The Whole Writer

Nicole Meier
  • 5.0 (48)
  • Books
  • Updated Weekly

The Whole Writer podcast with Nicole Meier creates space for writers to nurture both their craft and themselves, exploring what it means to write from a place of wholeness rather than depletion.  If you’re an emerging author seeking guidance, this podcast is for you!

  1. 1d ago

    108. How to Know When to Shift

    That quiet, nagging feeling about your manuscript? It might be trying to tell you something important. In this episode, novelist and writing mentor Nicole Meier gets honest about one of the hardest decisions a writer can face: knowing when it's time to set a manuscript aside, pivot your publishing path, or start something new — and how to make that call from a place of clarity rather than fear or desperation. Nicole shares the personal story of shelving her own early novel after receiving rare, detailed agent feedback — a decision she credits as one of the most aligned choices of her writing career. Four published books later, she's here to help you ask the same honest questions she asked herself. In this episode, you'll learn: How to tell the difference between normal creative resistance and a deeper signal that something isn't workingThe 5 questions to ask yourself when your manuscript feels misalignedWhat to do if you've been querying literary agents for months (or years) without successWhy "switching it up" is not the same as quitting — and when it's actually the wisest creative moveHow to define your authorial identity before starting your next projectWhat alignment really means for novel writers and memoirists — and why it changes everythingThis episode is for you if: You're a novelist or memoir writer sitting with a manuscript that feels "off"You're deep in the query trenches and wondering whether to keep goingYou're considering alternative publishing paths like small press, hybrid, or self-publishingYou want to write books that feel true to who you are as a storytellerWhether you're working on your debut novel, revising a memoir, or deciding whether to keep querying — this conversation will help you move forward with intention. For more on Nicole Meier, visit here.

    17 min

  2. May 19

    107. Cultivating Hope as a Novel Writer with Miranda Beverly-Whittemore

    Feeling stuck, discouraged, or lost somewhere between your first draft and your publishing dreams? In this episode of The Whole Writer, I sit down with New York Times bestselling novelist Miranda Beverly-Whittemore (Bittersweet, Fierce Little Thing) for an honest, inspiring conversation about the realities of a long writing career — and how to keep going anyway. Miranda shares the full arc of her publishing journey: from selling her debut novel at 25 in a six-figure deal, to having a second book sell fewer than 2,000 copies, to eventually landing on the New York Times bestseller list — and what she learned at every painful, pivotal turn. In this episode, you'll discover: How to strategically study the books you love to write more compelling, commercially resonant fictionWhy outlining doesn't have to be at odds with literary writing — and how Miranda thinks about plot like a piece of gossipWhat it really means to shelve a manuscript, and how to emotionally move forwardHow shame silences writers in publishing — and why breaking that silence mattersMiranda's plot coaching work and how she helps stuck writers rediscover their story's potentialA simple, powerful practice for reigniting hope when writing feels impossibleWhether you're querying your first novel, navigating submission with your agent, or wondering if your shelved manuscript means you've failed — this conversation will remind you why you started and how to keep going. 🎙️Connect with Miranda: Website | The Plot Solution on Substack  🎙️Connect with Nicole: Website | Dear Whole Writer on Substack

    36 min

  3. May 5

    106. Why You Feel Behind on Your Book (And What to Do Instead)

    If you're writing a novel or memoir and you can't shake the feeling that you're somehow running out of time — this episode is for you. In today's episode, I'm talking about one of the most common and most painful stories writers carry: the belief that the book should already be done, that you're behind, that everyone else is further along. And I want to challenge that story directly. Because here's what I've come to believe after years of writing and working with writers: writing a book is not a single event. It's a practice. And when you start treating it like one — when you bring long-game thinking to your creative life — something genuinely shifts. In this episode, I share: Why treating your book like a finish line is keeping you stuckThe one question that changes how you approach your manuscript every dayWhat it actually means to build a sustainable writing practiceHow to get unstuck when your draft isn't working the way you hopedWhy the writers who finish books they're proud of are the ones who stopped rushing and started tendingWhether you're working on your first novel, somewhere in the middle of a memoir, or trying to restart a writing practice that's gone quiet — this one's for you. 🎙️ Find more at NicoleMeier.com 🎙️ Connect with Nicole on Substack

    12 min

  4. Apr 21

    105. How to Build a Novelist Career: Body of Work, Publishing Mindset & Staying in the Game with Camille Pagán

    Most writers focus on the book in front of them — but what does it actually take to build a novelist career that lasts? In this episode, I sit down with Amazon Charts and Washington Post bestselling author Camille Pagán to talk about the long game of fiction writing: what it looks like, what gets in the way, and how to keep going when the path gets hard. Camille shares the body-of-work strategy that transformed her career after a rocky start, why operating from your "Plan B" quietly undermines your writing goals, how to build belief before you have evidence of your own success, and what patterns she sees most often in authors who struggle to sustain a career versus those who don't. She also talks about her author coaching membership and what emerging and published novelists alike need to hear about the publishing industry right now. Whether you're drafting your first novel, navigating life after a debut, or wondering if a long-term writing career is even possible for you — this episode will give you the perspective shift and practical grounding you need. 🎙️You can find more about Camille Pagan here. 🎙️You can find more about Nicole Meier here.

