104: A Birthday Celebration Episode: Books and Big Decisions

It's my birthday, so I'm doing something a little different. There’s no guest today, just me, some gifted Tom Ford Lost Cherry perfume I just spritzed on, me, my mic, and a mascara-free, honest catch-up.

You’ll hear how I'm spending the day, what this year actually felt like, and the decisions I've made that I'm sharing out loud with you today. You’re hearing them here first.

I walked away from some things with no regrets, and even though I’m nervous, I’m saying yes to some others. And much of it is thanks to a single book that I haven’t even finished yet.

You’ll also hear about how I started books five and six, but book seven was actually next. And I’m not writing it for my business. I’m following God's lead. Which doesn't fit neatly into any kind of book marketing funnel.

If you're a woman writing something that lights you up, this one’s for you.

Takeaways:

• Choosing a path on purpose means naming what you're letting go of, not only what you're adding.

• Some books don't fit the funnel. Write them anyway.

• Walking away from work you're good at can be the right move.

• You can teach writing and still be a student of it.

• A milestone is a good excuse to ask what you thought you were walking toward and what showed up instead.

• Say the risky thing out loud. It's usually the thing someone else needed to hear.

A question for you: What are you writing, or avoiding writing, right now? Send me a message at hi [at] jacquelinefisch.com. I read every one (except if you write the whole thing with Claude … I talk about that too).

Links from this episode:
Some of these are affiliate links. If you click one and make a purchase, I might earn a commission.

• The Threshold Session — live Friday, Sept 25

• The Living Draft — now enrolling until spots are filled. Starts Oct. 9.

• Writing with the Moon, May 2026

• The Studio

• The Billet Year Book

• Outwitting the Devil: The Secrets to Freedom and Success (Official Publication of the Napoleon Hill Foundation)

Connect with Jacqueline Fisch: 

• Hire Jacqueline for private Intuitive Writing Mentoring

• The Intuitive Writing Studio

• Substack: Energy-First Writing

• LinkedIn

• Instagram

Timestamps:

00:00 Birthday Intro and Astrology

01:16 How I'm Celebrating Today

02:54 Year in Review Milestones

03:38 Studio Evolution and Curriculum

06:19 Writing Books in Public

07:29 The Billet Season Story

10:35 Teaching Wins and Networking Lessons

13:12 In-Person Connection in the AI Age

16:24 Birthday Wishes and a Life-Changing Book

19:44 Free Threshold Session and Living Draft

25:15 Wrap-Up and Stay in Touch

Related Episodes:

• 100 Episodes Later: Lessons on Writing, Life, and Podcasting

• 98: What to Do When Another Book Idea Shows Up Mid-Draft

• 95: I'm Writing My Next Book in Public