Freelance Writing Direct with Estelle

Lara Lillibridge (she/they) is the author of The Truth About Unringing Phones: Essays on Yearning; Mama, Mama, Only Mama: An Irreverent Guide for the Newly Single Parent, and Girlish: Growing Up in a Lesbian Home. Lara is the Interviews Editor for Hippocampus Magazine and Creative Nonfiction Co-editor for HeartWood Literary Magazine. She holds an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from West Virginia Wesleyan College

In this episode:

• How she approached writing about tough family topics [3:04]

• Building bridges into each chapter of your book [5:18]

• Developing a writing practice after you've lost your words [7:44]

• The surprising genesis of Lara's book's title and how it works as a throughline [10:03]

• How Lara found her publisher [13:16]

• The importance of audio rights to your book with the advent of AI [16:31]

• The trauma of writing about difficult relationships and the importance of self-care [21:11]

• Researching family history with handy online tools[23:20]

• Lara's work as Interviews editor for Hippocampus Magazine [28:08]

Connect with Lara:

Twitter: @Only_Mama

Facebook: @LaraBethLillibridge

Instagram: @LaraLillibridge

Website: www.LaraLillibridge.com

Lara's Interview with Estelle on Hippocampus Magazine

https://hippocampusmagazine.com/2024/04/interview-with-estelle-erasmus-author-of-writing-that-gets-noticed/

Connect with Estelle:

​​FREE PITCHING GUIDE: Find out more about this episode at

https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast. You also get a free pitching guide if you sign up for her newsletter.

Sign up for Estelle's Personal Essay Class for Writer's Digest

https://www.writersonlineworkshops.com/courses/writing-the-personal-essay-101-fundamentals

See Estelle's latest blog post with news

https://estelleserasmus.com/a-few-pieces-of-exciting-news/

Get Her Book

Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: https://rb.gy/5ihwp0

Sign up for her Substack https://estelleserasmus.substack.com (with craft advice and writing opportunities). Paid subscribers receive opportunities for pitch reviews, plus bonus clips from Freelance Writing Direct guests

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus

TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@EstelleSErasmus

Estelle's Latest Articles

I'm Learning to Listen in New Ways (Shondaland)

https://www.shondaland.com/live/family/a46102451/im-learning-to-listen-in-new-ways/

What to Do PreLaunch to Get Your Book Noticed (Writer's Digest)

https://www.writersdigest.com/getting-published/what-to-do-pre-launch-to-get-your-book-noticed

Lisa Sharkey is the SVP and Publisher of the newly inaugurated HarperCollins imprint, Harper Influence, where her team acquires high profile non-fiction spanning popular culture, from general lifestyle and entertainment to stories of survival and inspiration. Whether in the fields of science, medicine, nature, music, lifestyle, spirituality, cooking, design, or news-driven narratives, the defining theme of her books surrounds cultural impact and relevance. Sharkey has overseen the acquisition and publication of more than seventy-five New York Times Bestsellers, including multiple number one bestsellers.

Prior to her publishing career, Sharkey was President of Al Roker Entertainment, Senior Producer of Good Morning America and worked at various network news organizations from CBS to PBS and KingWorld's Inside Edition. She executive produced the documentary Profiles in Courage: A Kennedy Legacy, hosted by Caroline Kennedy.

A two-time Emmy Award winner, Sharkey is also the recipient of Peabody and Dupont Awards for her work as part of the ABC News team during 9/11. Sharkey is also a member of various groups and organizations including: the New York regional cabinet for Washington University in St. Louis, and the advisory board for NABU.org.

Sharkey also spearheads the annual Mona Sherman Memorial Lecture, honoring her late mother Mona Sherman, bringing high-profile speakers to the Berkshires in Massachusetts at no cost to the community. For the past eleven years, Sharkey has been a mentor for American Corporate Partners helping veterans transition out of the military and into civilian jobs. She is also a certified Yoga instructor.

