The Author Burnout Cure
Episodes
212. Choosing Your Career Comps
01 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
You’re probably familiar with picking comp titles for your books, but have you ever identified a comp career? Instead of falling into the trap of “...
211. How to Love Your Backlist
25 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
As an author, your backlist is one of your most valuable assets. Unfortunately, many novelists find themselves feeling embarrassed by their earlier wo...
210. You Get to Make the Rules
18 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
If you find yourself frequently afraid of “doing it wrong” in your publishing career, this episode is for you! There are so many places where you ...
209. Perseverance in Publishing with Jessi Cole Jackson
11 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
I’m joined on the podcast today by Jessi Cole Jackson, author of the newly released Ruinous Creatures, a spicy, feminist romantasy set in a world wh...
Bonus: Writing Doesn't Get Easier, YOU Get Stronger
05 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
I've been noodling on a bunch of different topics lately, none of which quite make sense to be a whole episode by themselves, so I decided to give you...
208. Preparing Your Option Proposal
04 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
After you’ve sold your debut novel, you unlock a new process in publishing: selling a novel on proposal. This most commonly happens as part of the o...
207. Confidence Series: Changing Your Inner Dialogue
25 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Lasting, authentic confidence is not possible when your inner dialogue is full of threats, name calling, and a constantly downplaying of your accompli...
206. Confidence Series: How to Love Your Reasons
18 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Confidence as an author is less about WHAT you do and more about WHY you do it. Which means to have a truly confident career, you need a process for m...
205. Confidence Series: Let Yourself Be Impressive
11 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In a world where many of us were socialized to be modest, avoid shining “too brightly,” and stay humble, it can be really uncomfortable when other...
204. Confidence Series: The 3 Types of Author Confidence
04 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
When talking to authors about their goals for 2026, a theme emerged. So many of them said some version of: “I want to feel more confident.” For so...
203. “Am I Skilled Enough to Write this Book?”
28 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Every novel has its challenges–and it’s normal to feel intimidated at the start of a new project–but sometimes we find ourselves with a novel id...
202. The Power of Neutral Thoughts
21 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
If writing has felt Not Great for you lately, the solution isn’t necessarily to push yourself to feel amazing. There’s a middle step in the proces...
201. Expecting Good News Isn’t Delusional
14 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
If you find yourself always waiting for the other shoe to drop in publishing, or you follow up every “I really want to sell this next book” with s...
200. Revise a Book with Me
07 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
I’ve started revising my next book and… the first draft is in Not Great Shape. So this week I’m sharing a few of my initial takeaways as I manag...
199. A Peek into 2026
31 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For this final episode of 2025, I decided to lean into my witchier side and do a group tarot reading! If you’re curious what advice the cards had fo...
198. Goodbye 2025! (Evaluating Your Year)
24 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
With the final few days of the year upon us, now is a great time to pause and reflect on how things went in 2025. You deserve to celebrate all the win...
197. Surviving the Book 2 Blues
17 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The first time you draft a book under contract can be an exceptionally challenging experience. There are craft-level challenges (“how do I make the ...
196. Author Goal Setting: Holiday Edition
10 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
With the holidays upon us, you may find your calendar full with extra family stuff. Shopping. Cooking. Cleaning. Travel to visit family or hosting at ...
195. Separating Disappointment from “Failure”
03 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you have a book coming out in 2026 and you find yourself spending a lot of time worried your book will “fail,” this episode is for you. I’m b...
194. Effective Problem Solving for Authors
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Bonus: Final Day to Apply
22 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today is the last day to apply for the January class of The Confident Author Academy. Submit your application here.
193. You are not a Hack. Your Book wasn't a Fluke.
19 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When you care about the books you write, it’s easy to slip into a negative headspace when those stories aren’t received the way you hoped. You wor...
BONUS: If You're on the Fence
18 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The January class of The Confident Author Academy is enrolling now through November 22nd. APPLY HERE. This 6-month group coaching program will help yo...
192. The Real Trick to Writing Faster
12 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you’ve ever felt frustrated about your writing speed, this episode is for you. Writing faster isn’t about fancy hacks or overhauling your...
BONUS: The January 2026 Class is Enrolling Now
11 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The January class of The Confident Author Academy is enrolling now through November 22nd. APPLY HERE. This 6-month group coaching program will help yo...
