62. Same Story, New Title: My Name Change Announcement

Today's episode marks a gentle transition, one I've been contemplating for some time and am excited to finally share it with you. This podcast is embracing a new name, The Whole Writer. 

I'm sharing the why inside the episode.

Want to connect? 

Email: nicole@nicolemeier.com

Substack: @nicolemeierwrites

Transcript

STS EP 62 - The Whole Writer

[00:00:00] Nicole Meier: Welcome to the whole writer, A place where we talk about what it means to show up as a writer, not just a better writer or a more productive writer or a published writer, but a whole one. Someone who's grounded in their voice, in their community, in their creative path, even when the world tells them to hustle, compare, or conform.

[00:00:28] Nicole Meier: I am Nicole Meier, a multi published author and book coach who believes that nurturing the person behind the page is just as important as refining the words on it. Each week we'll explore the terrain of writing life with honesty, warmth, and practical wisdom, creating space for you to write from a place of wholeness rather than depletion.

[00:00:49] Nicole Meier: Whether you're drafting your first manuscript or publishing your fifth book, you'll find conversation and companionship for the journey here. So settle in, bring your questions and your curiosity, and let's discover what it means to write and live with authenticity and purpose. Well, hey there, writers, thanks for joining me today for what feels like a significant moment in our shared journey.

[00:01:15] Nicole Meier: Today's episode marks a gentle transition, one I've been contemplating for some time and am excited to finally share it with you. As you may have noticed from the title, this podcast is embracing a new name, the whole writer. For those of you who've been with me from the beginning, you know we've spent countless hours together exploring manuscript structure, plot development, character arcs, and the elements that make fiction stories work.

[00:01:42] Nicole Meier: We've discussed first pages and scene structure, examine the journey to getting agents, book deals, and so much more. While those topics still remain valuable, essential, even I found myself increasingly drawn to something deeper, something that lives in the spaces between the words in the quiet moments before fingers meet keyboard in the contemplative walks that generate ideas and in the courage it takes to return to the page even after rejection.

[00:02:12] Nicole Meier: I've been listening to you, to myself, to the subtle shifts in the creative landscape around us. And what I've heard is the call for something more holistic. So why the whole writer? This new name? The whole writer represents what I believe. We are all seeking wholeness in our creative lives. Not just techniques for better sentences, but nurturing the person who writes those sentences.

[00:02:40] Nicole Meier: The truth is the most brilliant plotting techniques won't really help you when you're struggling with self-doubt. The perfect story structure can't necessarily sustain you through creative exhaustion and even the most captivating characters can't guide you when you've lost connection with your own voice.

[00:03:00] Nicole Meier: We are whole people who write not writing machines. To use the cliched term, our creativity is inseparable from our wellbeing, our relationships, our environments, our emotional landscapes. So let's talk about the changing creative landscape around us. Lately, I've noticed a shift happening in a world that's increasingly fragmented and productivity obsessed creatives are seeking something different.

[00:03:30] Nicole Meier: We are moving away from the model of creative production always faster, always more towards something more sustainable and more nourishing. We're recognizing that connection matters. That community sustains us when the work feels impossible. That caring for ourselves is not separate from caring for our craft.

[00:03:51] Nicole Meier: It's foundational to it. And the questions I hear from you, the writers have been evolving to, they go beyond, how do I write a stronger scene? What you're actually asking is, how do I keep going when I've lost faith in my own work? I. Beyond. How do I get published? You're wondering, how do I create in a way that feels meaningful and sustainable?

[00:04:16] Nicole Meier: And this is where I want to linger on words like nourishing, meaningful, and sustainable. So what does this mean for our time together on this podcast and also for my companion letters over on Substack? Well, we'll still talk about craft. Absolutely. We'll also place those conversations within the context of the whole creative experience.

[00:04:41] Nicole Meier: On this podcast, you can expect to explore topics like creative wellbeing, community building, reader connection, different publishing pathways, ideas for integration and wholeness, and lots of practical applications. I want this to be a space where you feel seen, not just for what you create. But for who you are as you create it, a place that acknowledges both the wonder and the struggle of bringing something new into being.

[00:05:12] Nicole Meier: I also want to open this space up to writers beyond the fiction genre. I know writers in the memoir and poetry spaces, so my invitation extends to you as well. Non-fiction writers are most welcome to, so this is my invitation. I'd love for you to continue this journey with me to explore what it means to be a whole writer in a fragmented world.

[00:05:34] Nicole Meier: To nurture not just your manuscript, but yourself. In the coming weeks, you'll notice some changes beyond the name, some new segment formats, guests who approach creativity from different angles and conversations that embrace more aspects of the creative experience. I'll still be showing up with a combination of solo and interview episodes.

[00:05:54] Nicole Meier: This allows me freedom to touch on what I see writers going through in an intentional way. The newsletter that accompanies this podcast over on Substack will also reflect the shift. It will arrive in your inbox as dear whole writer. Okay, everyone, I'd love to hear your thoughts as we make this transition.

[00:06:15] Nicole Meier: What aspects of the whole writing life would you like to explore together? What questions are you caring about sustaining your creative practice? Please share them with me. I'd love to hear it. You can reach me through email or over on my substack. Both links will be added to today's show notes. Finally, writers, thank you for being here with me.

[00:06:37] Nicole Meier: Thank you for creating even when it's difficult. Thank you for seeking wholeness in your work and life. Until next week, may you remember that your worth isn't measured by your output, that your creative journey doesn't need to look like anyone else's, and that the world needs the stories that only you can tell.

[00:06:56] Nicole Meier: Not because they're perfect, but because they're yours. This has been the whole writer. I'm Nicole Meier, and I'm so grateful to be on this path with you.

[00:07:09] Nicole Meier: If you want to check out my coaching programs for fiction writers. Visit Nicolemeier.com. That's M-E-I-E-R. And if you like this episode, I'd love you to take a minute to leave a rating and review for this podcast. This will help more writers like you to discover the show and to get going on their writing journey.

[00:07:29] Nicole Meier: Thanks so much for listening. Until next time, happy writing everyone.