On this episode of Way-Word Writers, hosts Heather Cashman, Stephanie Bearce, and Nicki Jacobsmeyer talk with longtime collaborators Christina Boufis (fiction/nonfiction author and author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Writing Nonfiction) and Victoria Olson (author of biography, fiction, and nonfiction; former university writing instructor) about how their co-writing partnership works and what it was like to use Kickstarter in their publishing journey.

They outline major hurdles and what they would do differently, share outcomes, and note Kickstarter is better suited to genre, niche, and quirky projects than many memoirs or standard domestic thrillers. The episode closes with where to find them (somdarkforest.com, christinaboufis.com, Penny Dreadful Media on TikTok) and what’s next: completing the sequel by spring and planning additional collaborative books (including titles Dark Circles and Dark Science) alongside their solo projects.

00:00 Welcome to Way-Word Writers (Meet the Hosts & Mission)

00:36 Today’s Guests: Long-Term Co-Authors + Kickstarter Publishing

02:03 How Their Writing Partnership Began (Dickens Camp to First Project)

03:27 Drafting Together in One Google Doc (Discovery Writing + NaNoWriMo Sprint)

05:20 Editing, Roles, and the ‘Jazz Improv’ Collaboration Style

06:50 Pros, Cons, and Keeping a Unified Voice as Co-Authors

10:30 Staying Motivated Through Life & Rejection (Why Partnership Helps)

12:01 Why They Chose Kickstarter (After a Small-Press Offer)

15:16 Kickstarter Reality Check: Visual Assets, Video, Swag, and New Skills

18:17 Running the Campaign: Backer Swaps, Reward Tiers, Stretch Goals & Fulfillment

19:21 Backer Demands & Going Physical: Paperback, Hardcover, Collector Mindset

21:14 When It Stops Feeling Overwhelming: Mastermind Support & Campaign Vetting

22:44 Kickstarter’s Built-In Community Engine: Updates, Requests & Reader Connection

24:12 Results & Aftermath: Low Goal Strategy, 400% Funded, Early Reviewers

25:23 Social Media Spillover: Promoting Beyond Kickstarter + Why TikTok

27:09 Kickstarter First Steps: Finish the Book, Find Community, Study Other Campaigns

29:49 Design, Video & Reward Strategy: Outsourcing, Swag, Special Editions, Signed eBooks

32:16 Would They Do It Again? Time, Energy, and the Real Learning Curve

33:42 Is Kickstarter a Fit? Genre vs Memoir, Niche/Quirky Books & Physicality

36:15 What’s Next + Where to Find Them: Sequels, Solo Projects, Websites & Farewell

​Find more about Christina Boufis at christinaboufis.com!

​Find more about Victoria Olsen at victoriaolsen.com!

​Some Dark Force, a Victorian thriller, by Christina Boufis and Victoria Olsen.

In this episode of Way-Word Writers, hosts Heather Cashman, Stephanie Bearce, and Nicki Jacobsmeyer interview Chloe Ito Ward, a Japanese American children’s author with a background in education. They discuss Chloe’s new and upcoming books, the thematic elements in her writing, and the inspiration and process behind her stories. Chloe shares how her personal and professional experiences influence her work and provides insights into the challenges of writing for a young audience. The conversation also touches on the importance of diversity, cultural representation, and authenticity in children’s literature.

00:00 Welcome to Way-Word Writers

00:31 Introducing Chloe Ito Ward

00:45 Chloe’s Teaching Background and Inspiration

02:06 All the Ways We Learn

08:49 Made For More: The Story Behind the Book

11:39 Writing for Young Readers

16:40 Author’s Note and Reader Engagement

19:52 Reflecting on Parental Influence

20:07 Introducing Chopsticks Are....

20:37 Cultural Touchpoints in Chopsticks Are....

21:05 Expanding the Scope of Chopsticks Are....

23:51 Research and Writing Process

25:11 Conversations Around Chopsticks

28:04 Balancing Authenticity and Accessibility

29:33 Creative Writing Process

31:09 Themes and Identity in Writing

34:10 Avoiding Didacticism in Picture Books

36:45 Lightning Round Q&A

37:55 Conclusion and Farewell

Find out more about Chloe Ito Ward on her website here!

