Info on Group Book Coaching with Write It Scared

Working on a rom-com? 

This conversation with bestselling author Kate Archer is packed with craft insights and the best mindset support!

We get into what makes humor land, how to keep your characters authentic, and how to keep conflict fresh in a genre built on familiar beats.

Kate also shares how she built her writing life, the routines that keep her grounded, and the strategies she uses to push past fear, resistance, and the inner critic. 

It’s an honest, encouraging look at the realities of writing comedy, staying consistent, and showing up for your creativity.

Timestamps:

 01:23 Meet Kate Archer
 03:58 Kate’s writing journey
 07:32 Why Regency romcoms resonate
 12:27 Crafting humor that feels true
 22:23 Writing from the servant’s perspective
 22:43 Revision + learning through mistakes
 25:04 The power of a writing schedule
 27:43 Overcoming psychological blocks
 33:46 The struggle + joy of writing
 36:14 Advice for aspiring writers
 41:14 Final thoughts + where to find Kate

Links:

Visit Kate at: https://www.facebook.com/ and https://katearcher.weebly.com/ or get in touch at [email protected]. Check out Kate's books here 

Draft It Scared Small Group Book Coaching 

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

Support the show

To become a supporter of the show, click here!

To get in touch with Stacy:

Email: [email protected]

https://www.writeitscared.co/wis

https://www.instagram.com/writeitscared/

Take advantage of these Free Resources From Write It Scared:

Download Your Free Novel Planning and Drafting Quick Start Guide

Download Your Free Guide to Remove Creative Blocks and Work Through Fears

Could a gratitude practice be the reset your writing life needs?

Gratitude can shift your mindset, ease the pressure you put on yourself, and bring you back to the heart of why you write. 

You’ll hear how a simple practice helped me reconnect with my creative life, why it matters specifically for writers, and a challenge to help you create your own writing gratitude list.

Timestamps:
 00:00 The power of gratitude in writing
 01:33 Why gratitude matters right now
 02:23 Draft It Scared enrollment info
 03:32 My gratitude list story
 04:55 Benefits of a gratitude practice
 05:49 Gratitude as action
 06:42 Bringing gratitude into your writing
 07:17 Your writing gratitude challenge
 08:52 What this practice can shift
 13:03 Closing + next episode preview

Links Mentioned

Elizabeth Gilbert: Big Magic, Creative Living Beyond Fear
Gratitude Research

January 2026: Draft It Scared Group Coaching 

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

Support the show

To become a supporter of the show, click here!

To get in touch with Stacy:

Email: [email protected]

https://www.writeitscared.co/wis

https://www.instagram.com/writeitscared/

Take advantage of these Free Resources From Write It Scared:

Download Your Free Novel Planning and Drafting Quick Start Guide

Download Your Free Guide to Remove Creative Blocks and Work Through Fears

In this episode, I chat with debut author Jean Ende, who published her first novel, Houses of Detention, at seventy-nine. Jean shares what inspired her to start writing, how she mined her family history for fiction, and what she’s learned about persistence, rejection, and finding community along the way.

It’s an honest, uplifting reminder that it’s never too late to chase your creative dreams or to finally write the story that’s been waiting for you.

Timestamps:
 00:00 Finding your creative spark at any age
 01:31 Meet Jean Indy
 07:04 The inspiration behind Houses of Detention
 16:40 Turning family stories into fiction
 31:14 Rejection, resilience, and the long road to publication
 36:37 The power of writing groups
 39:17 What’s next for Jean

Connect with Jean and read Houses of Detention 

Links mentioned in the show: 

Inquire about Draft It Scared Group Coaching for January 2026

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

Support the show

To become a supporter of the show, click here!

To get in touch with Stacy:

Email: [email protected]

https://www.writeitscared.co/wis

https://www.instagram.com/writeitscared/

Take advantage of these Free Resources From Write It Scared:

Download Your Free Novel Planning and Drafting Quick Start Guide

Download Your Free Guide to Remove Creative Blocks and Work Through Fears

Special Offer: Mini-Blueprint Strategy Session 

Author Accelerator is running a Black Friday Book Coaching Sale, and I’m one of 80 certified coaches offering a limited-time Mini Blueprint Strategy Session to help 100 writers get unstuck before the year ends.

