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

Alice Crider | Book Editor, Author Coach, Certified Life Coach
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Books
  • Updated Weekly

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.

Episodes

  1. Faith It ’Til You Make It: The Blind Spot Between You and Your Calling | Ep05

    2d ago

    Faith It ’Til You Make It: The Blind Spot Between You and Your Calling | Ep05

    What if the wall between you and the work you were made to do isn’t your writing, your marketing, or your platform at all — but something much closer to home? In this episode, I get honest about what this show is not about (writing tips, marketing hacks, the usual strategies) and what it’s really for: calling you up to your highest self-expression. I share my story of chasing my dream of becoming an editor, the fake-it-til-you-make-it season that nearly got me fired, and how almost losing that job became the catalyst that revealed the blind spots I’d built without even knowing it. Because here’s the hard-and-hopeful truth for heart-led authors: that glass ceiling? You put it there. And the moment a blind spot is revealed for what it is, it can disappear — leaving wide-open space you never dared to dream of. In this episode Why the wall you’re fighting almost never lives where you think it doesThe difference between striving harder and getting aligned — and why alignment is what actually creates momentumHow my near-firing became the turning point toward coaching, freedom, and her callingThree honest invitations to move you forward this week (not a method — just truth) The three invitations Name your heart’s desire — if time and money were no object and you knew you couldn’t fail, what would you want? Don’t edit it. Just name it.Step into it — picture who you get to become when that dream is fulfilled, then do the one thing that person would do this week.Faith it ’til you make it — not fake it. Stop speaking against your dream and start standing in agreement with who you’re becoming. Faith isn’t denying reality; it’s trusting that the promise is greater than your present circumstances. “They were never the ones who hustled the hardest. They were the ones who got aligned — aligned with their calling, their voice, their truth. And alignment creates unstoppable momentum.” Free Resources for You 📒 Free Guide: Creating an Ideal Reader Avatar 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. 📒 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. Come find your people Longing for a community where authenticity is actually the strategy — not just a pretty word on a website? That’s The InkWell Collective. There’s a seat for you. → https://www.alicecrider.com/inkwellcollective Go deeper Ready for the work that goes straight to the heart of what’s holding you back? I offer private coaching to help you become the dynamic author you’re meant to be — in your writing, on your platform, and in the way you talk about your work. → alicecrider.com Don’t miss what’s next If this resonated, hit subscribe wherever you’re listening. New episodes are on the way. You’ve got a story worth telling and a message to deliver. Keep writing, friend.

    12 min
  2. What Readers Actually Want From You (Hint: It’s Not Perfection)| Ep04

    Jun 8

    What Readers Actually Want From You (Hint: It’s Not Perfection)| Ep04

    You’ve poured yourself into your writing. You’ve revised, wrestled, and stayed up too late getting it right. And still — crickets. Polite nods. A readership that doesn’t quite connect the way you hoped. Here’s what I’ve noticed after working with writers and manuscripts for years: most of the time, the gap isn’t about the quality of the writing. It’s about whether the writing is speaking to what the reader actually feels. In this episode, I talk about felt needs — what they are, why they matter, and how learning to enter through your reader’s door changes everything about how you write and how deeply you connect. In This Episode What a felt need really is — and why writing to it is the difference between prose that lands and prose that doesn’tThe pattern I keep seeing in gifted writers who aren’t yet connecting with their readersWhy readers don’t need you to be perfect — they need you to be realThree things that work, every time: get curious about your reader’s interior world, be real before you are right, and lead them somewhereThe story of an author who transformed my life — by basically telling me I was the problem A Line Worth Sitting With “The writers who connect most deeply are not the ones with the most polished prose. They’re the ones with the most honest hearts.” This Week’s Invitation Think about your current project — your book, your blog, whatever you’re working on right now. Ask yourself honestly: “Am I entering through my reader’s door? Am I focusing on their felt need, or am I coming from mine?” You don’t have to rewrite anything today. Just sit with the question. Links & Resources 📒 Free Guide: ⁠Creating an Ideal Reader Avatar⁠ 📒 Free download: ⁠⁠Your First 100 Readers Roadmap⁠⁠ 📒 Work with Me — If you’re realizing there’s a gap between what you’re writing and what your reader needs, Alice’s coaching helps you find the blind spots keeping you from the bigger picture: alicecrider.com 💠 The InkWell Collective — A community of heart-led authors committed to writing with honesty and intention. Authenticity isn’t just a word there — it’s how members show up for each other and for their readers https://www.alicecrider.com/inkwellcollective ************************************* Enjoying the Podcast? If this episode meant something to you, would you share it with a writer friend who needs to hear it? Think of someone who’s been pouring their heart into their writing and wondering why it’s not landing. Send it their way. And if you have a minute, leaving a review helps more heart-led authors find their way here. I’m genuinely grateful for every single one. ************************************* About Your Write Life Coach Your Write Life Coach is hosted by Alice Crider — author coach, book editor, and certified life coach. Alice has worked with hundreds of authors and manuscripts over the years, and she brings that perspective to every episode: not as the expert with all the answers, but as someone who has witnessed the full arc of the writing journey and knows what it looks like from the inside. New episodes drop every Monday. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you never miss one. Keep writing. Keep showing up. Your story matters. Your message can change lives.

