Melissa Fraterrigo talks about journaling as a judgement-free zone, about writing never being static, and how writing about ourselves can be the finest kind of self-care. 

Melissa Fraterrigo’s memoir, The Perils of Girlhood was published by the University of Nebraska Press in Fall 2025, and named by Literary Hub as one of “100 Notable Small Press Books of 2025.” She is also the author of the novel Glory Days (University of Nebraska Press), which was named one of “The Best Fiction Books of 2017” by the Chicago Review of Books as well as the short story collection The Longest Pregnancy (Livingston Press). Her fiction and nonfiction have appeared in numerous literary journals and anthologies from storySouth and Shenandoah to Notre Dame Review, Sou’wester and The Millions. She teaches creative writing at Purdue University, in the Butler University MFA in Creative Writing program, and is also the founder and executive director of the Lafayette Writers’ Studio in Lafayette, Indiana, where she offers classes on the art and craft of writing. She lives with her husband and two daughters in West Lafayette, Indiana and can be found at melissafraterrigo.com. \

⏰ DEVELOPMENTAL EDITING SLOTS AVAILABLE (limited): http://rachaelherron.com/edit

📚 Patreon Exclusive Secret podcast! http://patreon.com/rachael

👽 Worldshift SpecFic Conference: Free! http://rachaelherron.com/worldshift

🏠 Ink Village! Check it out here: http://rachaelherron.com/inkvillage

(New perks, like editing! And quarterly online writing retreats included!)

Ink In Your Veins: How Writers Actually Write (and how you can, too)

Writing doesn't have to be so hard. With internationally bestselling author Rachael Herron, learn how to embrace ease, reject perfectionism, and finally create your perfect writing process. (Formerly known as How Do You Write) Come for inspiration, stay for lots more.

📙 Publish Your Book! https://rachaelherron.com/publish

EXCLUSIVELY FOR WRITERS (join my writer's list): 

➡️ How to Know If You’re Writing the Right Book - https://rachaelherron.com/therightbook 

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Sacha and Rachael are really having fun now!

⏰ DEVELOPMENTAL EDITING SLOTS AVAILABLE (limited): http://rachaelherron.com/edit

📚 Patreon Exclusive Secret podcast! http://patreon.com/rachael

👽 Worldshift SpecFic Conference: Free! http://rachaelherron.com/worldshift

🏠 Ink Village! Check it out here: http://rachaelherron.com/inkvillage

(New perks, like editing! And quarterly online writing retreats included!)

Ink In Your Veins: How Writers Actually Write (and how you can, too)

Writing doesn't have to be so hard. With internationally bestselling author Rachael Herron, learn how to embrace ease, reject perfectionism, and finally create your perfect writing process. (Formerly known as How Do You Write) Come for inspiration, stay for lots more.

📙 Publish Your Book! https://rachaelherron.com/publish

EXCLUSIVELY FOR WRITERS (join my writer's list): 

➡️ How to Know If You’re Writing the Right Book - https://rachaelherron.com/therightbook 

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Amy Pennza talks about the ways indie differs from traditional publishing, as well as dishing about her favorite hack for getting rid of echoes in our writing! 

Amy Pennza is a USA Today Bestselling Author of steamy fantasy romance. After becoming a lawyer because everyone insisted writing wasn’t a “real job,” she stubbornly wrote anyway—and is delighted to have proved them wrong. She’s grateful to spend her days crafting dirty, swoony books about magic, swords, and unforgettable characters. She lives in the Great Lakes region with her husband and five children. DHAMPIRA is her most recent release. 

⏰ DEVELOPMENTAL EDITING SLOTS AVAILABLE (limited): http://rachaelherron.com/edit

📚 Patreon Exclusive Secret podcast! http://patreon.com/rachael

👽 Worldshift SpecFic Conference: Free! http://rachaelherron.com/worldshift

🏠 Ink Village! Check it out here: http://rachaelherron.com/inkvillage

(New perks, like editing! And quarterly online writing retreats included!)

Ink In Your Veins: How Writers Actually Write (and how you can, too)

Writing doesn't have to be so hard. With internationally bestselling author Rachael Herron, learn how to embrace ease, reject perfectionism, and finally create your perfect writing process. (Formerly known as How Do You Write) Come for inspiration, stay for lots more.

📙 Publish Your Book! https://rachaelherron.com/publish

EXCLUSIVELY FOR WRITERS (join my writer's list): 

➡️ How to Know If You’re Writing the Right Book - https://rachaelherron.com/therightbook 

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Naima Coster talks about how to trust that future writer self, about crafting beginnings that hold the seeds of the book, and about leaving behind the pages that we don’t need anymore. 

Naima Coster is a New York Times bestselling author and a recipient of the National Book Foundation’s 5 Under 35 honor. Her novel, What’s Mine and Yours, was a Read with Jenna pick and named a best book of the year by Kirkus Reviews, Esquire, Marie Claire, and more. Her first novel, Halsey Street, was a finalist for the Kirkus Prize. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Elle, Time, and The Cut. She earned her MFA at Columbia University and has taught writing for over a decade. Naima lives in Brooklyn. Take What You Can is her most recent novel. 

