Lessons on Hope for Writers on Season 2 of the Write It Scared Podcast
As Season 2 of The Write It Scared Podcast comes to a close, I want to leave you with something that feels a bit like a love letter.
It’s part pep talk, part permission slip, part greatest hits. It’s filled with emotional honesty and I hope it hits you right where you need it most.
Because this season wasn’t just about interviews or craft or even mindset. It was about staying in it. About not giving up when things get hard. About remembering why we write, especially when it’s messy or slow or full of doubt.
What Season 2 Taught Me (and Maybe You, Too)
Nearly 30 episodes. From character arcs and worldbuilding to genre talk, querying, and the emotional chaos of putting your work into the world.
And somewhere in all that, the heart of the show got louder and clearer:
This podcast is about hope.
Hope and learning. Hope and information. Hope and connection. Hope and being the writers we want to be. Being the humans we want to be.
So before I step away for a few weeks of rest and then gear up for season three, I want to remind you of a few things—things I know are easy to forget in the weeds of drafting, revising, or comparing your progress to everyone else’s highlight reel. Things I need to be reminded of too.
If You’re Feeling Discouraged, Here’s What I Want You to Know:
You have permission to write the story you wish existed.
You have permission to write slowly.
You have permission to rest.
You are allowed to not know how the story ends and still keep writing toward it anyway.
You’re allowed to be frustrated with your draft and still show up for it.
You’re allowed to believe it matters, even if no one else sees it yet.
You are allowed to trust your voice—even when it feels shaky.
You do not have to be fearless to do this work.
You just have to keep showing up.
What Hope Sounds Like: Words from Our Season 2 Guests
If you’ve been around here for a while, you’ve probably heard me say it before: my definition of hope is hearing other people’s stories.
So here are a few voices (and the corresponding episodes) I’ll be carrying with me into the summer, and I hope you will too:
On Trusting the Process
Ep 41 Michele Regenold reminded us that stories are layered, and we don’t get to know our characters in one pass—just like real people.
Ep 66 Kristin Offiler said: Don’t be the first person to tell yourself no. Let someone else be the one to do that. You just keep going.
On Kindness, Joy, and Comparison
Ep 43 MK Pagano reminded us all to be kinder to ourselves and just strive to be a better version of us than we were yesterday.
Ep 45 Trisha Jenn Loehr said we deserve to enjoy the kind of romance stories we want to tell.
Ep 55 Alexandria Faulkenbury reminded us to celebrate what we do get done, instead of constantly measuring what we don’t.
On Struggle, Resilience, and Showing Up Anyway
Ep 53 Demi Michelle Schwartz said to hold on to happiness even when the industry feels like a dumpster fire.
Ep 63 Brooke Adams Law told us to be relentless in the pursuit of our writing.
Ep 49 Michael Fedor reminded us to believe in the power of our stories—and to learn how to market that power, too.
Ep 65 Gloria Huang spoke about the quiet strength it takes to stay in the game.
On Risk, Publishing, and Possibility
Ep 67 AM Deese said someone out there needs your story—you just have to put it into the world.
Ep 59 Amy Bernstein reframed rejection as a healthy risk. One worth taking.
Ep 61 Gina Kammer reminded us that speculative fiction, in particular, invites us to dream and hope for a better future and that writing makes meaning on many levels.
Ep 51 Amy Nielsen gave us a structure for creating communities and getting creative support: you need someone ahead of you, someone beside you, and someone you’re helping along.
The One Thing I Want You to Remember: Your story matters.
Don’t let anyone—especially yourself—talk you out of writing it.
Whether you’re stalling out halfway through the draft, quietly thinking “maybe I’m not cut out for this,” or wondering if it’s worth it to keep going, this is your reminder: Yes. It is.
And I’m rooting for you. Hard.
What’s Coming Next (and How to Stay Connected)
I’ll be back in the fall with new episodes, new guests, and more tools to help you grow your confidence and your craft.
In the meantime, if you want deeper support for your novel-writing journey, my small group coaching program for commercial fiction writers reopens in September. It’s for writers who are tired of second-guessing themselves, stuck in the middle of their story, and ready to move forward with clarity, structure, and support.
Until Then…
Take care of yourself.
Protect your joy.
And keep writing it scared.
Ready for a writing community that not only cheers you on but also gives you the tools, structure, and support to finish your novel?
Group Coaching with Write It Scared is for commercial fiction writers of any genre who are ready to stop second-guessing and start making real progress.
Inside, you’ll get expert guidance, honest, compassionate feedback, and a proven process (based on Author Accelerator’s signature tools like The Blueprint for a Book and The Inside-Outline) that meets you where you are — plus a tight-knit group of writers who truly get it.
You’ll walk away with a stronger draft or outline, clearer direction, and the confidence to keep writing — even when it’s hard.
✨ Fall 2025 enrollment is now open.
Join us and take the next brave step in your writing journey.
