How Women Write

Jacqueline Fisch
  • 2.0 (1)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated weekly

Hosted by Jacqueline Fisch, a nonfiction author, writing coach, and former corporate professional. This show blends authenticity, practicality, and intuition. Jacqueline shares holistic writing strategies designed for female entrepreneurs with a story to tell. Here, integrity, personal growth, and wellness meet actionable tips and guidance. Whether you're working on books, blogs, website copy, or social media, you'll learn how to hit your writing goals while creating a nourishing, sustainable writing life. Expect honest, in-depth interviews with real women writers, entrepreneurs, and leaders, alongside candid solo episodes and behind-the-desk stories that offer simple, inspiring lessons for your writing journey. In a world of AI and shortcuts, your authentic voice is your superpower. Subscribe and discover how to stop struggling with writing—and start embracing your gifts.

  1. 4 days ago

    102: Joanna Penn on Voice, Creativity, and Building a 40-Book Career as an Intuitive Author-Entrepreneur

    My guest today is a fellow INFJ who built a writing and business empire from her keyboard — and she did it by trusting her intuition over anyone's idea of what a "proper" writer looks like. As Joanna Penn, she writes practical, generous nonfiction that has made The Creative Penn one of the most trusted resources for authors in the world. It's my favorite podcast on the craft and business of writing! As J.F. Penn, she writes dark thrillers built on copious research, religious relics, anatomy, museums, and graveyards … and her body of work is seriously impressive, with over 40 books and over a million copies sold in 176 countries. Instead of picking a lane (or genre), she built a business and a creative life that deliver both. Joanna's been one of the most thoughtful, AI-positive voices in the author space, and I truly appreciate it. Most importantly, she is clear on her author voice and is genuinely working through what the technology means for writers. She calls herself an "AI-assisted artisan author," and I want to be clear about what that does and doesn't mean: this isn't a label for the last twenty years of her career or that she's cranking out books written by AI. No. It's how she's naming the next chapter in her career. AI has changed how she researches, plans, and runs the business around the words — and she's refreshingly honest and optimistic about where that line sits. We talked about the teacher who told her at eleven to "write something nice" — and how long it took to write her way back to the dark stuff she actually loved. We talked about her fifth novel, the one where she finally stopped censoring herself and found her real voice. We also talked about why fiction and nonfiction ask completely different things of her, how her intuition tells her which book to write next, and what it looks like to bring AI into an established creative life without losing an ounce of what makes her sound like her. If any part of you has been waiting for permission to trust what you already know and start — this is it. Key Takeaways: Intuition can be your business strategy, not just your creative process. Joanna describes an "intuitive sense" of what book she needs to write next — and she listens to it, even when the entrepreneur in her has a more strategic idea. You don't have to choose one creative identity. You can build a system that holds many. Joanna writes practical nonfiction as Joanna Penn and fiction as J.F. Penn. They're two different creative muscles, each with its own time block, energy, and audience. Your "real" voice might not show up until book five. Joanna didn't find hers until Desecration, her fifth novel — where she stopped writing what she thought a "proper" book should be and focused on writing what she truly loved. If your first book doesn't feel like you yet — keep writing. Fiction and nonfiction require different kinds of energy. She describes fiction as decision-fatigue-heavy, every character choice a choice, while nonfiction pours out because she already knows it. Being an author-entrepreneur means diversifying, not compromising. Between book royalties, podcast ads, and a Patreon, Joanna built multiple income streams around her writing instead of relying on one book to carry her whole business. Connect with Joanna: Joanna Penn's website: thecreativepenn.com Joanna's podcast: The Creative Penn Podcast Fiction Books at J.F. Penn.com Joanna's Patreon Connect with Jacqueline Fisch:  Hire Jacqueline for private Intuitive Writing Mentoring The Intuitive Writing Studio Substack: Energy-First Writing LinkedIn Instagram Timestamps: 00:00 Meet Joanna Penn 01:35 Bookish Childhood Roots 03:30 The Wound and Shadow 05:20 Leaving IT for Writing 09:01 Author Entrepreneur Income 11:58 First Book Hard Lessons 16:51 Breaking into Fiction 20:57 Relics Research and Readers 23:22 Spiritual Seeking and Writing 26:05 Fiction Burnout Reset 29:06 Urgent Book Pull 31:38 Time Blocking System 34:19 Energy And Flexibility 36:00 Rituals And Real Work 38:13 Finding Author Voice 40:47 AI-Assisted Author 46:14 Recharging And Drinks 48:52 Five Minute Start

    102: Joanna Penn on Voice, Creativity, and Building a 40-Book Career as an Intuitive Author-Entrepreneur

