The Write It Scared Podcast

Stacy Frazer
  • 5.0 (24)
  • Books
  • Updated Weekly

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

  1. 4d ago

    Turning Revision Up to 11: Sara F. Shacter on Resilience, Joy, and the Long Road to Publication

    Submit your writing win to the Courage Files for Season 4! What keeps a writer going through fifteen years of rewrites, rejection, and uncertainty? Middle-grade author Sara F. Shacter joins me to talk about the long journey behind her debut novel, Georgia Watson and the 99% Campaign, and how revision became less about “fixing” the story and more about uncovering its emotional heart. We discuss resilience, imposter syndrome, comparison, and the challenge of staying connected to joy while navigating the publishing process. Sara also shares practical revision strategies, the importance of community, and why progress—not perfection—is what really moves a writing life forward. If you’re stuck in the messy middle of revision or questioning whether your story is worth continuing, this episode is a reminder that persistence matters more than getting it right the first time. Timestamps 00:00 – Why Revision Matters 10:09 – The Premise of Georgia Watson and the 99% Campaign 13:48 – The 15-Year Road to Publication 22:23 – Revision Tools and Strategies 26:49 – Doubt, Comparison, and Staying the Course 31:52 – Making Time to Write 35:44 – Identity Beyond Publishing 40:44 – Progress Over Perfection 44:07 – Current Projects and Where to Find Sarah  To connect with Sara and read her debut novel, go to her website Links Mentioned:  SCBWI: Society of Book Writers and Illustrators 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

    46 min

  2. Jun 7

    Can We Pull More Play into Our Writing Process?

    Submit Your Writing Win to the Courage Files for Season 4!  Can we find more play in writing by lowering the stakes? This episode explores how perfectionism, pressure, productivity culture, and the need to “get it right” can slowly drain the joy out of creativity. I talk about where play naturally exists in the writing process—daydreaming, brainstorming, messy drafting—and why reconnecting with those moments might matter more than forcing constant productivity. Sometimes the path back to creativity isn’t pushing harder. Sometimes it’s lowering the stakes enough to let yourself explore. So if you’ve been feeling stuck in drafting or revision, overwhelmed by expectations, burned out by productivity culture, or guilty because writing hasn’t felt fun lately… this one’s for you. There’s also a quick season update and information about the new Courage Files segment coming in Season Four. Timestamps:  00:00 When expectations block creativity  00:24 Welcome to Write It Scared  01:21 Season update + Courage Files  03:48 What “play” means in writing  04:43 When writing starts to feel heavy  07:23 Lowering the stakes  08:33 Reflection prompts  09:21 Closing thoughts 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

    10 min

  3. May 31

    The Fear Doesn’t Go Away After You Publish: A Conversation with MM Romance Author Alex Cross

    Submit to Season 4 Courage Files Here!  What happens after the book is finally out in the world—and all the noise starts creeping in?  In this conversation, indie MM romance author Alex Cross joins me to talk about emotionally intense storytelling, publishing pressure, writer’s block, and the challenge of protecting your creativity once readers, reviews, and big expectations enter the picture. We talk about the Fire Between Us series and its highly anticipated second installment, From Our Ashes, which released May 4th, 2026, as well as her stunning Us duet—Echoes of Us and Becoming Us.  We dig into the craft, including keeping track of dual timelines, writing toxic relationships, character psychology, and messy, deeply human love stories. Alex also shares her journey into self-publishing, the realities of revising published work, navigating social media and comparison, and learning how to reconnect to why she writes in the first place. It’s an honest conversation about creativity, vulnerability, and continuing to write even when fear and doubt get loud. Timestamps 04:04 Meet Alex Cross 08:29 Choosing a risky debut 11:37 Echoes of Us 19:11 Crafting dual timelines 24:44 Revising published work 29:49 Fire Between Us update 33:30 Writing high-angst stories 35:53 Writer’s block + sequel struggles 37:56 Reviews, doubt, and social media 41:35 Boundaries and support systems 44:48 Protecting the magic of writing 47:26 What’s next + where to find Alex  To connect with Alex and read her books, go to her website and follow her on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok. All of Alex's books are available in KU.  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

    49 min

  4. May 24

    Writing Middle Grade Historical Fiction with Shafaq Khan

    Submit to Season 4 Courage Files Here  What does it take to keep believing in a story through rejection, rewrites, and years of uncertainty? Middle grade author Shafaq Khan joins me to talk about her debut novel, Zaina: Lost and Found, a historical adventure inspired by the real-life Hippie Trail through Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, and Turkey in the 1970s. We discuss balancing research with fast-paced storytelling, writing about identity and belonging, and the emotional resilience required to survive the long road to publication. Shafaq also shares the behind-the-scenes reality of querying, revising after difficult feedback, finding community, and learning to trust her voice as a writer. If you’re deep in the messy middle of your own writing journey, this conversation is a reminder that persistence matters—and sometimes the long road is part of becoming the writer you’re meant to be. Timestamps  00:00 – Grounding Through Story  07:12 – The Premise of Zaina: Lost and Found  11:42 – Research vs. Storytelling  24:07 – Querying and Rejection  30:00 – Tough Feedback and Big Rewrites  35:12 – Learning to Trust Her Voice  41:59 – Advice for Writers Links Mentioned: Shafaq Khan Website Instagram Tiktok  SCBWI 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

