What would you do if you were writing your first business book in 2025? In this episode, I share the seven key strategies I wish I'd known when writing my first book and how you can use them to finally get your expertise onto the page.

Listen to discover:

• Why waiting to feel "ready" is holding you back from becoming an author (and what to do instead)
• The power of writing for one specific person who needs your help right now
• How treating your book as a strategic business move transforms your writing journey
• Why scheduling non-negotiable writing time is crucial for book-writing success
• The importance of getting support from day one (and why going it alone makes everything harder)
• How sharing your writing journey openly builds anticipation and support for your book
• Why writing the book only you can write is your secret weapon for success

Your years of expertise and client experience are enough - you don't need another qualification or "one more year" of experience to write your book. What matters is taking action now, with the knowledge you already have.

Whether you're just starting to think about writing a book or you've been putting it off for years, this episode will give you the permission and practical steps you need to write the damn book already!

Enjoy!

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My book, ‘Dare to Write: How to Write a Nonfiction Book to Grow Your Business,’ is available now on Amazon and on my website.

• Website: https://stephcaswell.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephcaswellauthor/?hl=en
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephcaswell/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/creatinghappywriters

If you enjoyed today’s episode, please leave a review on your favourite podcast platform:

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Listen to all previous podcast episodes on my website via the podcast platforms below or by searching for 'Creating Happy Writers' on your favourite podcast provider.

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Have you ever had that gut feeling that it's time to make a change but struggled to trust your intuition? Or wondered what it would take to pursue that creative dream you've had since childhood?

You’ll definitely want to listen to this episode with my guest, Amber Byers.

Amber is the head judge of the Tadpole Press 100-Word Writing Contest, an international writing contest celebrating creativity and community. She blogs regularly at Living a Life Imagined, which is dedicated to positivity and authenticity. Amber’s published works include The Magic Door Origin Story, a sci-fi story inspired by her childhood, and Sophie and Spot, which won a Gold Medal from Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards.

During this inspiring conversation, we explore:

• Amber's transition from law to writing after realising her true passion lay in creativity rather than legal work
• How to trust your gut instincts when making creative decisions and distinguish between fear and genuine intuition
• The importance of allowing yourself to be playful and imperfect in first drafts, free from external expectations
• Why finding the right writing community is crucial for growth and how to handle negative criticism constructively
• Amber's role as a diversity editor specialising in Native American representation in literature
• Why maintaining creative space and reconnecting with your authentic voice matters more than achieving perfection

I thoroughly enjoyed having this conversation with Amber; it offers such valuable insights for anyone looking to embrace their creative calling, build confidence in their writing, and find joy in the creative process.

I hope you enjoy listening.

Website

My book, ‘Dare to Write: How to Write a Nonfiction Book to Grow Your Business,’ is available now on Amazon or directly via my website.

Website: https://stephcaswell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephcaswellauthor/?hl=en

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephcaswell/

If you enjoyed today’s episode, please leave a review on your favourite podcast platform.

Listen to all previous podcast episodes on my website via the podcast platforms below or by searching for 'Creating Happy Writers' on your favourite podcast provider.

• How a simple personality exercise can help find the differences and similarities between your everyday voice and your writing voice

• A tool you can use that doesn’t require any writing at all - and we’ve all got easy access to it!

• Simple yet crucial research to help you sound more like yourself and less like an imitation of other authors - no matter how incredible they may be - and why I think it’s perfectly acceptable to write how you speak.

• Buy a copy of Julia Cameron’s book - The Artist’s Way - here and learn more about Morning Pages.

• If you enjoyed today’s episode, please leave a review on your favourite podcast platform:

• Subscribe to my fortnightly newsletter - The Write Stuff - which is full of advice on writing and publishing a book in your niche.

• Download my FREE PDF - 5 Steps to Plan a Bestselling Book in Your Niche

• Dare to Write: How to Write a Non-Fiction Book to Grow Your Business - Amazon
• Dare to Write: How to Write a Non-Fiction Book to Grow Your Business - Website

• Why waiting for the perfect space will hold you back from achieving your writing goals
• How consistent writing spaces train your brain for better productivity
• How setting boundaries during writing time protects your creative space
• The importance of making your space inviting (without falling into the perfectionism trap)
• How creating a dedicated writing space shifts your author identity
  
  

• The unexpected ways hormones can impact our writing process - from brain fog and fatigue to confidence shifts
• Why rest isn't just 'nice to have' but essential for your creativity
• Practical strategies for adapting your writing practice during hormonal changes - including energy management, nutrition tips, and creating the right environment
• My personal experience with perimenopausal symptoms and how it's affected my writing journey
• Why this isn't about "losing your edge" - but embracing a new phase of your creative life