First Draft with Sarah Enni

We meet Jennifer de Leon as she prepares for the release of her debut young adult novel, Don't Ask Me Where I'm From, on August 4. Though Jennifer has been writing for years, she quickly learns that there's a lot about Capital-P-Publishing that she doesn't know. (Hear her First Draft interview here.)

We meet Holly Root, literary agent and founder of Root Literary who represents clients such as Victoria Schwab (hear her First Draft interview here), Jasmine Guillory (listen to her First Draft interview here), and Christina Lauren.

Seth Fishman, he's an author and literary agent with The Gernert Company and manager of their West Coast office,. He reps clients such as John Joseph Adams, Ali Almossawi, and Kate Beaton.

This episode is brought to you by Writing in Place, the podcast series brought to you by bestselling and Printz-winning author Nina LaCour (listen to her First Draft interviews here and here), who also brings you the Keeping a Notebook podcast and the Slow Novel Lab.

Want more information? Sign up for a free 30-day trial of the Track Changes newsletter, which goes a step (or two) further behind the scenes into the publishing world.

Support First Draft by subscribing to the podcast wherever you listen (on Apple Podcasts, Spotfiy, Stitcher, or elsewhere), and leave a rating or review on Apple Podcasts. You can donate to the podcast, on a one time or monthly basis.

Track Changes is produced by Hayley Hershman. Zan Romanoff is the story editor. The music was composed by Dan Bailey, and the logo was designed by Collin Keith.

Rufi Thorpe, author of The Girls from Corona del Mar and Dear Fang: With Love, talks about her new novel, The Knockout Queen.

This episode was sponsored by HIGHLAND 2, a better way to write, and by We Didn't Ask For This, the newest novel by Adi Alsaid, out from Inkyard Press April 7 (listen to his First Draft interview here).

Links and Topics Mentioned In This Episode

• "Perversity of Spirit," Rufi's essay about what it takes to be a writer in Poets&Writers

• California State Summer School for the Arts

• Philosopher and novelist Iris Murdoch was an inspiration for Rufi

• The author, poet, and screenwriter Raymond Obstfeld taught a community college class that really broke fiction open for Rufi

• Molly Friedrich, literary agent at XXX, who represents Rufi

• Clueless (movie)

• The O.C.

• Zan Romanoff discussing her most recent novel Look on First Draft

• "If You've Ever Felt Insecure About Your Looks, Author Rufi Thorpe Has Some Important Advice" by Rufi in PopSugar

• RuPaul's Drag Race

• Rocky Horror Picture Show (movie)

I want to hear from you!

Have a question about writing or creativity for Sarah Enni or her guests to answer? To leave a voicemail, call (818) 533-1998.

Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni

Every Tuesday, I speak to storytellers like Veronica Roth, author of Divergent; Linda Holmes, author and host of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast; Jonny Sun, internet superstar, illustrator of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Gmorning, Gnight! and author and illustrator of Everyone's an Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too; Michael Dante DiMartino, co-creator of Avatar: The Last Airbender; John August, screenwriter of Big Fish, Charlie's Angels, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; or Rhett Miller, musician and frontman for The Old 97s. Together, we take deep dives on their careers and creative works.

Don't miss an episode! Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. It's free!

Rate, Review, and Recommend

How do you like the show?

Please take a moment to rate and review First Draft with Sarah Enni in Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Your honest and positive review helps others discover the show -- so thank you!

Is there someone you think would love this podcast as much as you do? Please share this episode on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or via carrier pigeon (maybe try a text or e-mail, come to think of it). Just click the Share button at the bottom of this post!

Thanks again!

This week is a new mailbag episode, where I--along with a very special guest--will answer listener questions! Joining me today is Justin A. Reynolds, author of Opposite of Always, whose new YA, Early Departures, will be out September 22!

I want to hear from you!

Have a question about writing or creativity for Sarah Enni or her guests to answer? To leave a voicemail, call (818) 533-1998.

Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni

Every Tuesday, I speak to storytellers like Veronica Roth, author of Divergent; Linda Holmes, author and host of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast; Jonny Sun, internet superstar, illustrator of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Gmorning, Gnight! and author and illustrator of Everyone's an Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too; Michael Dante DiMartino, co-creator of Avatar: The Last Airbender; John August, screenwriter of Big Fish, Charlie's Angels, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; or Rhett Miller, musician and frontman for The Old 97s. Together, we take deep dives on their careers and creative works.