On Tuesday February 17, see our companion deep dive article about adding hooks and layers to your book to increase depth, universal resonance, and commercial viability:

EPISODE 105 DEEP DIVE: Layering Hooks and Themes Into Your Manuscript

​In this episode of the Way-Word Writers Podcast, hosts Heather Cashman, Stephanie Bearce, and Nicki Jacobsmeyer share updates on their current writing projects and discuss the exciting changes in their creative journeys as they step into 2026. They open up about their writing seasons, upcoming goals, and how they are planning to sustain their creative passion while balancing various aspects of their lives. The episode also introduces changes in the podcast's release schedule and the addition of new, in-depth content on their Substack to better support their writing community.

​PLEASE NOTE: Our schedule will change to a podcast every other Tuesday and a DEEP DIVE companion article on the Tuesdays in between.

​Workshops for our Substack Summit Club level will be released periodically, at least every other month.

00:00 Welcome to Way-Word Writers

00:31 Introduction to the Podcast

01:34 Hosts Share Their Current Writing Projects

02:53 Stephanie's Exciting New Ventures

04:45 Nicki's Writing Journey and Goals

12:42 Heather's Writing and Life in Costa Rica

17:48 Balancing Writing and Promotion

19:43 Changes to the Podcast Schedule

25:45 Workshops and Community Engagement

28:11 Final Thoughts and Farewell

In this episode of Way-Word Writers, hosts Heather Cashman, Stephanie Bearce, and Nicki Jacobsmeyer welcome author Julie Berman to discuss her journey of writing later-in-life romances. They delve into Julie's transition from speech-language pathology to author, her latest book 'Elsie's New Season,' and the importance of portraying love and life experiences of older adults authentically. Julie shares insights into the challenges and joys of writing for this demographic, the stereotypes she aims to debunk, and how her personal experiences have influenced her work. The hosts also explore broader themes of resilience, grief, and love, offering valuable advice for both writers and readers.

Check out our EPISODE 104 DEEP DIVE: Writing Beyond Midlife: Crafting Compelling Stories with Older Protagonists

00:00 Introduction to Way-Word Writers

00:32 Meet Julie Berman

02:31 Julie’s Writing Journey

03:43 Elsie’s New Season: A Later in Life Romance

05:30 Themes in Julie’s Writing

08:07 Balancing Realism and Romance

13:09 Genre Blending and Audience

15:46 Character Backgrounds and Relationships

17:54 Personal Touches in Grief

19:10 Challenging Age Stereotypes

20:37 Embracing Character Quirks

22:38 The Evolution of Romance Genres

24:01 Advice for Aspiring Writers

25:09 The Importance of Beta Readers

27:20 Navigating Indie Publishing

29:35 Marketing and Promotion Strategies

32:08 Heartwarming Lessons from Writing

33:42 Conclusion and Future Projects

​Elsie’s New Season: A Later In Life Romance by Julie Berman

In this episode of Way-Word Writers, hosts Heather Cashman, Stephanie Bearce, and Nicki Jacobsmeyer discuss the unique challenges of balancing writing with caregiving responsibilities. Each shares personal experiences as caregivers and writers, offering valuable insights and practical advice on managing stress, setting boundaries, and finding creative solutions to maintain their passion for writing. They emphasize the importance of self-care, realistic goal-setting, and the value of community support during difficult times.

