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In this episode, Memoir Writing Coach, Elizabeth Wilson, discusses Elizabeth Gilbert's memoir, All the Way to the River:

• Why All the Way to the River sparked mixed reactions from readers and why those reactions matter for memoir writers
• How relying on a linear structure can strain a memoir when multiple themes (addiction, grief, love, death) are competing for attention
• Signs a memoir might benefit from a thematic structure instead of heavy backstory
• The difference between showing lived experience and telling the reader how to interpret it
• Why withholding emotions and bodily reactions creates distance between the writer and the reader
• How self-help interruptions, poetry, or artwork can weaken a memoir if they don’t deepen emotional understanding
• The importance of trusting the reader even when your story invites judgment
• How controlling the reader’s perspective can signal lingering codependency or fear of being disliked
• What it means to be “ready” to write a memoir, and the red flags that suggest more time or distance is needed
• Why relatability comes from emotional truth, not shared circumstances
• Common memoir pitfalls even bestselling authors can fall into
• Practical reminders for memoir writers about vulnerability, structure, and emotional access

 Welcome to the Inspired Writer Collective podcast. If you've ever felt the pull to write your truth, to shape the chaos of real life into something meaningful and to share your journey with the world, you're in the right place. We're your hosts, Elizabeth and Stephanie, writers, coaches, and entrepreneurs who believe in you and know how important it is to find a writing community to guide you on your path to self-publishing.

You're invited to join us January 17-18, 2026 for a virtual writing retreat. It's all on Zoom and it's no cost to you!

Join our Embodied Writing Experience where you’ll get a writer’s retreat directly to your inbox on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays each week. This is an invitation to slow down, tune in, and write with embodied intention.

Get on the waitlist for the Memoir Master Plan cohort here.

If you prefer to watch our conversations, you can find all of them on our YouTube channel.

You can find us on Instagram and Threads

Send us a text

It’s something you’re encouraged to do at the end of each year.

Do you have to do it?

Well, it’s really up to you.

And it doesn’t have to look the same as what everyone else is doing.

In this week’s episode, we share some of our strategies for reflecting on where we’ve been and where we’re going.

You’ll hear about Elizabeth Wilson's annual journal review.

Stephanie Oswald shares about the importance of celebrating, even the small moments, after a year of curve balls.

It’s amazing how easy it is to forget about what you’ve accomplished.

Maybe take some time to review your photos.

Skim through your calendar.

Look at your journal.

Whatever method you use to keep track of important thoughts or moments.

You’ve done amazing things this past year, and even if you’ve had some tumbles, you’re back on your feet and taking the next step.

So, when you look back, what did you learn about yourself from this year?

What are you ready for this year?

 Welcome to the Inspired Writer Collective podcast. If you've ever felt the pull to write your truth, to shape the chaos of real life into something meaningful and to share your journey with the world, you're in the right place. We're your hosts, Elizabeth and Stephanie, writers, coaches, and entrepreneurs who believe in you and know how important it is to find a writing community to guide you on your path to self-publishing.

You're invited to join us January 17-18, 2026 for a virtual writing retreat. It's all on Zoom and it's no cost to you!

Join our Embodied Writing Experience where you’ll get a writer’s retreat directly to your inbox on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays each week. This is an invitation to slow down, tune in, and write with embodied intention.

Get on the waitlist for the Memoir Master Plan cohort here.

If you prefer to watch our conversations, you can find all of them on our YouTube channel.

You can find us on Instagram and Threads

Send us a text

Stephanie Oswald chats with guest, Hannah Davis, about marketing your book. It's marketing advice that you can fit into your author life. There are many great insights and actions items for authors. The discussion covers everything from how to show up on social media to the importance of your email list.

Hannah Davis is a marketing strategist and website designer for authors who want to sell more books without sacrificing writing time for posting burnout.

With her 5+ years of marketing knowledge, she wants to help authors make their storytelling prowess their marketing superpower.

