Your Write Life Coach | Motivation and Momentum for Heart-Led Authors

Alice Crider | Book Editor, Author Coach, Certified Life Coach
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Welcome to Your Write Life Coach! A podcast where heart-led authors of non-fiction, fiction, and memoir go from stuck and overwhelmed to aligned and unstoppable. Each week, I bring you real stories, hard-won lessons, and secrets from bestselling authors, so you can avoid costly mistakes and move forward with clarity and confidence. With my 30 years of experience, I'll help you shift from confusion and burnout to purpose and momentum. Because book publishing success doesn't have to mean selling your soul. I'm Alice Crider, and I'm so glad you're here. Learn more at alicecrider.com.

  1. 4d ago

    The MUSE Behind the Story: How Paula Scott Learned to Trust Her Creative Gift (Part 1) | Ep19

    I sit down with longtime friend and bestselling self-published author Paula Scott for the first half of a wide-ranging conversation about the writing life. Paula traces her path from newspaper reporter to novelist — including two early manuscripts that almost sold, a Hollywood movie option that never became a film, and nearly a decade away from writing while raising her family. Paula and I dig into what she calls her “muse”: the sense that her stories arrive from somewhere outside herself, and what it's like to follow that voice even when it's unsettling. Along the way, we talk about flow states, faith, and the strange experience of writing something that later seems to come true. About the Guest Paula Scott is a bestselling indie author living on a fruit farm near the Sutter Buttes in California — often described as the world's smallest mountain range. She began her career as a newspaper reporter before turning to fiction full-time. Her novels include the California Rising series, The Mother Keeper, and River of Mercy, along with two memoirs, Farming Grace and Love in a Fertile Land. In This Episode How Paula moved from two near-miss novel deals (one considered by Harlequin) into newspaper reporting, and the New York literary agent and Hollywood movie option that followed her third attempt at a novelWhy Paula stepped away from writing for close to a decade while raising four children as a military spouse, and what brought her back during five months of bed rest with her fourth childWhat Paula means when she talks about writing “by the muse” — and how that differs from imposter syndrome and the inner critic, topics Alice has covered in recent episodesThe prayer Paula prayed when she became a Christian: asking God to take the muse away if it wasn't from HimHow her novel that began as “The Peach Orchard” became River of Mercy, and her early feedback from a Christian literary agentMy own NaNoWriMo story — a chapter that “wrote itself” and got the attention of a literary agent, even though the rest of the manuscript needed workPaula's reflections on Jack London's Call of the Wild as an unintentional self-portrait, and the authors she believes also write “by muse,” including Francine Rivers and Stephen KingThe story behind Paula's novel The Mother Keeper How events in River of Mercy seemed to mirror something that later happened in Paula's own family — unsettling enough that she pulled back from promoting the novel for several years Resources & Mentions Paula Scott — River of Mercy (novel)Paula Scott — The Mother Keeper (novel)Paula Scott — California Rising series (novels)Paula Scott — Farming Grace and Love in a Fertile Land (memoirs)Jack London — Call of the WildFrancine Rivers (author)Stephen King — On Writing; The Green Mile; Different Seasons (source novella for the film Shawshank Redemption)National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) Connect with Paula Scott Website: https://www.paulascott.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulascottbicknell/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paulascottbicknell.9 📋 Join Alice's email list to get the workshop details and Zoom link: alicecrider.com (fill out the contact form)

    The MUSE Behind the Story: How Paula Scott Learned to Trust Her Creative Gift (Part 1) | Ep19

