184 This chat w/ bestselling memoirist Molly Wizenberg covers it all: partnership, parenting, writing, teaching, navigating midlife, and taking brave action. At its heart though, it's a chat about following our desire, even when it disturbs the status quo.

About Molly's latest memoir, The Fixed Stars: "At age 36, while serving on a jury, author Molly Wizenberg found herself drawn to a female attorney. Married to a man for nearly a decade and mother to a toddler, Wizenberg tried to return to her life as she knew it, but she felt that something inside her had changed irrevocably. Instead, she would discover that the trajectory of our lives is rarely as smooth or as logical as we’d like to believe."

Covered in this episode:

• Why The Fixed Stars had such a big impact on Nadine
• How to develop self-trust even when the path forward is unclear
• Why we must not abandon ourselves
• How to grow as individuals within a partnership
• How Molly and Nadine (both mothers and teachers) prioritize their writing time
• How to become an emboldened writer even when we're afraid
• What Nadine's and Molly's mid-life journeys have looked like
• The impact of books on their lives and on the mainstream conversation around women and mid-life
• Mid-life body empowerment
• The brave action they've taken this past year

About Molly:

Molly Wizenberg is a memoirist, essayist, and teacher of personal narrative writing. She is the author of The Fixed Stars, a Stonewall Honor Book and a 2021 finalist for the Washington Book Award in biography and memoir. Her previous books, A Homemade Life and Delancey, were both New York Times bestsellers. Her work has appeared in The Guardian, The Washington Post, and Bon Appétit, where she was a columnist for three years. She also cohosts the weekly comedy-and-food podcast Spilled Milk, where, with co-host Matthew Amster-Burton, she’s been chewing on-mic since 2010. In other lifetimes, she wrote the James Beard Award-winning blog Orangette (2004-2019) and co-founded the Seattle restaurants Delancey and Essex. Today she writes the newsletter I’ve Got a Feeling, which a very astute person once described as “a chronicle of enthusiasms.” She teaches writing workshops online and around the world.

Newsletter: https://mollywizenberg.substack.com/

Website: https://www.mollywizenberg.com/

Current workshop offerings: https://www.mollywizenberg.com/upcomingworkshops

Podcast: https://www.spilledmilkpodcast.com/

Instagram (though I’m not there much): https://www.instagram.com/molly.wizenberg/

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir,

183 In this candid episode, Nadine reviews the highlights and hardships from the past year. She shares the god, bad, and the complicated when it comes to navigating mid-life, parenting a middle-schooler, living in FL, having difficult conversations w/ loved ones, prioritizing fun, and everything in between.

Access for the full episode will be available on Fri Jan 31st when you become a paid subscriber on Substack.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Good Grit, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women’s writing and wellness workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.

Find out more at nadinekenneyjohnstone.com

To receive her regular essays, subscribe to her Substack

182 We're bringing back this encore episode to celebrate Tamara and Nadine's Jan 22 masterclass: Writing for Major Magazines. Replay will be sent if you can't make it live.

Episode originally aired in 2021: How does an idea become a book? How do you find the time to write in the midst of working and parenting? How do you overcome fear of what others will think of your writing? Nadine and Tamara talk about all these things and more in this inspiring interview!

About Tamara:

Tamara Belinfanti is a Jamaican writer whose work explores themes of identity, transitions, and belonging. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Vogue, Barron’s, Brevity Blog, The Jamaica Gleaner, and PREE, a magazine of contemporary Caribbean writing. A graduate of Harvard Law School, she is a professor of law at New York Law School.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Good Grit, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women’s writing and wellness workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.

Find out more at nadinekenneyjohnstone.com

To receive her regular essays, subscribe to her Substack

181 What if a gap year wasn't only reserved for high school grads trying to find themselves? Writer, hiker, and anti-capitalist tiny biz owner, Nic Antoinette, discusses the inspiration behind her 2025 grown up gap year, and Nadine opens up about the moment of jealousy that led to her "apprentice year." This is not a new-year-new-you, live-your-best-life episode. Instead, Nic and Nadine talk openly about how they are trying to be real with their plans and expectations for 2025. Nic also discusses the other ways she has curated a values-aligned life and career. In this inspiring and permission-granting conversation, you'll feel encouraged to make choices that challenge the norm in order to live a life that is a right fit for you.

Covered in this episode:

• Why Nic writes so transparently about money
• How honesty and privacy can exist at the same time
• Creating a values-aligned approach to work and life
• The burnout that comes from being accessible to too many people
• How we can be honest with ourselves with no pressure to do anything about it
• How Nadine and Nic have pivoted in their lives and careers
• The key question that will help us take imperfect action
• The price of admission that Nic was willing to pay for peace of mind
• How Nic's divorce impacted her outlook on change
• What Nic and Nadine are doing during their gap and apprentice year
• Their worries about how these changes will impact their lives and careers
• Nurturing our off-line lives

About Nic:

Nic Antoinette is a writer, long-distance hiker, and anti-capitalist tiny business owner. She writes a weekly personal essay series on Substack called Wild Letters, and is the author of two adventure memoirs: How To Be Alone and What We Owe to Ourselves.

Links

• Substack: https://nicantoinette.substack.com/
• Website: https://www.nicoleantoinette.com/
• Gap year essay: https://nicantoinette.substack.com/p/im-taking-a-grown-up-gap-year-in

About Nadine:

Want to write with Nadine in 2025? Try a free class on Monday, Jan 13!