When Hannah isn’t designing websites or sending GIF-infused email newsletters, you can find her in the PNW writing or reading a book.

Connect with Hannah

Website
Instagram

Here are some freebie gifts to our audience from Hannah:

A year's worth of newsletter ideas

A book launch content planner

 Welcome to the Inspired Writer Collective podcast. If you've ever felt the pull to write your truth, to shape the chaos of real life into something meaningful and to share your journey with the world, you're in the right place. We're your hosts, Elizabeth and Stephanie, writers, coaches, and entrepreneurs who believe in you and know how important it is to find a writing community to guide you on your path to self-publishing.

You’re invited to connect with us by joining our Embodied Writing Experience where you’ll get a writer’s retreat directly to your inbox on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays each week. Whether you’re working on a memoir, a novel, or journaling for yourself, this is an invitation to slow down, tune in, and write with embodied intention.

Join our Embodied Writing Experience where you’ll get a writer’s retreat directly to your inbox on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays each week. This is an invitation to slow down, tune in, and write with embodied intention.

Get on the waitlist for the Memoir Master Plan cohort here.

If you prefer to watch our conversations, you can find all of them on our YouTube channel.

You can find us on Instagram and Threads

Send us a text

Elizabeth Wilson chats with Julie Sedler about whether or not it's normal to have so many emotions when you're writing and editing your memoir. Julie Sedler was our guest, about a year ago, for Episode 59, when she talked about the importance of knowing why you're writing your memoir.
Elizabeth Wilson has been editing her memoir and experiencing big emotions. Julie Sedler confirms it's normal and walks through her journey to publishing her own memoir emphasizing that you've written your memoir because it is meant to be impactful.

 Welcome to the Inspired Writer Collective podcast. If you've ever felt the pull to write your truth, to shape the chaos of real life into something meaningful and to share your journey with the world, you're in the right place. We're your hosts, Elizabeth and Stephanie, writers, coaches, and entrepreneurs who believe in you and know how important it is to find a writing community to guide you on your path to self-publishing.

You’re invited to connect with us by joining our Embodied Writing Experience where you’ll get a writer’s retreat directly to your inbox on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays each week. Whether you’re working on a memoir, a novel, or journaling for yourself, this is an invitation to slow down, tune in, and write with embodied intention.

Join our Embodied Writing Experience where you’ll get a writer’s retreat directly to your inbox on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays each week. This is an invitation to slow down, tune in, and write with embodied intention.

Get on the waitlist for the Memoir Master Plan cohort here.

If you prefer to watch our conversations, you can find all of them on our YouTube channel.

You can find us on Instagram and Threads

Send us a text

Stephanie Oswald chats with author, Lindsey Rice, about her book Birdenwheel:

"BIRDENWHEEL features an ensemble cast of Deadheads in the 1990s who follow the iconic rock band, The Grateful Dead on their summer tour."
You can find the full book description on Lindsey Rice's website here.

It was such a fun conversation.

Stephanie first met Lindsey at her book release party in Salida, CO because the Grateful Dead cover band, Roundhouse Assembly, was playing and since following the Grateful Dead is the foundation of the book it had piqued Stephanie’s curiosity.

Lindsey describes her novel as a braided narrative that weaves together the lives of her characters as they follow the Grateful Dead.

You’ll have to listen to discover a unique poetry technique Lindsey used to creatively weave the music of the Grateful Dead into her novel.

There’s a lot packed into this episode from what inspired her characters to how she decided to self-publish.

At the end of the conversation, Lindsey offers great advice for new writers with the encouragement to keep writing:

" Keep writing, keep writing, keep writing, keep writing. I think writing is a practice and however it works for you, whether it is isolating yourself or it's doing it every single day in a journal, just develop your own practice of writing and be in a community too. I've also had a lot of writing dates with people. I had writing partners over the years where we would just meet and we would either write for 10, 15 minutes and then check in and then we do it again."

