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When you get negative feedback from an agent on your writing you can do two things: adapt and improve your writing, or quit. In this episode, I am speaking with Jessica Yen, a Camp Structure graduate, about the recent challenges she faced while dealing with discouraging feedback from a literary agent. Join us as we explore how agents think, what the market may–or may not–be looking for, and how to regain your power when difficult feedback knocks you down.

Episode Highlights

• 5:41:  The Agent Mindset
• 10:55: Are We Ready for COVID Stories? 
• 13:12: The Demand for Parenting Books
• 15:10: Finding Your Book’s Essential Question
• 24:10: Taking Your Power Back
• 27:15: A New Take on Writer’s Block

Resources for this Episode: 

• Categorically So by Jessica Yen
• Beauty by Jessica Yen (nominated for a Pushcart Prize)
• How I Went From “Big 5 or Die!” to Ecstatic Self-Published Author by Denise Massar
• Ninety-Nine Fire Hoops by Allison Hong-Merrill
• What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo
• Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
• The True Meaning of Success and The Multiple Paths to Publish Your Book with Courtney Maum
• Recovering from Cults and Religious Trauma Through Writing with Tia Levings
• How to Stop Gaslighting Yourself with Ingrid Clayton

Jessica’s Bio: Jessica Yen is a Chinese American author who explores the intersection of memory, family, culture, language, identity, and history. Her work has been supported by an Oregon Literary Fellowship, Regional Arts and Culture Council, Caldera Arts, Kimmel Harding Nelson Center, and Voices of Our Nations Arts. She is a twice-Pushcart Prize nominated essayist whose work has appeared or is forthcoming in Fourth Genre, The Masters Review, Oregon Humanities, and Best American Travel Writing, among others. She is currently working on a memoir. By day, she writes grants and edits academic manuscripts for non-profits, university departments and scholars, and clinics who seek to address health inequities. You can find her online at www.jessicayen.com.

Connect with Jessica:
Website: www.jessicayen.com

Connect with your host, Lisa:
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What’s holding you hostage or keeping you stuck? In Jessica Buchanan’s case, it initially seemed like the Somali pirates who held her hostage for ninety-three were her biggest problem. But as she completed a powerful exercise during her captivity, she realized the issues she faced were far deeper and ultimately more common than the kidnapping she endured. Join me and author, TedX speaker, book coach, and founder of Soul Speak Press, Jessica Buchanan, as we discuss the ways we dismiss our inner knowing, how to reclaim your voice, and how to write your truth as you discover the mountaintops in your emotional deserts.          
                                                                                                                                                    
Episode Highlights

• 6:00: Finding Words for What Lives Inside Us
• 11:50: Mining Your Resilience
• 14:42: The Ways We Discount Our Voices
• 23:34: An Exercise to Reconcile Your Experiences
• 30:00: The Power of Supporting Other Writers 
• 38:59: Deserts to Mountaintops Volume 3
• 42:39: Jessica’s Best Writing Advice

                                                              
Resources for this Episode:

• Jessica’s TEDx Talk
• Making Even The Smallest Mistake Filled Me With Terror. Then 2 Little Words Changed My Life
• Porches Retreat

Jessica’s Bio: In her NYT Bestselling memoir Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six, Jessica details her experience as she was abducted at gunpoint and held for ransom by a group of Somali pirates for 93 days. Jessica is now a highly sought-after inspirational speaker, TEDx Speaker, and the founder of Soul Speak Press. Her upcoming book is an anthology titled Deserts to Mountaintops: The Pilgrimage of Motherhood.

