Inspired Writer Collective Podcast
Welcome to The Inspired Writer Collective, your memoir-focused writing podcast. If you've ever felt the pull to write your truth, to shape the chaos of real life into something meaningful, and to share your journey with the world, you're in the right place. We’re your hosts Elizabeth Wilson & Stephanie Oswald, Ph.D., writers, coaches & entrepreneurs who believe in you and know how important it is to find a writing community to guide you on your path to self-publishing.
We believe your voice holds power. Telling your story isn't just a personal act of healing or reflection, it's a gift to the world. Pulling the skeletons out of the closet is challenging - unless you’re writing a memoir. Then it’s called “chapter one”.
Each week, we explore the art, heart, and craft of connecting personal narrative to your writing, memoir or fiction. Whether you're drafting your first chapter, wrestling with the messy middle, or searching for the courage to hit “publish,” we are honored to be your companions on the journey.
The world needs your voice. Memoir is the art of pulling out old skeletons and realizing they were just unspoken chapters of your story.
Episodes
120 episodes
BTS with an Indie Author - 3 weeks til Launch
Welcome to this special summer series where I invite guest hosts who were pivotal to the writing or publishing of my upcoming memoir to come on the podcast and interview me about the behind the scenes of an indie author leading up to my debut l...
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Ep 119: Self-Publishing with Elizabeth Wilson—ARC readers, final edits, book extras
This week, Elizabeth Wilson sits down with her developmental editor, Allison Lau, to reflect on her self-publishing journey. These are often the steps you don’t see every day from writers. Elizabeth decided she wanted more control over th...
Episode 118: Go With The Flow for Summer
Summer has a way of changing the rules. Your routines you’ve had since January or maybe only from Spring Break are about to get upended once again. The weather gets remarkably warmer, you want to be outside more, schedules become less predictab...
Ep 117: Writers, Your Emails Are The Letters Readers Want to Receive
This episode is your friendly reminder of why email is important for writers. It's easy to get lost in the sea of apps calling for your attention, but at the end of the day, getting your email at the top of someone's inbox is where the connecti...
Ep 116: [Shahida Alvarado] Courage, Creative Control, and Publishing on Your Own Terms
What does it really take to call yourself a writer? At the beginning of this week’s episode, you’ll hear an original poem read by our guest Shahida Alvarado. It brings to the forefront the invisible gates women face when we dare to ...
Episode 115: [Heather Bryant] Letting go after publishing your work
Elizabeth Wilson chats with author, Heather Bryant, about her experience publishing & marketing her book My Transparent during the pandemic. It’ll help you remember all of the creative ways you can use to get your book in the hands of reade...
Ep 114: Get support showing up online to connect with readers
Does the tech side of showing up online freak you out? There’s a way you can get support. This week’s episode digs into what that can look like for you. I hope you’ll listen because there are some exciting offers coming available to you! <...
Episode 113: Reframing Your Thoughts on Marketing with the Unbound Story System
In this week’s episode, Elizabeth Wilson and Stephanie Oswald, Ph.D. talk about reframing your thoughts about marketing. It’s common that hearing the word ‘marketing’ can send you into a tailspin and make you want to hide. You feel it’s a cumbe...
Episode 112:[Jared Glenn] Detaching from your story
This week, in Episode 112 of the Inspired Writer Collective podcast, Elizabeth sits down with returning guest Jared Glenn for a candid conversation about one of the most overlooked parts of the writing journey: learning to detach from your stor...
Episode 111: The Not-So-Sexy Side of Your Writer Life
On the podcast this week, we’re chatting about the CEO/Admin tasks that come with your writing life. You’re a writer. If you haven’t claimed this identity for yourself, I’d love to hop on a call and dig into what’s standing in your ...
Episode 110: [Anna Dao] Multigenerational storytelling shapes a writer's voice and process
Elizabeth Wilson chats with memoir writer Anna Dao about the rich oral storytelling tradition that shaped not just how she writes, but why.They talk about what it really takes to find your authentic voice on the page, what happens when ...