    45 min

  5. May 17

    Sometimes Walking Away From a Story is What Fixes it with Author Andromeda Romano-Lax

    Submit to Season 4 Courage Files Here! What if the answer isn’t forcing yourself or your story harder… but trusting the process a little longer? In this episode, I talk with author and book coach Andromeda Romano-Lax about her latest psychological thriller, What Boys Learn, the messy reality of revision, and why stepping away from a draft can sometimes be exactly what your story needs. We also dig into self-doubt, negativity bias, supportive feedback, and why writers grow by finishing more books—not by obsessing over making a single book perfect. Timestamps  00:00 Permission to Think  01:20 Meet Andromeda  08:38 Why She Turned to Thrillers  13:53 The Draft Breakthrough  21:07 Villains + Mystery Craft  25:46 Negativity Bias  28:17 Trusting the Process  32:56 Helpful Feedback  38:17 Why Writers Need More Manuscripts To connect with Andromeda, read her many helpful Substacks, and purchase her books, please visit her website.   She enjoys hearing from readers. You can also find her on Instagram Other links mentioned: The Career Novelist™ Podcast With Camille Pagán 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

    43 min

  6. May 10

    When You Don’t Know What Happens Next in Your Story, Try This

    Submit to Season 4 Courage Files Here!  Ever hit that point in drafting or revision where you’re not sure what should happen next?  You might know the next big plot point, but the how-to-get-there part… that’s the problem.  In this solo episode of the Write It Scared podcast, I break down why the answer usually isn’t inventing a brand-new conflict. More often, the next scene is already hidden inside the consequences of what just happened. We talk about cause-and-effect storytelling, tracking what changed in the previous scene, and how pressure from other characters and antagonistic forces naturally creates momentum. I also share a simple trick for getting unstuck when your brain goes blank: writing a messy reaction scene first.  Plus, there’s a quick update on The Courage Files coming in Season 4. Timestamps  00:00 Why Writers Get Stuck  02:07 The Courage Files Update  04:08 “What Happens Next?”  05:12 Cause-and-Effect Story Logic  05:52 Finding the Consequences  08:04 Pressure From Other Characters  09:51 The Reaction Scene Trick 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

    11 min

  7. May 3

    2 Years of Messy Growth and Trusting Her Process with Returning Guest AK Nevermore

    What if your growth as a writer isn’t supposed to be neat or linear? Who says it can't be chaotic as hell?  AK Nevermore, author of more than 20 titles, returns to talk about messy growth, genre-hopping, indie publishing, and learning craft by doing. We dig into fear, doubt, and even spite as creative fuel, plus why not every piece of feedback deserves your attention. If you’ve ever felt like your process is chaotic or your career path doesn’t look “right,” because it’s different than another author's,  this conversation is a reminder that there’s no one way to build a writing life—just the way that works for you.  Timestamps  00:00 Fear as Fuel  01:31 Meet AK Nevermore  09:19 Why Indie Publishing Works for AK  16:54 Messy Process + Pantsing  21:50 Worldbuilding + Craft  26:13 Fear, Doubt, and Motivation  30:21 Redefining Success  34:32 Choosing the Right Feedback To connect with AK and read her work please go to her website  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. Apr 26

    Making Smarter Author Career Decisions with Becca Syme

    Submit to the Courage Files  Are you worried if you’re making the right moves in your author career (ads, audio, direct sales… all of it)?  This episode will help you take a breath and zoom out. I’m joined by returning guest Becca Syme to talk about how publishing has changed—and why so many writers are making decisions from pressure, fear, or misread data. We dig into insights from her new book, Dear Writer, You Still Need to Quit, including why the old “gold rush” advice doesn’t apply anymore, what actually matters at different stages of your publishing career, and how to make smarter, more sustainable decisions. If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed by all the options—or like you’re behind—this conversation will help you reset and then move forward with more clarity. Timestamps  00:00 Why Becca Wrote This New Book  01:36 Meet Becca Syme  07:23 The New QuitBook + Publishing Shift  12:55 Saturation, Curation, and Discoverability  17:22 How Writers Misread Sales Data  20:39 The Five Phases of an Author Business  24:37 Investment vs. Speculation  26:36 Author Archetypes  29:24 Early Career Pressure + Market Awareness  32:22 Scaling Demand (Phase Two)  36:09 Later Career Phases  40:36 Decision Fatigue + Cost  42:06 Fear-Based Decisions  42:56 Where to Learn More   Guest Bio and Links Becca Syme holds a master’s degree in transformational leadership and has been a success coach (primarily utilizing the Gallup Strengthsfinder®) for over fifteen years. She’s coached over 5,000 individual authors and creatives through her Write Better-Faster and Strengths for Writers classes & coaching cohorts: six- and seven-figure authors, major award winners, midlisters, and new authors alike. Becca is the host of QuitCast for Writers, Author of the QUIT BOOKS SERIES FOR WRITERS, and a USA TODAY Best-Selling author of cozy mysteries under the pen name R.L. SYME. Website 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
See All (110)

5
out of 5
24 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
    110
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Write It Scared Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Write It Scared Podcast

You Might Also Like