Writing on Wednesdays

Circumstances have changed a lot for Nicole and Sarah – and probably for most listeners too – so we’re sharing what our current writing lives look like. We’re also taking a pause on Writing on Wednesdays for the time being until our jobs (and Sarah’s childcare situation) return to a calmer place. As always, you… Read more The post A Covid-19 Writing Update – And a Pause for the Time Being (Ep 046) first appeared on Nicole M. Roccas.

We recorded this before COVID-19 became a big deal, but gratitude is more relevant than ever! In this episode we talk about the connection between gratitude and writing, Nicole’s new gratitude journal, plus Sarah shares a tip about Instagram and we both talk about books we’ve read recently. Books we mention in this episode: Nicole’s journal of thanksgiving: https://amzn.to/2xCCC6n How Not to Diet: https://amzn.to/340Z2tS It’s Better than It Looks: https://amzn.to/39xPU1e Join the conversation in the Writing on Wednesdays Facebook Group! (https://www.facebook.com/groups/WritingonWednesdays/) Until next week, Nicole Roccas - www.nicoleroccas.com Sarah Bereza - www.sarah-bereza.com

Looking for a calming refuge from the dizzying developments around the COVID-19 pandemic? This Middlesode is for you. Settle in for instrumental music, a soft discussion about what COVID-19 lockdown looks like in Nicole’s neck of the woods, and an extended reading from Viktor Frankl’s famous book, Man’s Search for Meaning. How are you doing… Read more The post Finding Calm in COVID-19 (Middlesode) first appeared on Nicole M. Roccas.

Sometimes downtime surprises us, but sometimes we can plan ahead to make the most of it. Sarah and Nicole share how they planned (or didn’t) for downtime this winter, plus how Nicole is shaping her work around concerns about the Coronavirus. Resources we mention in this episode: How to Be an Indistractable Creative (Ep 039… Read more The post Planning for Downtime, Plus a Special Announcement! (Ep 043) first appeared on Nicole M. Roccas.

Every few months, Sarah does an at-home writing retreat. Here’s what she learned from this retreat (and why it was more “creative” than “writing”). Resources We Mention Otter Temi Sarah’s Instagram Why You Need a 5-Year Plan, on The Professor Is In podcast Join the conversation in the Writing on Wednesdays Facebook Group! Until next week,… Read more The post A Winter Writing Retreat (Middlesode 042) first appeared on Nicole M. Roccas.

Racism, death, money, faith: if it's a difficult topic, we've probably written about it. Along the way, we've learn some valuable lessons on vulnerability, self-awareness, and accepting that criticism is usually not about us. The post Writing About Difficult Topics (Ep 41) first appeared on Nicole M. Roccas.

Say hello to the single best strategy for countering distraction and boosting time- and energy- management throughout your day: time blocking. But let’s be real, life sometimes feels to chaotic and unpredictable to even give this technique try. In this Middlesode, Nicole talks about why she resisted this strategy for so long, how she changed her approach to better accommodate the uncertainties of life, and how she uses Google Calendar to effectively time block her entire week. Resources we mention in this episode: Nir Eyal’s Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life (https://amzn.to/2GCVFPe) Google Calendar: https://calendar.google.com/ Join the conversation in the Writing on Wednesdays Facebook Group! (https://www.facebook.com/groups/WritingonWednesdays/) Until next week, Nicole Roccas - www.nicoleroccas.com Sarah Bereza - www.sarah-bereza.com

We know! Focusing on sustained creative work is a huge challenge, especially given the continual presence of digital media, smartphones, and other easy distractions in our lives. Is canceling all our social media accounts and buying out of digital media the only way to beat distraction? We hope not! In this episode, Nicole talks to Sarah about some of the surprising insights she gained from reading Nir Eyal’s Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life. Resources we mention in this episode: Nir Eyal’s Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life (https://amzn.to/2GCVFPe affiliate link) Nir Eyal’s website: https://www.nirandfar.com/ Our favorite interviews with Nir Eyal from other podcasts: Art of Manliness: https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/podcast-553-how-to-become-indistractable/ Smart Passive Income: https://www.smartpassiveincome.com/podcasts/how-to-become-indistractable-with-nir-eyal/ Google Keep: keep.google.com Join the conversation in the Writing on Wednesdays Facebook Group! (https://www.facebook.com/groups/WritingonWednesdays/) Until next week, Nicole Roccas - www.nicoleroccas.com Sarah Bereza - www.sarah-bereza.com

