Authors Who Lead - Learn to write a book from bestselling authors and leaders

Azul Terronez - Author, TEDx Speaker, Coach

If you want to know how bestselling authors find the time to write their books, the methods they use to be productive and how they find their ideas you will love this podcast. Writing coach Azul Terronez shares interviews with clients such as Pat Flynn, of the Smart Passive Income, Jon Vroman, of the Front Row Factor, and Dana Malstaff of Boss-Mom, Jadah Sellner of Simple Green Smoothies. Learn from the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling authors. Want to get behind-the-scenes insights about how first-time authors overcame their fears and found the courage to write? Are you curious about how successful bestselling authors write or learn how to publish and market a book? Have you thought, "I'd like to write a book," but I don't know where to start? I explore authors' journeys, how they craft their stories, become published, and share their art of writing books with the world. You are meant to write the book now and be inspired by those who have done it. 

  1. FEB 20

    From Ideas to Manuscript: How True Human Evolved Through Writing and Honesty | Samantha Sweetwater

    Send a text In this episode of Authors Who Lead, I sit down with Samantha Sweetwater to discuss how her book True Human: Reimagining Ourselves at the End of Our World evolved from scattered ideas into a cohesive manuscript through patience, humility, and honesty. We explore what it means to write during a time of ecological, technological, and cultural transformation—and why authorship requires more than inspiration. Samantha shares the four-year journey of shaping her ideas, letting go of what didn’t belong, and allowing the book to mature into its final form. Timestamp: 00:00 Reimagining humanity in the Anthropocene 04:10 Writing to reveal oneself 08:56 Guide to radical civilizational transition 10:13 Responses to the personal transformation chapter 13:24 Navigating a transcontextual crisis 16:34 Patience nurtures ideas into form 20:49 Why this book resonates 24:56 AI cover art collaboration 29:09 Authors’ long-term success plan 32:35 Regenerative devotion and resilience 35:01 Books thrive through community 38:03 True Human: the author journey Full show notes COMMUNITY PROGRAMS 📚 Write and Publish your book 🤫 Secret Podcast: Born to Write, Scared to Start ⭐ You're Allowed to Write This Book CONNECT 📷 Instagram 🎬 TikTok 👫🏻 Facebook 💼 LinkedIn 🐦‍⬛ Twitter 🤝🏻 Apply to be a Guest LEAVE A REVIEW ✍🏻 Review on Apple Podcasts ✍️ Review on Spotify 🖱️ Episode Webpage

    39 min
  2. JAN 25

    Memoir Writing Tips from Film and Television Executive Barbara Caver

    Send a text In this episode, I sit down with Barbara Caver, a film and television production executive, passionate traveler, and first-time memoirist. Her debut memoir, A Little Piece of Cuba, weaves together Cuban heritage, family memory, and a life-changing trip in a way that resonates far beyond cultural boundaries. In our conversation, Barbara and I talk openly about the creative process, emotional roadblocks, and how lived experience slowly becomes a finished book. What emerged is a powerful reminder for aspiring authors: memoir isn’t about recording everything that happened — it’s about listening to what memory insists on telling. Timestamp: 00:00 Cuban heritage memoir journey 06:15 Writing progress through collaboration 06:56 Writing, reflection, and evolving stories 12:17 Overcoming challenges to keep writing 16:26 From idea to published book 18:49 Second-generation language struggles 22:51 Memoir and memory’s subjectivity 23:46 Cinder Bottom: a fictional memoir 27:13 Unintentional intimacy in writing 33:05 Daily writing builds momentum 35:00 Seeing and describing deeper 37:32 Author updates and Substack content Full show notes COMMUNITY PROGRAMS 📚 Write and Publish your book CONNECT 📷 Instagram 🎬 TikTok 👫🏻 Facebook 💼 LinkedIn 🐦‍⬛ Twitter 🤝🏻 Apply to be a Guest LEAVE A REVIEW ✍🏻 Review on Apple Podcasts ✍️ Review on Spotify 🖱️ Episode Webpage

    39 min
  3. 12/22/2025

    Why Writing Your Book Feels Like a Battle with Julia Packwood

    Send a text Julia Packwood has the idea. She feels the call. She even has deadlines and bylines. Yet when she sits down to write, it feels like a battle. In this episode, Azul reframes that struggle: the hard feeling is not a problem to be fixed, but rather a rite of passage. Then the conversation turns practical, moving the writing practice out of the office and into nature, separating drafting from editing, and measuring progress by words, not time. A warm, honest episode for anyone trying to write a book while raising kids, building a business, or living a full life. Timestamps: 00:00 Who Julia is and what she teaches 01:06 The writing battle: deadlines help, but it still feels hard 03:04 Reframe: “This is how writing is,” and nothing is wrong with you 04:53 Write outside the box, literally 07:41 Transcribe later, create first 09:11 Intuition vs “business advice” about the right audience 14:12 Your expertise is your perspective, not your facts 17:19 Nature-led play, and why parents need simplicity 20:11 Let go of “chapters” and follow seasons 25:14 AI hooks vs human presence 28:31 Bold claims, fierce wonderings, and why outlines can trap you 34:27 Count words, not time 42:05 Feeling exposed, sharing the journey anyway 44:51 The takeaway: resistance is the path Full show notes COMMUNITY PROGRAMS 📚 Write and Publish your book CONNECT 📷 Instagram 🎬 TikTok 👫🏻 Facebook 💼 LinkedIn 🐦‍⬛ Twitter 🤝🏻 Apply to be a Guest LEAVE A REVIEW ✍🏻 Review on Apple Podcasts ✍️ Review on Spotify 🖱️ Episode Webpage

    47 min
4.9
out of 5
99 Ratings

About

If you want to know how bestselling authors find the time to write their books, the methods they use to be productive and how they find their ideas you will love this podcast. Writing coach Azul Terronez shares interviews with clients such as Pat Flynn, of the Smart Passive Income, Jon Vroman, of the Front Row Factor, and Dana Malstaff of Boss-Mom, Jadah Sellner of Simple Green Smoothies. Learn from the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling authors. Want to get behind-the-scenes insights about how first-time authors overcame their fears and found the courage to write? Are you curious about how successful bestselling authors write or learn how to publish and market a book? Have you thought, "I'd like to write a book," but I don't know where to start? I explore authors' journeys, how they craft their stories, become published, and share their art of writing books with the world. You are meant to write the book now and be inspired by those who have done it. 

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