Writing Off Social: The Podcast | Build Your Platform and Grow Your Email List Without Social Media

If you've ever felt guilty for not posting enough, or wondered whether you're falling behind because you're not showing up consistently online — this episode is for you. We talk a lot on this show about the freedom that's possible when you step off the social media treadmill, but sometimes what we really need is to hear from someone who's actually done it and come out the other side with more clarity, more confidence, and more momentum than before.

And our guest today is exactly that person — though she'll be the first to tell you she knows the pressure, the comparison, and the exhaustion of trying to keep up with a game that never quite felt like hers to play. Rather than push through, she paused, got honest about what wasn't working, and built a 90-day plan that finally gave her real momentum toward the women she's called to serve. Listen in as author, podcaster, and WOS The Course Alum Karla Monterrosa shares her story and the practical steps that brought her clarity and growth — without social media running the show. For show notes, go to https://writingoffsocial.com/94

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Find our Recommended Vendor List at writingoffsocial.com/vendors-- a curated collection of businesses, creatives, and service providers trusted by our community. Every vendor featured here has been personally recommended by members who have actually worked with them and had a great experience.

Lately, we have been having the same conversation over and over again with exhausted writers--women who love writing and feel a holy calling to their work… but who also love their families, their churches, their communities, and the real lives they’ve been called to steward. Women who are trying to create out of bodies, minds, and schedules that already feel stretched thin. Today we want to talk honestly about something many writers are quietly wrestling with: How do you know when to push through the resistance… and when it’s time to press pause? For show notes, go to https://writingoffsocial.com/93

Find our Recommended Vendor List at writingoffsocial.com/vendors-- a curated collection of businesses, creatives, and service providers trusted by our community. Every vendor featured here has been personally recommended by members who have actually worked with them and had a great experience.

If you've ever typed "Should writers be on YouTube?" into a search bar and walked away more confused than when you started — this episode is for you. We've never had much to say about YouTube, but today we're diving deep with someone who has done the work. Thomas Umstattd Jr. joins us for his third time on the show, and we're finally going to tackle the YouTube question — the time, the tech, the payoff, and whether it's actually right for you — or just one more shiny thing pulling you away from the page. Listen in! For show notes go to https://writingoffsocial.com/92

Find our Recommended Vendor List at writingoffsocial.com/vendors-- a curated collection of businesses, creatives, and service providers trusted by our community. Every vendor featured here has been personally recommended by members who have actually worked with them and had a great experience.

Today, we're thrilled to speak with Lauren Groves, an acquisitions editor and children's author with B&H Publishing, an imprint of Lifeway Christian Resources. Listen in as we discuss what it takes to communicate big ideas in clear, simple language—and what that skill can teach every writer, no matter their genre. Plus, Lauren pulls back the curtain on what makes an acquisitions editor stop scrolling a submission pile and say, I need to read more—and it has nothing to do with your follower count. For show notes, go to https://writingoffsocial.com/91

Find our Recommended Vendor List at writingoffsocial.com/vendors-- a curated collection of businesses, creatives, and service providers trusted by our community. Every vendor featured here has been personally recommended by members who have actually worked with them and had a great experience.

Today we’re diving into your questions — specifically, how to make the most of the opportunities right in front of you, whether that’s growing your email list, connecting with readers in real life, or building meaningful relationships in the writing world. We're sharing real stories, and answering your biggest questions so you can stop spinning your wheels — and start making strategic, sustainable progress. Listen in! For show notes, go to https://writingoffsocial.com/90

Find our Recommended Vendor List at writingoffsocial.com/vendors-- a curated collection of businesses, creatives, and service providers trusted by our community. Every vendor featured here has been personally recommended by members who have actually worked with them and had a great experience.

Today, we welcome author and acquisitions editor with Elk Lake Publishing, Jane Daly, where we pull back the curtain on what really makes an editor lean in instead of move on—from the first three chapters to the subtle signals in your proposal that say, “I understand this industry.” We talk about why following submission guidelines matters more than you think, how to answer “Why this publisher?” without sounding generic, and what a compelling marketing plan looks like when you’re not using social media. For show notes, go to https://writingoffsocial.com/89

Find our Recommended Vendor List at writingoffsocial.com/vendors-- a curated collection of businesses, creatives, and service providers trusted by our community. Every vendor featured here has been personally recommended by members who have actually worked with them and had a great experience.

Leaving social media is a huge step that takes a lot of courage. And for many writers, that step can feel less like a strategy shift—and more like a threat to your calling, your identity, and your future as a writer.

This week, we chat with author, podcast host and certified brain coach Ashriel Huber, where we unpack the very real anxiety behind that feeling, what’s happening in your brain when the panic sets in, and how to reset your thoughts and nervous system so you can move forward with clarity, peace, and confidence in the work God has called you to do. Listen in! For show notes go to https://writingoffsocial.com/88

Find our Recommended Vendor List at writingoffsocial.com/vendors-- a curated collection of businesses, creatives, and service providers trusted by our community. Every vendor featured here has been personally recommended by members who have actually worked with them and had a great experience.

What if one of the most effective ways to grow your audience as a writer is something you’ve probably overlooked—or maybe even dismissed as outdated?Before social media took over everything, writers built their platforms by showing up on other people’s platforms, guest posting and contributing. 

And guess what. That strategy? It still works!

Grace Thomas is a writer and podcaster who has written for dozens of major publications and Substacks—and this has helped grow her robust email list and her reach–outside of social media. Today, we’re talking about how guest posting actually works in 2026, how to pitch your writing, where to find opportunities, and how to turn someone else’s platform into real, lasting growth for your own. For show notes, go to https://writingoffsocial.com/87

Find our Recommended Vendor List at writingoffsocial.com/vendors-- a curated collection of businesses, creatives, and service providers trusted by our community. Every vendor featured here has been personally recommended by members who have actually worked with them and had a great experience.

Today, we are thrilled to speak with best-selling, award-winning author, poet, educator, and founder of The KidLit Lab, Laura Wifler, where we dive into all things children’s books. Listen in as we discuss what it looks like to write for one audience while marketing to another, and whether or not it’s possible to market a children’s book without social media. For show notes, go to https://writingoffsocial.com/86

Find our Recommended Vendor List at writingoffsocial.com/vendors-- a curated collection of businesses, creatives, and service providers trusted by our community. Every vendor featured here has been personally recommended by members who have actually worked with them and had a great experience.

What if ditching social media didn't mean starting from scratch — it just meant finding the right pathways for you? Today we're pulling back the curtain on the ten strategies we teach inside our course — what they are, how they work, and the kinds of writers they're the best fit for. And we even brought a quiz to help you find yours. For show notes including the link to that quiz, go to https://writingoffsocial.com/85

Find our Recommended Vendor List at writingoffsocial.com/vendors-- a curated collection of businesses, creatives, and service providers trusted by our community. Every vendor featured here has been personally recommended by members who have actually worked with them and had a great experience.