In this episode:

• The evolution of social media and publishing [5:09]

• Partnering with your publisher [6:11]

• Lisa's thoughts discoverability and TikTok for authors [10:06]

• Backlists: The backbone of publishing [13:15]

• How Lisa approaches publishing from a news and journalism background [20:33]

• How Lisa stays on top of trends as an early adapter [23:02]

• The power of networking [26:33]

• AI's influence on publishing and how Lisa uses it [33:46]

• Lisa's acquisitions and how she comes up with new ideas for books [34:21]

• How to get on Lisa's radar [38:17]

Connect with Lisa:

• Instagram: @sharkogram

• LinkedIn: @lisasharkey

• X: @lisasharkey

• Facebook: @lisa.sharkey

Wash U Distinguished Alumni Award Introduction Video: https://youtu.be/FPOmW1p5cxg

Wash U Distinguished Alumni Award Acceptance Speech: https://www.youtube.com/live/r7fK7APGjP8?si=HhpuCJ26x0r3UsDG&t=1959

Estelle mentions Lisa in Episode #90 Estelle's Edge on the U.S. Book Show 2024 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Kh2TKt8lok

Episode mentioning Harris Faulkner: Episode #41 Harris Faukner and How Faith Still Moves Mountains https://estelleserasmus.com/41-harris-faulkner-and-how-faith-still-moves-mountains/

Connect with Estelle:

​​FREE PITCHING GUIDE: Find out more about this episode at

https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast. You also get a free pitching guide if you sign up for her newsletter.

Sign up for Estelle's Personal Essay Class for Writer's Digest

https://www.writersonlineworkshops.com/courses/writing-the-personal-essay-101-fundamentals

See Estelle's latest blog post with news

https://estelleserasmus.com/a-few-pieces-of-exciting-news/

Get Her Book

Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: https://rb.gy/5ihwp0

Sign up for her Substack https://estelleserasmus.substack.com (with craft advice and writing opportunities). Paid subscribers receive opportunities for pitch reviews, plus bonus clips from Freelance Writing Direct guests

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus

TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@EstelleSErasmus

Estelle's Latest Articles

I'm Learning to Listen in New Ways (Shondaland)

https://www.shondaland.com/live/family/a46102451/im-learning-to-listen-in-new-ways/

What to Do Pre-Launch to Get Your Book Noticed Writer's Digest)

https://www.writersdigest.com/getting-published/what-to-do-pre-launch-to-get-your-book-noticed

How to Resist the Temptation of AI When Writing (Wired) https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-resist-ai-temptation-writing/

In this bonus episode, Estelle shares her first-hand experience of attending the 2024 U.S. Book Show as media, presented by Publishers Weekly and the Association of American Literary Agents.

The much-anticipated annual event, hosted by NYU's SPS Center for Publishing and Applied Liberal Arts at NYU's Kimmel Center in New York City, brought the industry together for continuing education, discussion of emerging trends, and networking to foster relationships within the publishing community.

This conversation covers the rise (and increasing dominance) of audiobooks, the importance of libraries and librarians, the significance of personal connections in publishing, and Estelle's thoughts on using AI as an author.

Connect with Estelle:

​​FREE PITCHING GUIDE: Find out more about this episode at

https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast. You also get a free pitching guide if you sign up for her newsletter.

Sign up for Estelle's Personal Essay Class for Writer's Digest

https://www.writersonlineworkshops.com/courses/writing-the-personal-essay-101-fundamentals

See Estelle's latest blog post with news

https://estelleserasmus.com/a-few-pieces-of-exciting-news/

Get Her Book

Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: https://rb.gy/5ihwp0

Sign up for her Substack https://estelleserasmus.substack.com (with craft advice and writing opportunities). Paid subscribers receive opportunities for pitch reviews, plus bonus clips from Freelance Writing Direct guests

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus

TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@EstelleSErasmus

Estelle's Latest Articles

I'm Learning to Listen in New Ways (Shondaland)

https://www.shondaland.com/live/family/a46102451/im-learning-to-listen-in-new-ways/

What to Do Pre-Launch to Get Your Book Noticed Writer's Digest)

https://www.writersdigest.com/getting-published/what-to-do-pre-launch-to-get-your-book-noticed

How to Resist the Temptation of AI When Writing (Wired) https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-resist-ai-temptation-writing/

Amanda Churchill is a writer living in Texas. Her work has been featured in Hobart Pulp, Witness, River Styx, and other outlets. She was a Writer's League of Texas 2021 Fellow and holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from the University of North Texas. The Turtle House is her first novel.

