Zen and the Art of Self Publishing – Details, episodes & analysis

Mariëlle S. Smith is a developmental editor, life coach, Akashic Records master practitioner, Reiki master, and author of Tarot for Entrepreneurs, 99 Writing Prompts, and the 52 Weeks of Writing series. She also coaches creatives through some of the most stubborn blocks they face — the kind that don't budge no matter how many journals you fill or therapy sessions you log. In this conversation, we talk about what the Akashic Records actually are, how she spent years in the spiritual closet while quietly helping writers anyway, and what it means to help someone connect with their book on a soul level. I'll also confess: Mariëlle did a reading for me a few years ago that cracked something open in my memoir. Full disclosure up front.

Topics covered:

What the Akashic Records are and how a session works

How Mariëlle spent years in the "spiritual closet" as a Reiki master and tarot practitioner

The 2019 Edinburgh conference that launched her tarot-for-creatives work (from a medieval sofa in a castle)

Why 90%+ of creative blocks are deeper than craft — and what that means for how she coaches Tarot for Entrepreneurs, 99 Writing Prompts, and 52 Weeks of Writing

The pen name question: algorithmic strategy vs. soul-level hiding

Direct sales: Etsy, Payhip, and what she found she didn't expect (actual human connection)

Kickstarter as community, not just funding — including an upcoming Oracle deck: The Root Awakening: Get Your Creative Shit Together Writing with the Divine: her new six-month program combining practical writing rhythm with Akashic Records sessions

Website: https://mariellessmith.com Writing with the Divine: https://mariellessmith.com/writingwiththedivine Email: me@mariellessmith.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/mariellessmith YouTube: www.youtube.com/@thecoachforcreatives Insight Timer: https://insighttimer.com/mariellessmith Substack: https://mariellessmith.substack.com

Kristin Heintz spent 25 years narrating audiobooks — from Audible in New York to becoming a character readers refused to let anyone else voice. Now she co-runs My Audio Rocks and directs authors through narrating their own work. We talk about the craft secret that separates reading from storytelling, why memoir belongs in the author's own voice, and why her studio uses zero voice AI — on purpose.

Chapters 01:24 — Singer to narrator: the Audible job that landed in her lap 03:26 — Brilliance Audio vs. Audible, and her first real director 05:57 — The craft secret: reading it "for the first time" 08:22 — Becoming the character (and the fans who proved it) 12:16 — Why she stopped "just narrating" 16:23 — The case for narrating your own book — and why publishers resist it for memoir 18:48 — Peggy DeLong, crying in the booth, and letting emotion through 21:28 — The lizard brain and the ancient pull of spoken story 23:02 — Which genres suit author narration vs. a pro 25:36 — The AI question: why My Audio Rocks uses no voice AI 28:25 — Automation vs. AI-generated audio (the distinction that matters) 32:14 — What actually happens when you sign up 35:12 — The "Rockaburton" kit and your live-directed first session 39:36 — What authors get wrong: "not all engineers are audiobook engineers" 42:47 — One piece of advice for the fence-sitters 43:22 — Where to find Kristin + the partnership rate

Show Notes: myAudio.rocks

Jennifer Hilt — USA Today bestselling author and creator of the Trope Thesaurus series — joins Janet to talk about story structure, creative identity, and why understanding tropes is really about understanding what makes us human. They cover how tropes got a bad reputation (and why that's changed), the difference between a trope and a cliché, why motivation is the secret sauce of any story that actually works, and what happens when authors hand over their creative judgment — to AI, to trends, or to anyone else.

If you've ever felt ashamed of writing "commercial" fiction, lost momentum mid-draft, or wondered whether AI tools are helping or quietly hollowing out your voice — this one's for you.

What we talk about: Why Jennifer's students reacted with shame when she mentioned tropes — and what that revealed about the indie author world's relationship with commercial storytelling

Tropes vs. clichés: the distinction that changes how you think about craft

Why tropes are fundamentally about human relationships, not genre formulas Mystery vs. thriller — and why the line between them keeps blurring

What keeps readers coming back to a series (hint: it's an identity question)

The problem with promoting secondary characters to leads

How to think about tropes as a discoverability and marketing tool AI, critical thinking, and why "handing over your power" is the real risk Kate Atkinson's spiral drafting method — and why it might save your writing life

Guest links: Jennifer Hilt: jenniferhilt.com Free Substack: available at her website Books mentioned: The Trope Thesaurus series (multiple volumes), A is for Alibi by Sue Grafton, Department Q series (book and Netflix)

One of the most remarkable aspects of Jami Albright's writing is her ability to find humor amidst tragedy. Her sister's vibrant spirit influenced this approach. Jamie recounts, "My sister was funny until the very end. Even in her last days, she made us laugh with her antics." This juxtaposition of humor and grief is a hallmark of her new book, making it relatable and engaging for readers. Jamie explains, "I knew that if I was going to write this book, it had to be infused with levity. I couldn’t bear to write a completely sad story."

Key Takeaways for Aspiring Writers For writers looking to explore similar themes, Jamie offers valuable insights:

1. Embrace Your Emotions: Don’t shy away from writing about difficult experiences. Allow your feelings to guide your narrative.

2. Find Balance: Infusing humor into serious topics can create a relatable and engaging story. Look for moments of levity, even in dark times.

3. Draw from Real Life: Use your own experiences and family dynamics as a foundation for your characters and plot.

4. Be Authentic: Write from the heart, and don’t be afraid to share your vulnerabilities. Authenticity resonates with readers.

Read The Summer That Changed Us: https://books2read.com/u/mdZvPW

Visit Jami's world: https://www.jamialbright.com/

Listen to Jami at Wish I'd Known Then... Writer podcast: https://wishidknownforwriters.com/

A quick introduction to the idea behind this podcast. Keeping the human in an increasingly automated world.