  2. Sep 14

    Dancing with Your Inner Critic | Ep18

    That voice that shouts “you're crazy” in the middle of a rough draft, or calls you names the second you catch a mistake — it's not going anywhere. Not through willpower, not through positive thinking, not through gritted-teeth persistence. This episode is a follow-up to Episode 17. I draw a sharp line between everyday self-doubt and the much louder, much crueler voice of the inner critic — and make the case that the critic isn't really the problem. It's a symptom of self-abandonment, the quiet habit of overriding your own needs and instincts to stay safe or keep the peace. Drawing on a story from my coaching work and one from my own childhood, I offer a different way forward: you don't have to silence the inner critic. You can learn to dance with it instead. In This Episode The real difference between imposter syndrome (self-doubt) and the inner critic (shame and fear)The story of an author who nearly quit her book because of a voice that wasn't even hersMy own inner critic, and the childhood moment it still echoesWhy the inner critic is a symptom of self-abandonment — and what self-abandonment actually looks like for a writerThe important difference between self-abandonment and sacrificeThe seven types of inner critics, from psychotherapists Jay Earley and Bonnie Weiss — and how to tell which one is talkingWhy editorial judgment isn't the enemy: separating real craft feedback from inherited crueltyFour ways to dance with your inner critic instead of fighting it — including a simple two-column exercise you can do this week 📜 From the Episode 📜 “The inner critic is a symptom of self-abandonment. It's not the root problem. It's the smoke, not the fire.” “You don't need it gone. You just need it to stop being the one holding the pen.” ✍️ Your Invitation This Week Four ways to dance with your inner critic, friend: Give it a goofy name — something too ridiculous to take seriouslyThank it for trying to protect you, then take the step anywayDraw a line down a page. Left side: what the critic says about you, others, and what's possible. Right side: what wisdom would say. Notice the difference — then choose which voice to believeDo something. Take one small, true action in the direction that makes you nervous Start noticing when you're abandoning yourself to satisfy that voice. And in that moment, choose yourself instead. Links & Resources Mentioned 📋 Join Alice's free workshop on Wednesday, October 7th — a deeper dive into imposter syndrome and the inner critic, with live coaching and tools to help you move forward 📋 Join Alice's email list to get the workshop details and Zoom link: alicecrider.com (fill out the contact form) 📗 The seven types of inner critics referenced come from psychotherapists Jay Earley and Bonnie Weiss's Internal Family Systems (IFS) approach, detailed in their books Self-Therapy for Your Inner Critic and Freedom from Your Inner Critic *********************   Enjoyed This Episode? Leave us a comment or review!  ⭐ Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts (iOS only) Open the Apple Podcasts app and search for the show. Tap the title to open the main show page.Scroll down to the Ratings & Reviews section and tap the stars to leave your rating.Tap Write a Review, enter your title, comments, and nickname.Tap Send to submit. ********************* About Your Host Alice Crider is an author coach, book editor, and certified life coach. She has edited hundreds of books and spent decades helping writers move from stuck to published — with their voice, vision, and sanity intact. Her podcast, Your Write Life Coach, exists to give heart-led authors the motivation AND the momentum they need to do the work that matters. Find Alice at alicecrider.com