    32 min

  5. Apr 7

    104. Stuck on Your Novel or Memoir? It's Patience or Focus (Not Discipline)

    If you're a novel or memoir writer who isn't finishing your manuscript, this episode is for you. Most stuck writers assume they need more discipline — more willpower, more consistency. But after sitting with dozens of manuscripts as a developmental editor, I've found that's almost never the real issue. What's actually getting in the way is one of two very specific problems: a patience problem or a focus problem. They look similar. They feel similar. But they have completely different causes — and completely different solutions. In this episode, I walk you through both, including how to tell which one is running the show for you right now, and what to do once you know. If you've been spinning your wheels on your novel or memoir, feeling stuck, frustrated, or like you're somehow falling behind other writers — this episode will help you finally name what's happening and move forward. Topics covered: Why stuck writers misdiagnose their own problemWhat a patience problem really looks like in your draftWhat a focus problem is doing to your creative energyThe key questions to help you figure out which one you haveThe Whole Writer podcast explores what it means to write from a place of wholeness — nurturing both your craft and yourself. 🎙️Find more on Nicole Meier here.

    15 min

  6. Mar 24

    103. Writing for Love vs. Writing for Money: The Passion Pay Gap with Will Parker Anderson

    What if your writing passion and your paid writing career aren’t meant to fully overlap? Many novelists and memoir writers feel discouraged when their creative work doesn’t immediately translate into income. You love writing. You feel called to tell stories. But the reality of publishing, book deals, and building an author platform can make it feel like you’re falling behind financially while chasing creative fulfillment. This episode explores the Passion Pay Gap — the emotional and financial space between what you love to write and what currently pays your bills. I’m joined by Will Parker Anderson, senior editor at Penguin Random House and founder of Writer Circle, who offers a deeply encouraging and realistic perspective on: • Why most writers won’t earn a full-time income from books alone  • How your day job can support — not sabotage — your creative life  • The myth of “getting paid to do what you love”  • How to define success beyond book deals and advances  • Making peace with seasons of slow creative progress  • Practical ways to keep writing when life feels full If you’ve ever wondered: “Am I wasting my writing talent?” “Should I quit if my books aren’t paying?” “Is it possible to pursue publishing and still enjoy writing?” This conversation will feel like a deep exhale. Whether you're drafting your first novel, querying agents, writing memoir, or balancing writing with a full-time career, this episode offers clarity, permission, and a healthier way to think about money, creativity, and your long-term writing life. Because being a writer isn’t just about landing a book deal. It’s about building a meaningful body of work — in ways that fit your real life. 🎙️Find more on Will Parker Anderson here. 🎙️Find more on Nicole Meier here.

    29 min

  7. Mar 10

    102. Why You Keep Rewriting Instead of Finishing Your Book

    If you keep rewriting the same pages of your novel or memoir instead of finishing your draft, this episode is for you. Many writers get stuck in the hard middle of drafting — scrolling back, revising sentences, and wondering why they can’t move forward. But this isn’t a productivity problem. It’s often about perfectionism, fear, and losing connection to the emotional reason you started writing your book. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why writers get trapped in the rewriting loopHow to move forward in your first draft without abandoning qualityThe difference between drafting and revisionHow to reconnect with the core emotional thread of your storyWhat it really takes to finish a novel or memoirWhether you’re writing your first book or revising a manuscript that feels stuck, this episode will help you build momentum and write forward with courage. If you want deeper guidance on structure and revision, join my Substack membership for novel and memoir writers ready to strengthen their drafts before they spiral. 🎙️Find Nicole's Substack here.

    13 min

  8. Feb 24

    101. When Your Publishing Career Stalls: Pivots, Pen Names, and Starting Again with Darien Hsu Gee

    What do you do when your book sales trend down? When an agent says they can’t sell you again? When the genre you’re known for no longer fits? In this episode of The Whole Writer, Nicole Meier sits down with internationally published author Darien Gee to talk about creative pivots, pen names, publishing slumps, and the courage it takes to trust yourself as a writer. Darien shares: • Why publishing “success” doesn’t always mean creative fulfillment  • What happens when your numbers trend down  • How to switch genres without losing yourself  • The power of micro prose as a daily writing practice  • Why creative detours are often the path forward From being told she couldn’t be sold again to building a new literary life through short-form writing and Substack, Darien’s story is a powerful reminder that your writing career doesn’t have to stay in one lane. If you’re navigating a season of uncertainty, considering a genre shift, or wondering whether you still have another book in you — this conversation is for you. Because being a whole writer means trusting yourself, even when the industry feels shaky. 🎙️Find more on Darien here. 🎙️Find more on Nicole here.

    34 min
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About

The Whole Writer podcast with Nicole Meier creates space for writers to nurture both their craft and themselves, exploring what it means to write from a place of wholeness rather than depletion.  If you’re an emerging author seeking guidance, this podcast is for you!

Information

  • Creator
    Nicole Meier
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    107
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Whole Writer
  • Show Website
    The Whole Writer

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