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!

If you haven’t read the Finlay Donovan books yet, you’re missing out.

I discovered Finlay last year and was immediately hooked—and have since devoured all the books. I am such a fan of this series, from both a reader AND a writer perspective, which is why I was so excited to have Finlay’s creator, Elle Cosimano, on the show.

Elle came to the Boston area with the release of the latest in the series, Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice, back in the spring and after listening to her speak I really wanted to introduce her to this community. She’s warm and funny and honest and has such a great story that I know will inspire all of you—because it inspired me.

We cover all the things:

• Her windy road through the publishing industry until Finlay hit the scene

• How a Panera Bread conversation spurred the super-fun premise of the series

• What it was like to see a genre-bending book literally catch fire

• Her secret for keeping us on the edge of our seats in literally every chapter of these books

And so much more.

If you’re a Finlay fan, you aren’t going to want to miss this. And if you’re new to Finlay, this conversation will make you want to run out and grab the books today. I can’t wait for you to listen!

You can find our more about Elle at https://ellecosimano.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!

What if the only thing holding you back from writing your book was…you?

Hear me out. Most of us are carrying around stories that someone told us at some point in our lives. Usually those stories have to do with why we can’t do something, or perhaps why spending our time writing a book isn’t a realistic endeavor. Or maybe we’ve come to believe that we’re not good enough for something.

The thing about those stories, though, is that they are never true. They’re limiting beliefs, and they’re holding us back.

In fact, it’s what holds us back more than ANY OTHER obstacle when it comes to creative expression.

I speak from experience. I’m still working through a slate of limiting beliefs every single day.

Which is why I wanted to record an episode about this for you, because we’ve covered a lot of topics lately about ways to get ourselves organized and prepared to actually start writing our books.

This is the last piece of the puzzle that we need to get out of the way.

I’m covering:

• How limiting beliefs show up and what they’re really telling us

• Where these stories came from and how we can start rewriting them

• The tools and strategies to support you in unsubscribing from limiting beliefs

If you’re struggling with self-doubt, lack of confidence or fear about your creative path, you don’t want to miss this episode.

Resources:

Sign up for the free webinar, The 3-Step Formula for Writing Your Mystery

How to Plot Even if it’s Not Your Superpower with Jessica Ellicott

The Five Key Decisions Episode

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

So you have an idea for your mystery novel. You’ve made all the decisions you need to make to know where to start. And now it’s time to dive in.

This week on the show I’m talking about getting started writing your book—the actual pen to paper (or fingers to keys) part.

And we’re starting with the world you’re going to build for your story. This episode covers all the elements your story needs to get started, your setting, your hook, your characters and your plot.

World building isn't just for fantasy or sci-fi genres—it's essential in mysteries too. It involves crafting a rich, immersive environment that enhances your story's atmosphere and plot.

Whether your mystery unfolds in a big city or a tiny village, world building sets the stage for the story you’re telling.

World building is a really fun part of writing a book - and I’m going to tell you how to do it.

I’m covering:

• Why it’s really important to get your world right - whether you’re writing a series or a standalone

• How to make your setting stand out

• How to find the right hook

• How to create multidimensional characters - including your villains

• The most important plot elements to identify whether you’re a plotter or not

And so much more.

If you want to build an unforgettable world your readers will be dying to spend time in, don’t miss this episode.

Resources:

How to Plot Even if it’s Not Your Superpower with Jessica Ellicott

The Five Key Decisions Episode

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.

Get on the waitlist for The Mindful Mystery Writer’s Masterclass - opening soon!

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

So you want to write that mystery?

Awesome! I love when people own their creative dreams. But it’s not as simple as just sitting down and waiting for the muse to strike with her fairy wand full of creativity.

Instead, we’ve gotta do some things to set ourselves up for success.

I’ve been writing mysteries for the past two decades, and one thing I learned is the importance of understanding exactly what kind of book you’re writing BEFORE you get started.

On today’s episode of the Get Writing Podcast, I’m talking about the major decisions you need to make before you start writing your mystery.

You might have an idea for a mystery. Or you just know you want to write one and that’s enough to get you started. And this episode is going to help you make the big decisions that will get you writing your masterpiece.

This episode will help you:

• Set yourself up for success before you write a word

• Nail down exactly what kind of story you want to write, so you can understand reader expectations

• Get clear on where and when your book should take place

• Understand who your characters are and which one should be telling the story

And so much more.

If you want to get clear about what you’re writing so you can sit at your desk with confidence, you don’t want to miss this episode.

And I’ve got a FREE guide to go along with this episode that walks you through each of the decisions - grab it below.

Resources:

The Five Key Decisions You Need to Get Started Writing Your Mystery - grab it here!

Get on the waitlist for The Mindful Mystery Writer’s Masterclass - opening soon!

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

How do you actually set yourself up for writing success?

I don’t mean the nuts and bolts of learning how to write or practicing your craft. Yes, that’s important—but that’s not everything.

I’m talking about the mental prep work you have to do to get your mindset, your confidence and your motivation high enough to write.

There’s a lot of inner work we need to do to lay the groundwork for success and perseverance, no matter what’s going on externally. And then there are the external systems that keep us on track.

I put up an Instagram post a while back about systems and why writers need them and you told me that it was a topic you wanted to hear more about. So here we go!

I’ve become a systems queen. I don’t know how it happened, because I’ve always struggled with process and project management. But between working full time and writing multiple books a year FOR YEARS, I finally needed to figure out a better way. Which meant I needed a system to get myself writing every day, or most days at least, make enough progress to feel good about myself, and make writing a priority in my life - even if it wasn’t the thing I could spend the most amount of time on.

In this episode, I’m talking about what it means to create systems that will get you writing and keep you writing so you can fulfill the creative promises you made to yourself.

I’m covering:

• Why it’s so important to understand yourself and your own brain

• What I learned over the years about me that impacted the way I wrote—and even the outcomes

• The systems I have in place to ensure ease and productivity in my writing

• How to create systems that work for you so you can get to your best writing life

If you’ve been struggling with getting your writing started and keeping it on track, this episode will change your whole approach.

I can’t wait to see what you create!

Resources:

Episode 2: How to project manage your writing with Christine Carron

Episode 33: The most important tool in a writer’s toolbox

Monday Hour One - Brooke Castillo

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

Friends, I’ve got a treat for you this week! If you love Halloween and coffee as much as I do, get excited for this episode.

I have fellow cozy author Emmeline Duncan joining me on the show today. Emmeline’s books are so much fun. She’s the author of the Ground Rules Mysteries about barista Sage Caplin and her coffee cart in Portland, Oregon. She’s also the author of a new series about a year- round Halloween-themed town in Oregon. The first book, Chaos At The Lazy Bones Bookshop is out this summer and it’s delightful.

Emmeline is a girl after my own heart—clearly, she’s obsessed with coffee and Halloween—and also animals and books, so as you can imagine we have a lot to talk about.

We cover:

• Our joint obsession with coffee and how it turned into a series for her

• The northwest vibe and how it plays well into mystery writing

• How there really is a Halloween-themed town in Oregon, and how she used that as a

basis for her new series

• Her journey from writing YA to becoming a mystery author

• How to create a cozy setting in a big city

And so much more.

You can find out more about Emmeline at https://emmelineduncan.com/

And make sure you’re following me on IG @lizmugavero for the latest episodes!