    Dancing with Your Inner Critic | Ep18

  3. Sep 7

    Rethinking Imposter Syndrome for Writers: Why You're Not a Fraud | Ep17

    You may have already called yourself a fraud at least once this week. Not out loud, but just that quiet voice that shows up right before you hit send, right before you speak up, right before you finally share the thing you've been working on. We've been told for almost fifty years that this feeling has a name — imposter syndrome — and a cause rooted in self-doubt. In this episode, I — author coach, book editor, and certified life coach — question whether that story is actually the right one. Drawing on an author who sat on a finished manuscript for two years and her own imposter moment at the launch of this very podcast, I make the case that what is often called "imposter syndrome" might really just be your nervous system doing exactly what it was built to do.   In This Episode Why the science behind “imposter syndrome” isn't as settled as we've all assumed Where the term actually came from — and how it drifted from “phenomenon” to “syndrome” The story of an author who sat on a finished, good manuscript for two years, convinced it “wasn't ready” My own imposter moment at the start of this podcast — and what actually moved her through it Why your nervous system, not a personality flaw, is behind most of your self-doubt The important difference between real barriers (bias, gatekeeping) and internal doubt — and why they deserve different conversations A simple, four-step practice for noticing doubt instead of obeying it The invitation: one small, true step you can take this week   📗 From the Episode 📗 “That wiring never got the memo that wild beasts are no longer eating people for breakfast.” “A rejected query doesn't make you a fraud. It makes you a writer who queried. That's the whole game, friend — not zero rejection, just zero surrender.”   ✍️ Your Invitation This Week Four small steps: Notice the thoughts that make you doubt yourself — without judging them Thank your nervous system for trying to keep you safe Remind yourself of your calling, and ask: “What is one small step I can take?” When the answer comes — take that step It doesn't have to be big. It just has to be true, and it has to be yours. Then give yourself a high five — you just expanded your own comfort zone, and that's worth celebrating.   Links & Resources Mentioned Grab some free resources for writers at alicecrider.com /your-write-life-coach-podcast   Work with Alice one-on-one: alicecrider.com or email admin@alicecrider.com The term “impostor phenomenon” was coined by psychologists Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes in their 1978 paper, “The Imposter Phenomenon in High Achieving Women: Dynamics and Therapeutic Intervention,” published in the journal Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice Definition referenced from Merriam-Webster   Enjoyed This Episode? Leave us a comment or review!   ⭐ Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts (iOS only) Open the Apple Podcasts app and search for the show. Tap the title to open the main show page.Scroll down to the Ratings & Reviews section and tap the stars to leave your rating.Tap Write a Review, enter your title, comments, and nickname.Tap Send to submit. *********************  About Your Host Alice Crider is an author coach, book editor, and certified life coach. She has edited hundreds of books and spent decades helping writers move from stuck to published — with their voice, vision, and sanity intact. Her podcast, Your Write Life Coach, exists to give heart-led authors the motivation AND the momentum they need to do the work that matters. Find Alice at alicecrider.com

    Rethinking Imposter Syndrome for Writers: Why You're Not a Fraud | Ep17

  4. Aug 31

    What Actually Moves a Writing Career Forward - Laurie Davies Interview Part 2 | Ep16

    In Part 1, Laurie Davies got honest about the decade of inner work — and self-rejection — behind her debut book, Emotional Hoarding: Letting Go of the Stuff That Keeps You Stuck. In this second half of the conversation, Laurie and I turn to what actually moves a writing career forward: staying authentic instead of chasing platform tactics, why writers' conferences matter more for relationships than for strategy, and how Laurie has come to define success in a way that has nothing to do with bestseller lists. Laurie also shares a laugh-out-loud story about the day she accidentally made her first impression on her future acquiring editor, plus a moment with a reader that she now considers the real measure of whether her book is hitting the mark. About Laurie Davies Author of Emotional Hoarding: Letting Go of the Stuff That Keeps You Stuck (Moody Publishers, 2026)Writer, speaker, and lay counselor who helps women let go of emotional "clutter" — regret, grudges, bitterness, and shameBackground in journalism; has written professionally for 35 years and added speaking to her work over the last 8 yearsWriter for Proverbs 31 Ministries devotionalsLives in the Phoenix, Arizona area with her husband of 30 years Connect with Laurie Davies Website: LaurieDavies.comInstagram: @lauriedaviesauthorFacebook: @LaurieDaviesAuthorBook: Emotional Hoarding: Letting Go of the Stuff That Keeps You Stuck — available wherever books are sold What You'll Hear in This Episode What actually kept Laurie going through self-rejectionWhy chasing platform tactics never felt authentic to Laurie — and why that's okayThe unexpected "kindness" Laurie now sees in her platform not growing fasterThe belief Laurie had to let go ofThe two things Laurie says are pure gold about writers' conferencesThe story of how Laurie accidentally met her acquiring editorWhy no one in the Bible went from zero to serving overnightHow Laurie defines success in book publishing — and it's not the bestseller listWhat "success" really looks likeLaurie's advice for writers just starting out 📜Quotable Moments “I think you have to just stay in love with writing... So much of the business side of all of this can just suck the life right out of that.” — Laurie Davies “I can't find one person in the Bible who went from zero to serving the kingdom overnight.” — Laurie Davies “Man looks at the outward man, but God looks at the heart.” — Laurie Davies Enjoyed This Episode? Leave us a comment or review! ⭐ Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts (iOS only) Open the Apple Podcasts app and search for the show. Tap the title to open the main show page.Scroll down to the Ratings & Reviews section and tap the stars to leave your rating.Tap Write a Review, enter your title, comments, and nickname.Tap Send to submit.

