As we went around the table at the Mexican restaurant that evening doing our 90-second introductions, when Monica shared that she had a candy business AND a book, my ears perked up.

As soon as the women's networking meeting was done and I wiped the chips and salsa from my lips, I bee-lined for Monica, "I have a podcast for female writers, will you be a guest?"

Clearly, she said yes, and our conversation was so inspiring that we could have gone on for hours.

I devoured her first book, Do You Think This Is All There Really Is? On a recent trip, I dog-eared and made notes in the margins.

It turned out that the woman I met at my second networking meeting and I had a lot in common. From living in Chicago to the meaning behind finding dimes, to mold (not a fun one), and so much more.

Sitting and wondering, "Is this really all there is?" while in a corporate meeting after returning to work after my first maternity leave. I knew where she was coming from. It was this question that sparked so much for me.

I think when we become moms, this question becomes urgent for many of us.

Here are some juicy topics we cover:

• How Monica left a good on-paper corporate career to become an author and business owner, driven by a sense of unfulfillment
• Living a life led by God's Divine
• Overcoming self-doubt as a writer using automatic writing, ignoring grammar rules, and trusting her intuition.
• Overcoming all the many obstacles that stood between Monica's book draft and holding a published copy in her hands
• Trusting God's timing (it was 10 years from idea to final book!)
• How she used early negative experiences with teachers to fuel her writing, but not after totally pausing on reading and writing for years

About Monica:

Monica Marks is a speaker, author, and the owner of Yumbitz, a gummy company.

Quick Links:

• Monica's book, Do You Think This Is All There Really Is?
• Monica's website
• Yumbitz
• Monica on Instagram
• Monica on TikTok

Connect with Jacqueline Fisch:

• Writing Vitamins Newsletter

• Work together

• Instagram

• Facebook

• LinkedIn

Have you ever excitedly started out on a writing project and let the words pour out for weeks, only to lose steam? When you take a step back, the words feel jumbled. Everything appears messy, out of order — it feels like chaos.

Most people bump into chaos in their writing and do one of three things:

1. Feel overwhelmed and do nothing.

2. Switch to another writing project that feels easier.

3. Trust that the order is in there and push through.

Which one do you typically default to when the writing feels hard?

Usually, all we need is to pause, reassess the project, and even other areas of our life before moving forward again.

What you’ll hear about in this episode:

• Chaos in your writing can be representative of chaos in other areas of your life

• Writing can feel messy and chaotic at times — the key is to trust that order will come through

• When a writing project feels overwhelming, how you can switch your focus so you can get moving, because once you get going, you’ll find your flow and create momentum

• Why it’s totally normal for your feelings to change throughout your writing project

Links:

• Writing Miracle Power Hour

Connect with Jacqueline Fisch:

• Writing Vitamins Newsletter

• Work together

• Instagram

• Facebook

• LinkedIn

Let's tackle a challenge I hear a lot — "posting and ghosting." When you've been on a break from sharing content on social media or in your email newsletter and want to jump back in, how do you dive back in? What do you say? What should you skip?

If you haven't connected with your audience in a few months or even years, there's often a lot of guilt and self-consciousness that comes with returning. Sorry to break it to you, most people aren't thinking about your absence as much as you might believe.

This episode will show you practical, actionable ways to re-engage your audience.

Topics covered:

• Understanding and overcoming the guilt of "posting and ghosting"
• How to reestablish trust by focusing on direct and authentic messaging, including what to say
• What NOT to say when you reconnect with your audience
• How to be visible and consistent — you may need to remind your audience who you are and what you offer
• The importance of reconnecting with your followers and subscribers sooner rather than later
• Strategies for crafting your return message
• Dispelling the fear of "bothering" your audience

This quick episode shows you how to break your content silence and reconnect with your community.

Links:

Writing Vitamins Newsletter

Connect with Jacqueline Fisch:

Website

Instagram

Facebook

LinkedIn