Write the Damn Book Already

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions! Rachel Weaver wrote her memoir Dizzy at a seven-day writing residency in Wyoming where she was, by her own description, "the depressed one in the corner the whole time." The (ultimate) result? A beautifully structured, deeply honest book about chronic illness, power dynamics, and what it takes to keep living the life you want...

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions! If your book has been sitting in a half-finished state for longer than you'd like to admit, this episode is for you.  I'm in the middle of writing my seventh book — my first real attempt at fiction — and I'm not even going to pretend it's going smoothly. In this episode, I talk about what keeps stalling the manuscrip...

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions! Lori is a traditionally published author of seven books whose latest novel, Kiss, Marry, Kill , releases April 7th with HarperCollins. Last time she was on the show, we talked about her novel, Romantic Friction . This time? We get into the business of publishing — the stuff most authors don't hear about until they're already i...

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions! Ever wonder what happens when an academic specializing in medieval women’s visions suddenly writes her first novel?  In this episode, Jennifer Brown shares her unexpected leap from dusty manuscripts to publishing with St. Martin’s Press and how a canceled conference sparked her fiction journey—without a soul telling her she should. In t...

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions! Many indie authors lose sleep over the idea of getting banned on Amazon. Honestly? That fear makes sense. It's not possible to guarantee that your account would be suspended or deactivated, but if it is, there are steps you can take to rectify the situation. In this episode, I'm breaking down what actually causes account suspe...

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions! Creative careers look glamorous from the outside. The inside is usually…a little messier. In episode 160, I sit down with Liz Astrof , TV writer ("Stumble," "King of Queens," "Pivoting," etc.) and author of Stay-At-Work Mom , to talk about the real mechanics of building a career in entertainment and publish...

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions! In this episode, I’m joined by Emma Grey , whose newest novel, Start at the End , publishes on April 7, 2026. We talk about writing brave stories and building a creative life that can withstand rejection. Emma shares how vulnerability fuels her fiction. Not for shock value, but how honest emotions earn their place on the page. We talk a...

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions! In this episode, I’m joined by U.K.-based bestselling author Alexandra Potter , known for Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k-Up and her newest release, So, I Met This Guy ... We talk about her writing journey, the freedom (and risk) of genre versatility, and why she refuses to be boxed in (as should you!). Alexandra shares how she de...

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions! Can you write a memoir without putting your name on it? In this episode, I tackle two of the most common questions I hear from aspiring memoirists: Can I stay anonymous? and What makes a book successful?  I break down why selling a memoir without a personal identity attached is tough. Readers connect to people, not just stories. And whe...

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions! It's critical to understand the dynamics of book distribution, the advantages of ebooks, and strategies for increasing sales, especially as an indie author. So in this conversation, I discuss recent updates in the self-publishing world, focusing on distribution platforms for authors, particularly the new option for ebook distributi...

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions! Sarah Vacchiano’s journey from querying 100 agents to publishing with one of the industry’s top houses is a story of patience, "luck," and the power of building genuine relationships. In this episode, Sarah shares the behind-the-scenes details of her publishing journey, including how a chance reconnection with an editor led to...

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions! An elementary school librarian by day. A writer by night (and other spare moments). Somewhere in between, a whole book got written. In episode 154, I’m joined by Cassie Miller , author of the upcoming young adult contemporary sports romance Meet Me Under the Lights (Viking, March 2026). We talk about how she balanced teaching, writing,...

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions! Fear of failure shows up early for most authors. And despite what you may think, it doesn’t magically disappear once you’re published. In this episode, I get honest about how fear, rejection, and unmet expectations quietly shape the writing process, especially in nonfiction and memoir. Drawing from years of editing experience (and my ow...

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions! In this episode, I discuss the significance of context in the author space, emphasizing the need for transparency in marketing. I also talk about that dreaded task: building an author email list.  EPISODE CHAPTERS 01:37 - The Power of Quiet Reflection 04:09 - When Navigating the Author Space: Context Matters 10:02 - Building Your Email...

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions! This episode starts with a question that’s been tapping me on the shoulder all year: What would it look like to choose ease without giving up momentum? I’m reflecting on the past year in book writing and publishing, and sharing what I’m carrying forward into 2026. Less hustle-for-hustle’s-sake. More sustainable progress that feels livab...

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions! Episode 150 provides the reset many authors quietly crave as Jenn Hanson-dePaula returns to help us modify (if not outright rebuild) our expectations, systems, and perspectives when it comes to book sales. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: • How to implement a "2 sales a day" strategy. • Becoming "profitable, not popular." (Hint:...

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions! In this episode, I share 8 books that reshaped how I parent, relax, and think about storytelling in 2025. Books: Just Do Nothing (for Parents) by Joanna Hardis The Summer We Ran by Audrey Ingram What Happened to Lucy Vale by Lauren Oliver Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy Small Victories by Anne Lamott Mo...

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions! In this episode, we walk through 5 mistakes that quietly undermine first-time self-publishers and show how to fix each one with practical, doable steps. We start by tightening your audience with a one-sentence framework that keeps every chapter aligned to a clear promise.  From there, we map a real editing workflow: self-edit, gather ta...

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions! If you’re writing a nonfiction book or memoir and your draft feels messy, scattered, or “not quite ready,” this episode will help you clean it up fast. I’m sharing 5 editing rules that instantly improve any nonfiction manuscript — the same rules I use to help guide the authors whose manuscripts I edit.  These are the patterns I’ve seen...

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions! Wanting life to be wonderful and wanting to be wonderful aren’t the same thing, and that gap is where today’s conversation lives. Israeli journalist and author Lihi Lapid joins me to talk about motherhood’s messy truths, the pressure to be “more” than "good enough," and the writing choices that make a story feel honest. From b...

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions! Today I'm sharing 5 quick wins that make self-publishing feel simple, not scary, and show how small moves can build sustainable momentum. By the end of these 5 steps, you will have: • locked in a clear (and easy to pronounce over and over again) working title • chosen a credible publishing company name • and understanding of ISBNs...

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions! Ever felt like everyone else has the secret playbook for publishing while you’re just winging it? Same. In this episode, I spill everything I'd tell you as the author of six books (and having published 50+ for others) if I wasn't afraid you'd unfollow or outright block me.  I'll get real about the financial side of a...

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions! A single question on a cold Hudson Valley walk: What if there’s a body in that hunter’s tent? sparked the debut thriller The Gallagher Place by Julie Doar.  In this episode, we chat about how she wrote the first draft by instinct, then shifted gears into precision: charting dates, timelines, and cause-and-effect until every twist landed...

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions! What happens when a traditionally published debut novel suddenly appears on Kindle Unlimited while still showing wide? That unexpected twist opens into a bigger conversation about publishing decisions (and what’s actually within an author’s control). In this episode, Turner Gable Kahn, author of The Dirty Version (Harper Perennial), sha...

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions! Maid meets Under the Tuscan Sun ! Betsy Cornwell built her career writing young adult fantasy, but her newest book tells an entirely different story. In this episode, Betsy opens up about her memoir, Ring of Salt , which chronicles her escape from an abusive marriage and her creation of a sanctuary for single-parent artists. At the cent...