The Write It Scared Podcast

Stacy Frazer
  • 5.0 (21)
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A podcast to help fiction writers work through self-doubt and learn the craft of writing a novel. 

  1. 4D AGO

    How to Write Horror That Truly Unsettles with Author Nicole M. Wolverton

    Want to write fear that actually gets under a reader’s skin—not just jump scares on the page? Start with what unsettles you. Horror and thriller author Nicole M. Wolverton joins me to discuss why discomfort can be more powerful than terror, how writing from your own fears creates unforgettable stories, and why horror can be deeply empowering during difficult times.  Nicole is also very candid about the process, the realities of publishing, rejection, and the mindset she attributes to her success in publishing and marketing.  Timestamps    01:10 – Meet Nicole Woolverton  03:16 – Nicole’s Writing Origins  04:30 – Why We Crave Horror  05:15 – Fear, Resilience, and Difficult Times  07:15 – Her Novels and Settings  09:33 – Gastro Horror and Disgust on the Page  12:42 – What Makes Horror Truly Work  16:17 – Process: Outlining vs. Drafting  21:16 – Publishing Fears and Limbo  25:26 – “You Don’t Ask, You Don’t Get”  28:29 – Rejection and Redefining Success  31:06 – Advice for Writers Guest Bio Nicole M. Wolverton is an unapologetic fear enthusiast who writes horror and thrillers for adults and young adults. She is the author of A Misfortune of Lake Monsters (CamCat Books, 2025), The Trajectory of Dreams (Bitingduck Press, 2013), and the upcoming Meat Sweats (Horrorsmith Publishing, 2026). She also served as Editor of the menopause-themed horror anthology Bodies Full of Burning, published by Sliced Up Press. Her short fiction, creative nonfiction, and essays also appear in about 50 anthologies, magazines, and podcasts. Nicole holds a master's degree in horror and storytelling from the University of Pennsylvania; her academic interests center on building resilience through horror media and gastrohorror. Links Website nicole@nicolewolverton.com Have a comment or idea about the show? Send me a direct text! Love to hear from you. Support the show  To become a supporter of the show, click here! To get in touch with Stacy: Email: Stacy@writeitscared.co https://www.writeitscared.co/wis https://www.instagram.com/writeitscared/ Take advantage of these Free Resources From Write It Scared:  Download Your Free Novel Planning and Drafting Quick Start Guide  Download Your Free Guide to Remove Creative Blocks and Work Through Fears

    36 min

  2. MAR 22

    Bitching About Writing: A Cathartic Necessity

    Writing can be hard, lonely work. Talking about the struggle can release pressure and help you get back to the page—but only if you’re sharing with the right people. I talk about why feelings aren’t facts, how isolation keeps writers stuck, and how to build a small circle of writing trust that you can lean into when you feel stuck. Timestamps  00:00 Writing Struggle + Isolation  01:44 Listener Question About Short Stories  03:44 Why Venting Helps Writers  05:45 Feelings Aren’t Facts  07:57 Choosing Who to Tell  09:48 Building a Circle of Trust  12:27 Final Thoughts Links to Other Episodes Mentioned S2 Ep 53 How Writing Short Stories Can Make You a Stronger Novelist with Demi Michelle Schwartz S3 Ep 78 From “Am I Good Enough?” to “I Believe in My Work” with Book Coach Karmen Špiljak S2 Ep 54 Finding the Right Writing Community For You Have a comment or idea about the show? Send me a direct text! Love to hear from you. Support the show  To become a supporter of the show, click here! To get in touch with Stacy: Email: Stacy@writeitscared.co https://www.writeitscared.co/wis https://www.instagram.com/writeitscared/ Take advantage of these Free Resources From Write It Scared:  Download Your Free Novel Planning and Drafting Quick Start Guide  Download Your Free Guide to Remove Creative Blocks and Work Through Fears

    14 min

  3. MAR 15

    Writing with ADHD: Practical Strategies to Finish Your Novel with Nicole Bross

    If you’ve ever told yourself you’re lazy, undisciplined, or just “bad at finishing,” this episode might reframe everything. In this episode of the Write It Scared podcast, I talk with book coach and editor Nicole Bross about how ADHD impacts a writer’s mindset, motivation, and process—especially for those diagnosed later in life. We unpack the shame spiral so many writers fall into, why traditional writing advice doesn’t work for everyone, and how diagnosis can open the door to self-compassion and smarter systems. We also talk about her book A Novel Approach: Strategies for ADHD Writers (co-written with Kirsten Donaghey), including practical tools for overcoming paralysis, managing shiny object syndrome, and using outlines to reduce overwhelm and actually finish. If you’ve struggled with consistency or focus, this one is equal parts strategy and permission to be kinder to yourself. Timestamps  00:00 The Writing Advice Shame Spiral  01:41 Meet Nicole + Her Book  05:46 Late ADHD Diagnosis + Mindset Shift  13:51 Building Better Writing Systems  17:03 ADHD Creative Strengths  27:14 Motivation + Shiny Object Syndrome  32:02 Why Outlines Help  37:35 Paralysis vs. Procrastination  41:12 Final Encouragement You can learn more about Nicole and her work here: 🌐 Writing: https://nicolebross.com 🌐 Book Coaching: https://manuscriptalchemy.com The Novel Approach: Strategies for ADHD Writers is available wherever books are sold.  Links mentioned:   When Your Brain is the Enemy: Life as a Writer with ADHD by Nicole Bross  Have a comment or idea about the show? Send me a direct text! Love to hear from you. Support the show  To become a supporter of the show, click here! To get in touch with Stacy: Email: Stacy@writeitscared.co https://www.writeitscared.co/wis https://www.instagram.com/writeitscared/ Take advantage of these Free Resources From Write It Scared:  Download Your Free Novel Planning and Drafting Quick Start Guide  Download Your Free Guide to Remove Creative Blocks and Work Through Fears