  2. 1 Sept

    101: Nicole Stephenson — The Voice They Told You Was Too Loud

    There's a particular kind of exhaustion that comes from being good at fitting in. Nicole Stephenson knows this feeling well. She spent years being told she was "too loud," "too much," "too honest." Then she wrote a book about what happens when you finally stop apologizing for being yourself. Nicole is the founder of Narrativa Consulting, a part-time lecturer at The Wharton School, and the author of Unapologetic: Boldly Lead the Life and Career You Deserve. In this conversation, we talk about the ten years she spent running a private women's mentorship program and what she noticed about what actually made those women succeed (spoiler: it wasn't the sales scripts). We get into her three-year book-writing process, why she hired a book coach, and the financial gut-check that almost stopped her from publishing at all. She also shares how the book found its way to a complete stranger in New York — and what that phone call taught her about why she does this work. If you've ever been told you were too loud or too much, this one's for you. In this episode: The moment Nicole realized the things people told her to keep quiet were the things closing her sales What ten years of mentoring women taught her about what actually builds confidence How a 40-day writing challenge (over Lent), left the book sitting in a draft folder Why she turned down ghostwriting and insisted the book be in her own voice The real cost of writing a book — money, momentum, and nearly walking away before publishing Why she launched the book on her 40th birthday (and how she celebrated both) Connect with Nicole: Website: narrativaconsulting.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nicole-stephenson Instagram: @_nicole_stephenson Book: Unapologetic: Boldly Lead the Life and Career You Deserve Connect with Jacqueline Fisch:  Hire Jacqueline for private Intuitive Writing Mentoring The Intuitive Writing Studio Substack: Energy-First Writing LinkedIn Instagram Timestamps: 00:00 Why Fitting In Exhausts Us 01:13 Nicole's Career Wake Up 01:57 Owning Bold Authenticity 05:21 The Promotion Lunch Pivot 07:16 Spark Behind Unapologetic 09:22 Community And Accountability 12:31 How She Actually Wrote It 14:36 Book Coach And New Outline 19:25 Staying True To Your Voice 21:43 Writer's Block And Life Shifts 22:40 Burnout And Doubt 23:28 Publisher Sticker Shock 24:04 Committing To Finish 24:23 Finding The Right Publisher 25:02 Momentum Lost And Lessons 26:02 Launching On 40th Birthday 28:05 Starting Narrativa LLC 30:39 Book Launching And A Basic Website 32:56 Strangers Respond To The Book 36:46 Reach Out To Creators 38:27 Advice For Aspiring Authors 40:02 Coffee Vs Tea Rituals 41:43 Closing Thanks

    101: Nicole Stephenson — The Voice They Told You Was Too Loud

  3. 25 Aug

    100 Episodes Later: Lessons on Writing, Life, and Podcasting

    What I've learned from consistency, guests, and 1:1 conversations. WOOOHOOO! How Women Write is celebrating ONE HUNDRED episodes.  On one hand, I don't know where the time went. And on the other, I wondered why it took me two years to launch the podcast. I didn't know how far I'd make it when I started, and I'm not stopping anytime soon. Three digits of podcast episodes feel special, so it's just me here today to honor it.  In this episode, I'm sharing some of my biggest lessons about writing, what guests taught me, running this show, being a host, and what's coming next. What I've learned: Writing while criticizing yourself doesn't get easier — you just get better at continuing anyway You don't need permission to call yourself a writer The story you're avoiding is usually the one people need to hear How rotating guest weeks with solo weeks keeps my energy strong What makes someone a great podcast guest (hint: it's not a perfect pitch) What surprised me most about starting this show in the first place Why I stopped chasing content plans and started following my energy instead Plus — what's next inside The Intuitive Writing Studio. We're kicking off a brand-new year-long curriculum tied to the astrological seasons, starting with Virgo season on September 8th. If you've got a book in you, this is where you build it. Thank you for being here with me. Truly. xx Links:  Join The Intuitive Writing Studio Hire Jacqueline for private Intuitive Writing Mentoring Substack: Energy-First Writing LinkedIn Instagram

    100 Episodes Later: Lessons on Writing, Life, and Podcasting

  4. 18 Aug

    99: Leslie Short: What It Takes to Finally Write Your Memoir

    Leslie Short has lived about four careers' worth of life — classical dancer, theater owner in Japan, FUBU executive, culture strategist, chaplain, UN speaker — and for years, people kept telling her the same thing after every talk: I need to know more. Her new memoir, Someone Has to Be the First, is her response to people wanting to know more. In this conversation, we get into what it actually took to write it — including the false start she pulled the plug on because she couldn't hear herself in the writing, the publisher who told her to skip the outline and "just write," and the moment when early editing notes made her close her laptop and walk away for a day. One of my favorite parts is hearing about how Leslie printed out all her LinkedIn posts, old-school style, and began arranging the content into a book. We talk about: The seven-year-old moment she now sees as the beginning of the whole story (it also gave me a good laugh) Why she turned down a book deal the first time, because the writer kept slipping into corporate voice instead of hers How she built her first book's outline out of printed social media posts, laid out on the floor The pull between writing another leadership book and finally writing the memoir Her simple and beautiful writing routine: Sunday mornings, Amtrak trains, and no Wi-Fi What she'd say to the woman who has a story she keeps not writing If you've got a life that feels too big to fit into one book, or a story you've been saying that you'll "get to one day" — this one's for you. Meet Leslie Short: Leslie Short is the founder of The CAVU Group, a two-time author, and accessibility officer for major television and film award shows. She has spent decades walking into rooms where she was not expected and making herself at home. She's a chaplain, activist, certified mental health aide, certified mediator, and conflict and transformational coach. She's a keynote speaker at United Nations and European Union events around the world. Her story starts as a professional dancer who lived outside the US for over 13 years across various countries. She opened a theater in Japan — which was rated the best business in the country in 1994. She went on to serve as President of Marketing, Advertising & PR at FUBU. Her books: Expand Beyond Your Current Culture (her first) and her new memoir, Someone Has to Be the First, released May 5, 2026 — tracing a life built on fearless decisions, from dancing across Europe to building Japan's first male revue show, to advising CEOs and championing inclusion in corporate America. Natural overlaps with your audience: women who wrote a book as part of a bigger mission, the cost of waiting for permission, showing up fully in rooms that weren't built for you, writing from lived experience rather than credentials. Connect with Leslie: Leslie's website: thecavugroup.com Someone Has to Be the First on Amazon Leslie on LinkedIn Leslie on Instagram Leslie on Facebook Connect with Jacqueline Fisch:  Join The Intuitive Writing Studio Hire Jacqueline for private Intuitive Writing Mentoring Substack: Energy-First Writing LinkedIn Instagram Timestamps: 00:00 Meet Leslie Short 01:07 Someone Has to Be First 02:41 First Book Origin Story 04:04 Finding the Right Publisher 06:12 Book Outlining From Social Posts 09:25 Writing and Editing Flow 11:56 Why a Memoir Now 13:35 Memoir Shaping and Cuts 17:12 Writing Routines and Deadlines 20:17 Memoir Boundaries and Privacy 21:56 Reader Reactions and New Doors 24:58 Advice Just Write 27:12 What's Next for Leslie

    99: Leslie Short: What It Takes to Finally Write Your Memoir

  5. 14 Aug

    98: What to Do When Another Book Idea Shows Up Mid-Draft

    A writing update on the two books I'm playing with right now, the door metaphor I teach my students, and why I paused one manuscript to follow a nudge toward another. If you've ever been mid-draft on one project and had another idea knock — loud, insistent, inconvenient — this episode is for you. Two weeks into writing The Medicine Pages — the working title of the book I've been sharing behind the scenes on my paid Substack — I got a date on the calendar. My son, newly 18, is heading back up north for another hockey season, living with a billet family again. And something in me knew before I did: the medicine book needed to pause. In this episode, I talk about: The door metaphor I use with students when they're stuck choosing between writing projects — and why walking fully through one door (even not the "best" one) is how you find out if it's the best one … for you Why I'm setting the medicine book down for now, and trusting that the detour will make it stronger The new book I didn't see coming — a very specific, time-bound book about billeting, written for moms preparing to send a teenager to live with another family for their sport How I'm using AI in this process (organizing, not writing) to turn a folder of old text messages and essays into a working table of contents Why I think it's okay to have more than one writing project pulling at you at once — and how to know which one gets your YES right now You don't have to pick the "right" project. There's only the one that's most aligned for right now. Links mentioned: The Medicine Pages (paid Substack, $5/month) Past essays on billeting & hockey life: Parking to One Side of the Driveway Road Trip Reflections Clanks of Change: A Hockey Mom Story The Intuitive Writing Studio Got a writing project pulling at you? Email me at hi@jacquelinefish.com and tell me how it's going — I'd love to hear. Connect with Jacqueline Fisch:  Join The Intuitive Writing Studio Hire Jacqueline for private Intuitive Writing Mentoring Substack: Energy-First Writing LinkedIn Instagram