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with...

180 This was a big year for the show, as Nadine got to interview her writing idols, including Maggie Smith, Abigail Thomas, Dr. Hillary McBride, and more! In this episode, Nadine chats with her producer about their favorite podcast moments from 2024. Learn which life bits of guest wisdom impacted them the most and how their personal lives have changed as a result.

While the show is on a holiday break, catch up on any episodes you missed!

Episodes referenced:

179 Sari Botton

177 Sarah Fay

174 Hillary McBride

173 Patty McNair

172 Maggie Smith

167 Krystal Clark

165 Emily Edlynn

163 Abigail Thomas

158 Sara Avant Stover

155 Heather Adams

153 Melanie Brooks

152 Emily P Freeman

147 Maria Warner

About Nadine:

Write with Nadine in 2025. Learn more here.

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Good Grit, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women’s writing and wellness workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.

Find out more at nadinekenneyjohnstone.com

To receive her regular essays, subscribe to her Substack

179 Oldster magazine creator, Sari Botton, joins Nadine to talk about the highlights and hardships of “traveling through time in a human body at every phase of life.” As a collector of stories, Sari also shares what she has learned about aging and new beginnings from others. Ultimately, Nadine and Sari explore how to embrace life’s contradictions and feel less alone in the process. If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Am I the only one who feels this way?” this episode is for you!

Covered in this episode:

-What inspired Sari to start Oldster magazine

-What Sari has learned from Oldster interviewees and her own aging process

-Her plans for her 60s and beyond

-Her self-compassion and boundary-setting practices

-Two unexpected life events that made her feel the urgency of time

-Why people love, leave, and come back to NYC

-The benefits of being a community builder and story collector

-Two things that bring Sari great joy

Want access to the full episode? Become a paid Substack subscriber here.

About Sari:

Sari Botton is a bestselling author, editor, and teacher with decades of experience. She is the author of the memoir in essays, And You May Find Yourself…Confessions of a Late-Blooming Gen-X Weirdo, which was chosen by Poets & Writers Magazine for the 2022 edition of its annual “5 Over 50” feature. An essay from it received notable mention in The Best American Essays 2023, edited by Vivian Gornick. For five years she served as the Essays Editor for Longreads. She edited the bestselling anthologies Goodbye to All That: Writers on Loving and Leaving NewYork and Never Can Say Goodbye: Writers on Their Unshakable Love for New York. She publishes Oldster Magazine, Memoir Monday, and Adventures in Journalism.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest...

178 In this candid episode, Nadine discusses her creative and professional successes and struggles of the past year.

Join Nadine & Sarah Fay on Dec 10, 10-12:30 CST for a collaborative masterclass, Knowing Your “Why”: Set Up Your Substack to Grow. Replay sent if you miss. If you'd like automatic access to all of Nadine's monthly masterclasses, as well as her weekly writer workouts for women, you can join her Writer Workout PLUS Membership.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Good Grit, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women’s writing and wellness workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.

Find out more at nadinekenneyjohnstone.com

To receive her regular essays, subscribe to her Substack

177 In this empowering conversation, Nadine chats with Substack Growth Strategist, Sarah Fay, about the transformative power of Substack for writers. They share their writing journeys, the challenges of book launching, and why they’ve both turned to Substack to take back control of their writing careers. They discuss Substack’s infinite benefits, including monetization, longer book launches, and even book serialization. Writers who’ve felt discouraged by traditional publishing gatekeepers will love this dynamic, writer-centric approach that allows for greater creative freedom and connection with their beloved readers.

Covered in this episode:

• What Substack is & how it’s empowering writers
• How Sarah exploded on Substack and how she helps others grow
• What helped Sarah land her 6 figure book deal
• What it means to make oneself a pro
• Sarah’s history of mental illness
• How Sarah and Nadine got burned by publicists and the lessons it taught them
• Why you don’t need a huge Substack subscriber list to make an impact
• Who Nadine subscribes to and why
• Growth, paid, and retention strategies
• How writers can use Substack to relaunch and sell a book
• Why and how to serialize a book on Substack

Want access to the full episode? Become a paid Substack subscriber. Save 20% on an Annual Membership now through Dec 2.

Join Sarah & Nadine on Dec 10, 10-12:30 CST for a collaborative masterclass, Knowing Your “Why”: Set Up Your Substack to Grow. Replay sent if you miss. If you'd like automatic access to all of Nadine's monthly masterclasses, as well as her weekly writer workouts for women, you can join her Writer Workout PLUS Membership:, which is on sale now through Dec 2.

About Sarah:

Sarah Fay is the leading Substack Growth Strategist and founder of the Substack Writers at Work membership, a bestselling Substack community with over 20,000 members. She's mentored hundreds of writers—from award-winning journalists to bestselling authors and thought leaders—helping them achieve Substack success. As the creator of two bestselling, featured Substacks and an award-winning teacher at Northwestern University, she's widely regarded as the go-to Substack expert. Sarah is also an award-winning author published by HarperCollins, a freelance writer for The New York Times and other prominent publications, a mental health advocate, and the author of Pathological: The True Story of Six Misdiagnoses.

Through her signature program, the Substack Writers at Work membership, Sarah helps writers and creatives leverage their unique talents, make money, and build a loyal audience of superfans on Substack. Her singular approach combines platform-specific strategies with professional and personal growth, enabling her clients and members to produce their best work, have a platform, and earn the income they deserve doing work they love.

About Nadine:

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of