191. Five Lessons from my Hardest Year
05 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This past year, my personal life has been rough. Lots of grief. Lots of once-in-a-lifetime stressful events. Yet despite all the hardships, I’ve sti...
190. From Submission to Publication with Kim DeRose
29 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Curious about the best time to start coaching? This week, Kim DeRose shares how coaching supported her through the entire journey of writing and publi...
189. Bringing Magic into Your Writing Process with Molly Donlan
22 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week, I interviewed Molly Donlan about her transition from skeptic to Reiki Master teacher, co-host of a popular witchy podcast (Demystify Magic)...
188. How to Excel at Writing IP with Tess Sharpe
15 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to build a career writing IP, this interview with Tess Sharpe is a must-listen! (And if you have no idea what ...
187. Navigating a Hybrid Author Career with Rebecca Thorne
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For the second episode in our two-part series about being a hybrid author, the wonderful and fabulous Rebecca Thorne joined me on the podcast to sha...
186. Balancing Trad & Indie Publishing with Stephanie Burgis
01 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For the first episode of a two-part series about being a hybrid author, I have the wonderful and talented Stephanie Burgis on the podcast to talk abou...
185. Career Planning & Big Pivots with Literary Agent Danielle Burby
24 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today marks the beginning of a 5-part interview series with all sorts of incredible authors and industry pros! I am so thrilled to kick things off wit...
184. When You Don't Meet Your Writing Goals
17 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Have you set writing goals only to fall short of meeting them? Do you feel terrible when you don't achieve the writing milestones you set? If so, this...
183. Getting Unstuck (Creatively & Professionally)
10 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re feeling stuck in your author career, one of the best things you can do is learn to ask yourself better questions. Most of us get stuck whe...
182. Thirty Days to Better Confidence
03 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Like writing, confidence is a skillset that you can build over time. It’s an emotional muscle, a mindset, that can speed up your writing progress, r...
181. Other People's Expectations
27 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“I don’t want to let anyone down.” If you find yourself worried about disappointing people on your publishing team or falling short of their exp...
180. The Hidden Cost of Avoiding Your Book
20 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Some books come out easily. They seem to flow from our brains to the page without much fuss. And some books… Well, some books are finicky and requir...
179. Writing as a Full-Time Author
13 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You did it. You achieved the dream of being a full-time author. No more Day Job. No more micromanaging boss. No more putting on real clothes to go to ...
178. Writing Alongside a Day Job
06 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Building a sustainable author career when you’re also working a full-time Day Job can be really challenging. For many people, trying to juggle two c...
177. “Am I Fooling Myself?”
30 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Rejection is an inescapable part of life when you’re an author, and with it, often comes a painful question: “Am I fooling myself?” “Are my go...
176. Tiered Writing Goals
23 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When you have a big project or deadline—such as drafting a new novel under contract—setting tiered writing goals can make the difference between e...
175. Your Editor Doesn’t Hate You
16 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“I’m afraid to ask for an extension. I don’t want my editor to hate me.” I hear some version of this at least once a week in author communitie...
174. Dealing with Doubt as an Author
09 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Doubt is a common part of the creative process… but it doesn’t need to derail forward momentum or feel miserable. Whether doubt shows up for you i...
173. Sneaky Perfectionism
02 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You care about the quality of your books, but where's the line between a commitment to excellence and the kind of perfectionism that holds you back? A...
172. How to Make Waiting Suck Less
25 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As authors, we spend a lot of time waiting in publishing. Waiting on submission to see if our book will sell. Waiting to hear back from our agent on w...
171. Choosing Your Writing Fuel
18 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Writing a novel is hard work. There’s no getting around that. But! The way you fuel your writing sessions has a major impact on whether that work fe...
170. When to Take a Break
11 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Being able to write consistently is the cornerstone of a successful fiction career - but consistent writing doesn’t mean writing every day or even t...
169. Bare Minimum Book Marketing
04 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Buckle up folks, you’re in for a ranty episode. On today’s episode, I’m breaking down my personal marketing pet peeves with a firm reminder that...
168. How to Customize Writing Advice
28 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If writing advice leaves you feeling discouraged rather than inspired, you’re not alone. It’s normal to unintentionally use writing advice as proo...