If you’ve been spinning your wheels or second-guessing your story, this session is designed to help you find clarity and momentum. For $299 USD, you’ll get:

• Big-Picture Project Analysis
• Professional editorial feedback on your first 3,000 words
• A 50-minute private coaching call with me

This offer is ideal for commercial fiction writers—romance, mystery, thriller, speculative, and more—and it expires December 1. I only have space for three writers this winter, so if this sounds like what you need, head to writeitscared.co
Or check out the other participating coaches on the Author Accelerator Black Friday Book Coaching Sale website. 

Let’s get you unstuck and excited to write again. 

See you Monday!

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

Support the show

To become a supporter of the show, click here!

To get in touch with Stacy:

Email: [email protected]

https://www.writeitscared.co/wis

https://www.instagram.com/writeitscared/

Take advantage of these Free Resources From Write It Scared:

Download Your Free Novel Planning and Drafting Quick Start Guide

Download Your Free Guide to Remove Creative Blocks and Work Through Fears

Ever get feedback that your main character feels flat, reactive, or like things just happen to them? That’s because they lack agency, one of the main ingredients in narrative drive — the force that makes readers keep turning the pages and engage with the story. 

In this episode of the Write It Scared podcast, we’re digging into what real agency looks like on the page and how to give your characters the power to act, choose, and change their fate. I’ll walk you through the three key ingredients every active protagonist needs—motive, means, and opportunity—and show you how to use them to turn a passive story into a page-turner.

Timestamps
 00:00 – Why Some Characters Feel Passive (and How to Fix It)
 00:19 – Welcome to Write It Scared
 01:15 – What Is Character Agency, Really?
 01:55 – Why Agency Is the Beating Heart of Story
 05:10 – The Three Ingredients: Motive, Means, and Opportunity
 07:54 – Creating Moments of Choice That Matter
 09:27 – How to Spot When Your Character’s Lost Control
 11:08 – Final Takeaways 

Links mentioned in this episode:

Episode 76: Narrative Drive: The Secret to Story Momentum and Reader Engagement

Wire For Story by Lisa Cron. 

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

Support the show

To become a supporter of the show, click here!

To get in touch with Stacy:

Email: [email protected]

https://www.writeitscared.co/wis

https://www.instagram.com/writeitscared/

Take advantage of these Free Resources From Write It Scared:

Download Your Free Novel Planning and Drafting Quick Start Guide

Download Your Free Guide to Remove Creative Blocks and Work Through Fears

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.

Support the show

To become a supporter of the show, click here!

To get in touch with Stacy:

Email: [email protected]

https://www.writeitscared.co/wis

https://www.instagram.com/writeitscared/

Take advantage of these Free Resources From Write It Scared:

Download Your Free Novel Planning and Drafting Quick Start Guide

Download Your Free Guide to Remove Creative Blocks and Work Through Fears

What does it really take to write and publish more than forty books—and still love the process? In this episode of Write It Scared, I sit down with fantasy author Michelle Miles, who’s done exactly that.

Michelle pulls back the curtain on the realities of indie publishing—how to manage burnout, balance creativity with deadlines, and build systems that let you keep writing for the long haul. We talk about shifting from traditional to indie publishing, finding joy in the work again, and learning when to push forward (and when to pause).

If you’ve ever dreamed of a full-time writing career—or wondered how to make it sustainable—this episode is packed with hard-earned wisdom, practical strategies, and heart.

Episode Timestamps:
 00:00 Rapid release strategies that actually work
 01:25 Meet fantasy author Michelle Miles
 03:29 From traditional to indie publishing
 06:21 Lessons from 40+ books: challenges, triumphs, and persistence
 17:31 Finding balance between writing and real life
 24:17 Building sustainable publishing systems
 31:01 Advice for aspiring indie authors
 34:19 When to hire an editor (and when to trust yourself)
 40:58 Dealing with doubt and staying motivated
 48:38 Final thoughts and encouragement

Links

Holly Lisle

 How To Think Sideways

Liegh Bardugo’s TED Talk: The Art of Discomfort 

Miles Beyond the Page Podcast 

Michelle Miles Author Website

Direct Store: http://www.michellemilesbooks.com

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

Support the show

To become a supporter of the show, click here!

To get in touch with Stacy:

Email: [email protected]

https://www.writeitscared.co/wis

https://www.instagram.com/writeitscared/

Take advantage of these Free Resources From Write It Scared:

Download Your Free Novel Planning and Drafting Quick Start Guide

Download Your Free Guide to Remove Creative Blocks and Work Through Fears

If you’ve ever worried your story feels flat or stalled, this one’s for you. 

