Podcast
The Whole Writer
Hosted by Nicole Meier · EN
The Whole Writer podcast with Nicole Meier creates space for writers to nurture both their craft and themselves, exploring what it means to write from a place of wholeness rather than depletion.
If you’re an emerging author seeking guidance, this podcast is for you!
22episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
111. Resistance, Creativity, and Returning to Yourself on Cracking Open
1w ago00:37:54Tap to summarizeI'm sharing an interview I originally recorded for the Cracking Open podcast because the conversation feels just as relevant for our Whole Writer community.We talk about something I believe deeply: creativity isn't reserved for people with endless time, perfect circumstances, or extraordinary talent. It's a practice of returning to yourself—again and again.In our conversation, we explore:• How I found my way back to writing after years of raising three children and caring for family.• Why resistance so often disguises itself as "not enough time," perfectionism, or fear of being judged.• The small, consistent habits that helped me build a sustainable writing life.• Why confidence doesn't come before we begin—it grows because we begin.• How creativity supports not only our writing, but our sense of wholeness.Whether you're drafting a novel, revising a memoir, or simply trying to reconnect with the creative part of yourself, I hope this conversation encourages you to keep showing up for your work—and for yourself.If this episode resonates, I'd love to hear from you. You can find more encouragement, craft essays, and thoughtful reflections for novelists and memoirists in my Dear Whole Writer newsletter.To find Molly Carroll's podcast, Cracking Open, visit here.
Transcribe →110. AI, Agency Decay, and the Messy Draft Worth Writing
3w ago00:15:30Tap to summarizeIs AI quietly eroding your creative confidence? I’m sharing what I’m seeing in manuscripts as an editor, discussing the concept of “agency decay,” and making a case for why the messy, uncertain work of drafting is exactly where your writer’s voice gets made.In this episode:Why AI-generated pages are recognizable to agents, editors, and book coachesWhat “agency decay” is and how it chips away at your creative confidence over timeThe difference between using AI as a tool vs. letting it replace your creative work3 practical strategies to reclaim your voice and trust yourself on the pageFor fiction writers, memoir writers, and anyone who’s been tempted to outsource the blank page, this one’s for you.To find more on Nicole, visit nicolemeier.com
Transcribe →109. Should You Self-Publish? One Novelist's Journey from Traditional to Indie with Annie Cathryn
Jun 1600:30:07Tap to summarizeWhat happens when traditional publishing stalls your career — and you decide to take matters into your own hands?In this episode, Nicole sits down with award-winning novelist Annie Cathryn (The Friendship Breakup, Eat the Cake) to talk candidly about her journey from querying 125 literary agents, landing a traditional publishing deal, and ultimately making the leap to self-publishing her latest novel.Whether you're a fiction writer wondering how to self-publish your first novel, or a traditionally published author weighing a move to indie publishing, Annie's story is full of hard-won wisdom and practical insight.They cover:What it really takes to query literary agents — and why 125 rejections isn't failureWhy traditional publishing didn't work for Annie's sophomore novel (and why it had nothing to do with her writing)How she launched an indie publishing business in a single day — LLC, website, pub date and allThe honest learning curve of self-publishing: book formatting, cover design, IngramSpark vs. Amazon, and what she'd do differentlyThe real benefits of being an indie author: creative control, real-time sales data, and choosing your own pub dateHow to decide whether traditional or self-publishing is the right fit for your author careerAnnie's debut novel Eat the Cake — a story of grief, unexpected hope, and a scavenger hunt through Florence — releases July 21st. Find her on Instagram @msanniecathryn and pre-order at bookstoread.com/anniecatherine.For more on Nicole Meier, visit nicolemeier.com
Transcribe →108. How to Know When to Shift
Jun 200:17:09Tap to summarizeThat quiet, nagging feeling about your manuscript? It might be trying to tell you something important.In this episode, novelist and writing mentor Nicole Meier gets honest about one of the hardest decisions a writer can face: knowing when it's time to set a manuscript aside, pivot your publishing path, or start something new — and how to make that call from a place of clarity rather than fear or desperation.Nicole shares the personal story of shelving her own early novel after receiving rare, detailed agent feedback — a decision she credits as one of the most aligned choices of her writing career. Four published books later, she's here to help you ask the same honest questions she asked herself.In this episode, you'll learn:How to tell the difference between normal creative resistance and a deeper signal that something isn't workingThe 5 questions to ask yourself when your manuscript feels misalignedWhat to do if you've been querying literary agents for months (or years) without successWhy "switching it up" is not the same as quitting — and when it's actually the wisest creative moveHow to define your authorial identity before starting your next projectWhat alignment really means for novel writers and memoirists — and why it changes everythingThis episode is for you if:You're a novelist or memoir writer sitting with a manuscript that feels "off"You're deep in the query trenches and wondering whether to keep goingYou're considering alternative publishing paths like small press, hybrid, or self-publishingYou want to write books that feel true to who you are as a storytellerWhether you're working on your debut novel, revising a memoir, or deciding whether to keep querying — this conversation will help you move forward with intention.For more on Nicole Meier, visit here.