    98: What to Do When Another Book Idea Shows Up Mid-Draft

  6. 11 Aug

    97: Claire Gallagher: Writing Cosmic Year in Five Months — Time Lords, Trust, & Turning Off the Future

    Claire Gallagher was here back in episode 15, where we chatted about Mercury, the SFD (The Surrendered First Draft), and the importance of moving her body to keep the words flowing. Last year, she told me that she was working on a second book about how astrological cycles "wake up" different parts of your chart at different times. That book is Cosmic Year, arrives on August 18, and it's available for preorder now. Today, you'll hear the story of how she wrote it. Spoiler: it was much easier than her last book! She talks about how Body Astrology took three years and three full rewrites and Cosmic Year took just five months and a single draft. Claire walks through what changed: separating writing from editing for the first time, a stack of affirmation cards she read before every writing session, and the 45 interviews she conducted to pressure-test the technique before putting it in a book. We also talk about why she removed the P word from her astrology business — predictions. She stopped doing predictive readings. I'm really excited about the topic she's writing about next — Claire's current obsession is exploring fate and free will across cultures. Key Takeaways: Writing and editing are not the same thing — and this book proved it. Claire wrote Cosmic Year once, start to finish, with no rewrites. She credits separating drafting from editing — a skill she says was modeled for her in Jacqueline's writing studio — with turning what could've been a years-long project into five months. Cosmic Year took five months to write. Part of the difference in speed of this book was the subject matter — this technique is 2,000 years old, and not something she invented from scratch. Most of the writing shift was in her mindset. Claire let herself flow on the page instead of critiquing every sentence as it landed. Affirmation cards replaced perfectionism. Before every writing session, Claire read handwritten affirmations off note cards — a writing ritual born from not wanting this book's story to look like her last one. She wrote Cosmic Year for the person she used to be. Fifteen years ago, before astrology found her, Claire spent years blaming the moon for every bad mood. Cosmic Year is written for that version of her, and for anyone who's taken their astrology obsession into fear. Presence over prediction in astrology. While researching this book, Claire stopped offering predictive readings. The research has already moved on. With Cosmic Year out in the world, Meet Claire Gallagher: Claire Gallagher has been a professional astrologer for over eleven years. With a focus on presence instead of predictions, Claire uses astrology to help people feel better today instead of future-tripping about tomorrow. Whether she's doing a reading, moving with the moon, or teaching planetary journaling, Claire's mission is to help others hear and follow their inner wisdom. She's the author of Cosmic Year and Body Astrology, and the host of the podcast I Talk to Planets. Connect with Claire: Claire's website: astrologywithclaire.com Book: Cosmic Year — join the pre-order book club at astrologywithclaire.com/bookclub Book: Body Astrology: A Cosmic Guide to Health, Healing, and Harnessing the Power of the Planets Podcast: I Talk to Planets Claire on Instagram Connect with Jacqueline Fisch:  Join The Intuitive Writing Studio Hire Jacqueline for private Intuitive Writing Mentoring Substack: Energy-First Writing LinkedIn Instagram Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome Back Claire 01:27 What Is Cosmic Year 02:39 Time Lords Origins 04:38 Writing Process Shift 07:38 Rituals, Mindset, Self-Trust 10:00 Book Interviews And Anecdotes 11:33 Living Your Time Lord 13:34 Presence Over Prediction in Astrology 15:39 Who The Book Is For 19:41 Book Club And Bonuses 21:02 Next Writing Project: Fate 24:42 Nodes And Destiny 27:09 Coffee Callback Farewell

    97: Claire Gallagher: Writing Cosmic Year in Five Months — Time Lords, Trust, & Turning Off the Future