Connect with Jessica
Website: https://www.jessbuchanan.com/
Publishing Website: https://www.soulspeakpress.com/
In Her Words Collection: https://www.soulspeakpress.com/powerwithin
Deserts to Mountaintops: https://www.desertstomountaintops.com/
To Learn More About Her Anthologies, Email: [email protected]

Connect with your host, Lisa:
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How do you dive into the marrow of an experience we’ll all one day share, yet so many of us struggle to talk about? And how do you write into a topic so widely covered that it feels impossible to say something new? Today, I’m joined by Amy Lin, author of the stunning micro memoir Here After, as we tackle these questions head-on. Together, we’ll explore the raw realities of grief, how Amy’s memoir acts as a powerful container for this universal experience, the magic of the microform, and what it takes to create something experimental. Plus, I’ll share a transformative tool to expand how you see your stories—and uncover the truths hiding within them.

Amy’s Bio: Amy Lin lives in Calgary, Canada where there are two seasons: winter and road construction. She completed her MFA at Warren Wilson College and holds BAs in English Literature and Education. Her work has been published in places such as Ploughshares and she has been awarded residencies from Yaddo and Casa Comala. Here After is her first book.

Resources Mentioned During This Episode:

• The Unseen Shore (Part One) by Amy Lin
• Yi Shun Lai’s Post “People’s Names Are Important”
• Lily Be “The Donas of Humbolt Park” 
• More about Lily Be
• It’s Not You: Identifying and Healing from Narcissistic People with Dr. Ramani Durvasula

Episode Highlights

• 3:34: The Container of Grief 
• 9:31: The “Good Signs” of Grief
• 13:00: Performative Grief versus the Reality of Grief 
• 15:11:  The Five Stages of Grief Debunked
• 23:45:  The Power of  Micro Memoir 
• 36:34: The Story Neighborhood Exercise 
• 40:34:  The Marrow of Living 
• 44:01: Amy’s Best Writing Advice 

Connect with Amy: 

• Substack: https://atthebottomofeverything.substack.com/
• Website: amydawnlin.com
• Instagram: @literaryamy
• TikTok: @literaryamy

Connect with your host, Lisa:
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Today, I am grateful. Grateful for my fellow writers, all of you listeners, and for this podcast. 

In this episode, I am holding space for those who might be struggling with the Thanksgiving holiday while exploring how gratitude can ground us in the midst of life’s challenges.

This episode reflects on:

• The duality of emotions surrounding holidays, elections, and the uncertainties in life.
• The transformative power of gratitude, especially during dark times, and how it can support mental health and resilience.
• How gratitude intersects with writing, helping authors find bright spots even in tough stories, creating balance and depth in their work.

If you feel called to, please consider sharing your thoughts on the episode through reviews, texts, or comments on Instagram, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. 

Episode Highlights: 

• 2:00 How to Practice Gratitude
• 5:00 How Gratitude Practices Make You a Better Writer
• 7:00 My Gratitude and Shoutouts to My Listeners 

Some of My Listeners’ Favorite Episodes: 

• More Than True Crime with Sarah Perry
• Recovering From Cults and Religious Trauma Through Writing with Tia Levings
• How to Stop Gaslighting Yourself with Ingrid Clayton, Ph.D
• It’s Not You: Identifying and Healing from Narcissistic People with Dr. Ramani Durvasula
• Estrangement, Dementia, and the Fractured Memoir with Lara Lillibridge
• Self-Acceptance, Dating Disasters and Life After Loss with Debbie Weiss
• Caring for Your Nervous System and Creativity with Kirby Moore
• The Loneliness of Sibling Loss  with Lynn Shattuck and Alyson Shelton

Connect with your host, Lisa:
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When you hear the phrase hungry author, what does that mean to you? How might a hungry author approach their goals and what might they’re willing to do to achieve them? Join Sourcebook’s nonfiction editor Ariel Curry and ghostwriter Liz Morrow and me as we talk about the mindset writers need to succeed, how to stay hungry while working on your writing projects,, and the surprising new role self-publishing plays in the publishing industry on this week’s episode of the Writing Your Resilience podcast. 

Ariel’s Bio: Ariel Curry is a senior editor for nonfiction at Sourcebooks. As an editor, she enjoys brainstorming and outlining new book ideas, bringing clarity and purpose to prose, and helping authors build their self-efficacy. She lives in Chattanooga, TN, with her husband and rescue dogs, Enyo and Tenaya.