    39 min

  4. MAR 8

    What Literary Agents Look for in a Query Letter (with Ann Rose)

    If you’re querying—or even thinking about it—this episode is going to change how you approach your pitch. In this episode of the Write It Scared podcast, I sit down with literary agent and author Ann Rose to talk about what actually makes a query stand out. (Spoiler: it doesn’t have to be perfect. It has to be clear.) We dig into hook, stakes, market realities, why “Dexter meets Legally Blonde” works, and what happens after an agent requests a full. We also talk about imposter syndrome, the slower publishing climate, why publishing is product (even though writing is art), and why you might want to write your query—and your synopsis—before you finish your book. If you’ve been overthinking your pitch letter, this one will ground you fast. Timestamps  00:00 Queries Need Clarity (Not Perfection)  03:30 Ann’s Path to Agenting  07:15 Her Novels + Hook Examples  19:29 The Current Publishing Climate  23:57 What Makes a Hook Work  27:46 From Full Request to Offer  30:53 Writing Is Art, Publishing Is Product  34:50 Why You Should Write the Query First  36:45 Why Synopses Matter Tobias website - www.thetobiasagency.com Ann's website - www.amroseauthor.com Instagram/Threads/TikTok - totally_anntastic Books By Ann Rose The Seemingly Impossible Love Life of Amanda Dean  A Hexcellent Chance to Fall in Love  www.annroseauthor.com Have a comment or idea about the show? Send me a direct text! Love to hear from you. Support the show  To become a supporter of the show, click here! To get in touch with Stacy: Email: Stacy@writeitscared.co https://www.writeitscared.co/wis https://www.instagram.com/writeitscared/ Take advantage of these Free Resources From Write It Scared:  Download Your Free Novel Planning and Drafting Quick Start Guide  Download Your Free Guide to Remove Creative Blocks and Work Through Fears

    44 min

  5. MAR 1

    From 197 Rejections to a Book Deal: Querying, Revisions & Finding the Right Agent with Author Carmela Dutra

    What do you do after 197 rejections … for the same book? Well, if you’re author Carmela Dutra, you keep going. In this episode, Carmela shares the real story behind her debut cozy mystery, A Murder Most Foul—from querying too soon and rewriting extensively to finding the right agent after nearly 200 nos. We talk about saggy middles, tense slips, brutal feedback, and what it takes to rebuild a manuscript from the ground up. If you're struggling with self-doubt, facing a bunch of rejection, and just feeling like maybe it’s time to throw in the towel—this conversation will arm you with what you need to keep going and protect your mindset! Timestamps:  04:20 Personalizing cold queries 06:12 What A Murder Most Foul is about 11:19 Craft struggles: saggy middles & tense slips 15:44 Surviving 197 rejections 18:11 Ghosting & rock bottom 19:48 Finding the right agent 21:42 Learning to plot 23:10 Imposter syndrome (“Peggy”) 28:37 Querying advice 30:20 Finding time to write as a mom Guest Bio: Carmela Dutra is a writer from the Bay Area who loves food trucks, family, and cozy mysteries. Her debut, A Murder Most Fowl, has been praised by Kirkus Reviews for its “serious set of crimes leavened by plenty of amusing moments,” by Criminal Element for the “juicy reasoning behind the sabotage that was almost as shocking as the murder itself,” and described as “the perfect escapist read, brimming with banter and an extra helping of fun” by New York Times bestselling author Ellery Adams. She has also been featured in CrimeReads Magazine. To connect with Carmela and purchase her books, visit her website and check her blog series: An Author’s Guide to Quering for hot tips! Have a comment or idea about the show? Send me a direct text! Love to hear from you. Support the show  To become a supporter of the show, click here! To get in touch with Stacy: Email: Stacy@writeitscared.co https://www.writeitscared.co/wis https://www.instagram.com/writeitscared/ Take advantage of these Free Resources From Write It Scared:  Download Your Free Novel Planning and Drafting Quick Start Guide  Download Your Free Guide to Remove Creative Blocks and Work Through Fears