167. Prepping to Moderate a Panel (or In-Conversation)
21 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A quick episode this week with my off-the-cuff tips to help you prep to moderate an author panel or serve as the in-conversation partner for someone e...
166. A Hard Truth about Publishing
14 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There are no guarantees in publishing. It seems an obvious statement, and yet so many authors get caught in a cycle of stressing about how they can “...
165. Crafting Your Revision Plan
07 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If getting an editor letter feels fraught, overwhelming, or stressful, you’re not alone. Over the course of revising 13 novels, I’ve developed a s...
164. How to Recover from Failure
30 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Failure is unavoidable when you’re trying to stretch and grow as a creative professional. You will have drafts (or entire projects) that don’t wor...
163. Your Confident Author Career
23 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Applications are open for the June 2025 cohort of The Confident Author Academy. Submit your application here. The June 2025 cohort is limited to 10 au...
162. Increasing Your Creative Capacity
16 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You’ve probably already heard about the concept of “refilling your creative well.” This is when writers take time after finishing a draft to foc...
161. When Your WIP Matches a New Deal Announcement
09 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine this: You’re working on a new novel, and you’re in love with the concept. The writing is fun. The characters are intriguing. Even better, ...
160. Your Submission Survival Guide
02 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Submission. The point in traditional publication that authors are simultaneously impatient to get to and yet also dread experiencing. There's the agon...
159. How to Avoid Toxic Positivity
26 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When something unfortunate, unwanted, or downright painful happens in your author career, it's helpful to shift the way you think about the situation....
158. New Project Pep Talk
19 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Creating a sustainable fiction career requires you to write more than one book. Whether your current project is a massive success or a major flop, the...
157. How to Stop People Pleasing with Sara Bybee Fisk
12 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
People pleasing isn't exclusive to our personal lives. The hierarchies of publishing lead many authors into people pleasing patterns&nb...
156. Planning/Outlining Your Next Novel
05 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you struggle with confidence during the planning/outlining stage of writing, today’s episode is for you. I’m breaking down why the planning sta...
155. What to Do When You Turn In a Book
26 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I finished the first revision of WITH ALL MY HAUNTED HEART over the weekend and turned it into my editor! So today on the podcast, I’m sharing how I...
154. Navigating School Visits with Celesta Rimington
19 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Middle grade author Celesta Rimington is on the podcast this week to share her wealth of knowledge about navigating school visits. We cover all your b...
153. How I Sold My Novel (in 75 Days)
12 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s episode, I give you a behind-the-scenes look at the 75-day process of writing and selling my new book, WITH ALL MY HAUNTED HEART. I talk ...
152. The Solution to Everything
05 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Your mindset is the most powerful tool in your author toolkit. Every challenge you face in writing, publishing, and life can be improved–if not outr...
151. Managing Your Author Finances
29 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Keeping track of your author finances does not have to be overwhelming or time consuming. In fact, it can also be fun and help provide additional moti...
150. Emergency Writing Protocols
22 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You want to write consistently… but life keeps getting in the way. There’s an emergency at work. The kids are home sick from school. Your chronic ...
149. How to Meet a Tight Deadline
15 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you’ve decided not to ask for a deadline extension–but you also don’t want to burnout–this is the episode for you. Learn my 5-step process ...
148. When (& How) to Ask for a Deadline Extension
08 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Your deadline is fast approaching, but you still have a lot of work left to do on your novel. Should you ask for more time or power through? What will...
147. Author Goal Setting: Reframed
01 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Happy New Year! Have you set goals for the upcoming year yet? If so, there’s a good chance you made yourself a list of project to-dos rather than se...
146. Emotional Time Travel (Embodying Future Success)
25 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Do you go after writerly milestones, expecting to feel happy when you meet them, only to find yourself disappointed and moving the goal post further a...
145. Accepting Where You Are
18 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When you tell yourself that you’re “behind” or that you “should be further along” (whether in your draft or in your career overall), you ina...
144. Essential Skills for Debut Authors
11 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As a debut author, you've worked for years (if not decades!) honing your writing and storytelling skills. Yet you're ALSO a beginner in so many ways. ...
143. Debut vs Mid-Career Agents with Dahlia Adler
04 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's normal to have multiple agents throughout your career. As you grow as an author, you need different things out of the author/agent relationship. ...
142. Feeling Bad & Doing It Anyway
27 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The prioritization of a sustainable, joyful writing life doesn't mean that every writing session feels like rainbows shooting out of your fingertips. ...