Transcribe →107. Cultivating Hope as a Novel Writer with Miranda Beverly-Whittemore
May 1900:35:40Tap to summarizeFeeling stuck, discouraged, or lost somewhere between your first draft and your publishing dreams? In this episode of The Whole Writer, I sit down with New York Times bestselling novelist Miranda Beverly-Whittemore (Bittersweet, Fierce Little Thing) for an honest, inspiring conversation about the realities of a long writing career — and how to keep going anyway.Miranda shares the full arc of her publishing journey: from selling her debut novel at 25 in a six-figure deal, to having a second book sell fewer than 2,000 copies, to eventually landing on the New York Times bestseller list — and what she learned at every painful, pivotal turn.In this episode, you'll discover:How to strategically study the books you love to write more compelling, commercially resonant fictionWhy outlining doesn't have to be at odds with literary writing — and how Miranda thinks about plot like a piece of gossipWhat it really means to shelve a manuscript, and how to emotionally move forwardHow shame silences writers in publishing — and why breaking that silence mattersMiranda's plot coaching work and how she helps stuck writers rediscover their story's potentialA simple, powerful practice for reigniting hope when writing feels impossibleWhether you're querying your first novel, navigating submission with your agent, or wondering if your shelved manuscript means you've failed — this conversation will remind you why you started and how to keep going.🎙️Connect with Miranda: Website | The Plot Solution on Substack 🎙️Connect with Nicole: Website | Dear Whole Writer on Substack
Transcribe →106. Why You Feel Behind on Your Book (And What to Do Instead)
May 500:11:54Tap to summarizeIf you're writing a novel or memoir and you can't shake the feeling that you're somehow running out of time — this episode is for you.In today's episode, I'm talking about one of the most common and most painful stories writers carry: the belief that the book should already be done, that you're behind, that everyone else is further along. And I want to challenge that story directly.Because here's what I've come to believe after years of writing and working with writers: writing a book is not a single event. It's a practice. And when you start treating it like one — when you bring long-game thinking to your creative life — something genuinely shifts.In this episode, I share:Why treating your book like a finish line is keeping you stuckThe one question that changes how you approach your manuscript every dayWhat it actually means to build a sustainable writing practiceHow to get unstuck when your draft isn't working the way you hopedWhy the writers who finish books they're proud of are the ones who stopped rushing and started tendingWhether you're working on your first novel, somewhere in the middle of a memoir, or trying to restart a writing practice that's gone quiet — this one's for you.🎙️ Find more at NicoleMeier.com🎙️ Connect with Nicole on Substack
Transcribe →105. How to Build a Novelist Career: Body of Work, Publishing Mindset & Staying in the Game with Camille Pagán
Apr 2100:31:49Tap to summarizeMost writers focus on the book in front of them — but what does it actually take to build a novelist career that lasts? In this episode, I sit down with Amazon Charts and Washington Post bestselling author Camille Pagán to talk about the long game of fiction writing: what it looks like, what gets in the way, and how to keep going when the path gets hard.Camille shares the body-of-work strategy that transformed her career after a rocky start, why operating from your "Plan B" quietly undermines your writing goals, how to build belief before you have evidence of your own success, and what patterns she sees most often in authors who struggle to sustain a career versus those who don't. She also talks about her author coaching membership and what emerging and published novelists alike need to hear about the publishing industry right now.Whether you're drafting your first novel, navigating life after a debut, or wondering if a long-term writing career is even possible for you — this episode will give you the perspective shift and practical grounding you need.🎙️You can find more about Camille Pagan here.🎙️You can find more about Nicole Meier here.