Don't miss an episode! Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. It's free!

Rate, Review, and Recommend

How do you like the show?

Please take a moment to rate and review First Draft with Sarah Enni in Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Your honest and positive review helps others discover the show -- so thank you!

Is there someone you think would love this podcast as much as you do? Please share this episode on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or via carrier pigeon (maybe try a text or e-mail, come to think of it). Just click the Share button at the bottom of this post!

Thanks again!

Claire Comstock-Gay is the author of weekly horoscopes for New York magazine's The Cut, and her debut book about astrology, Madame Clairevoyant's Guide to the Stars, is out now.

This episode was sponsored by HIGHLAND 2, a better way to write, and by We Didn't Ask For This, the newest novel by Adi Alsaid, out from Inkyard Press April 7 (listen to his First Draft interview here).

Links and Topics Mentioned In This Episode

• The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner

• Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

• Molly McCardle, an author and editor, first got Claire her job writing horoscopes for

  The Rumpus

• CafeAstrology

• The Toast

• Courtney Maum, author of I Am Having So Much Fun Here Without You, Touch, Costalegre, and Before and After the Book Deal: A Writer's Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting, and Surviving Your First Book

I want to hear from you!

Have a question about writing or creativity for Sarah Enni or her guests to answer? To leave a voicemail, call (818) 533-1998 or email an audio file of you asking your question to [email protected] !

Join the conversation at the First Draft Facebook Group, too!

Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni

Every Tuesday, I speak to storytellers like Veronica Roth, author of Divergent; Linda Holmes, author and host of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast; Jonny Sun, internet superstar, illustrator of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Gmorning, Gnight! and author and illustrator of Everyone's an Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too; Michael Dante DiMartino, co-creator of Avatar: The Last Airbender; John August, screenwriter of Big Fish, Charlie's Angels, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; or Rhett Miller, musician and frontman for The Old 97s. Together, we take deep dives on their careers and creative works.

Don't miss an episode! Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. It's free!

Rate, Review, and Recommend

How do you like the show?

Please take a moment to rate and review First Draft with Sarah Enni in Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Your honest and positive review helps others discover the show -- so thank you!

Is there someone you think would love this podcast as much as you do? Please share this episode on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or via carrier pigeon (maybe try a text or e-mail, come to think of it). Just click the Share button at the bottom of this post!

Thanks again!

We meet Jennifer de Leon as she prepares for the release of her debut young adult novel, Don't Ask Me Where I'm From, on August 4. Though Jennifer has been writing for years, she quickly learns that there's a lot about Capital-P-Publishing that she doesn't know. (Hear her First Draft interview here.)

For some publishing basics, we turn to Courtney Maum, author of Costalgere, I Am Having So Much Fun Here Without You, and more. Her most recent book, Before and After the Book Deal: A Writer's Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting, and Surviving Your First Book is a comprehensive guide for new authors.

This episode of Track Changes was brought to you by Scrivener, the app for writers of all kinds. Use code FIRSTDRAFT to get 20% off!

Discussed in this episode:

The three tiers of publishers (in the United States):

• The Big Five publishers are: Penguin Random House; HarperCollins; Macmillan; Simon & Schuster; and Hachette. Within each big five publisher are dozens of imprints, which are groups within the publisher who publish similar genres or categories of books. Thanks to artist Ali Almossawi, we have this incredible interactive flow chart that shows the relationship between the Big Five and their many, many imprints.

• Independent publishers like Scholastic, Catapult, ABRAMS books, Tin House

• Micropresses like: Two Dollar Radio; StalkingHorse Press

The four main publications that offer starred reviews of books are:

• Publisher's Weekly

• Kirkus

• Booklist

• School Library Journal

Want more information? Sign up for a free 30-day trial of the Track Changes newsletter, which goes a step (or two) further behind the scenes into the publishing world.

Support First Draft by subscribing to the podcast wherever you listen (on Apple Podcasts, Spotfiy, Stitcher, or elsewhere), and leave a rating or review on Apple Podcasts. You can donate to the podcast, on a one time or monthly basis.