The Cut article: https://www.thecut.com/article/learn-to-trust-writing-instincts.html

⏰ DEVELOPMENTAL EDITING SLOTS AVAILABLE (limited): http://rachaelherron.com/edit

📚 Patreon Exclusive Secret podcast! http://patreon.com/rachael

👽 Worldshift SpecFic Conference: Free! http://rachaelherron.com/worldshift

🏠 Ink Village! Check it out here: http://rachaelherron.com/inkvillage

(New perks, like editing! And quarterly online writing retreats included!)

Ink In Your Veins: How Writers Actually Write (and how you can, too)

Writing doesn't have to be so hard. With internationally bestselling author Rachael Herron, learn how to embrace ease, reject perfectionism, and finally create your perfect writing process. (Formerly known as How Do You Write) Come for inspiration, stay for lots more.

📙 Publish Your Book! https://rachaelherron.com/publish

EXCLUSIVELY FOR WRITERS (join my writer's list): 

➡️ How to Know If You’re Writing the Right Book - https://rachaelherron.com/therightbook 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dimitry Elias Léger is the author of God Loves Haiti, a finalist for the PEN Open Book Award. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, Time, Fortune, Granta, The Miami Herald, Literary Hub, The Millions, and The Source. Beyond his writing, Léger studied geopolitics at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and served as an advisor to the United Nations for a decade. He lives between Brooklyn, Geneva, and Martinique. Death of the Soccer God is his most recent release. 

The Ishiguro article mentioned!

📚 Patreon Exclusive Secret podcast! http://patreon.com/rachael

👽 Worldshift SpecFic Conference: Free! http://rachaelherron.com/worldshift

🏠 Ink Village! Check it out here: http://rachaelherron.com/inkvillage

(New perks, like editing! And quarterly online writing retreats included!)

Ink In Your Veins: How Writers Actually Write (and how you can, too)

Writing doesn't have to be so hard. With internationally bestselling author Rachael Herron, learn how to embrace ease, reject perfectionism, and finally create your perfect writing process. (Formerly known as How Do You Write) Come for inspiration, stay for lots more.

📙 Publish Your Book! https://rachaelherron.com/publish

EXCLUSIVELY FOR WRITERS (join my writer's list): 

➡️ How to Know If You’re Writing the Right Book - https://rachaelherron.com/therightbook 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jaclyn Moriarty talks about self-doubt, the difficulty of making decisions, and the fun of figuring out time travel in this delightful chat! 

Jaclyn Moriarty is the award-winning author of books for readers of all ages. One of the talented and popular Moriarty sisters (including Liane and Nicola), Jaclyn lives in Sydney, Australia, along with her teenage son. Time Travel for Beginners is her most recent release. 

📚 Patreon Exclusive Secret podcast! http://patreon.com/rachael

👽 Worldshift SpecFic Conference: Free! http://rachaelherron.com/worldshift

🏠 Ink Village! Check it out here: http://rachaelherron.com/inkvillage

(New perks, like editing! And quarterly online writing retreats included!)

Ink In Your Veins: How Writers Actually Write (and how you can, too)

Writing doesn't have to be so hard. With internationally bestselling author Rachael Herron, learn how to embrace ease, reject perfectionism, and finally create your perfect writing process. (Formerly known as How Do You Write) Come for inspiration, stay for lots more.

📙 Publish Your Book! https://rachaelherron.com/publish

EXCLUSIVELY FOR WRITERS (join my writer's list): 

➡️ How to Know If You’re Writing the Right Book - https://rachaelherron.com/therightbook 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In which Sacha talks about her SOPs for writing, and Rachael marvels at how different the two of them are 😂

🏠 Ink Village! Check it out here: http://rachaelherron.com/inkvillage

(New perks, like editing! And quarterly online writing retreats included!)

Ink In Your Veins: How Writers Actually Write (and how you can, too)

Writing doesn't have to be so hard. With internationally bestselling author Rachael Herron, learn how to embrace ease, reject perfectionism, and finally create your perfect writing process. (Formerly known as How Do You Write) Come for inspiration, stay for lots more.

📙 Publish Your Book! https://rachaelherron.com/publish

EXCLUSIVELY FOR WRITERS (join my writer's list): 

➡️ How to Know If You’re Writing the Right Book - https://rachaelherron.com/therightbook 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tiffany Crum’s first novel is a breakout success, but it wasn’t a straight line getting there. How did she do it? She tells us here. 

Tiffany Crum grew up on a dairy farm just down the road from a maximum-security prison. A longtime Californian, she now lives in Atlanta with her husband, two sons, and dogs, and spends her free time trying to keep her vegetable garden alive. Her debut novel, This Story Might Save Your Life, is a New York Times bestseller, an Amazon Best Book of March, a Book of the Month selection, and a BBC Radio 2 Book Club pick. It will be published in twenty-three languages and is under option for television.

