Inspired Writer Collective Podcast

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In this week’s episode of the podcast we’re talking about our decision to offer our own weekly writing sessions on Zoom for anyone on our email list rather than join or promote the offerings from NaNoWriMo. If you’ve been in the writing community for a while, you’re familiar with NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month, which has occurred every year in November since 1999, and became a non-profit organization in 2006. The goal of participating in NaNoWriMo is to write 50,000 words, or a novel, in a month. Recently, there’s been a lot of buzz in the writing community from writers who have moved away from collaborating or being associated with NaNoWriMo because of their stance on the use of AI technology and allegations of allowing a known child sexual predator to join their online forums. NaNoWriMo originally stated they supported the use of AI for disabled and marginalized communities. Needless to say, there was a lot of pushback from these communities and the broader writing world online who felt this stance undermined writers and the profession. One of the big issues surrounding AI is authors discovering their books have been used to train the algorithm and they’re not receiving any royalties from the use of their books. Essentially, their intellectual property has been taken without their permission to build the databases for AI to generate ideas and content for users who choose to write a book using AI. We’re most concerned with the original stance from NaNoWriMo being ableist and classist, and the lack of attention to safety for young writers in online forums. NaNoWriMo has since replaced their statement with a new perspective that doesn’t commit one way or another, and while they sent out apologies to their audience, many writers are not impressed. The fever pitch level of disdain for NaNoWriMo has many writers creating their own writing months and communities. The decision to engage with NaNoWriMo’s activities in November is up to you, but we wanted to present our perspective for you to consider how you can join with real people who are here to encourage and support your development as a writer. We invite you to join us every Monday in November from 3pm to 4pm MST on Zoom. As a subscriber to our newsletter, you’ll automatically receive the Zoom link when it’s time, but if you know of anyone else who would be interested, please encourage them to join our email list so they don’t miss out on this opportunity to show up and write. It’s about connecting with other humans and sharing in the creative energy. The human element is what’s missing when you stand behind AI. There are certainly benefits to using generative AI, such as ChatGPT, when it comes to activities like brainstorming, or suggestions for ideas, but the actual writing of the stories needs to be from the individual.

Nothing can replace the human touch on a writing project.

Every one of us has our voice, and our voices are authentic, and it’s what readers connect with when they take hold of your stories. It’s why we have this podcast and we’re working to build an online community for writers to write and learn together to improve their craft. There’s so much great writing that happens in the company of other writers. It’s been almost a year now of showing up each week for our community, and we know the value of showing up week after week dedicated to the creative process.

We look forward to se

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Our Book Club selection for July was Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez. It’s the latest contemporary romance by Stephanie’s favorite author that has received many accolades across bestseller lists and was a Good Morning America Book Club this summer. As Stephanie continues to work on her own contemporary romance series, which will be written using a pen name, Abby’s books and daily social media posts are a continuous source of inspiration, however, this book threw a curveball. A fair warning here, there may be some spoilers and unpopular opinions ahead, or simply opportunities for great conversations about what it looks like to discuss a book from a reader’s perspective and a writer’s perspective. The viewpoints do not always align. Just for the Summer is an example of success for an author who knows her readers and has established a solid backlist, even when it’s not quite the rom-com you expect. We can agree to disagree. If you go on Goodreads, there are plenty of 1-star reviews right alongside the 5-star reviews of Just for the Summer. Every reader is different. It’s a helpful reminder to anyone pursuing a writing career that even the authors whose books are appearing on best seller lists get the 1-star reviews. You definitely want to be careful about judging this book by its cover. The image doesn’t reflect the level of mental health darkness that develops for Emma. It’s a common discussion thread amongst Abby’s readers that they’re left navigating so many emotions when reading her books, but the love story doesn’t feel memorable in this one. We weren’t left feeling like we were forever hopeful for the main characters. It was surprising because the genius hook at the beginning of the book of a Reddit thread that brings Emma and Justin (the romantic heroine and hero of the book) together creates the expected rom-com vibe. While Abby does research her books with great care and sensitivity, it went too far into the family drama for Emma and wove in character connections from her other books that didn’t make sense to us. There was a difference between listening to the book and reading it. Stephanie shares how she felt like she wasn’t paying as close attention when listening to it. The narrators are so good and the experience felt similar to putting a Netflix series on in the background while you’re doing other things, so you’re not paying as close attention. A closer read, with the book in hand, brought to light the depth of Emma’s mental health challenges that presented a dark, troubling story line that overshadowed the sweetness of the love affair. We invite you to listen to the podcast to hear the details of our discussion. Our next Book Club selection is Go As A River by Shelley Read. We attended workshops by Shelley at the Mountain Words Festival in May 2024, and were inspired by her story and experience of her first novel becoming an International Bestseller. We look forward to sharing insights from her workshops and the book. We’d love to have you join the conversation with us, so if you’re interested in being a part of our Book Club podcast recording please fill out the interest form here.

