Wild Words Nicole Gulotta

Seven years ago this spring, I was in Brooklyn on book tour for my literary cookbook, Eat This Poem. I was there for a live radio spot and a bookstore event, and had time to find the cutest coffee shop where I parked myself for three hours to write the draft of my proposal for Wild Words, which came out a couple of years later.

When starting to work on episodes for this season of the podcast, I came across an old draft called “Notes from the Road.” This document was filled with questions I was asked at events—the kinds of questions that were so good I wanted to share them with everyone who wasn’t there in person.

Questions We Discuss


If you have 3 kids and 20 minutes of free time, what should you work on first?


How do you get back to writing if you haven’t done it in a while?


Does your writing process change with each book?


What’s the secret of balancing writing with everything else?


Have you ever been afraid of success?


When you do have a margin, how do you avoid just scrolling through Instagram?


How do you reconcile wanting to write for yourself, but also the desire to get affirmation for your work? 


How do you be content with just being a writer, and not being the next Ann Patchett? 



Linkable Mentions


Episode 45: Preparing Your Nervous System for Publication with Tiffany Clarke Harrison



Let’s Connect


Visit my website: nicolemgulotta.com


Sign up for my encouraging Substack newsletter


Curl up with one of my books: WILD WORDS and EAT THIS POEM


Say hi on Instagram: @nicolegulotta.author

Today I’m answering a listener question: How do you know when you’re done? It seems straightforward on the surface—you’re done when the essay is published, when the book comes out, or when the workshop is over. But not every writing project has defined edges. In fact, this episode argues that when we’re wondering if we’re done with something, we’re actually asking the wrong question. 

Conversation Starters

“When something is finished, it might mean something is true. It could mean someone will read your words. It means you now need to relate to this part of your life differently. You need to tell a new story about what happened to yourself. None of these things are bad, but when we're habituated to the old narratives, change is always hard.”

Episode Highlights


Understanding completion as a phased experience


Questions to ask yourself to gauge where you are in the process


Examples of finishing—from blogging to Facebook groups


The advice MFK Fisher gave Ruth Reichel that changed the course of her career (and her relationship to finishing)



Linkable Mentions


Episode 26: Cultivating Trust in the Writer’s Life


Episode 50: Make Space, Not Time & Other Insights From the Sacred Pause


Julia Gets Real With Ruth Reichel



Let’s Connect


Visit my website: nicolemgulotta.com


Sign up for my encouraging Substack newsletter


Curl up with one of my books: WILD WORDS and EAT THIS POEM


Say hi on Instagram: @nicolegulotta.author

Because of social media’s shape-shifting nature (hello, algorithms) it’s useful to check in a few times a year to see if it’s still serving you, and if there’s anything you’d like to change about how you’re using it. This episode is less about whether or not you should be on these platforms in the first place, and more about how to be in relationship to our visibility and the internet at large in ways that are inspired by nature and our bodies. 

Conversation Starters

“It might seem strange to give this much thought to how we’re using apps like Instagram, but I think it’s really important, especially because as Annie Dillard once wrote, “how we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” 

Episode Highlights


A framework for social media use based on your body’s inner seasons, the lunar calendar, and nature’s shifts


Prioritizing our needs within the framework of a larger digital ecosystem


5 suggestions for using social media based on your menstrual cycle


6 ways to play with the cyclical energy of your choosing (and still benefit from Instagram)



Linkable Mentions


How Embracing the 4 Phases of Your Menstrual Cycle Can Expand Creative Potential


Episode 30: A Post-Pandemic Relationship with Social Media



Let’s Connect


Visit my website: nicolemgulotta.com


Sign up for my encouraging Substack newsletter


Curl up with one of my books: WILD WORDS and EAT THIS POEM


Say hi on Instagram: @nicolegulotta.author

If you’re ready to give yourself the gift of space, time, and rest, this episode is for you. I’m sharing the highs and lows of a recent writing retreat I took with a friend, plus lots of takeaways to help you plan your own DIY getaway.

Episode Highlights


Why even one night away is always worth it (and how to make the most of a short trip)


Thinking through the when, where, and how—logistics are covered


The pros and cons of solo vs. group retreats


The value of meal planning (including my favorite sparkling water and a tip for when you return home)


Seeing the momentum before and after a retreat as adding to the overall experience


How to capture retreat magic at home



Linkable Mentions


Substack Newsletter: Diary of a Writing Retreat


Episode 52: Micro-Shifts to Prioritize Writing


What to bring on a writing retreat (Edan Lepucki)


Aura Bora sparkling water


Vacation Anticipation Can Boost Happiness (Well+Good)



Let’s Connect


Visit my website: nicolemgulotta.com


Sign up for my encouraging Substack newsletter


Curl up with one of my books: WILD WORDS and EAT THIS POEM


Say hi on Instagram: @nicolegulotta.author

Writing in the margins isn’t just the actual time captured, it’s also the belief that these micro-moments add up to something. In Part 1 of our liminal space series, we discussed the “sacred pause,” Part 2 covered how to approach liminal seasons as a vacation from writing, and today we explore re-entry. What happens after we’ve moved through a pause, a break, or liminal season but also find the same schedules and demands waiting for us? 

Conversation Starters

“Big shifts are harder to achieve and make sustainable long-term, so pick one, maybe two things to start with and see what happens when you prioritize your writing again with both your energy AND your time.”

Episode Highlights


How I moved through creative liminal space in 2023


Experiments to reconnect to your writing practice


Why writing magazines can help you feel connected


What’s happened since making micro-shifts to prioritize writing



Let’s Connect


Visit my website: nicolemgulotta.com


Sign up for my encouraging Substack newsletter


Curl up with one of my books: WILD WORDS and EAT THIS POEM


Say hi on Instagram: @nicolegulotta.author

After spending three weeks away from home this winter (more on why in the episode), it got me thinking about how we spend time off from our writing routines, and how to approach it when we do. This episode is full of real-time insights on preparing for a break, including suggestions for mindfully setting expectations and cultivating curiosity along the way. 

Episode Highlights


What *not* to do when you’re preparing for a break or vacation


How to set realistic expectations


6 things to try when you’re out of your regular writing routine


My biggest takeaways from three weeks away from home



Let’s Connect


Visit my website: nicolemgulotta.com


Sign up for my encouraging Substack newsletter


Curl up with one of my books: WILD WORDS and EAT THIS POEM