In this episode of The Signal, I unpack the heavy, sacred decisions every writer faces when stepping into the realm of memoir and narrative nonfiction. Moving far beyond basic craft instructions, I dive into the core intention behind telling your story—and why writing a powerful memoir isn't about collecting field notes of every detail that occurred, but about serving the emotional heart of the narrative.

I open up my own vault to share the deeply personal story behind my award-winning first book, 14 Days: Loving Life with the Love of My Life. Written after the passing of my husband, Chuck, the book was birthed after I discovered 14 raw entries in his forgotten journal. I explore the painful, necessary choices I made while tucked away in Taos, New Mexico—from protecting privacy to intentionally leaving out peripheral relationships—so the narrative could remain an unbroken, sacred love story that resonance could flow through.

Whether you are wrestling with how far to go when detailing past wounds, worried about libel, or simply wondering who belongs on the page, this conversation will help you step off the battlefield of self-doubt. You will learn how to transition from a detached witness recording events to an empowered storyteller uncovering how an experience truly impacted your soul.

Today, I sat down with author, keynote speaker, and culture consultant MaryBeth Hyland, broadcasting live from the Bitterroot Mountains of Idaho.

MaryBeth shares her personal journey of untangling herself from a history of trauma, work addiction, and a desperate need for external approval and how writing became the ultimate vehicle for her freedom. Together, we explore what it truly means to step out from behind protective armor, move past the fear of judgment, and find the courage to share the unique medicine inside your lived experience.

In part two of my conversation with author Andrea K. Stein, we shift from the craft of writing to the realities of building a writing career. After publishing nearly forty books, Andrea has learned firsthand that writing the book is only the beginning. We talk about self-publishing, marketing, newsletters, networking, finding mentors, hiring the right people, and why success rarely follows the path we imagine.

One of my favorite takeaways is Andrea's reminder that there is no magic formula for becoming a successful author. Every writer's path is different. Instead of chasing someone else's success, build genuine relationships, continue learning, trust your instincts, and remember that your voice is the one thing no one else can duplicate. Whether you're preparing to publish your first book or trying to grow your readership, this conversation offers practical wisdom from someone who has spent decades learning the business from the inside out

Award-winning author Andrea K. Stein has spent more than six decades writing and has published nearly forty books, but her journey began with a young girl filling marble notebooks with stories long before she knew what it meant to be an author. In this first half of our conversation, Andrea shares how an encouraging teacher changed her life, why journalism taught her the discipline every writer needs, and why waiting for inspiration is one of the biggest myths in the creative process.

We also explore the deep satisfaction of research, the importance of discovering your genre, and the surprising ways opportunities begin to appear once you fully commit to your work. Whether you're writing fiction, memoir, or nonfiction, Andrea offers timeless wisdom about trusting your own voice, finding your process, and persevering through self-doubt. If you've ever wondered whether you really have what it takes to write a book, this conversation is a reminder that every writer's path is unique, but every journey begins the same way: by sitting down and writing.

After launching The Signal newsletter, I received an email that congratulated me on "reinventing myself." It was meant as a compliment, but the word reinvention stopped me in my tracks. Why did it bother me so much? In this episode, I unpack the unexpected emotions behind that moment and what it revealed about one of the biggest obstacles every writer—and every creative person—faces: the fear of being judged.

Last episode, we explored giving ourselves permission to pursue what truly lights us up. This time, we're taking the next step. Once you've decided to follow your creative path, what keeps you from fully showing up? Whether it's worrying about what people will think, playing it safe, or holding back the parts of your story that matter most, I believe our strongest writing lives on the other side of vulnerability. I'll share what I've learned from my own journey, from leading my writers group, and from the surprising moments when taking a small emotional risk created the deepest human connections.

In this episode, I share the unexpected story of how a chance conversation with a Starbucks barista led to the creation of Verano Writers, the writing group that helped reignite my passion for writing books. What started as a simple desire to reconnect with writing became a reminder that sometimes the things we're meant to pursue are waiting patiently for us to give ourselves permission to begin.

I also talk openly about a difficult personal turning point that forced me to reexamine parts of my life I had put on hold. In the aftermath, I realized that writing had always been more than a business skill or a side project. It was a creative calling I had been postponing for "someday." That realization led me back to publishing, back to community, and back to the joy of creating for its own sake.

If you've been feeling pulled toward a creative project, a business idea, a passion you've shelved, or a story you've been afraid to tell, this episode is an invitation to explore what's standing in your way. Sometimes the biggest obstacle isn't lack of time or talent. It's the permission we've never given ourselves.

In this first official episode of The Signal, I share why writing prompts will become a cornerstone of both this podcast and my companion newsletter. While prompts are a wonderful way to get words flowing, their real purpose runs much deeper. My goal is to help you reconnect with your authentic voice, access the stories only you can tell, and develop the courage to trust what emerges when you give yourself permission to write. Every episode and every newsletter will include a prompt designed to help you strengthen that connection and keep your pen moving.

(More on show notes page)

“I’m a writer. At my soul-deep level, I am a writer.”

Welcome to the very first transmission of The Signal. In this raw, organic, and unfiltered trailer, I’m pulling back the curtain on why I wrapped up my previous show, My Solopreneur Life, to dive headfirst into a brand-new creative conversation about writing from the soul.

I’m touching on my lifelong journey with the written word, from winning awards as a teenager and navigating a long and diverse career as a creative communications professional, to the bittersweet experience of publishing my first book, a gut-wrenching memoir about my life with my husband, Chuck, 14 Days.

If you are tired of the overwhelming, AI-infused digital noise and are aching for real, deep wisdom that moves people instead of just content that promotes agendas, products, or services, this show is your sanctuary. Whether you present in a boardroom, from a stage, in a personal journal, or on a manuscript page, The Signal is here to help you bypass your inner critic, connect with your deepest voice, and courageously untangle the red threads of your lived experience to craft what only you can write.

In this trailer, I talk about:

Why I chose to pivot from business building strategies to creative writing excavation

The unexpected magic of my local Monday morning writing workshop

The upcoming launch of my virtual writer’s program

My own raw return to the page as I rattle the rust off my writing muscles to start drafting my seventh book

Pull up a chair, leave the rigid formulas and grammar lectures at the door, and let’s go discover The Signal.