Nicole reflects on her 2020 theme word, "Nimble," and what it means in three areas: personal life, professional, and writing. Read the full post here. Join the conversation in the Writing on Wednesdays Facebook Group! Until next week, Nicole Roccas - www.nicoleroccas.com Sarah Bereza - www.sarah-bereza.com

Nicole and Sarah talk about their recent website changes, from design to structure to SEO. The post Writer Websites (Ep 037) first appeared on Nicole M. Roccas.

On today's Middlesode, Sarah breaks down her monthly planning process. The post Monthly Planning (Middlesode 36) first appeared on Nicole M. Roccas.

From book proposals to sabbaticals to buying mascara to finally visiting a dentist after twelve years: Nicole and Sarah talk about their 2020 goals. The post Strong and Nimble: Our Goals for 2020 (Ep 035) first appeared on Nicole M. Roccas.

Nicole and Sarah share strategies and tips for writing during this very crazy season, plus a new transcription tool and Nicole asks for Sarah's forgiveness on a calendar-related matter. The post Writing for the Holidays (Ep 034) first appeared on Nicole M. Roccas.

Looking for some shiny new reads? Sarah shares her favorite reads of 2019, plus how she got back into fiction by reading on her phone. Book Links: Favorite Novel: Circe by Madeline Miller Favorite Journalism: She Said by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey Favorite Memoir: Educated by Tara Westover and Inheritance by Dani Shapiro Favorite… Read more The post My Favorite Books of 2019 (Middlesode) first appeared on Nicole M. Roccas.

Writing about religious topics isn’t the same as writing for a religious audience. Listen in to learn what makes writing for a religious audience different – and why Nicole and Sarah have both written on religious topics and for religious audiences (but not always at the same time). Resources we mention in this episode: The… Read more The post Writing for Religious Audiences (Ep 032) first appeared on Nicole M. Roccas.

Launching a book or curious about the process? Last week on the Writing on Wednesdays episode, Sarah and I talked about book launches. We threw a lot of ideas out there, so I compiled them all (and more) into a free marketing checklist specifically intended for authors publishing with a small to medium-sized press. You… Read more The post Launch Your Book: A Free Checklist (Middlesode) first appeared on Nicole M. Roccas.

At the time this episode was recorded, Nicole was days away from the release of her second book (in realtime, it’s already here!). She compares the strategies she used to launch her first book with what she hopes to do differently this time around. Plus, a tip and tool from Sarah about appointment software. Resources… Read more The post A Tale of Two Book Launches (Ep 030) first appeared on Nicole M. Roccas.

Do your routines need a reset? Sarah shares how she has changed her routines to suit a new season of life. Even when routines have served us well, they don’t necessarily serve us forever (especially with a busy holiday season around the corner). Join the conversation in the Writing on Wednesdays Facebook Group! Until next week,… Read more The post Routine Reset (Ep. 29) first appeared on Nicole M. Roccas.

Three strategies for making the most of your evergreen content. Plus, how to identify what makes content evergreen, and how to decide when to create evergreen content. Resources and Reads Nicole’s Leke Sky bag Jennifer Polk’s Twitter What to Do When Someone You Love Is Depressed by Susan K. Golant and Mitch Golant Blueberries for… Read more The post Evergreen Content (Ep. 28) first appeared on Nicole M. Roccas.

Battling fears and scarcity mentality? Lean into generosity to cultivate more abundance in your writing life! The post Abundance Mentality and Generous Writing MIDDLESODE (Ep 027) first appeared on Nicole M. Roccas.