Liz and Ariel wrote Hungry Authors: The Indispensable Guide to Planning, Writing, and Publishing a Nonfiction Book (Bloomsbury 2024) and host the weekly writing podcast, Hungry Authors.

Liz’s Bio: Liz Morrow is an author, ghostwriter, collaborator, and thought partner for entrepreneurs, leaders, industry experts, and high-net-worth individuals. She has been writing professionally for over ten years, sold book proposals for multiple six figures, and published with “Big 5” publishers. She lives in Greenville with her husband, son, daughter, and goldendoodle.

Highlights from this Episode

• 2:38 Defining a Hungry Author
• 9:31 Advice for Writers Struggling to Stay Hungry
• 14:43 Self-Publishing as the New Author’s Playground
• 26:23 What It Takes to Self-Publish Well
• 33:51 The Hungry Authors Approach to Author Platform
• 42:59 Ariel’s Best Writing Advice 

Resources Mentioned in this Episode: 

• Ariel’s Substack, My Book is NOT My Baby
• You Don’t Have to Monetize Your Trauma by Kate McKean
• Saying Yes To Yourself as a Writer Hungry Authors Episode with Lisa, Liz, and Ariel

Connect with Liz and Ariel: 

• IG: @hungryauthors
• https://hungryauthors.com/

Connect with your host, Lisa:
Get Your Free Copy of Write More, Fret Less
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Is there an age when it’s too late to publish a book, forgive a person, or take a chance on yourself? Not if you’re Mildred Kirschenbaum. With the help of her daughter Gayle, Mildred is a 101-year-old Instagram sensation and debut author who is currently on a book tour. Join us as we discuss the challenges of mother/daughter relationships, how forgiveness turned Gayle and Mildred into best friends, and the secrets to lifelong learning and living vibrantly no matter your age. 

Mildred Kirschenbaum, a centenarian from Brooklyn, NY, has captured hearts as a social media influencer with her viral life advice, drawing from her rich life experiences, including starting a family post-WWII and founding a travel agency. Her book, Mildred’s Mindset: Wisdom from a Woman Centenarian, penned at 100, encapsulates her secrets to longevity and a joy-filled life. Known for her positive outlook and social nature, Mildred, with the help of her daughter Gayle, offers a refreshing perspective on embracing life’s every moment, inspiring readers globally with her wisdom and vibrant spirit.

Gayle Kirschenbaum is an Emmy award-winning filmmaker, TV producer, writer, speaker, photographer, and forgiveness coach. She is the creator of several reality shows and has gained acclaim for her film Look at Us Now, Mother! which chronicles her journey to forgive her mother and transform their relationship. The film premiered on Netflix and has had a global impact. Her TEDx talk No More Mama Drama focuses on forgiveness. Another notable film, A Dog’s Life: A Dogamentary, premiered on HBO, portraying the heartwarming bond between dogs and humans through her own experiences with her Shih Tzu. Gayle's writings have been published in many outlets including The Huffington Post, Parade, Shondaland, and The Ethel (AARP). Her photographs have been exhibited internationally and are in many private collections. Kirschenbaum’s work has been featured widely in media outlets including The New York Times and NBC's Today Show.

In this episode: 

• 1:32: The Challenges in Mother/Daughter Relationships
• 9:23: Becoming Best Friends Who Don’t Always Agree
• 16:23: How Age and Experience Change Our Perspective
• 21:46: The Pros and Cons of Self-Publishing
• 33:26: Why It’s Never Too Late

Resources Mentioned During This Episode: 

• Look at Us Now Mother Documentary
• Mildred Apologizes to Gayle 
• Gayle and Mildred on ABC News: https://www.wpbf.com/article/boca-raton-grand-fluencer-shares-her-secret-to-a-long-life-at-101-years-old/62070512
• Gayle and Mildred on the Today Show

Connect with Gayle and Mildred: 