    41 min

  6. FEB 22

    How to Build Stakes Into Your Novel so Readers Stay Engaged

    Blog Post on Stakes with Examples  If your story feels flat or like it’s not going anywhere, check your stakes! Today, we break down what stakes really are, why “just make it worse” isn’t helpful advice, and how to create meaningful consequences for your characters that keep readers emotionally invested. We’ll talk personal, relational, and thematic stakes—and how to pressure-test them so your story actually holds. Timestamps  00:00 What Stakes Really Mean  01:37 Why Stakes Come from Choice  06:43 Personal + Relationship Stakes  11:09 Thematic Stakes  12:27 Pressure-Testing Your Story  Have a comment or idea about the show? Send me a direct text! Love to hear from you. Support the show  To become a supporter of the show, click here! To get in touch with Stacy: Email: Stacy@writeitscared.co https://www.writeitscared.co/wis https://www.instagram.com/writeitscared/ Take advantage of these Free Resources From Write It Scared:  Download Your Free Novel Planning and Drafting Quick Start Guide  Download Your Free Guide to Remove Creative Blocks and Work Through Fears

    18 min

  7. FEB 15

    On Revision Magic and Not Quitting with Author Kate Broad

    What does it really take to build a successful novel?  Kate Broad discusses leaving her romance author career to write literary fiction and how her debut novel, Greenwich, required multiple drafts and rewrites.  She shares what it's like to scrap early drafts, rebuild the story from the ground up, write complex characters that are hard to like, and what she tells herself when the writing feels hard.  If you need a reminder that your first draft can become something magical, that struggling is just part of the work and process of bringing a novel to fruition, and that you’re not doing anything wrong, you’ll enjoy our conversation.  Timestamps  00:00 – Why Revision Is Where the Magic Happens  00:19 – Welcome to Write It Scared  01:29 – Meet Kate Road  03:20 – Writing Greenwich and Starting Over  05:03 – Themes of Wealth, Power, and Privilege  07:34 – Crafting Complex, Unlikable Characters  15:47 – How the Book Changed in Revision  21:40 – Self-Doubt and Staying in the Work  30:25 – Resilience and the Reality of the Writing Life  39:43 – Final Reflections Kate Broad holds a BA from Wellesley College and a PhD in English from the CUNY Graduate Center. She is a Bronx Council on the Arts award winner for fiction, and her writing has appeared in The Rumpus, No Tokens, Electric Literature, LitHub, The Baltimore Review, and elsewhere. Her debut novel, Greenwich, was released in 2025 from St. Martin's Press and was named one of People Magazine's Best New Books, a Vanity Fair Summer Read, and an Amazon Editor's Pick for Best New Literature and Fiction. Originally from Massachusetts, she lives in the Bronx.   GREENWICH - Out now from St. Martin's Press / Macmillan! https://katebroad.com Have a comment or idea about the show? Send me a direct text! Love to hear from you. Support the show  To become a supporter of the show, click here! To get in touch with Stacy: Email: Stacy@writeitscared.co https://www.writeitscared.co/wis https://www.instagram.com/writeitscared/ Take advantage of these Free Resources From Write It Scared:  Download Your Free Novel Planning and Drafting Quick Start Guide  Download Your Free Guide to Remove Creative Blocks and Work Through Fears

    42 min

  8. FEB 8

    Writing Sex Scenes Without Cringe: What Actually Works in Fiction

    How do you write a sex scene that readers actually read and not just skim?  That’s what today’s episode is all about!  Author Accelerator certified book coaches Stacy Frazer and Jennifer Larkin team up for an honest conversation about writing sex in fiction—without cringe. Stacy and Jen discuss when sex scenes belong in a story, how explicit they need to be, and how to write intimacy that deepens character and advances the plot.  You’ll learn how genre expectations (including YA vs. adult), consent, and emotional intent shape effective intimate scenes—and how to make intentional choices that serve your story. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction  01:50 Guest: Jennifer Larkin  03:20 Do you need a sex scene in your novel?  10:04 Sex scenes in YA vs. adult  21:16 Purpose of sex scene and level of explicitness  26:20 Common mistakes  29:09 Consent on the page  35:05 When to include a sex scene  Jennifer Larkin helps romance writers turn good ideas into epic stories and jagged drafts into lovable novels.  Grab her free guide to writing better romance scenes at https://jenniferlarkin.kit.com/scenes. Connect on Social Media: Instagram: @jenniferlarkinbookcoach Substack: @jenniferlarkinbookcoach  Have a comment or idea about the show? Send me a direct text! Love to hear from you. Support the show  To become a supporter of the show, click here! To get in touch with Stacy: Email: Stacy@writeitscared.co https://www.writeitscared.co/wis https://www.instagram.com/writeitscared/ Take advantage of these Free Resources From Write It Scared:  Download Your Free Novel Planning and Drafting Quick Start Guide  Download Your Free Guide to Remove Creative Blocks and Work Through Fears

    40 min
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5
out of 5
21 Ratings

About

A podcast to help fiction writers work through self-doubt and learn the craft of writing a novel. 

Information

  • Creator
    Stacy Frazer
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    99
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Write It Scared Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Write It Scared Podcast

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