How Women Write

Jacqueline Fisch
  • 5.0 (3)
  • 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. 6d ago

    105: Stop Producing Your Life: Cara Chace on Social Media Burnout and Writing Her First Book

    When Cara Chace was a teenager sitting in a Denny's with her dad, she told him, "I want to be a writer." He shot it down before she could finish her Grand Slam. How on earth would she make a living doing that? It took her 30 years to come back around. Today, she calls herself a writer. In between, Cara became a federal special agent, then the social media manager for Megadeth, and then founded a digital marketing agency. She knows how to do social media well — except it made her sick. After three years of healing, she took a two-week break over the holidays in 2025 and felt better than she had in years. The day she switched back into content calendars and platform strategy, however, her body reacted to everything she ate. That was the spark for her book The Social Media Burnout Cure, out now. In this conversation, we talk about what happens when you catch yourself composing a caption in your brain in the middle of a moment where real life is happening. Cara's answer to what to do with "caption brain" is so simple it gave me goosebumps: don't post it. Put it in a Google Doc. And that's exactly how she wrote her book — in just three months. The best parts? She did it without burning out and says that the process was the easiest thing she's ever done. You'll hear how she mined 10 years of her own blogs and talks for material she didn't know she'd already written, why she works from a "morning menu" instead of a word count or to-do list, and why she fired her first cover designer even with a deadline looming. Plus — her favorite Megadeth song and what's in her mug when she writes. You know, all the things we writers want to know. If you've ever said "If it weren't for my business, I'd never be on social media again," this one's for you. What you'll discover: Thinking in captions? Write it down instead. Every time a gold nugget bubbled up, Cara put it in a messy working Google Doc instead of an Instagram reel or story. Mine your own archive. A decade of blogs, talks, and course scripts delivered more of her book content than she expected. She'd been circling this theme for years. Try a morning menu, not a checklist. Cara rebels against her own routines, so she lets each morning decide for itself based on her season, her cycle, and what feels right that day. The hard part isn't always the writing. For Cara, the messy middle was organizing everything. And the moment she thought she was done, she realized she had half a book. A moment so many authors can relate to. Trust your gut, even with a deadline. She knew right away her first cover designer wasn't a fit. This time, she didn't let sunk cost make the call. Writing how you speak takes repetition. Readers tell Cara they can hear her voice on the page. That came from 10 years of blogging, emails, and scripting. Signposts, not stages. You don't have to delete your social media profiles. Set them up to point people to where you actually show up — your email list, your podcast — and post when you have something to say. The Instagram experiment. Cara stopped posting to her feed in January. By March, her website traffic from Instagram hadn't dropped — and her engagement went up. Meet Cara Cara Chace is an author and burnout coach helping women entrepreneurs build sustainable, anti-hustle businesses without trashing their nervous systems. She built what she wishes she'd had when she burned out — when the planners, the productivity hacks, and the color-coded calendars left her more exhausted, more behind, and more resentful than when she started. Through Chaos Detox, her signature course, and her forthcoming book on social media burnout, Cara teaches women how to stop white-knuckling their way through the week and start building a business that fits the life they're actually living. She's the host of the Ditch the Chaos podcast, a 10-year entrepreneur, and a former Special Agent. She lives in Idaho with her family and runs her business with margin, intention, and a deep aversion to hustle culture. Connect with Cara: Get The Social Media Burnout Cure Listen to the Ditch the Chaos podcast Connect with Jacqueline Fisch:  Hire Jacqueline for private Intuitive Writing Mentoring The Intuitive Writing Studio Substack: Energy-First Writing LinkedIn Instagram Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome And Cara Chace Intro 01:32 Authors And Social Media 02:35 Early Writing Roots 03:47 Denny's Dream Detour 05:58 Becoming A Writer Again 08:02 From Anthropology To Special Agent 09:57 Burnout And Career Pivot 13:23 Agency Life And Health Crash 17:34 Marketing Mode Trigger 21:20 Social Media Colonized Brain 22:39 Spark And Writing The Book 24:46 Capture Ideas In Google Docs 26:25 Escape the Algorithm Trap 26:41 Reclaim Stillness and Autonomy 28:32 How the Book Began 29:48 Messy Middle and Structure 31:24 Writing Without Routines 33:50 Trusting Intuition in Publishing 35:36 Why the Draft Came Quickly 37:58 Metalhead Detour and Focus 39:36 Writing Soundtrack and Coffee 41:44 Signposts Not Stages Strategy 43:47 Instagram Experiment and Wrap Up

    105: Stop Producing Your Life: Cara Chace on Social Media Burnout and Writing Her First Book