Today, we’re digging into one of the trickiest but most essential tools in your writer’s toolbox: narrative drive. This is the force that makes your reader lean in, turn the page, and stay invested in your character’s journey.

I’ll break down what narrative drive actually is, why it matters so much, and how to wield it on the page. We’ll talk about the three C’s—concern, curiosity, and control of information— and how to use them to keep the reader invested. Plus, I’ll share some practical strategies you can use right now to keep your story moving!

Episode Timestamps:
 00:00 What narrative drive really means
 01:24 Why narrative drive matters for your story
 02:46 How character and conflict fuel narrative drive
 06:12 The 3 C’s: concern, curiosity, and control of information
 10:23 Practical tips to build story momentum
 13:26 Final thoughts + your next steps

Links Mentioned:

Episode 27: How to Write Suspense and Tension in Your Novel

The Fiction Lounge Podcast

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

Support the show

To become a supporter of the show, click here!

To get in touch with Stacy:

Email: [email protected]

https://www.writeitscared.co/wis

https://www.instagram.com/writeitscared/

Take advantage of these Free Resources From Write It Scared:

Download Your Free Novel Planning and Drafting Quick Start Guide

Download Your Free Guide to Remove Creative Blocks and Work Through Fears

Today I’m chatting with middle-grade and YA author Ali Terese, author of Free Period and Vote for the G.O.A.T. 

Ali shares her journey to becoming a published author, the challenges of writing for kids, and the joy of tackling tough topics with humor. 

We discuss current word count trends in middle-grade literature, working with critique groups, connecting with librarians and educators, and why rewriting is where the real magic happens.

If you’re navigating your own kid lit path—or just need encouragement to keep going—this conversation will leave you inspired.

Episode Highlights:
 01:34 – Meet Ali Terese & her writing journey
 04:13 – Writing middle grade fiction
 07:09 – Community and critique partners
 09:45 – Vote for Goat and Free Period
 14:32 – Ali’s writing process & rewriting
 17:47 – Middle Grade word count and publishing trends
 19:28 – Writing for the “in-between” readers
 21:58 – Supporting and connecting with librarians
 25:06 – Overcoming doubt & finding your voice
 31:47 – The joy and surprises of writing
 34:34 – Advice for aspiring kid lit writers
 36:14 – Current projects & where to find Ali

Links mentioned:

Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI)

Connect with Ali Terese:

Event booking: How Now Booking https://www.hownowbooking.com/speakers/terese/

Website: www.aliterese.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alitereseauthor/

Frequently Asked Questions  https://aliterese.com/about/

Discussion guide, actions, recipes, crafts, mayhem  https://aliterese.com/resources/

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

Support the show

To become a supporter of the show, click here!

To get in touch with Stacy:

Email: [email protected]

https://www.writeitscared.co/wis

https://www.instagram.com/writeitscared/

Take advantage of these Free Resources From Write It Scared:

Download Your Free Novel Planning and Drafting Quick Start Guide

Download Your Free Guide to Remove Creative Blocks and Work Through Fears

Feeling like giving up on your novel?

Don’t. 

In this episode, I talk with fantasy author Bruce Buchanan about how he went from years of false starts to giving up entirely to finally publishing his debut novel, The Blacksmith’s Boy. 

Bruce shares what finally broke through his mental blocks, how community kept him going, and the role of process in quieting doubt and imposter syndrome. 

If you’re struggling to finish, this one’s full of encouragement and practical tips!

Timestamps
 00:00 Overcoming the First Manuscript Hurdle
 00:30 Welcome to Write It Scared
 01:31 Bruce’s Journey from Journalist to Fantasy Author
 03:36 Writing Process + Challenges
 09:44 The Blacksmith’s Boy
 15:18 What’s Next for Bruce
 18:58 Community + Publication Path
 27:23 Battling Imposter Syndrome
 29:10 Final Encouragement

Links

https://brucebuchananauthor.com/

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

Support the show

To become a supporter of the show, click here!

To get in touch with Stacy:

Email: [email protected]

https://www.writeitscared.co/wis

https://www.instagram.com/writeitscared/

Take advantage of these Free Resources From Write It Scared:

Download Your Free Novel Planning and Drafting Quick Start Guide

Download Your Free Guide to Remove Creative Blocks and Work Through Fears