Instagram @glkirschenbaum

TikTok @gaylekirschenbaum

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaylekirschenbaum/

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/2u

Connect with your host, Lisa:
Get Your Free Copy of Write More, Fret Less
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If you’re writing about a medical drama or other high-intensity journey involving another person, how do you write about these events without swallowing your story of transformation? What would you do if your agent’s feedback to you was “more chicken?” That’s exactly what parent advocate Kristin Jarvis Adams’s agent said after reading a draft of her memoir, The Chicken Who Saved Us. Join us as we explore the challenges of turning an animal into a primary character in your memoir, learning to appreciate the diverse ways we communicate, how to get past your vendetta mindset, and the power of finding the pinpoints of light in dark times.

Kristin’s Bio: Kristin Jarvis Adams’ award-winning book, The Chicken Who Saved Us, received national attention in the Wall Street Journal and NBC News. Her writing has appeared in the Washington Post, ParentMap, Journey, The Autism Blog, and elsewhere. A Pacific Northwest native, she spends her days writing, working as a parent advocate for children with special needs, and chasing a flock of belligerent but loveable chickens around her backyard.

Resources Mentioned During This Episode:

• Kristin’s Resources: https://kristinjarvisadams.com/resources/
• How a pet chicken helped me understand my autistic son: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/parenting/wp/2017/02/02/how-a-pet-chicken-helped-me-understand-my-autistic-son/

Episode Highlights

• 2:21 Using a Chicken as a Primary Character 
• 11:34 Writing About Another Person’s Disability 
• 16:57 Getting Past the Vendetta Mindset
• 24:10 Balancing External Dramas with Internal Transformation 
• 30:54 Kristin’s Best Writing Advice  

Connect with Kristin: 

website: https://kristinjarvisadams.com

Instagram: @kristinjarvisadams

Facebook: @thechickenwhosavedus

Connect with your host, Lisa:
Get Your Free Copy of Write More, Fret Less
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November is Worldwide Bereaved Siblings Month, yet most siblings grieve alone. They’re told to be strong for their parents, or they get subtle, and, sometimes not so subtle, cues to move on. Yet  the loss of a sibling is the loss of a lifetime, because it’s a relationship we expect we’ll have for most of our lives.

Join me, Alyson Shelton, and Lynn Shattuck as we remember our brothers and talk about sibling loss, the challenges of living with disenfranchised grief, and how writing has helped us heal and maintain a relationship with our siblings even though they are gone.

Alyson’s Bio: Alyson Shelton is an award winning screenwriter. Her essays have been published widely at outlets such as The NY Times, Ms., The Rumpus and more. She hosts a popular series inspired by George Ella Lyon’s poem, Where I’m From. The poem is also the inspiration for her memoir in progress.

Lynn’s Bio: Lynn Shattuck grew up in a Southeast Alaskan rainforest and is now a Maine-based writer. She co-founded thelossofalifetime.com, a website for grieving siblings. Her essays have been featured in Elephant Journal, Human Parts, Al Jazeera, P.S. I Love You, The Fix, Vice and Mind Body Green.

Resources Mentioned During This Episode:

There’s No Escape by Alyson Shelton

What I Want You to Say When I’m Grieving by Lynn Shattuck:

My 20-Year-Old Brother Died By Suicide. Here's Why I Almost Joined Him by Lisa Cooper Ellison

Lynn’s Where I’m From Poem 

Lisa’s Where I’m From Poem 

Alyson’s Where I’m From Poem 

Episode Highlights:

• 3:23 Silent, Unacknowledged Grief
• 7:45: The Impact of the Hierarchy of Grief
• 12:23 The Benefits of Writing about Sibling Loss
• 18:31: Grieving and Writing in Community
• 23:49 Building the Sibling Loss Anthology
• 32:48 Getting to Know Alyson and Lynn
• 35:23 Lynn and Alyson’s Best Writing Advice

Connect with Lynn

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064888772287

Substack: https://lynnshattuck.substack.com/

Connect with Alyson

Website: www.alysonshelton.com

Instagram: @byalysonshelton

Where I’m From poem project: https://www.alysonshelton.com/where-im-from.html#/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Byalysonshelton

Connect with the Loss of a Lifetime Sibling Loss Grou

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Many survivors of sexual abuse and assault silently carry questions about what happened to them. Am I truly a victim? Should I report what happened? If so, what are the steps? How do I disclose this to family members? 

