003: Navigating the Writing Journey: Overcoming Challenges and Tools for Success with Stacey Swann

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July 26, 2023 • 35 mins

In this episode, we dive into Stacey Swann's journey as a writer, from her experience in writing programs to her path to publication.

Join us as Stacey shares what she wishes she knew earlier in her writing life, how she managed to persevere through tough writing moments, and the promise she made to herself to finish her book. Stacey also discusses with Zahie the valuable insights she gained from investing in coaching – including the power of conversational hypnosis and mental rehearsal tools – and how she is working on taking the shame out of not writing. Lastly, don’t miss out on the technique she reveals that you can implement right away to enhance your own writing journey.

Stacey Swann's debut novel Olympus Texas was a Good Morning America Book club selection, an Indie next pick and was long listed for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize. Stacey Swann holds an MFA from Texas State University and was a Stegner fellow at Stanford University.

We talk about:

[2:00] Stacey's experience in writing programs
[3:35] Community, feedback, and exposure to other styles of writing
[5:40] How Stacey’s experience of editing for private clients and teaching workshops informs her writing
[8:50] The path to finishing her book
[11:30] How to keep going when the writing gets tough
[14:00] The promise that removed pressure
[15:00] Stacey's path to publication
[24:15] Stacey's key takeaways from investing in coaching
[25:55] Conversational hypnosis and mental rehearsal tools
[27:45] What Stacey wishes she knew earlier on in her writing life
[30:35] Taking the shame out of not writing
[31:10] One technique to implement right away

Resources mentioned in this episode: