HeyJaredThe Writing Mom Podcast
A cozy podcast for moms who dream of writing a novel but feel pulled in a hundred directions.Hosted by certified book coach and working mom Josee Smith, this show is your gentle nudge to make space for your story, 20 minutes at a time.You’ll find honest conversations about…
- Indexed episodes, last 90 days
- 10
- Latest publication
- Sep 9, 2026
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- Earliest in this view
- Jul 8, 2026
Latest episodes
Ep 66: Stop Pressuring Yourself to Write (and Build Desire Instead) (opens the original)
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What if pressure isn’t actually the best way to get yourself to write? In this episode, I’m sharing what I’ve been learning postpartum about the difference between using deadlines, guilt, and urgency to force myself forward - and intentionally building genuine desire for the work instead. We’ll talk about how I’m reframing my preorder deadline, why starting with just five minutes helped me want to keep going, and how to tell the difference between honoring your capacity and avoiding something un
Ep 65: What Returning to Writing With a Newborn Actually Looks Like (opens the original)
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What does writing look like when you have a newborn at home? After intentionally taking the last month of pregnancy and first month postpartum completely off, I found myself naturally wanting to return to my stories—not because I thought I should be writing, but because I genuinely missed it. In this episode, I’m sharing what my return to writing has actually looked like: starting with just five minutes, keeping expectations incredibly low, balancing edits with the joy of a brand-new story, and
Ep 64: How to Build Trust in Yourself as a Writer (opens the original)
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Do you constantly second-guess your writing decisions or look to someone else to tell you what you should do next? Often, the problem isn't a lack of talent or creativity; it's that you haven't learned to trust yourself as a writer yet. In this episode, we're talking about how self-trust is built through small promises, imperfect decisions, and continuing to move forward even when you don't know how everything will turn out. Writing your novel doesn't just require self-trust, it can actually hel
Ep 63: Why You're Waiting to Feel Ready to Write Your Novel (And What to Do Instead) (opens the original)
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Have you been waiting for the perfect time to start your novel? Maybe you're hoping life will settle down, your confidence will grow, or you'll finally feel "ready." If so, you're not alone, but waiting for readiness may be the very thing keeping you stuck. In this episode, we're talking about why so many moms postpone their writing dreams, what readiness actually looks like, and why confidence comes from taking action, not waiting for it. If you've been telling yourself "I'll start someday," I
Ep 62: Why Finishing a Messy First Draft Beats Writing the Perfect Chapter (opens the original)
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Do you find yourself rewriting the same chapter over and over, convinced that if you can just get it right, the rest of the book will fall into place? If so, you're not alone. Perfectionism is one of the biggest reasons writers stay stuck, and it often disguises itself as productivity. We tell ourselves we're improving the book when, in reality, we're avoiding the uncertainty of moving forward. In this episode, we're talking about why finishing a messy draft teaches you far more than perfecting
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