🏠 Ink Village! Check it out here: http://rachaelherron.com/inkvillage

(New perks, like editing! And quarterly online writing retreats included!)

Ink In Your Veins: How Writers Actually Write (and how you can, too)

Writing doesn't have to be so hard. With internationally bestselling author Rachael Herron, learn how to embrace ease, reject perfectionism, and finally create your perfect writing process. (Formerly known as How Do You Write) Come for inspiration, stay for lots more.

📙 Publish Your Book! https://rachaelherron.com/publish

EXCLUSIVELY FOR WRITERS (join my writer's list): 

➡️ How to Know If You’re Writing the Right Book - https://rachaelherron.com/therightbook 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’re wanting to make your writing stronger (immediately), don’t skip this one! Better, stronger verbs will change everything! 

Sarah L. Kaufman is a Pulitzer Prize-winning critic, a writing teacher, and an award-winning author. Her newest book is VERB YOUR ENTHUSIASM: How to Master the Art of the Verb and Transform Your Writing. Sarah was the chief dance critic of The Washington Post, where she wrote about the arts, entertainment, and society for 27 years. She also writes for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Monocle magazine, among others. Her debut book, The Art of Grace, was a Washington Post Notable Book, and won the Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Award, and a Spirituality & Practice Award. Sarah was a 2024 Penn State Foster-Foreman Distinguished Writer, and she has taught at Harvard, American University, and Princeton, where she was a McGraw Professor of Writing. She has received journalism fellowships from the Nieman Foundation and French-American Foundation, and she is currently working on her next book.  

⚙️ The Artist's Way Club: https://rachaelherron.com/taw/

🏠 Ink Village! Check it out here: http://rachaelherron.com/inkvillage

(New perks, like editing! And quarterly online writing retreats included!)

Ink In Your Veins: How Writers Actually Write (and how you can, too)

Writing doesn't have to be so hard. With internationally bestselling author Rachael Herron, learn how to embrace ease, reject perfectionism, and finally create your perfect writing process. (Formerly known as How Do You Write) Come for inspiration, stay for lots more.

📙 Publish Your Book! https://rachaelherron.com/publish

EXCLUSIVELY FOR WRITERS (join my writer's list): 

➡️ How to Know If You’re Writing the Right Book - https://rachaelherron.com/therightbook 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meredith Doench talks about how to move forward with a first draft (even when you think you should stop) and why it might be the most important thing you do! 

Meredith is the queer crime writer of the Luce Hansen sapphic thriller series and the stand-alone novels, Never Say Die and Whereabouts Unknown. She is an avid armchair detective and amateur web sleuth who loves all things mystery. Doench’s works of short fiction and nonfiction have appeared in literary journals such as Hayden’s Ferry Review, Women’s Studies Quarterly and The Tahoma Literary Review. She was one of the founding associate prose editors of the literary journal Camera Obscura: Journal of Literature and Photography and teaches creative writing and literature at the University of Dayton in Ohio. Never Say Die is her most recent release.

🏠 Ink Village! Check it out here: http://rachaelherron.com/inkvillage

(New perks, like editing! And quarterly online writing retreats included!)

Ink In Your Veins: How Writers Actually Write (and how you can, too)

Writing doesn't have to be so hard. With internationally bestselling author Rachael Herron, learn how to embrace ease, reject perfectionism, and finally create your perfect writing process. (Formerly known as How Do You Write) Come for inspiration, stay for lots more.

📙 Publish Your Book! https://rachaelherron.com/publish

EXCLUSIVELY FOR WRITERS (join my writer's list): 

➡️ How to Know If You’re Writing the Right Book - https://rachaelherron.com/therightbook 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ember Mae talks about how to create a compelling character, and also talks about how to run a successful Kickstarter! 

Ember Mae writes books where found family thrives, pets scheme, and laughter is always off-leash. She writes cozy mysteries and holiday romcoms, and one day plans to mix those two genres together. She writes cozy and romantic books that will have you laughing, swooning, and crying with characters that feel more like friends. She can be found at embpublishing.com 

Kickstarter 101 with Ember Mae: https://www.authornation.live/kickstart-together-101?lid=12152 

🏠 Ink Village! Check it out here: http://rachaelherron.com/inkvillage

(New perks, like editing! And quarterly online writing retreats included!)

Ink In Your Veins: How Writers Actually Write (and how you can, too)

Writing doesn't have to be so hard. With internationally bestselling author Rachael Herron, learn how to embrace ease, reject perfectionism, and finally create your perfect writing process. (Formerly known as How Do You Write) Come for inspiration, stay for lots more.

📙 Publish Your Book! https://rachaelherron.com/publish

EXCLUSIVELY FOR WRITERS (join my writer's list): 

➡️ How to Know If You’re Writing the Right Book - https://rachaelherron.com/therightbook 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.