This week our EPISODE 103 DEEP DIVE: Writing While Caregiving (Or Being Super Busy!) has some great tips and ways to keep your relationship with writing and creating healthy.00:00 Introduction to Way-Word Writers

00:43 The Challenges of Writing as a Caregiver

01:16 Different Types of Caregiving

01:52 Personal Caregiving Experiences

06:04 Balancing Writing and Caregiving

06:49 Strategies for Managing Time

09:35 The Importance of Community Support

11:12 Setting Boundaries and Self-Care

18:34 Creative Solutions for Writing Time

21:01 Dealing with Creative Burnout

23:05 The Writing Process: Observations and Experiences

23:33 Creative Solutions for Writing on the Go

24:14 The Importance of Reading and Consuming Stories

25:47 Incorporating Life Experiences into Writing

27:26 Balancing Family, Resilience, and Writing

31:46 Finding Creativity Amidst Caregiving

35:13 Managing Guilt and Asking for Help

42:17 Defining Success During Caregiving

44:38 Final Thoughts and Advice for Caregivers and Writers

In this episode of ​Way​-​W​ord Writers, Kaitlyn Sanchez, an agent at Bradford Literary, joins to discuss her journey with writing contests, community building, her roles as an editorial agent, and the impact of her contests on writers’ careers.

And if you’d like a bit more of Heather’s thoughts on this topic…

EPISODE 102 DEEP DIVE: The Hidden Architecture of a Thriving Writing Community00:00 Introduction to ​Way​-​W​ord Writers 00:02 Meet Kaitlyn Sanchez: Agent and Contest Creator01:24 The Birth of Writing Contests03:54 Community and Collaboration in Contests10:08 Behind the Scenes of Contest Management16:58 The Impact of Contests on Writers20:09 Advice for Contest Participants26:30 Future of Writing Contests29:27 Conclusion and Farewell

F​ind out more about Kaitlyn Sanchez, her contests, writing, agenting, and more on her website!

Thank you for listening! To get access to our worksheets and deep dive articles, add your email below!

In this episode of Way-Word Writers, hosts Heather Cashman, Stephanie Bearce, and Nicki Jacobsmeyer sit down with Harold Underdown, a seasoned editor and consultant, to discuss effective submission strategies for writers. Harold shares insights on common submission missteps, how to test editor and agent fit, and crafting the perfect query letter. He also delves into the impact of digital workflows and AI on the publishing industry, and offers useful revision tools for authors. The episode wraps up with a discussion on the balance between trade and educational markets for nonfiction works, and practical tips for finding comparable titles.

EPISODE 101 DEEP DIVE: Where Heather Talks About Publishing Trends and Assessing Manuscripts For Submission00:00 Introduction to Way-Word Writers00:34 Guest Introduction: Harold Underdown02:11 Common Submission Missteps05:22 Testing Editor and Agent Fit07:43 Submission Checklist Essentials11:03 Handling Soft Passes and Rejections15:28 Using Industry Intel Smartly18:33 Big Changes in Publishing23:32 The Impact of AI on Publishing Staff25:09 Editorial Assistants and Efficiency26:14 Challenges for Authors with Orphaned Books28:00 Revision Tools for Authors31:45 Positioning Nonfiction for Multiple Markets34:40 The Role of Comparable Titles in Queries39:17 Submission Strategies Across Genres41:22 Lightning Round: Trends, Myths, and Resources45:57 Conclusion and Farewell

The Purple Crayon

Children’s Book Agents and Artist’s Representatives: a Guide

In this episode of Wayward Writers Podcast, Stephanie Bearce and co-hosts Nicki and Heather reflect on the milestones and personal victories of 2025. They discuss their memorable 100th episode, successful retreats, heartwarming interactions with podcast guests, and individual creative achievements. They also offer insights into their plans for 2026, including exciting new projects, personal growth in writing, and upcoming events for the Wayward Writers community. The hosts express gratitude for their journey and the supportive community that surrounds them, encouraging listeners to reflect on their own year and look forward to new opportunities.00:00 Welcome to the Grand Finale of 202500:33 Celebrating Milestones and Retreats04:01 Personal Victories and Achievements07:38 Reflecting on the Year and Looking Ahead12:48 Finding Joy and Passion in Writing15:14 Current Projects and Future Plans15:37 Exploring the Joy of Writing Essays16:37 Deep Dives and Craft-Based Advice17:22 Exciting Plans for 202617:45 Nicki's Debut Thriller Novel19:30 Navigating the Publishing Jungle21:37 Agent Ascente and Opportunities23:46 Upcoming Retreats and Community Building26:06 Gratitude and Reflections28:30 Looking Forward to 2026