  7. 4 Aug

    96: Hazel: Stop Scrolling for Inspiration, Go Read Your Own Archive Instead

    When I met Hazel at a networking event, she introduced herself as a photographer. When I checked out her website, I learned she did so much more. Two books, workshops, and a whimsical yet practical outlook on life, parenting, and creativity … I had to get to know her! Hazel didn't set out to write the books she wrote. Her original idea was something different entirely. And when she sat down to create, the book came through and landed in Canva. Hazel is a creative entrepreneur who has built and rebranded multiple businesses — most recently The Hazel Honey Club — carrying her audience through every pivot by building a brand around herself, not just a single product. She speaks on personal branding and creative healing, grounded in her own journey of finding herself again and again through her work. She is continuously creating what is in utmost alignment with her higher self. In this conversation, we talk about: Why she tells stuck writers to stop looking for inspiration and go read their own old blog posts, social media archive, or camera roll instead How her guided journal, Honor and Release, and her children's book, My Mom's a Hippie, poured out of her at almost the same time — no draft, straight into Canva Why she's not a "wake up and journal every morning" person — and why that's perfect What it actually looks like to write in flow, and why forcing a "good day" almost never works The two books she's working on next — a poetry collection and a memoir about moving through toxic relationships to come home to herself Her go-to reset when she's stuck: shake it out, look in the mirror, and create something completely different than what you think you're supposed to make If you've ever felt like you need permission to write it messy, out of order, from your notes app — this one's for you. Connect with Hazel: Website: www.thehazelhoneyclub.com Instagram: @thehazelhoneyclub Books: Honor and Release: A Prompted Journal That Allows You to Move Through Your Emotions My Moms a Hippie: rituals for parent and toddler based around natural remedies, the moon cycle, and peace Connect with Jacqueline Fisch:  Hire Jacqueline for private Intuitive Writing Mentoring Substack: Energy-First Writing LinkedIn Instagram Timestamps: 00:00 Meet Hazel 01:35 Creative Roots and Photography 04:05 Books and Blogging Beginnings 08:22 Writing Two Books at Once 10:06 My Mom's a Hippie Rituals 13:40 Dancing in the Rain 17:19 Creating in Canva Flow 18:12 Honor and Release Journal 21:15 Journal Origins 23:41 Guided Yet Free 24:52 Build It In Canva 28:39 Next Books Ahead 32:18 Find Inspiration Outside 35:00 Break Creative Blocks 39:44 Workshops And Community 41:15 Favorite Writing Drinks 41:52 Closing Thanks

    96: Hazel: Stop Scrolling for Inspiration, Go Read Your Own Archive Instead

  8. 28 Jul

    95: I'm Writing My Next Book in Public

    I said something out loud a few weeks ago that I can't take back … I'm writing my next book in public. And honestly, it's a little scary. In this episode, I walk through what led here: finishing my fourth book, Writing with the Moon and feeling the pull toward something a lot more personal, the three words I wrote in my journal back in 2023 (medicine, woman, writer), and the moment a client's instinctive comment, "I don't know what it is, your medicine, but the words are flowing" — told me I needed to pay more attention to that word — medicine. I talk about the North Node shift into Aquarius and what it's asking me to do differently — stop sharing the safe, curated version of myself filled with practical tips and tricks, and start showing up bolder, in more places. And I open up about the practice that cracked this whole book open: simplifying my food, and what I noticed in my own body while chopping onions for dinner. This isn't a book announcement with a release date and a plan. It's an invitation to come sit at my writing table while I figure it out — no outline, no strategy, written completely out of order, live, on Substack. In this episode: Why my last two books were "safe" to write — and why this one isn't The three words that started this book, three years before I understood them What the North Node shift into Aquarius is asking me to do differently Why I'm throwing away every rule I've ever taught clients about writing a book How simplifying my food became the doorway into this book's whole premise What "written in public" actually means — voice memos, drafts, video, no set schedule Where to follow along and what paid subscribers get access to Links in this episode: Subscribe to The Medicine Pages on Substack — $5/month, the raw drafts as they happen The Intuitive Writing School — Studio members get this as a bonus Connect with Jacqueline Fisch:  Hire Jacqueline for private Intuitive Writing Mentoring Substack: Energy-First Writing LinkedIn Instagram Timestamps: 00:00 Writing In Public 00:31 Burnout And A New Direction 03:09 Medicine Woman Writer 04:50 Stories Over Tips 06:33 Astrology And Boldness 08:18 Nonlinear Drafts On Substack 11:05 What The Book Is 11:16 Food As A Gateway 13:47 One Voice Everywhere 14:52 How To Follow Along 16:20 Invitation

    95: I'm Writing My Next Book in Public
See All (102)

About

Hosted by Jacqueline Fisch, a nonfiction author, writing coach, and former corporate professional. This show blends authenticity, practicality, and intuition. Jacqueline shares holistic writing strategies designed for female entrepreneurs with a story to tell. Here, integrity, personal growth, and wellness meet actionable tips and guidance. Whether you're working on books, blogs, website copy, or social media, you'll learn how to hit your writing goals while creating a nourishing, sustainable writing life. Expect honest, in-depth interviews with real women writers, entrepreneurs, and leaders, alongside candid solo episodes and behind-the-desk stories that offer simple, inspiring lessons for your writing journey. In a world of AI and shortcuts, your authentic voice is your superpower. Subscribe and discover how to stop struggling with writing—and start embracing your gifts.

Information

  • Creator
    Jacqueline Fisch
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    102
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026
  • Show Website
    How Women Write