Join me and Cheyenne Wilson, sexual assault advocate and author of We Are the Evidence, as we explore the power of breaking the silence around your experience, the importance of healing in community, and how to find the resources that are right for you. Plus, you’ll hear about the unlikely event that fired Cheyenne up and motivated her to write this book. 

Cheyenne’s Bio: Cheyenne Wilson, BSN, is a passionate advocate and author dedicated to supporting and empowering survivors of sexual assault. At 29, she wrote We Are the Evidence: A Handbook For Finding Your Way After Sexual Assault. This groundbreaking resource features contributions from 25 experts, including therapists, lawyers, and survivors, offering a comprehensive guide to healing and resilience. With a background in social services and a career in nursing, Cheyenne combines her professional expertise with personal experience to create resources that validate and uplift survivors. 

Resources Mentioned in this Episode: 

• What is Polyvagal Theory?
• A Well-Trained Wife by Tia Levings
• Recovering from Cults and Religious Trauma Through Writing with Tia Levings

Episode Highlights: 

• 3:40 Why Write Something Other Than a Memoir
• 5:45 Going from Crushed to Fired Up
• 9:12 The Power of Community and the Pain of The Friend Response
• 15:05 Finding a Community When You Don’t Know Where to Look
• 19:45 Writing a Nonfiction Book that Touches on Your Experiences
• 21:47 What If Your Assault Happened Decades Ago  
• 26:45 Recruiting Experts and Survivors for Your Book
• 28:38: The Need to Continue Healing
• 31:26: Finding the Right Therapist
• 39:15: Cheyenne’s Best Writing Advice

Connect with Cheyenne:
Website: https://wearetheevidence.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/WeAreTheEvidence
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/cheyenne-wilson-3a5041191

Connect with your host, Lisa:
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Join me and Pushcart Nominee, TedX Speaker, and multi-passionate creative, Acamea Deadwiler, as we talk about normalized violence, how our attachment styles can influence the way we approach our memoirs, and the importance of connecting with your inner compass. During our conversation, you’ll also learn what transcendental meditation is and how Acamea used her TM practice while writing her memoir, Daddy’s Little Stranger,

Acamea’s bio: Acamea Deadwiler is a Pushcart Prize nominated memoirist and essayist who received praise from Publishers Weekly and authored the memoir, Daddy’s Little Stranger. Her work has appeared in Bellevue Literary Review, North American Review, and Beyond Words Literary Magazine, among other publications. Acamea’s media features include the New York Post, Cosmopolitan, Bustle, and the FOX television network. She is also a TEDx speaker. Currently residing in Nevada, Acamea is an Indiana native. She is a fellow in the MFA program at Randolph College.

Resources Mentioned During This Episode:

• How Different Attachment Styles Affect Relationships
• What is Transcendental Meditation

Episode Highlights

• 1:00 The Stories We Carry
• 7:00 Dealing with Normalized Violence
• 11:29 Choosing the Right Moments When Trauma Is High
• 15:30 Writing About Abandonment
• 18:00 Attachment Styles and Storytelling
• 24:12: Essay Collections vs Memoir
• 28:00 Writing About Bad Behavior
• 35:19 Transcendental Meditation and Writing
• 41:50 Connecting With Your Inner Compass
• 43:00 Acamea’s Best Writing Advice

Connect with Acamea: 

• Instagram - @acamea
• Twitter - @acameald
• Website - acameadeadwiler.com
• Book - Daddyslittlestranger.com

Connect with your host, Lisa:
Get Your Free Copy of Write More, Fret Less
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