Episode 109: [Cynthia Merrill] Your Writing Process Isn't Broken
Have you ever tried following someone's writing advice? You've read all the books with guidelines for getting your outline done or advice about setting up your writing schedule, yet you're still feeling like something's not quite right. Like ma...
Episode 108: [SPECIAL] Day After Our Summit with Sharissa Bradley & Allison Lau
Our Memoir Summit was absolutely incredible! You’ll hear more about the experience in this week’s episode. We’re joined by Allison Lau & Sharissa Bradley, who not only brought incredible value as panelists but hopped into the webinars as at...
Episode 107: [BOOK CLUB] ADHD For Smart Ass Women by Tracy Otsuka
I recently read a book that stopped me in my tracks: ADHD for Smart Ass Women by Tracy Otsuka. I picked it up out of curiosity. I did not expect to see so much of myself in its pages.As a woman who just turned 50, I grew up in a time when A...
Episode 106: [Laura Thomas] The Village Behind the Byline
You're going to want to listen to this episode, especially leading up to our Memoir Summit. Elizabeth chats with Laura Thomas, who edited Elizabeth’s memoir that’s set to be published in June 2026, about the big picture of self-publishing your ...
Episode 105: Do It Scared
Episode 105: Do It ScaredYou’ll thank yourself later.It’s Stephanie here, and this message is one that I’ve needed to hear for sure!I wrestle so often with my own fears of showing up and allowing myself to be vulnerable wit...
Episode 104: [Hannah Gordon] How You Know You're Ready to Write Your Memoir
In this week’s episode, Elizabeth chats with Hannah Gordon, a writer, editor, and publisher who will be one of the panelists at our Memoir Summit on March 14, 2026. The conversation digs into the power of writing for addressing challenging stor...
Episode 103: Why You Need to Invest in Yourself as a Writer
This week Elizabeth and Stephanie talk about the importance of investing in yourself as a writer. Find the rooms with people who are writing and moving their dream forward. When you put yourself in the right room you’ll be amazed at what happen...
Episode 102: [Allison Lau] Memoir Writers, Don't Fear the Developmental Edit
Elizabeth chats with Allison Lau, a ghostwriter and developmental editor for memoir and mission-driven nonfiction, about the memoir writing process and Allison’s love for helping writers discover their voice and the story that’s meant to be on ...
Episode 101: Get to Know Your Writing Coach for ADHD Brains
Stephanie here. I’m solo for this week’s episode. Do you feel like a lot of writing advice doesn’t work for you?For example, have you tried to read & complete The Artist’s Way and you couldn’t finish. Or, the adv...
Episode 100: Ten Secrets to Finding Your Way as a Writer
When you listen to this episode and learn about the 10 Secrets to Finding Your Way as a Writer we’ve gleaned from mining through our podcast episodes, you’ll quiet your inner critic and discover you’re exactly where you need to be....
Episode 99: [BOOK CLUB] What Memoir Writers Can Learn from Reading "All the Way to the River"
In this episode, Memoir Writing Coach, Elizabeth Wilson, discusses Elizabeth Gilbert's memoir, All the Way to the River: Why All the Way to the River sparked mixed reactions from readers and why tho...
Episode 98: Looking Back to Look Forward
It’s something you’re encouraged to do at the end of each year.Do you have to do it?Well, it’s really up to you.And it doesn’t have to look the same as what everyone else is doing.In this week’s episode, we share som...
Episode 97: [Hannah Davis] Start Marketing Before Your Book is Done
Stephanie Oswald chats with guest, Hannah Davis, about marketing your book. It's marketing advice that you can fit into your author life. There are many great insights and actions items for authors. The discussion covers everything from how to ...
Episode 96: [Julie Sedler] The Recurring Emotionality of Writing Memoir
Elizabeth Wilson chats with Julie Sedler about whether or not it's normal to have so many emotions when you're writing and editing your memoir. Julie Sedler was our guest, about a year ago, for Episode 59, when she talked about the import...