Track Changes is produced by Hayley Hershman. Zan Romanoff is the story editor. The music was composed by Dan Bailey, and the logo was designed by Collin Keith.

Jennifer De Leon is Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at Framingham State University, and a GrubStreet instructor and board member. Her debut young adult novel, Don't Ask Me Where I'm From, is out from Atheneum/Simon & Schuster on August 4, 2020.

This episode was sponsored by HIGHLAND 2, a better way to write, and by We Didn't Ask For This, the newest novel by Adi Alsaid, out from Inkyard Press April 7 (listen to his First Draft interview here).

Links and Topics Mentioned In This Episode

• Herb Kohl was Jenn's professor at USF while she was getting her master's degree

• Ben Brooks, author and senior writer in residence at Emerson, taught Jenn in a continuing education class

• GrubStreet in Boston is the country's largest and leading independent creative writing center

• Christopher Castellani, Artistic Director, Stage and Convenings at GrubStreet

• The Bread Loaf Writer's Conference

• VONA, the Voices of Our Nation Arts Foundation

• The Macundo Foundation, founded by Sandra Cisneros, author of The House on Mango Street

• Junot Diaz, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

• The Vermont Studio Center

• Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)

• We Need Diverse Books

• Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books

• Jason Reynolds, author of Ghost, Long Way Down, and Look Both Ways (listen to his First Draft interview here)

I want to hear from you!

Have a question about writing or creativity for Sarah Enni or her guests to answer? To leave a voicemail, call (818) 533-1998.

Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni

Every Tuesday, I speak to storytellers like Veronica Roth, author of Divergent; Linda Holmes, author and host of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast; Jonny Sun, internet superstar, illustrator of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Gmorning, Gnight! and author and illustrator of Everyone's an Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too; Michael Dante DiMartino, co-creator of Avatar: The Last Airbender; John August, screenwriter of Big Fish, Charlie's Angels, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; or Rhett Miller, musician and frontman for The Old 97s. Together, we take deep dives on their careers and creative works.

Don't miss an episode! Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. It's free!

Rate, Review, and Recommend

How do you like the show?

Please take a moment to rate and review First Draft with Sarah Enni in Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Your honest and positive review helps others discover the show -- so thank you!

Is there someone you think would love this podcast as much as you do? Please share this episode on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or via carrier pigeon (maybe try a text or e-mail, come to think of it). Just click the Share button at the bottom of this post!

Thanks again!

Edan Lepucki, New York Times bestselling author of California and Woman No. 17. Edan's latest project is Mothers Before, a collection of essays and photographs based on the popular Instagram Mothers Before, which Edan created. She is also the co-host, with fellow writer Amelia Morris, of the podcast Mom Rage.

Links and Topics Mentioned In This Episode

• Dan Chaon, author of Ill Will, Await Your Reply, and You Remind Me of Me, was an influential teacher in Edan's young writing life

• A breakthrough moment for Edan was drafting a story that mimicked the structure used by Cary Holladay in "Merry-Go-Sorry," a short story published in Alaska Quarterly Review (read an excerpt of the story, based on the West Memphis 3, here). Cary is also the author of Brides in the Sky: Stories and a Novella and The Quick-Change Artist: Stories.

• Edan worked at Book Soup, a local bookstore in Los Angeles, Calif.

• For 45 years, until her recent retirement, Connie Brothers shaped the Iowa Writer's Workshop, including by calling every accepted writer personally to welcome them to the program.

• As a graduate of the Iowa Writers Workshop, Edan is in a position to correct the depiction of the esteemed writing program in HBO's Girls

• Frank Conroy, director of the Iowa Writers' Workshop, died halfway through Edan's time at the program. He was replaced by Lan Samantha Chang, who has been credited with a shift in the program's makeup and away from a once-toxic environment.

• Raymond Carver, author of What We Talk About When We Talk About Love, Cathedral, and Will You Please Be Quiet, Please?

• George Saunders, author of Lincoln in the Bardo: A Novel, and Tenth of December: Stories

• Lorrie Moore, author of Birds of America: Stories and Self-Help and Who Will Run the Frog Hospital?

