93: Nadine Maldonado on Writing Through Loss: When Life Squeezes You: Writing a Faith-Rooted Memoir

Written By Jacqueline Fisch

Nadine Maldonado didn't set out to write a book. She was only trying to survive the tragic loss of her daughter. It turned out that a gifted journal and metallic pens became the place she could finally put down the brave face and begin healing.

Years later, those pages became Lemon Seeds: When Life Squeezes You, Faith Grows You, her testimony of grief, divorce, and rebuilding around faith.

In this conversation, Nadine walks through the real, unglamorous shape of her writing process — the manuscript she "power wrote" in a month and then couldn't stand, the three months she put it down and refused to answer her publisher's texts, and the moment she felt God tell her the book wasn't finished until He was in it.

She talks candidly about not trusting her own grammar, why she stopped trying to sound like her favorite author, and what it felt like to hand her kids the first copy.

If you're sitting on years of journal entries and wondering whether they're "enough" to become a book — this one's for you. There are so many relatable pieces of advice for new writers packed into this episode.

Key Takeaways:

  • Your journal is the first draft. Nadine didn't write Lemon Seeds from scratch — she went back through 15 years of handwritten journal entries and shaped them into a manuscript.

  • .The messy first pass is supposed to be messy. She "power wrote" the whole book in a month with no punctuation or structure, then went back to find the actual throughline. Get it out first. Structure it later.

  • Putting the manuscript down isn't the same as giving up. Nadine stopped reading, editing, or responding to her publisher for three months — and that pause is exactly what let her hear what the book needed most.

  • You don't need to be a "good writer" to finish a book. Nadine openly says grammar and sentence structure aren't her strength — and that the story, not the polish, is what actually connects with readers.

  • Repetition in a draft is often a signal. She noticed she kept telling versions of the same story from different seasons of healing — a common pattern when writing through trauma — and used that awareness to tighten the manuscript.

  • Trying to sound like someone else will stall you. Nadine wanted her book to read like her favorite author's—until she realized it had to come from her.

  • The book opens doors you can't see coming. Since the book launch, Nadine has stepped into speaking, women's ministry, and connection she never planned for — proof that finishing is often just the beginning.

Meet Nadine Maldonado:

Nadine Maldonado is an author, speaker, entrepreneur, and faith-driven leader passionate about helping others find purpose in the middle of life's most difficult seasons. Through her book, Lemon Seeds: When Life Squeezes You, Faith Grows You!, she shares a powerful testimony of loss, resilience, and the transformative power of faith.

After experiencing profound heartbreak, personal setbacks, and seasons of uncertainty, Nadine discovered that some of life's greatest challenges become the very soil where God grows purpose. Her message encourages readers to stop seeing their struggles as the end of the story and start seeing them as seeds for future growth.

Known for her authenticity, vulnerability, and ability to connect biblical principles with real-life experiences, Nadine inspires audiences to trust God even when the path ahead is unclear. Through speaking engagements, mentoring, and her writing, she helps people embrace healing, strengthen their faith, and step boldly into the calling placed on their lives.

Nadine is a mother, business owner, and passionate advocate for living a life of purpose, obedience, and impact. Her mission is simple: to remind people that even when life squeezes them, faith can still grow.

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Timestamps:

00:00 Meet Nadine Maldonado

01:37 Early Writing Memories

03:06 Journaling Through Grief

05:48 Lifelong Journals and Legacy

09:12 Why She Wrote Lemon Seeds

11:22 Drafting and Editing Reality

16:11 Finding Her Writing Rhythm

17:20 Tools Over Perfection

19:15 Holding the Book at Last

23:04 Impact and Reader Responses

24:42 What’s Next and Final Advice for New Authors

28:30 Wrap Up

Related Episodes:

Jacqueline Fisch

Jacqueline Fisch is an intuitive writing coach and the founder of The Intuitive Writing School. She helps creative business owners create their authentic voice so they can make an impact on the world through their books and businesses.

Before launching her writing and coaching business, Jacq spent 13 years working in corporate communications and management-consulting for clients including Fortune 500 companies and the US government. As a ghostwriter and coach, she’s helped thousands of clients — tech startups, life and business coaches, creatives, and more — learn how to communicate more authentically and stand out in a busy online world.

After moving 14 times in 20 years, she’s decided that home is where the people are. She finds home with her husband, two kids, a dog, a cat, and a few houseplants hanging on by a thread.

https://theintuitivewritingschool.com/
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92: The Stories I Held Back