Does fear play a starring role in your everyday life? Are you constantly crippled wondering if you should try something, start something, do something different because you’re afraid it could go wrong - or maybe that it could go right?

Yeah, same. Fear has been a constant passenger of mine in so many areas of my life. I’ve tried to banish it, ignore it, outthink it, and finally befriend it. None of it really worked for me. It keeps popping up, over and over, like that friend you have outgrown but can’t seem to shake.

My guest on the podcast today has been there too. And he was so determined to get past it that he wrote a whole book on it. Charlie Barclay is the author of [re]build - Moving Past Fear to Find Purpose, a motivational speaker and coach who has had a LOT of practice combating fear.

His book dives into the realities of how fear can cause us to miss our life, and gives us actionable steps to start moving forward, one baby step at a time.

I loved chatting with him about this topic - he’s funny, authentic and totally open about his own struggles.

We talk about:

• His own fears about writing and how he overcame them

• How to look at fear so it’s not so, well, scary

• The cost of quitting

• How to start taking action in your own life so it feels doable

And so much more.

If you’ve got something you’ve been wanting to do but have been paralyzed on how to start, this episode is for you.

You can find Charlie and his book here: https://www.charliebarclay.com/

Want more writing inspo? I have answers to all your burning questions about writing and publishing. Download my Ultimate Guide to Writing and Publishing Your Mystery.

I’m on IG @lizmugavero - follow for info on the latest episodes!

If you’ve been struggling with how to make time for your writing because you have, well, life— I’ve got you covered. I have a new friend on the show today - and she’s here to talk about this whole mystical concept of balancing writing with life.

This is so many people’s story. It’s definitely been mine, and it’s my guest today’s as well. Her story will resonate with you regardless of what’s taking up your time. She is a new mom, so that’s a big part of her experience—but even if your children are furry or you have no children at all, you’ll be able to relate to our conversation.

Josee Smith is an indie author and book coach for working moms who want to finish the novel of their dreams. She achieved her childhood dream of finishing a novel and publishing it in 2021, and now she supports other writers with the same dream. As a new mom with a busy job, she understands the challenges of managing it all, and she also believes strongly that writing and creativity can help women feel like themselves again after the chaos of motherhood.

We talk about:

• The REAL challenge of writing (hint - it’s not the writing)

• How to achieve more in less time

• The impact of small steps

• Finding your identity beyond parenthood

And so much more.

If you’re struggling right now with balancing it all, this episode is for you.

You can find out more about Josee and her work here: https://www.joseesmithbookcoach.com/

Want more writing inspo? I have answers to all your burning questions about writing and publishing. Download my Ultimate Guide to Writing and Publishing Your Mystery.

I’m on IG @lizmugavero - follow for info on the latest episodes!

If you’ve been around for a while you’ve probably heard me talk about how writing isn’t just about writing. It’s about creating an inner world that supports your writing. For me, that means meditation, journaling and other spiritual techniques that help me stay grounded and centered.

And I love when I meet other creatives who approach their work the same way.

My guest this week is one of those people. Kirsten Rudberg is such a magical person. She says she has only ever wanted to be a polymath - which, if you don’t know what that is because I didn’t, is a “person of wide-ranging knowledge or learning.”

She certainly is. Aside from this, she's the creator of Byte Sized Blessings the podcast, the "Murder of 2" animated series, as well as "Roller Mom.” She's a beekeeper and sci-fi junkie and wonders why we all just can't get along.

Honestly, she’s a freaking delight and I loved the conversation we just had.

We talked about:

• How she relates to the Universe and opens herself up to creative messages,
• Teaching creative people using myths and folklore to jumpstart their writing
• How she incorporates social justice into her work
• How she’s able to treat writing like a playground

And so much more.

If you’ve been wanting to open yourself up to the magic of the creative process more, this is the episode for you. I can’t wait for you to listen.

You can find out more about Kirsten and listen to her show at: https://bytesizedblessings.com/

Join me in my FREE MASTERCLASS, The 3-Step Framework for Writing a Mystery!

Want more writing inspo? I have answers to all your burning questions about writing and publishing. Download my Ultimate Guide to Writing and Publishing Your Mystery.

I’m on IG @lizmugavero - follow for info on the latest episodes!