141. Trusting Your Process
20 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If you struggle to trust your writing process–or you often doubt your ability to produce a novel despite a history of finished projects–this episo...
140. Writing When the World’s on Fire
13 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If world events (or personal challenges) have you feeling too stressed to write, this episode will help you find your way forward again. Isabel walks ...
139. How to Be Resilient AF
06 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
With the devastating election results coming in today, I've pivoted this week's episode to a replay of my How to Be Resilient AF workshop. Resilience ...
138. Why It’s Hard to Be Happy
30 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
You did the thing! You sold your debut novel, earned out your advance, or finished a draft of a book you love. So… why don’t you feel happy? Why c...
137. How to Increase Your Writing Stamina
23 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If you want to write more often (or for longer periods of time), you need to build up your writing stamina. Trying to go from no writing to daily 2-ho...
136. The Anxiety of Waiting
16 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There is a lot of waiting in traditional publishing. Waiting to hear back from agents. Waiting for notes form your editor. Waiting for permission to s...
135. Building New Beliefs
09 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What you believe about yourself, the types of books you write, and your place in publishing has a huge impact on how you show up to writing sessions. ...
134. Staying Power in Publishing
02 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Only 5% of authors stay in publishing long enough to release 12 books over the course of their career. And while that’s an admittedly small percenta...
133. Tips for Easier Drafting
25 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel coaches picture book author Katie Venit as she makes the shift to writing novels. While Katie enjoys planning, outlining, and revising, she fee...
132. Avoiding Overwhelm w/ Multiple Deadlines
18 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel coaches debut author Erica Eberhart on the overwhelm that comes from juggling multiple deadlines for different books in her series. Her first n...
131. Caring Less about Social Media Metrics
11 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel coaches debut romantasy author, Shalini Abeysekara, on defining success, putting less importance on social media metrics, and connecting to wha...
130. Easing into the Next Project
04 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel coaches debut author Lacey N. Dunham on her Book 2 anxiety, including how to lean into your natural process and when to loop in your agent to g...
129. When Writing Makes You Freeze
28 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel coaches L.L. Madrid about what to do when you feel yourself freezing up when you sit down to write. This is a common response for many authors ...
128. Second Book Insecurities
21 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel coaches Sasa Hawk on the (very normal!) insecurities about her second book, imposter syndrome, and the fear of disappointing her editor. Later ...
127. Choosing Your Next Project
14 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel coaches Michelle J on how to choose which project to write next and how to make the most of short downtime between edit passes. Michelle's debu...
126. Balancing Connection & Promotion at Events
07 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel coaches 2025 debut author, Veronica Bane, about how to make connections with fellow authors at events without feeling salesy, including how to ...
125. How to Draft Under Deadline
31 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel coaches debut author Jamie D'Amato on drafting under deadline for the first time. We discuss how to decrease self-imposed pressure, the desire ...
124. Why I Love My Google Calendar
24 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It’s time for another nerdy episode, friends! I love, love, love using Google Calendar to organize my writing life. I use it to schedule time to wri...
123. The Pressure to Keep Writing
17 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Once you have a book under contract, gone are the days when you can spend your time between deadlines doing nothing. At least, that’s how it feels. ...
122. The Unexpected Hiatus
10 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
After an unexpected hiatus to grieve a loss in my family, I'm back! In this episode, I let you know what happened at the end of May that prompted the ...
121. Writing Slow with Dani Abernathy
22 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today on the podcast, I’m joined by the fabulous Dani Abernathy. Dani is an Author Accelerator certified book coach who focuses on helping writers e...
120. Here’s Your Permission Slip
15 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There’s a lot of advice out there in the world, but that doesn’t mean all of it is going to be relevant for YOU. So that expert advice you keep he...
119. Choosing Between Multiple Offers
08 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the dream scenario: you have multiple agents offering on your manuscript. Your book has gone to auction, and publishers are clamoring for the c...
118. F*ck the Algorithm
01 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Social media algorithms got you down? Tired of spending hours on a post that doesn’t get any traction? Well, this episode is for you, my friend. We’...
117. Stop Bracing for Bad News
24 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Do you brace for bad news? Do you send off a revision only to find yourself anxious, worried, and at least half-convinced that your editor will tell y...