 Welcome to the Inspired Writer Collective podcast. If you've ever felt the pull to write your truth, to shape the chaos of real life into something meaningful and to share your journey with the world, you're in the right place. We're your hosts, Elizabeth and Stephanie, writers, coaches, and entrepreneurs who believe in you and know how important it is to find a writing community to guide you on your path to self-publishing.

You’re invited to connect with us by joining our Embodied Writing Experience where you’ll get a writer’s retreat directly to your inbox on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays each week. Whether you’re working on a memoir, a novel, or journaling for yourself, this is an invitation to slow down, tune in, and write with embodied intention.

Join our Embodied Writing Experience where you’ll get a writer’s retreat directly to your inbox on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays each week. This is an invitation to slow down, tune in, and write with embodied intention.

Get on the waitlist for the Memoir Master Plan cohort here.

If you prefer to watch our conversations, you can find all of them on our YouTube channel.

You can find us on Instagram and Threads

Send us a text

There's so much to be grateful for at this time of the year! It's our annual reflection of what we've accomplished that's beyond what we could've ever imagined. We're reminded of how much we grow and embrace our authenticity with each episode.

Elizabeth Wilson celebrates the success of another round of the Memoir Master Plan Cohort with a group of amazing women. They found clarity with their core message and scene development for their memoirs.
Stephanie Oswald shares about her new writing coaching for neurodivergent women. Offering support in the in-between stages of the writing process when you're spiraling with self-doubt or not sure how to keep showing up to the blank page. Or, traditional "rules" for writing don't fit your process.

We're especially thankful for our viewers and listeners! We invite you to reach out and connect. Our writing community is very important to us and we believe so strongly in the benefit of finding your people. We're here to support you!

 Welcome to the Inspired Writer Collective podcast. If you've ever felt the pull to write your truth, to shape the chaos of real life into something meaningful and to share your journey with the world, you're in the right place. We're your hosts, Elizabeth and Stephanie, writers, coaches, and entrepreneurs who believe in you and know how important it is to find a writing community to guide you on your path to self-publishing.

You’re invited to connect with us by joining our Embodied Writing Experience where you’ll get a writer’s retreat directly to your inbox on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays each week. Whether you’re working on a memoir, a novel, or journaling for yourself, this is an invitation to slow down, tune in, and write with embodied intention.

Join our Embodied Writing Experience where you’ll get a writer’s retreat directly to your inbox on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays each week. This is an invitation to slow down, tune in, and write with embodied intention.

Get on the waitlist for the Memoir Master Plan cohort here.

If you prefer to watch our conversations, you can find all of them on our YouTube channel.

You can find us on Instagram and Threads

Send us a text

Join our Embodied Writing Experience for a writer's retreat in your inbox each week: https://inspired-writer-collective.kit.com/e2cab66781

In this episode, Elizabeth Wilson chats with Jacci Prior about being an audiobook narrator. Jacci encourages authors to leverage their audiobook for marketing purposes.

At the end, get a sneak peek of Elizabeth Wilson's memoir being read by our guest, Jacci Prior, an audiobook narrator.

Jacci Prior, when talking about being an audiobook narrator says: " it truly is an acting job. If you don't live and breathe those characters and you're not conveying those emotions with your voice in a real way, that that feels authentic to the listener, it's probably not gonna be a very successful audiobook."

It's most common for authors who enjoy listening to audiobooks themselves to decide they want to turn their own print book into audio.

Get to know Jacci Prior:

Since launching her career in 2022, Jacci Prior has lenther resonant and lyrical voice to over 75 audiobooks.Jacci maintains memberships with SAG-AFTRA, and theAudio Publishers Association. She has narrated titles forleading audiobook publishers such as: MacMillian,Tantor, Podium, Dreamscape, Aethon, Pink Flammingo.Additionally, she regularly narrates and producesaudiobooks for independent authors, adding her ownmusical flare to those passion projects.