    11 min
  3. I Almost Got Fired — And the 3 Authenticity Shifts That Changed My Life | Ep03

    Jun 1

    I Almost Got Fired — And the 3 Authenticity Shifts That Changed My Life | Ep03

    Have you ever felt so harshly judged that you stopped being yourself just to survive? In this deeply personal episode, I share the story I don't tell lightly — the time I almost lost my dream job, and what happened when desperation finally pushed me toward the most important discovery of my career: the power of becoming my real self. This one is for every heart-led author who's been performing instead of writing — who's been trying to sound like someone else, shrinking back from what feels too real, or waiting for permission to show up as exactly who they are. Spoiler: the permission is yours. And it's long overdue. What You'll Hear in This Episode The true story of how I climbed from struggling single mom to a 25+ year career in book publishing — without the credentials, the plan, or the safety netWhat it actually felt like to almost be fired: the shaking hands, the panic attacks, the lunch breaks spent crying in a parking lotThe decision that changed everything — and why personal development might be the most underrated writing tool you haveWhy so many heart-led authors are writing from a performed version of themselves (and how readers can tell)Three shifts that transformed my career Key Takeaways 1. Stop trying to write like someone else. Your voice, your angle, your specific way of seeing the world — that's the thing no one else can replicate. Lean into it, even when it feels exposed. Especially then. 2. Do your inner work. The stories you tell yourself about your writing will limit you more than any publishing gatekeeper ever could. Investing in your own personal growth isn't a detour from your writing journey — it's a shortcut. 3. Don't wait until you hit bottom. You can choose, right now, to start showing up as the real you — not the version you think should get published, not the one that looks good on social media. The real one. That's the writer readers are waiting for. This Week's Reflection Prompt Where am I performing? Where in my writing — or in my life as a writer — am I being someone I think I should be, instead of who I actually am? Sit with that question. Write about it in your journal. Let it surface something. That's it. Just that one thing. Resources & Links Mentioned 📒 Free Guide: Creating an Ideal Reader Avatar 📒 Free download: ⁠Your First 100 Readers Roadmap⁠ 📒 Discover Your Writer's Voice Workbook — Six powerful exercises to help you write from the heart and find the voice that's uniquely yours. Grab your copy here. 💠 The InkWell Collective — The community for heart-led authors where authenticity isn't just a buzzword — it's the actual strategy. Check it out here. Connect with Me Website: alicecrider.comFacebook The InkWell Collective************************************* Loved This Episode? If this episode struck a chord, would you share it with a writer friend who needs to hear it? Think of someone who's been pouring their heart into their writing and wondering why it's not quite landing. Send it their way. And if you have a minute, leaving a review helps more heart-led authors find their way here. Every single one means the world. "I'm not the same girl who sat in that parking lot crying. And the difference isn't that life got easier. The difference is that I stopped hiding." — Alice Crider, Your Write Life Coach ************************************* About Your Write Life Coach Your Write Life Coach is hosted by Alice Crider — author coach, book editor, and certified life coach. Alice has worked with hundreds of authors and manuscripts over the years, and she brings that perspective to every episode: not as the expert with all the answers, but as someone who has witnessed the full arc of the writing journey and knows what it looks like from the inside. New episodes drop every Monday. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you never miss one. Keep writing. Keep showing up. Your story matters. Your message can change lives.

