to it in my own book, Intuitive Writing. I used to think the negative label gave me permission to write without pressure.

But here's the truth: calling your work "shitty" is training you to distrust your own writing.

We need to stop normalizing language that tells writers they suck before they've even started. For me, writing is about clarity, truth, impact, and storytelling, not perfection or worrying about every tiny detail of grammar. A draft is simply an unfinished piece of writing, not a bad one — it's something that hasn't been shaped yet.

I share this advice constantly: writing and editing are two completely different things. Writing is about letting the words fall out quickly and from the heart.

A draft is simply a starting place.

• Avoid using negative labels (like "crap," "terrible," or "shitty") for your writing drafts — do you want your writing to live up to those labels?

• A draft, plain and simple, is an unfinished piece of writing, not "bad writing"

• The only things that truly matter in a first draft: Is it true? Did it land?

• Separate writing and editing: focus on quickly getting ideas from the heart out during the drafting phase, without stopping to correct as you go

• "Surrendered writing" means writing without controlling, judging, or forcing; the words fall out easily because you're fully present, calm, and grounded

00:00 Stop Calling Your Writing "Crap"

01:21 Why the SFD Actually Hurts Writers

02:31 Clarity Over Perfection

04:37 Drafts Are Unfinished

06:03 Writing Versus Editing

06:59 Cheer the First Attempts

07:47 My 5-Step Blogging Workflow

08:25 Labels Shape Outcomes

08:58 Surrendered Writing

10:02 How to Work With Me

Some of these are affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I might earn a commission

• Anne Lamott's book, Bird by Bird

• My third book, Intuitive Writing

• My writing community, The Intuitive Writing Studio

• Ways to partner with me one-on-one on books, blogs, or online writing

• Contact me for a professional editor referral

• Substack: Energy-First Writing

• LinkedIn

• Instagram

I'm so happy to share what's been unfolding in my writing life lately. None of this was planned by the way. This is the work of staying present and allowing what wants to unfold, to unfold.

I had planned to write a simple intro post about turning paid subscriptions on for my Substack. Well, that was my plan, but the words took a completely different path. Instead of stopping the flow and forcing myself to stick to the topic I had planned, I let the words flow.

What came through surprised me. Immediately, I remembered the text I received from a new book coaching client after just one call. Her words sparked a cascade of memories from the past three years.

You'll hear how the writing unfolded, but the real heart of the episode is the shift I'm making: embracing a calling to share the deeper, more spiritual writing I've held back. This is the writing that used to feel like "too much." The writing (so far) reflects on faith, cycles, and the parts of entrepreneurship most people stay quiet about.

After the phrase "Medicine Woman Writer" came up in a conversation with my teacher, and I received a confirmation text from a client, I knew I had to go all in. A dragonfly, symbolizing transformation and authenticity, appeared while I was editing the essay, giving me the final "yes" to publish the work that (still) felt a little scary.

After writing online for 14 years, I know without a doubt that the stories I almost didn't publish are the ones that resonated most.

My writing space is now becoming a home for this work beneath the work.

I've opened up just 40 founding member spots in my Substack until tonight (Sunday night).

These spots are for 💎 The Originals who are ready to write from their own medicine, not someone else's formula, and are done using AI to write for them. They get exclusive bonuses like the Energy First Writing Initiation and a Writing Authority Audit. If you're listening after Sunday, monthly and annual subscriptions are still open

• The platform for your writing doesn't matter — focus on making it easy to serve your readers

• When the words are flowing, don't turn them off — even if it means publishing more, or something different than you had planned

• The "Medicine Woman Writer" is about helping people who feel they have nothing to say, or who have blocked throat chakras, find their voice

• The stories that feel scary to share, where you don't have all the answers yet, are the ones that are the most impactful and become your "medicine" at work

00:00 Podcast Welcome

00:36 Substack Update

02:28 Writing In The Moment

04:26 Deeper Essays

08:15 Medicine Woman Writer

10:38 Dragonfly Confirmation

11:48 Sharing Truth

14:04 Founding Members Offer & Perks

18:27 Final Thanks

• Substack Essay: Something is changing here.

• Substack Essay: The doors are open.

• Substack: Energy-First Writing

• Jacqueline Fisch book coaching

• LinkedIn

• Instagram