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If you prefer video versions of the podcast or want to leave a comment on this specific episode, you can find all of them on our YouTube channel.

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In this episode, Elizabeth chats with Lina AbiRafeh, Ph.D. about the parallels between searching for an agent and the world of dating. Lina gets to the heart of her memoir writing process and her experience searching for an agent. You won't want to miss this delightful and insightful conversation!
Connect with Lina by signing up for her newsletter on her website: https://www.linaabirafeh.com/
ABOUT OUR GUEST:
Lina AbiRafeh, PhD.
Women's Rights Activist. Author. Speaker.
Lina AbiRafeh is a global women's rights expert, speaker, and author with decades of
experience worldwide in countries such as Afghanistan, Haiti, the Central African Republic,
Papua New Guinea, and more. Lina serves a range of organizations in a senior advisory
capacity and sits on various international boards. She is also a fellow at the Council on Foreign
Relations. Lina is a global speaker, media voice, and author of three books. She has received
numerous awards and accolades for her work including the Gender Equality Top 100
Worldwide.
LINKS:
Website: https://www.linaabirafeh.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lina-abirafeh-28774867/
Twitter: @LinaAbiRafeh
Instagram: @LinaAbiRafeh
Medium: https://linaabirafeh.medium.com/
Connect with the Inspired Writer Collective:
Join our FREE Facebook Writing Group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/inspiredwritercollective
Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://inspired-writer-collective.ck.page/24be00b363
Join our online writing community membership for women memoir writers: https://inspired-writer-collective.mn.co/
The Inspired Writer Collective is an online writing community membership for women memoir writers. Created by authors Stephanie Oswald, Ph.D. & Elizabeth Wilson, it's a supportive online space to get more writing done, improve your craft, and strategically navigate your path to publishing.
We offer weekly "Time to Write" sessions on Zoom for getting more writing done. You don't have to turn on your camera (though we'd love to see), but we'd love to meet you and encourage you on your writing journey. When you schedule time in your calendar, you're more likely to show up and it's even better when you're part of a community of writers.
Subscribe to our channel for our weekly podcast videos and inspiration for your writing journey.

We invite you to subscribe to our email list to be the first to know about our weekly podcast episodes and upcoming group programs for writers!
If you prefer video versions of the podcast or want to leave a comment on this specific episode, you can find all of them on our YouTube channel.

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It’s an especially exciting episode this week as we welcome an author who is local to us, here in Colorado, and we’ll be welcoming her to our local book club meeting next month.

Lara’s book, The Table: Seasons on a Colorado Ranch, was the result of completing her MFA at Western State University and submitting it for consideration for publication by the University’s press. It was selected and Lara was surprised and incredibly grateful.

It was a process of taking a series of personal essays and turning them into a full-length memoir. Her memoir shows her grit and gratitude for the seasons of life and reflections on the golden moments to embrace when navigating through difficult times.