    10 min
  4. The Hidden Cost of Hustling for Attention | Ep02

    Jun 1

    The Hidden Cost of Hustling for Attention | Ep02

    Have you ever found yourself posting, promoting, and showing up everywhere online — and still feeling invisible? Or worse, like you've somehow lost the thread back to why you started writing in the first place? In this episode, I get honest about the hidden cost of hustling for attention — and it's not just your time. It's your voice. Drawing on stories from my coaching and editing work, and from my own experience trying to "be everywhere" before I even had a book to market, I explore what happens when heart-led authors trade authenticity for algorithms. The good news? The path back is simpler than you think — and it starts with writing something no one will ever see. What You'll Hear in This Episode The story of Mary — a writer with a powerful manuscript who stopped writing for six months chasing social media advice from a conference speaker with 60K followersMy own misadventures with online marketing, and what I learned when I ran out of ideas entirelyWhy hustling for attention cost you more than your time The difference between creating and performing, and how to tell which one you're doingA simple rule I gave Mary that had her writing feeling like "coming home" again within three weeksWhy you don't need 60,000 followers Key Takeaways 🖋️ Notice where your writing energy is going. Creating feels like: I have something to say. Performing feels like: I need to be seen. One is sustainable. The other will hollow you out. 🖋️ Protect your writing time as sacred. Write first — before the metrics, before the posts, before the platform. Keep the thread back to your own voice, because that thread is everything. 🖋️ Visibility without an authentic voice isn't visibility. It's just noise. Your readers find you through your truth, not your hustle. This Week's Invitation Write something you're not going to post. Not a draft, not a caption, not content — just writing. Something private, something true, something for no one but you. Let it remind you what your voice actually sounds like when no one's watching. That's the voice your readers are waiting for. Links & Resources Mentioned 📒 Free Guide — Creating an Ideal Reader Avatar 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. Grab it here → 📒 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. 🔖 Seasonal Workshop Go deeper into writing with authenticity as your actual strategy. See what's coming up → 💠 The InkWell Collective A community where authenticity isn't a buzzword — it's the whole foundation. If you're craving a place to write, grow, and be seen for exactly who you are, the door is open. Come find us → Connect with Me Website: alicecrider.comFacebook The InkWell Collective************************************* Loved This Episode? If this episode struck a chord, would you share it with a writer friend who needs to hear it? Think of someone who's been pouring their heart into their writing and wondering why it's not quite landing. Send it their way. And if you have a minute, leaving a review helps more heart-led authors find their way here. Every single one means the world. ************************************* About Your Write Life Coach Your Write Life Coach is hosted by Alice Crider — author coach, book editor, and certified life coach. Alice has worked with hundreds of authors and manuscripts over the years, and she brings that perspective to every episode: not as the expert with all the answers, but as someone who has witnessed the full arc of the writing journey and knows what it looks like from the inside. New episodes drop every Monday. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you never miss one. Keep writing. Keep showing up. Your story matters. Your message can change lives.

    9 min
  5. Why “Build a Platform” Is Unhelpful Advice for Writers | Ep01

    Jun 1

    Why “Build a Platform” Is Unhelpful Advice for Writers | Ep01

    If you’ve ever Googled “how do I get more readers” and gotten back “build your platform” — this episode is for you. In this episode, I share the story of an unlikely author: a rocket scientist who never set out to write a book, had zero social media presence, and ended up with a six-book deal with a traditional publisher. His secret? He followed his heart and stayed open to creative ideas about how his work could find people. I draw on years of editing hundreds of books to reflect a pattern I keep seeing: authenticity reaches readers in ways that algorithms never will. The “build your platform” advice isn’t just unhelpful for many writers — it can actually pull you away from the very thing that makes your work compelling. This episode will leave you with two practical questions to sit with — and a very different way of thinking about how your book finds its people. WHAT YOU’LL HEAR Why “build your platform” has become the default advice — and why it’s often the wrong adviceThe remarkable true story of a rocket scientist who landed a six-book traditional publishing deal with no social media, no following, and no marketing strategyTwo things I keep seeing in authors who find readers without hustling onlineWhy your first 100 true fans matter more than 10,000 followersThe questions that might change everything KEY QUOTE “Social media doesn’t necessarily sell books. Authenticity does.” — Alice Crider YOUR INVITATION THIS WEEK Don’t think about your platform. Think about one person. Just one person who would genuinely love what you’re writing. Picture them. Who are they? Where are they? What do they need that your book offers? Sit with that. Let it be specific. Let it be real. RESOURCES & LINKS 📒 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. 🔖 Go deeper: Explore additional offerings and workshops at alicecrider.com 💠 Join the community: The InkWell Collective — a community where authenticity is the strategy, the culture, and the way we gain momentum. Connect with Me Website: alicecrider.comFacebook The InkWell Collective -------------------------------- Loved This Episode? If this episode struck a chord, would you share it with a writer friend who needs to hear it? Think of someone who's been pouring their heart into their writing and wondering why it's not quite landing. Send it their way. And if you have a minute, leaving a review helps more heart-led authors find their way here. Every single one means the world. -------------------------------- About Your Write Life Coach Your Write Life Coach is hosted by Alice Crider — author coach, book editor, and certified life coach. Alice has worked with hundreds of authors and manuscripts over the years, and she brings that perspective to every episode: not as the expert with all the answers, but as someone who has witnessed the full arc of the writing journey and knows what it looks like from the inside. New episodes drop regularly. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you never miss one. Keep writing. Keep showing up. Your story matters. Your message can change lives.

    9 min

  6. May 20

    Introducing: Your Write Life Coach

    If you're a heart-centered author of non-fiction, fiction, or memoir who is done with confusion and ready for clarity — done with hustle and ready to rise — you're in the right place. Welcome to Your Write Life Coach! I'm Alice Crider, your write life coach. As a book editor and certified life coach with almost 30 years inside the publishing world, I've worked with hundreds of authors across every phase of the publishing journey. And what I see again and again is this: the authors who publish with the most impact aren't the ones who hustle the hardest. They're the ones who get aligned. In this podcast, I'll bring you real talk, practical tools, and the kind of encouragement that actually moves you forward — helping you shift from "What do I need to DO to get published?" to "Who do I need to BE to have the success I want?" Because you don't just have a book to write. You have a contribution to make. And the world needs your words. Subscribe now and start building the writing life you’ve always imagined. And grab free resources at alicecrider.com. Take a deep breath, friend. I'm so glad you're here.

    3 min

Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

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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