• Mary Gaitskill, This Is Pleasure: A Story, Bad Behavior: Stories, and Because They Wanted To

• Edan founded Writing Workshop L.A. after coming home from Iowa

• Leslie Parry, author of Church of Marvels, was a classmate of Edan's at Iowa and one of the earliest authors to help teach at Writing Workshop L.A.

• Chris Daley was another early writing instructor who now serves as director of Writing Workshop L.A.

• The UCross Residency program in Wyoming

• The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

• Edan's appearance on The Colbert Report

• The New York Times profile about Edan's debut experience with California, written by Brooks Barnes

• Appearing on Fresh Air with Terry Gross is one of Edan's life goals

• Aimee Bender, author of Willful Creatures, The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, and The Girl in the Flammable Skirt: Stories

• Edan's agent, Erin Hosier

• "Our Mothers as We Never Saw Them," a piece Edan wrote for the New York Times that went viral

• Writers who contributed to Mothers Before include: Brit Bennett (author of The Mothers: A Novel); Jennine Capó Crucet (author of Make Your Home Among Strangers and My Time Among the Whites: Notes From an Unfinished Education); Jennifer Egan (author of A Visit From the Goon Squad and Manhattan Beach: A Novel); Angela Garbes (author of Like a Mother: A Feminist Journey Through The Science and Culture of Pregnancy); Annabeth Gish; Alison Roman (author of Nothing Fancy: Unfancy Food For Having People Over); Lisa See (author of The Island of Sea Women: A Novel and Snow Flower and the Secret Fan); Danzy Senna (author of Caucasia: A Novel, and New People); Dana Spiotta (author of Eat the Document: A Novel and Stone Arabia: A Novel); and Jia Tolentino (author of Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion).

• Annie Dillard, author of The Writing Life, as well as Pilgrim at Tinker Creek and An American Childhood

• Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project: Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun and Better than Before: What I Learned About Making and Breaking Habits—To Sleep More, Quit Sugar, Procrastinate Less, and Generally Build a Happier LIfe

I want to hear from you!

Have a question about writing or creativity for Sarah Enni or her guests to answer? To leave a voicemail, call (818) 533-1998.

Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni

Every Tuesday, I speak to storytellers like Veronica Roth, author of Divergent; Linda Holmes, author and host of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast; Jonny Sun, internet superstar, illustrator of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Gmorning, Gnight! and author and illustrator of Everyone's an Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too; Michael Dante DiMartino, co-creator of Avatar: The Last Airbender; John August, screenwriter of Big Fish, Charlie's Angels, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; or Rhett Miller, musician and frontman for The Old 97s. Together, we take deep dives on their careers and creative works.

Don't miss an episode! Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. It's free!

Rate, Review, and Recommend

How do you like the show?

Please take a moment to rate and review First Draft with Sarah Enni in Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Your honest and positive review helps others discover the show -- so thank you!

Is there someone you think would love this podcast as much as you do? Please share this episode on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or via carrier pigeon (maybe try a text or e-mail, come to think of it). Just click the Share button at the bottom of this post!

Thanks again!

Veronica Roth, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Divergent series, the Carve the Mark duology, and the short story collection, The End and Other Beginnings, talks about her first adult fantasy novel, The Chosen Ones.

This episode was sponsored by HIGHLAND 2, a better way to write, and by We Didn't Ask For This, the newest novel by Adi Alsaid, out from Inkyard Press April 7 (listen to his First Draft interview here).

Links and Topics Mentioned In This Episode

• Hear Veronica's previous First Draft interviews: Just prior to the Insurgent movie being released, and as Carve the Mark was being released

• Katherine Tegen, publisher of Katherine Tegen Books, published Veronica's young adult fictoin

• Alice Munro, author of Dear Life, Runaway, and Too Much Happiness

• Me and cooking can be summed up in the Netflix series Nailed It

• Some chosen one stories that were particularly influential to Veronica were Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling; Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien; Animorphs by KA Applegate, Narnia by C.S. Lewis; The Giver by Louis Lowry; and Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

• The Knockout Queen by Rufi Thorpe

• All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders

• Adam Brody of The O.C.

• My most recent interview with Zan Romanoff, whose newest book, Look, is fantastic!