It’s a memoir about her life on her family’s ranch where they raise Hereford cows and gather thousands upon thousands of bales of hay each summer. What you’ll discover as you read is it’s not just the stories of her family’s experiences, but an invitation to walk in her shoes and understand the experience of ranchers in our area in Colorado.

You’ll learn about the challenges being faced by ranchers as developers moving into the area are offering attractive sums of money to acquire land for multi-family housing developments.

There’s insight into cattle ranching and the meaning of its impact on our environment.

She was fortunate to have the support of her family who gave her space to write her book, but there were still struggles with staying focused. You’ll be interested to listen and learn about a special visitor to one of her writing spaces.

Lara masterfully weaves together various threads of her life story to connect the pieces that have contributed to her family’s success in their ranching business and in their lives. It hasn’t always been easy, but there’s a true sense of gratitude and fortitude in the work being done.

There’s a discussion of the editing process and how even with a publisher you can find errors after a book has been printed, but you can reach out and make sure any changes are made before future books are printed.

You’ll appreciate it when she talks about getting distracted and how easy it can be to be pulled away from your work. We’ve all been there. It’s why finding a place that’s not in your own backyard can be beneficial to your writing process. It can be too easy to decide to do the laundry, mow the lawn, or any other number of house chores.

We invite you, like Lara does in her memoir, to join her at The Table: Seasons on a Colorado Ranch. If you’ve written personal essays, you’re sure to find inspiration for turning your stories into a full-length memoir.

Who is Lara Richardson?
A former white-water rafting guide on the Arkansas River, LARA RICHARDSON lives with her husband and five kids on their family ranch in Salida, Colorado, where they raise over 300 Hereford mother cows and calves and grow over 30,000 bales of hay each summer. A voice for land stewardship, sustainable beef production,
and the family farm, she is a 2021 graduate of Western Colorado University’s MFA Program in Nature Writing. The Table is her first published work.
Find Lara online:
Lara Richardson Website
Lara on IG
Lara Richardson on Facebook

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This week we’re talking about our September Book Club reading of Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey. .

It’s a memoir by a celebrity that will surprise you.

You’ll stop and think about the aspects of your life that shaped your decision making and paved the path you’re on today.

We’ve all had moments in life when we’re at a crossroads with a decision to make and opportunities present themselves.

What were the greenlights that opened new pathways for you whether expected or unexpected?

The journey to living your life expressing your true creative self isn’t linear. There will be obstacles in your way and it’s up to you to decide how you’re going to face those moments.

Greenlights are a way of seeing a path through when you’re feeling stuck.

It might not be a book you’ve thought about picking up, but we found it surprisingly interesting.

It doesn’t read like a traditional memoir because it’s structured with stories from McConaughey’s life that illustrate ideas and thoughts he presents for reflection about life.

McConaughey shares stories of navigating his relationships with his family, his journey to the screen, and his eventual marriage and role as a father.

There’s an interesting sense of connection when reading this memoir, even though he’s a celebrity, because this book allows you to stop and reflect on your own life.

We’re all looking to connect with others and this book brings that to the forefront. There’s a sense of humanity and depth of creativity throughout.

McConaughey shows a lot of resilience as he navigates the challenges of his upbringing and landing his first acting roles.

You’ll find inspiration from the diligence he shows in his dedication to his craft as an actor. He didn’t want to be pigeon-holed into acting in one type of film, so he created the space for himself that he wanted despite pressures from producers to accept certain roles.

A great reminder about building space as a creative that works for you.

While it doesn’t read like a typical memoir because he spends time helping shape some of the ideas to take away from his stories, there’s a lot in his memoir that anyone can connect with in their own life.

Are you ready to start reading? If you don’t have a copy of Greenlights, you can get a copy here.

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If you prefer video versions of the podcast or want to leave a comment on this specific episode, you can find all of them on our YouTube channel.