Jacci's background is in classical guitar performance andinstruction, as well as in art history and gallerymanagement. She worked as a gallery docent for over 6years. Before that she was a tour guide & deckhand on ahistoric passenger ferry. You can often find her enjoyinglocal art walks, concerts, book signings, and escapingout to the beautiful San Juan islands with her family.

It was her daughter’s struggle with dyslexia thatintroduced Jacci to the world of audiobooks. She ispassionate about the role of audiobooks in education,making great stories accessible, and the art ofstorytelling.

Connect with Jacci Prior:
www.jacciprior.com
https://www.instagram.com/jaccipriornarrator/
https://www.tiktok.com/@jaccipriornarrator

 Welcome to the Inspired Writer Collective podcast. If you've ever felt the pull to write your truth, to shape the chaos of real life into something meaningful and to share your journey with the world, you're in the right place. We're your hosts, Elizabeth and Stephanie, writers, coaches, and entrepreneurs who believe in you and know how important it is to find a writing community to guide you on your path to self-publishing.

You’re invited to connect with us by joining our Embodied Writing Experience where you’ll get a writer’s retreat directly to your inbox on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays each week. Whether you’re working on a memoir, a novel, or journaling for yourself, this is an invitation to slow down, tune in, and write with embodied intention.

Join our Embodied Writing Experience where you’ll get a writer’s retreat directly to your inbox on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays each week. This is an invitation to slow down, tune in, and write with embodied intention.

Get on the waitlist for the Memoir Master Plan cohort here.

If you prefer to watch our conversations, you can find all of them on our YouTube channel.

You can find us on Instagram and Threads

Send us a text

Are you ready to find a book designer?

Or, save the name of our guest, Karolina Wudniak, for later.

Karolina works with self-published authors, mostly nonfiction, on the design of their book covers and the interior design of their books.

She absolutely loves working visually which led her to becoming a graphic designer for authors.

Karolina appreciates simple design and brings inspiration from nature to her designs.

She can work on your cover design and the interior of your book.

You'll be really interested to learn Karolina does her due diligence by reading each manuscript to find ideas and understand the vibe.

Karolina's biggest recommendation for self-published authors is to work with a professional editor because she often finds lots of errors.

Meet Karolina:

Karolina is a Book and Layout Designer. She can be found at the crossroads between words and visuals, ready to help turn a manuscript into a book that can fly high. When she's not crafting compelling book covers and layouts, you might find her chasing outdoor adventures in the stunning West Coast mountains with her husband and son or sipping on yet another cup of coffee while reading—fuel for both creativity and life’s explorations.

https://karolinawudniak.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anglartkarolina/
https://www.instagram.com/karolina.wudniak/

Free resources: https://karolinawudniak.com/book-design-resources/
The Indie Book Lab event calendar: https://lu.ma/indiebooklab?utm_source=isc

 Welcome to the Inspired Writer Collective podcast. If you've ever felt the pull to write your truth, to shape the chaos of real life into something meaningful and to share your journey with the world, you're in the right place. We're your hosts, Elizabeth and Stephanie, writers, coaches, and entrepreneurs who believe in you and know how important it is to find a writing community to guide you on your path to self-publishing.

You’re invited to connect with us by joining our Embodied Writing Experience where you’ll get a writer’s retreat directly to your inbox on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays each week. Whether you’re working on a memoir, a novel, or journaling for yourself, this is an invitation to slow down, tune in, and write with embodied intention.

Join our Embodied Writing Experience where you’ll get a writer’s retreat directly to your inbox on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays each week. This is an invitation to slow down, tune in, and write with embodied intention.

Get on the waitlist for the Memoir Master Plan cohort here.

If you prefer to watch our conversations, you can find all of them on our YouTube channel.

You can find us on Instagram and Threads