• MK Ultra, the government's mind-control experimentation

• Project Blue Book, the top-secret government UFO coverup

• The audiobook of Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders

• "As Coronavirus Spreads, Publishers Struggle with When, and How, to Move Pub Dates," the Publisher's Weekly article about publishers deciding when to move publication dates in light of COVID-19

• The list of virtual events for Veronica's The Chosen Ones virtual tour

• Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief by David Kessler

I want to hear from you!

Have a question about writing or creativity for Sarah Enni or her guests to answer? To leave a voicemail, call (818) 533-1998.

Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni

Every Tuesday, I speak to storytellers like Veronica Roth, author of Divergent; Linda Holmes, author and host of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast; Jonny Sun, internet superstar, illustrator of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Gmorning, Gnight! and author and illustrator of Everyone's an Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too; Michael Dante DiMartino, co-creator of Avatar: The Last Airbender; John August, screenwriter of Big Fish, Charlie's Angels, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; or Rhett Miller, musician and frontman for The Old 97s. Together, we take deep dives on their careers and creative works.

Don't miss an episode! Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. It's free!

Rate, Review, and Recommend

How do you like the show?

Please take a moment to rate and review First Draft with Sarah Enni in Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Your honest and positive review helps others discover the show -- so thank you!

Is there someone you think would love this podcast as much as you do? Please share this episode on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or via carrier pigeon (maybe try a text or e-mail, come to think of it). Just click the Share button at the bottom of this post!

Thanks again!

Over nine episodes, this podcast mini-series answers the surprisingly complex question: How does a book get published? Track Changes will guide the listener through the idiosyncrasies and traditions of the publishing process, providing context and human voices for every step.

Sarah Enni talks to professionals at all stages of the publishing process—from agents and editors to publicity and marketing professionals and more—to give aspiring authors, professional writers, and industry vets alike the information they need to be more knowledgeable professionals with a renewed respect and appreciation for the industry—and, hopefully, some ideas about how to make it better.

Zan Romanoff, journalist and author of A Song to Take the World Apart, and Grace and the Fever, whose newest YA novel, Look, is out now!

Links and Topics Mentioned In This Episode

• Listen to Zan Romanoff's first First Draft interview here, as well as her Mailbag episode where she answers listener questions (you can watch that episode on First Draft's IGTV, too)!

• Catie DiSabato, author of The Ghost Network, helped Zan enormously in her capacity as a public relations professional to promote Grace and the Fever

• Sarah Burnes is Zan's literary agent — and mine!! Listen to me chat with Sarah about my debut, Tell Me Everything, on this very special episode of First Draft!

• Zan has written quite a bit about the Kardashians, and you can find all of it here!

• British magazine The Gentlewoman asked Zan to interview Karina Longworth, who podcast You Must Remember This is a must-listen. Zan reviewed Karina's book, Seduction: Sex, Lies, and Stardom in Howard Hughes's Hollywood and found inspiration within that for Look

• Zan's editor, Jessica Dandino Garrison

• Zan was interviewed by NPR about the "Decade of Celebrity," and the Kardashians specifically

• Brandy Colbert, author of The Voting Booth, The Only Black Girls in Town, and many more books (listen to her First Draft episodes here and here), told Zan to keep a scene in Look that I really loved!

• Zan is going to be part of Bellatrist's Instagram book club and Quarantine Book Club

I want to hear from you!

Have a question about writing or creativity for Sarah Enni or her guests to answer? To leave a voicemail, call (818) 533-1998.

Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni

Every Tuesday, I speak to storytellers like Veronica Roth, author of Divergent; Linda Holmes, author and host of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast; Jonny Sun, internet superstar, illustrator of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Gmorning, Gnight! and author and illustrator of Everyone's an Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too; Michael Dante DiMartino, co-creator of Avatar: The Last Airbender; John August, screenwriter of Big Fish, Charlie's Angels, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; or Rhett Miller, musician and frontman for The Old 97s. Together, we take deep dives on their careers and creative works.

Don't miss an episode! Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. It's free!

Rate, Review, and Recommend

How do you like the show?

Please take a moment to rate and review First Draft with Sarah Enni in Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Your honest and positive review helps others discover the show -- so thank you!

Is there someone you think would love this podcast as much as you do? Please share this episode on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or via carrier pigeon (maybe try a text or e-mail, come to think of it). Just click the Share button at the bottom of this post!

Thanks again!