Transcribe →104. Stuck on Your Novel or Memoir? It's Patience or Focus (Not Discipline)
Apr 700:15:20Tap to summarizeIf you're a novel or memoir writer who isn't finishing your manuscript, this episode is for you.Most stuck writers assume they need more discipline — more willpower, more consistency. But after sitting with dozens of manuscripts as a developmental editor, I've found that's almost never the real issue. What's actually getting in the way is one of two very specific problems: a patience problem or a focus problem. They look similar. They feel similar. But they have completely different causes — and completely different solutions.In this episode, I walk you through both, including how to tell which one is running the show for you right now, and what to do once you know.If you've been spinning your wheels on your novel or memoir, feeling stuck, frustrated, or like you're somehow falling behind other writers — this episode will help you finally name what's happening and move forward.Topics covered:Why stuck writers misdiagnose their own problemWhat a patience problem really looks like in your draftWhat a focus problem is doing to your creative energyThe key questions to help you figure out which one you haveThe Whole Writer podcast explores what it means to write from a place of wholeness — nurturing both your craft and yourself.🎙️Find more on Nicole Meier here.
Transcribe →103. Writing for Love vs. Writing for Money: The Passion Pay Gap with Will Parker Anderson
Mar 2400:29:17Tap to summarizeWhat if your writing passion and your paid writing career aren’t meant to fully overlap?Many novelists and memoir writers feel discouraged when their creative work doesn’t immediately translate into income. You love writing. You feel called to tell stories. But the reality of publishing, book deals, and building an author platform can make it feel like you’re falling behind financially while chasing creative fulfillment.This episode explores the Passion Pay Gap — the emotional and financial space between what you love to write and what currently pays your bills.I’m joined by Will Parker Anderson, senior editor at Penguin Random House and founder of Writer Circle, who offers a deeply encouraging and realistic perspective on:• Why most writers won’t earn a full-time income from books alone • How your day job can support — not sabotage — your creative life • The myth of “getting paid to do what you love” • How to define success beyond book deals and advances • Making peace with seasons of slow creative progress • Practical ways to keep writing when life feels fullIf you’ve ever wondered:“Am I wasting my writing talent?” “Should I quit if my books aren’t paying?” “Is it possible to pursue publishing and still enjoy writing?”This conversation will feel like a deep exhale.Whether you're drafting your first novel, querying agents, writing memoir, or balancing writing with a full-time career, this episode offers clarity, permission, and a healthier way to think about money, creativity, and your long-term writing life.Because being a writer isn’t just about landing a book deal.It’s about building a meaningful body of work — in ways that fit your real life.🎙️Find more on Will Parker Anderson here.🎙️Find more on Nicole Meier here.
Transcribe →102. Why You Keep Rewriting Instead of Finishing Your Book
Mar 1000:12:42Tap to summarizeIf you keep rewriting the same pages of your novel or memoir instead of finishing your draft, this episode is for you.Many writers get stuck in the hard middle of drafting — scrolling back, revising sentences, and wondering why they can’t move forward. But this isn’t a productivity problem. It’s often about perfectionism, fear, and losing connection to the emotional reason you started writing your book.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why writers get trapped in the rewriting loopHow to move forward in your first draft without abandoning qualityThe difference between drafting and revisionHow to reconnect with the core emotional thread of your storyWhat it really takes to finish a novel or memoirWhether you’re writing your first book or revising a manuscript that feels stuck, this episode will help you build momentum and write forward with courage.If you want deeper guidance on structure and revision, join my Substack membership for novel and memoir writers ready to strengthen their drafts before they spiral.🎙️Find Nicole's Substack here.
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