Read the Acknowledgments

Author Isabel Booth and Marcia Markland, Crooked Lane Books' Editor-at-Large, join Randy to discuss how the unpublished manuscript THEN HE WAS GONE was discovered on The Black List platform, why an editor uses The Black List, writing with empathy, the impact writing has on community, and how to celebrate a win. Subscribe to the podcast via  Apple ,  Spotify ,  and  Substack . Highlights includ...

New York Times bestselling author, and President and founder of Cake Creative and Electric Postcard Entertainment, Dhonielle Clayton and Caroline Tung Richmond, award-winning author and Executive Director of We Need Diverse Books, join Randy to discuss the intersection of YA and children's books x literacy in America, what emerging writers should consider when looking for an agent, community b...

Author and Temple University Assistant Professor of English Laura McGrath and Alia Hanna Habib, Vice President and Literary Agent at The Gernert Company join Randy to discuss what debut book sales say about the ever-changing landscape of book publishing, the agent-writer-editor relationship, and query letters. Subscribe to the podcast via Apple , Spotify ,  and  Substack . Highlights include build...

Storehouse Voices' Associate Publisher Porscha Burke and Yahdon Israel, Senior Editor at Simon & Schuster join Randy to discuss the how books are acquired, the author-editor relationship, how books are sold, and the acquisition to publication timeline. Subscribe to the podcast via  Substack  and  Spotify . Highlights include how editors rest, books editors read for leisure, the power of st...

Founders  Matt Trinetti  and  Parul   Bavishi  are on a mission to build the world’s most encouraging and engaging writing community, and help every human to realize their creative potential through writing; they discuss how with Randy Winston. Subscribe to the podcast via  Substack and  Spotify . Highlights include how to support a growing community, How the London Writers' Salon works, writi...

Award-winning novelist Nicole Dennis-Benn and Leslie Shipman, Founder of The Shipman Agency, join Randy to discuss the author-speaking agent relationship, how The Shipman Agency works, professional boundaries, and the importance of a strong writing community. Subscribe to the podcast via  Substack and  Spotify . Highlights include the difference between a book agent and a speaking agent, what an a...

Riverhead Books' Publicity Director Ashley Garland and Assistant Director of Publicity Glory Anne Plata join Randy to discuss the author-publicist relationship, book tours, the role of a publicist, and the importance of author websites. Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify  and  Substack . Highlights include book jacket decision-makers, keys to publicity campaigns, the never-ending book public...

Best selling author Zakiya Dalila Harris and writing professor Sincere Brooks join Randy to discuss advocating for writers, writing pain points, and book-adjacent writing inspiration. Subscribe to the podcast via  Spotify and  Substack . Highlights include how to protect your craft, writing scenes, empathy in story and much more. Books mentioned in the episode: THE OTHER BLACK GIRL by Zakiya Dalil...

Best selling and critically acclaimed authors Maura Cheeks and Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, and Summit Books Associate Publisher Josefine Kals join Randy, live at Liz's Book Bar in Brooklyn, NY to discuss the importance of craft, relationships in and outside of the book world, and how to navigate the business of publishing. Subscribe to the podcast via   Spotify and  Substack . Highlights include...

Spotify’s Henna Silvennoinen, Casey Acierno, & JED’s Courtney Knowles join Randy to discuss how fiction writers can participate in the Spotify x JED Impact Award: A Mental Health in Fiction initiative.  Spotify x JED Impact Award Submission Page Spotify’s Mental Health Resource Hub for Writers Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify and Substack . Highlights include what makes an unpublished manu...

Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify and Substack . Highlights include the origin of Unicorn Authors Club, the importance of writers supporting writers, how to pitch your project, and much more. Books mentioned in the episode: Bountiful Instructions for Enlightenment by Minal Hajratwala Leaving India: My Family’s Journey From Five Villages to Five Continents by Minal Hajratwala The Art of Living b...

Kate McKean, literary agent at the Howard Morhaim Literary Agency, and Maris Kreizman, author and columnist for Lit Hub, join Randy to discuss the importance of newsletters and what agents and authors learn from each other.  Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify and Substack . Highlights include how to craft newsletters, recommended books, writing groups, and much more.  Books mentioned in the epis...

Thomas Gebremedhin, Vice President and Executive Editor at Doubleday, and Jackson Howard, Senior Editor at Farrar, Straus and Giroux and its imprints MCD and AUWA, join Randy to discuss all things discovery and editing. Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify and Substack . Highlights include what editors look for in authors and manuscripts, how editors find their next book, and much more. Books ment...

Traci Thomas , Creator and Host of The Stacks, and  Franklin Leonard , Founder and CEO of The Black List, join Randy to discuss The Black List's Inaugural Adaptation List.  Subscribe  to the podcast via  Spotify  and  Substack .  Highlights  include surprise titles on the list, titles that should have made the list, what makes for a great adaptation, and much more.  Books mentioned  in the episode...

Book Scout Erin Edmison and Sterling Lord Literistic Foreign Rights Director and Author Szilvia Molnar .  Subscribe to the podcast via  Spotify  and  Substack .  Highlights include why book scouting is important for writers, things writers should know about foreign rights, what book scouts are looking for in a book, foreign rights advances and royalties, and much more.  Books mentioned in the epis...

Author A.E Osworth and author and Electric Literature Editor-in-Chief Denne Michele Norris join Randy to discuss education, writing groups, and staying true to who you are.  Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify  and  Substack .  Highlights include the importance of writers advocating for writers, how writing instruction impacts writing, and much more. Books mentioned in the episode:  Awakened by A...

Trellis Literary agents Stephanie Delman and Allison Hunter join Randy to discuss how discovery happens.  Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify  and  Substack .  Highlights include why agents do what they do, the relationship between writers and agents, how agents find their writers, important questions writers should ask, and much more.  Books mentioned in the episode: Killer Potential by Hannah D...

NY Times Bestselling authors Robert Jones Jr. and Mateo Askaripour join Randy to discuss community, love, and purpose.  Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify  and  Substack .  Highlights include why Robert and Mateo write, how both guests found their purpose in writing, writing consistently, how Mateo and Robert dealt with the discovery of their debut novels, and much more.  Books mentioned in the...

Dutton Senior Editor at Dutton Pilar Garcia-Brown and Atria Books and Washington Square Press Senior Editor Jenny Xu join Randy to discuss what writers should know about book editors. Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify and Substack . Highlights include the relationship editors have with agents, how editors find the stories they want to publish, how acquiring a book works, book advances and much...

Randy Winsto n, Read the Acknowledgments Host and Creative Director of Fiction, is joined by Franklin Leonard , The Black List Founder and CEO, to talk Fiction on The Black List website. Subscribe to the podcast via ⁠Spotify⁠  and  ⁠Substack⁠ . Highlights from this episode include a brief history of The Black List, fiction writer profiles and benefits, how to host a project, fiction evaluations (h...