S3 Ep97: When Your Book Becomes a Calling - with Nicola Humber

Is your book quietly (or loudly) refusing to leave you alone? That might not be a coincidence — it could be your soul trying to get a word in.

In this episode of Creating Happy Writers, I chat with the brilliant Nicola Humber about what happens when writing a book becomes less of a strategic decision and more of a deep inner pull.

Nicola is the author of four transformational books, Heal Your Inner Good Girl,
UNBOUND, Unbound Writing, and her most recent (published in 2025), ‘The Abundant Author Playbook’. She’s also the creator of the #unbound365 journal and founder of The Unbound Press, a soul-led publishing imprint for unbound women.

After playing the archetypal good girl up until her mid-thirties, Nicola left her 'proper' job in finance to retrain as a coach and hypnotherapist, and this leap of faith led her to what she does now: activating recovering good girls to embrace their so-called imperfections and shake off the tyranny of 'shoulds', so they can be their fullest, freest, most magnificent selves.

Nicola helps women write the book their Unbound Self is calling them to write, whilst
growing a community of soul-family readers and clients. She's also the host of The Unbound Writer's Club podcast.

In this episode, we explore:

• What it means to be a soul-led writer — and why your book might be part of your transformation, not just your reader’s
  
  
• Why writing from a place of should can quietly crush your joy
  
  
• How to navigate vulnerability (and unmet expectations) when your book meets the real world
  
  
• The silent bias still holding back female non-fiction authors — and what to do about it
  
  
• How the Unbound Press is rewriting the publishing experience — for good
  
  

Writing a book isn’t just about getting published. It’s about finding your voice — and trusting it enough to be heard.


So, whether you’re mid-draft, circling an idea, or sitting on a Word doc that hasn’t been opened in three months, Nicola’s wisdom will remind you why you started — and why your voice matters.

I hope you enjoy listening.

Connect with Nicola and her books:

• The Abundant Author Playbook
• The Unbound Press Website
• Nicola’s website
• Instagram

Further resources from me

• My book, ‘Dare to Write: How to Write a Nonfiction Book to Grow Your Business,’ is available now on Amazon or directly via my website.
  
  

Connect with Steph:

Website: https://stephcaswell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephcaswellauthor/?hl=en

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephcaswell/

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