🎙️ Episode Summary:
In this special "Ask Beth & Lisa" episode of Writers With Wrinkles, Beth McMullen and Lisa Schmid explore the emotional challenges of the current creative climate and share their personal writing origin stories to inspire struggling writers. With humor, heart, and a dash of wine, they offer a candid look at what first ignited their passion to write and how to reconnect with that spark during tough times.
🔑 Key Discussion Points:
- Mental health in writing: Beth and Lisa acknowledge the current collective sense of despair among creatives and share strategies for managing anxiety and rediscovering joy in the craft.
- Funny bookstore tales: Lisa recounts stealthily rearranging books at Barnes & Noble and longing for the perfect shelf placement. Beth shares her “book flipping” technique and the invisible sensor that alerts staff to authors in the wild.
- Wine and writing therapy: Lisa hilariously shares her obsession with Chateau Ste. Michelle Light Chardonnay and the great unboxing event of her case delivery.
- Unboxing video spoofing: The duo dives into the unspoken pressure behind book unboxings and how performative moments can feel inauthentic.
- Their origin stories:
- Lisa’s journey began after closing down a beloved but overwhelming nonprofit. Her pivot to writing children’s books was rooted in wanting to continue making a difference for kids.
- Beth’s motivation came from pure spite—a competitive spark after seeing a peer publish a book drove her to finish her first manuscript.
- Message to writers: Return to the emotional core that first pushed you to write. That original spark can reignite your current writing practice.
🔚 Conclusion:
In a time when many writers feel stalled or discouraged, Beth and Lisa remind us that reconnecting with your personal "why" can reignite purpose and momentum. Join the community in their private Facebook group, The Waiting Room: Therapy for Writers, for support and solidarity.
🔗 Mentioned Links:
- Join the Facebook group: The Waiting Room: Therapy for Writers
- Visit: writerswithwrinkles.net
A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts
Visit the Website
Writers with Wrinkles Link Tree for socials and more!
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist
It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.