    What Actually Moves a Writing Career Forward - Laurie Davies Interview Part 2 | Ep16

  5. Aug 24

    The Inner Work of Becoming a Published Writer - Laurie Davies Interview Part 1 | Ep15

    In this first half of a two-part conversation, I sit down with author, speaker, and lay counselor Laurie Davies to talk about the long road to her debut book, Emotional Hoarding: Letting Go of the Stuff That Keeps You Stuck. Laurie and I met ten years ago at the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference, and in this episode Laurie gets honest about what it actually took to get from "rising star" (as I called her) to published author — including the pride she had to let go of, the season when speaking opportunities outpaced her writing career, and the surprising moment her manuscript finally sold. We also dig into comparison, platform-building, and the real story behind Laurie's own rejection — which, as she puts it, was mostly self-imposed. Part 2 continues the conversation with practical wisdom on what actually moves a writing career forward, including how to get the most out of writers' conferences and staying connected to your "why." About Laurie Davies Author of Emotional Hoarding: Letting Go of the Stuff That Keeps You Stuck (Moody Publishers, 2026)Writer, speaker, and lay counselor who helps women let go of emotional "clutter" — regret, grudges, bitterness, and shameBackground in journalism; has written professionally for 35 years and added speaking to her work over the last 8 yearsWriter for Proverbs 31 Ministries devotionalsLives in the Phoenix, Arizona area with her husband of 30 years Connect with Laurie Davies Website: LaurieDavies.comInstagram: @lauriedaviesauthorFacebook: @LaurieDaviesAuthorBook: Emotional Hoarding: Letting Go of the Stuff That Keeps You Stuck — available wherever books are sold What You'll Hear in This Episode How Laurie and Alice met at the 2016 Mount Hermon Writers ConferenceThe "back of the house" personal growth that happened over Laurie's 10-year path to publicationWhy Laurie had to let go of pride — and what she learned from watching speaking doors open before writing doors didThe moment Laurie "laid down" her attachment to platform, and what happened eight weeks laterLaurie's take on comparison, and why it never leads anywhere goodThe real story of Laurie's rejection — and why she says it wasn't imposter syndromeThe "three-legged stool" of publishing: writing, idea, and platform — and how Laurie sold a book with only two 📜 Quotable Moments 📜 “Sometimes there's some pride that has to go, so we can adopt a posture of humility, which is essential in this space.” — Laurie Davies “I was my own rejection.” — Laurie Davies “The best way for you to show up as a writer is to be absolutely you.” — Alice Crider Enjoyed This Episode? Leave us a comment or review! ⭐ Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts (iOS only) Open the Apple Podcasts app and search for the show. Tap the title to open the main show page.Scroll down to the Ratings & Reviews section and tap the stars to leave your rating.Tap Write a Review, enter your title, comments, and nickname.Tap Send to submit.

    The Inner Work of Becoming a Published Writer - Laurie Davies Interview Part 1 | Ep15

  6. Aug 17

    Why Are You Writing? Your Reason May Not Be What You First Think It Is | Ep14

    Most of us never actually stop to ask why we write. We assume we know — and often, we're wrong. In this episode, I take listeners back to my own teenage assumption that being good at English meant I was meant to be a writer, and the adult detour that followed: chasing the idea of making money as an author, before realizing that wasn't my real why after all. That realization led me to editing instead — and, decades later, to writing a book of my own for reasons that have nothing to do with a royalty statement. I walk through the real reasons writers write — to communicate, to be heard, to be noticed, to contribute, to leave a legacy, or because they simply feel called — and name something many authors carry quietly: the shame of wanting to be paid for their work, and the fear that admitting it makes them less "legitimate" as a writer. I ground the conversation in real numbers from the Authors Guild's 2023 Author Income Survey, and close with a simple, layered writing exercise designed to help you find your own most honest why. In This Episode Why being good at something isn't the same as being called to itThe real reasons writers write: to communicate, to be heard, to be noticed, to contribute, to leave a legacy, or because they feel calledWhat the Authors Guild's 2023 Author Income Survey actually reveals about what published authors earnThe quiet shame many writers carry about wanting to be paid — and permission to let it goMy own story: from a teenage assumption about being a writer, to chasing a money-driven dream, to becoming an editor insteadThis week's exercise: the seven-layer "I write because..." question to find your most heartfelt why 🌟 From the Episode "Fog doesn't carry you through a revision at eleven o'clock at night. Clarity does." "Wanting to be paid fairly for your work is not a character flaw. You're allowed to want the deeper reason and the paycheck. Those two things aren't in competition. They're supposed to work together." 💎 This Week's Invitation Take a blank sheet of paper and write, "I write because..." — then fill in the blank with your most honest answer. Underneath it, write down why you answered that way ("I write because I love to write" becomes "I love to write because..."). Keep asking the next why, based on your last answer, seven times through. By the bottom of the page, you'll have landed on your most heartfelt reason — the one that was underneath all the others the whole time. Links & Resources 📒 Free resources: alicecrider.com 📒 The InkWell Collective: https://www.alicecrider.com/inkwellcollective 📒 Coaching inquiries: admin@alicecrider.com Source for author income statistics: Authors Guild 2023 Author Income Survey (authorsguild.org) ✒️ Join the Conversation What's your honest answer to "I write because..."? We'd love to hear where your seven layers landed — share it with us inside The InkWell Collective, or tag Alice when you post. About Alice Alice Crider is a book editor, certified life coach, and author coach with nearly thirty years of publishing experience. She hosts Your Write Life Coach and leads The InkWell Collective, a community for heart-led authors. Her first book releases next year.

    Why Are You Writing? Your Reason May Not Be What You First Think It Is | Ep14

  7. Aug 10

    From Unpublished to Multi-Published: Angela Ruth Strong on Rejection, Resilience, and Writing Rom-Com at 35,000 Feet | Ep13

    I sit down with author Angela Ruth Strong — flight attendant, breast cancer survivor, and multi-published, award-winning writer of Christian romantic comedy — for a candid conversation about the real road from unpublished to multi-published. Angela shares her “victim ladder” framework for processing rejection, the moment a rejection nearly broke her, how she kept writing through chemo brain, and what she's learned about redefining success on her own terms. About Angela Ruth Strong Angela Ruth Strong is a multi-published, award-winning author of Christian romantic comedy (rom-com). Her books have earned a TOP PICK in Romantic Times, a Christy Award nomination, and the Cascade Award, and she has landed on Amazon bestseller lists more than once. Her novel Finding Love in Big Sky was adapted for film (aired on UPtv). Angela writes while working as a flight attendant, is a breast cancer survivor, and founded IDAhope Writers to support aspiring authors in Idaho, where she lives. Her newest release, Claire Holloway Is Winging It, is book one in her High-Flying Romance series. What You'll Hear In This Episode The “victim ladder” — Angela's eight-step framework for moving through rejection, from denial and blame through acceptance, ownership, and forward motionThe rejection that “broke her” — and how that same publisher later became her publishing homeWhy her most enjoyable book to write, Husband Auditions, came together during breast cancer treatment and chemo brainHow Angela wove comedy into her romance writing after the chick-lit market dried upHer four examples of “spending styles” — enjoyment, stability, status, or control — and how each can shape what success looks like for a writerWhat she wishes someone had told her: that writing is more about the personal arc than the finish line 💎Favorite Moments "I felt like I had to prove myself. I felt like if I didn't become published soon enough, I'd give up on my dreams, and then they'd never happen." "Success for me is really enjoyment. I enjoy what I do. I enjoy meeting people. I enjoy the process." "It's more about my character growth, my personal arc, my personal story, than it is about success — than it is about getting to the end." 🔖 About Claire Holloway Is Winging It Book one in the High-Flying Romance series, Claire Holloway Is Winging It, draws on Angela's real experience as a flight attendant — including, by her own admission, at least one real-life rogue orange juice carton. Connect with Angela 🌐 AngelaRuthStrong.com 💌 Sign up for Angela's newsletter and join her reader group on Facebook (“Strong Readers”)  for updates on new releases. Connect with Alice 🌐 Website: alicecrider.com 📗 The InkWell Collective — A community of heart-led authors, including regular writing sprints on Zoom https://www.alicecrider.com/inkwellcollective 🐴 Coaching inquiries: admin@alicecrider.com

    From Unpublished to Multi-Published: Angela Ruth Strong on Rejection, Resilience, and Writing Rom-Com at 35,000 Feet | Ep13

  8. Aug 3

    Just Say Next — Seven More Ways to Navigate a "No" | Ep12

    Before Chicken Soup for the Soul became a bestselling franchise, the original manuscript was rejected 144 times. Jack Canfield's advice for handling a pile of no's? "Reject rejection. If someone says no, just say NEXT!" Last episode, I talked about why rejection hurts and how to hold it as information instead of a verdict. This week, I'm back with seven more ways to actually walk through a "no" when it lands — plus a piece of my own early career story and an old baseball phrase that's changed how I think about staying in the game. In this episode, I cover: Let Yourself Feel ItGet Curious Instead of Defensive"No" Often Means "Not Here"Reframe Rejection as RedirectionPlay the "What If Up" GameDon't Carry It AloneRecruit Extra SupportPlus: the bottom line on remembering who you are, even when the rejections keep coming. Links Mentioned 🔖 Mentioned in this episode: the story of Chicken Soup for the Soul's 144 rejections, as recounted by Jack Canfield (source: Literary Hub, "The Most-Rejected Books of All Time"). 🔖 Nervous system regulation list referenced from functional medicine practitioner Dr. Will Cole (@drwillcole). 🔖 The "no hits, no runs, no errors" baseball phrase, referenced from the Baseball Almanac. Free Resources for You 📒 Free Guide: Reader Avatar Worksheet Reconnect with who you're actually writing for — a beautiful reset when you've gotten tangled up in what everyone wants instead of who really needs your words. https://www.alicecrider.com/reader-avatar   📒 Free ebook: Book Publishing Essentials A foundational ebook to help you navigate the publishing journey with clarity and confidence. https://www.alicecrider.com/book-publishing-essentials 📒 Free Download: Your First 100 Readers Roadmap A step-by-step path to your first 100 true fans. No ads, no big platform, no guessing. https://www.alicecrider.com/100-readers-032026 📗 Join The InkWell Collective — A community of heart-led authors, including regular writing sprints on Zoom. https://www.alicecrider.com/inkwellcollective ✅ Coaching inquiries: admin@alicecrider.com or alicecrider.com

    Just Say Next — Seven More Ways to Navigate a "No" | Ep12
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Welcome to Your Write Life Coach! A podcast where heart-led authors of non-fiction, fiction, and memoir go from stuck and overwhelmed to aligned and unstoppable. Each week, I bring you real stories, hard-won lessons, and secrets from bestselling authors, so you can avoid costly mistakes and move forward with clarity and confidence. With my 30 years of experience, I'll help you shift from confusion and burnout to purpose and momentum. Because book publishing success doesn't have to mean selling your soul. I'm Alice Crider, and I'm so glad you're here. Learn more at alicecrider.com.

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