The Read Magnet® Podcast

How to Write a Book When the Odds Are Stacked Against You – with Pippa Stacey

Cate Butler Ross Season 4 Episode 77

If you want to write a book that actually builds your authority – and your business – but you just can’t seem to get it started, this might help.

I’ve made a free 16-minute MicroClass called Make Your Authority Book Inevitable. It walks you through the three things you really need to finally make your book happen — even if you’re short on time, clarity, or confidence. You can grab it now at theluminous.media/microclass, or just hit the link in the show notes.

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What happens when your desire to write a book collides with real-life limitations—like chronic illness, low energy, or a life that doesn't follow the usual path?

In this episode, author and blogger Pippa Stacey shares how she built a writing career while living with ME/CFS. We talk about writing through fatigue, building a platform from a 3am blog post, and how her most “niche” book ended up opening unexpected doors.

Whether you're navigating your own health challenges, struggling to make consistent progress, or worried your book idea is “too specific,” this conversation is a powerful reminder that there’s more than one way to write a book—and more than one kind of success.


🎧 In this episode, we explore:

  • How Pippa turned her personal story into published books


  • What it’s really like to write while managing chronic illness


  • The surprising advantages of writing a “niche” book


  • Pippa’s experience of self-publishing vs traditional publishing


  • What helped her manage brain fog, fatigue, and deadlines


  • Why building an online platform made all the difference


  • The importance of boundaries when writing about personal topics


  • How to honour your energy and still move forward with your book



🪄 You’ll also hear:

  • Why writing can be a lifeline – especially when the world feels unaccommodating


  • What Pippa wishes she’d known before publishing her first book


  • A sneak peek into her new guided journal Pave Your Way With Chronic Illness



🔗 Links and Resources:


✨ Ready to start your own book?

If you’re sitting on an idea but life keeps getting in the way, Read Magnet can help.
Join the waitlist for the next cohort [insert link] and let’s write the right book, the right way.