  2. Sep 22

    104: A Birthday Celebration Episode: Books and Big Decisions

    It's my birthday, so I'm doing something a little different. There's no guest today, just me, some gifted Tom Ford Lost Cherry perfume I just spritzed on, me, my mic, and a mascara-free, honest catch-up. You'll hear how I'm spending the day, what this year actually felt like, and the decisions I've made that I'm sharing out loud with you today. You're hearing them here first. I walked away from some things with no regrets, and even though I'm nervous, I'm saying yes to some others. And much of it is thanks to a single book that I haven't even finished yet. You'll also hear about how I started books five and six, but book seven was actually next. And I'm not writing it for my business. I'm following God's lead. Which doesn't fit neatly into any kind of book marketing funnel. If you're a woman writing something that lights you up, this one's for you. Takeaways: Choosing a path on purpose means naming what you're letting go of, not only what you're adding. Some books don't fit the funnel. Write them anyway. Walking away from work you're good at can be the right move. You can teach writing and still be a student of it. A milestone is a good excuse to ask what you thought you were walking toward and what showed up instead. Say the risky thing out loud. It's usually the thing someone else needed to hear. A question for you: What are you writing, or avoiding writing, right now? Send me a message at hi [at] jacquelinefisch.com. I read every one (except if you write the whole thing with Claude … I talk about that too). Links from this episode: Some of these are affiliate links. If you click one and make a purchase, I might earn a commission. The Threshold Session — live Friday, Sept 25 The Living Draft — now enrolling until spots are filled. Starts Oct. 9. Writing with the Moon, May 2026 The Studio The Billet Year Book Outwitting the Devil: The Secrets to Freedom and Success (Official Publication of the Napoleon Hill Foundation) Connect with Jacqueline Fisch:  Hire Jacqueline for private Intuitive Writing Mentoring The Intuitive Writing Studio Substack: Energy-First Writing LinkedIn Instagram Timestamps: 00:00 Birthday Intro and Astrology 01:16 How I'm Celebrating Today 02:54 Year in Review Milestones 03:38 Studio Evolution and Curriculum 06:19 Writing Books in Public 07:29 The Billet Season Story 10:35 Teaching Wins and Networking Lessons 13:12 In-Person Connection in the AI Age 16:24 Birthday Wishes and a Life-Changing Book 19:44 Free Threshold Session and Living Draft 25:15 Wrap-Up and Stay in Touch

    104: A Birthday Celebration Episode: Books and Big Decisions

  3. Sep 15

    103: Liz Holtzinger on Writing in Public — How a Substack With One Subscriber Became a Book

    There's a particular kind of ache that doesn't show up on the outside. You're doing everything right, checking all the boxes with a solid career and a great-looking life. But under the surface, something is off. It's like your current life no longer fits. That's the ache Liz Holtzinger shares with readers in her book Lead Yourself First. Liz spent over two decades teaching rhetoric and composition at Penn State when, on her 50th birthday, she woke up with COVID. She ended up spending this milestone birthday snuggledup alone, under a blanket, and asking herself the big questions she'd been avoiding. What came out of that year was a Substack, started for just one paying subscriber, which eventually became her book. In this conversation, we talk about the chapter she struggled with most. The chapter asked her to look at her past and name something as abuse for the first time. We talk about writing in public before you know what you're building, which I know is what so many writers are bravely doing. We also talk about her Leadership Compass framework, built on clarity, alignment, presence, and truth — the same four words she used to teach her students and used to find her own way back to herself. If you've built something that looks right and feels off, this one's for you. In this episode: The 50th birthday that cracked everything open and sparked what would become her first book Why Liz wrote the book as a Substack first — for an audience of one The chapter she almost couldn't write Her Leadership Compass framework: clarity, alignment, presence, truth Why she believes most of us aren't lost — just disconnected from our own judgment The one chapter she wants you to read if you only have time for one Meet Liz Liz Holtzinger is a writer, professor, entrepreneur, and author of Lead Yourself First. Her work explores what happens when the life you've built no longer fits—and how to find your way back to yourself without blowing everything up and starting over. Drawing on more than two decades of teaching, leadership experience, and her own journey through burnout, self-neglect, and personal transition, Liz challenges the idea that people need constant reinvention. Instead, she believes most of us are searching for something we've lost: trust in our own judgment, values, and inner voice. Liz speaks on self-leadership, identity, burnout, communication, and the pressure to perform in modern life. Her approach is grounded, honest, and practical, helping people move from exhaustion and uncertainty toward greater clarity and alignment. Connect with Liz: Liz's website: https://lizholtzinger.com/  Liz's book on Amazon: Lead Yourself First: Return to Yourself and Lead from Alignment, Presence, and Truth Liz on LinkedIn 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 Liz Holzinger 01:35 Books and Childhood Reading 03:13 Early Writing Confidence 05:02 Publishing Dreams and Rejection 06:00 Accidental Path to Teaching 09:30 Penn State Breakthrough 11:00 Lead Yourself First Spark 14:04 Writing in Public on Substack 17:51 Hardest Chapter to Write 22:37 Identity and Chapter Five 26:36 New Projects and Poetry 28:24 Writing Drinks and Journaling 30:56 Substack Bonus and Farewell

    103: Liz Holtzinger on Writing in Public — How a Substack With One Subscriber Became a Book

  4. Sep 8

    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

  5. Sep 1

    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

  6. Aug 25

    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

  7. Aug 18

    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

  8. Aug 14

    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
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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
    105
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026
  • Show Website
    How Women Write

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