In this episode:

• The challenges of writing a novel about family [3:24]

• Creating an ending in fiction you couldn't provide in real life [5:21]

• Interviewing subjects and researching a novel based on family history [9:50]

• Developing through lines and replicating motifs [18:07]

• How being a graphic designer and focusing on visual as much as the words helped Amanda write the book [25:01]

• Finding the confidence to move forward creatively without fear [20:05]

• Dealing with the intensity of writing about strong emotions [34:29]

• How Amanda structured her writing process and found her agent [36:45]

Connect with Amanda:

Twitter: https://x.com/agchurchill

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandagchurchill/

Website: https://amandagannchurchill.com

Get her book on Estelle's Bookshop

https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-turtle-house-amanda-churchill/20297348?aid=98827&ean=9780063290518&listref=authors-who-have-appeared-on-freelance-writing-direct&

Other Episodes Featuring Novelists

Episode #70 Writing A YA Romance Novel

https://estelleserasmus.com/70-writing-a-ya-romance-novel-with-jennifer-chen/

Episode #63 Witchy Writing With the Shit No One Tells You About Writing Host Bianca Marais

https://estelleserasmus.com/63-witchy-writing-with-bianca-marais/

Episode #58 Writing About Historical Subjects

https://estelleserasmus.com/58-writing-about-historical-subjects-with-audrey-clare-farley/

Connect with Estelle:

​​FREE PITCHING GUIDE: Find out more about this episode at

https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast. You also get a free pitching guide if you sign up for her newsletter.

Get on the Waiting List for Estelle's online Editor-on-Call Event in Partnership with NYU on June 13

"Making the Cut" with editor for The Cut, Jen Ortiz

https://events.nyu.edu/event/327843-editor-on-call-making-the-cut-with-your-writing

Sign up for Estelle's Personal Essay Class for Writer's Digest

https://www.writersonlineworkshops.com/courses/writing-the-personal-essay-101-fundamentals

See Estelle's latest blog post with news

https://estelleserasmus.com/a-few-pieces-of-exciting-news/

Get Her Book

Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: https://rb.gy/5ihwp0

Sign up for her Substack https://estelleserasmus.substack.com (with craft advice and writing opportunities). Paid subscribers receive opportunities for pitch reviews, plus bonus clips from Freelance Writing Direct guests

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus

TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@EstelleSErasmus

Estelle's Latest Articles

I'm Learning to Listen in New Ways (Shondaland)

https://www.shondaland.com/live/family/a46102451/im-learning-to-listen-in-new-ways/

What to Do PreLaunch to Get Your Book Noticed (Writer's Digest)

https://www.writersdigest.com/getting-published/what-to-do-pre-launch-to-get-your-book-noticed

How to Resist the Temptation of AI When Writing (Wired)

https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-resist-ai-temptation-writing/

Peter Shankman is a top keynote speaker in marketing, social media, customer service, and neurodiversity in the workplace. The New York Times has called Peter Shankman "a rock star who knows everything about social media and then some." He is a 6x best selling author, entrepreneur and corporate in-person and virtual keynote speaker, focusing on neurodiversity in the workplace and customer experience. With four startup launches and three exits under his belt, Peter is recognized worldwide for radically new ways of thinking about the customer experience, social media, PR, marketing, advertising, ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and the new Neurodiverse Economy.

Peter's sixth book, (and his first children's book,) came out in mid-March of 2023. "The Boy With the Faster Brain" is a heartwarming story about a young boy named Peter, who discovers that his ADHD brain, which was always getting him into trouble in school, is actually a super-powerful tool that he can use to achieve anything he wants - as long as he learns how to use it the right way. (And yes, it's obviously very much autobiographical.) It's the children's version of Peter's previous bestseller on ADHD, "Faster Than Normal: Turbocharge your Focus, Productivity and Success with the Secrets of the ADHD Brain" (Random House, 2017.)

In this episode:

• Why Peter created HERO (now called Source of Sources) after selling HARO [4:14]

• How journalists can use Muck Rack to build trust [6:07]

• Tips for journalists on presenting themselves so they get the right sources for their articles [6:25]

• Peter's reason for writing a childrens book on ADHD/neurodiversity [9:22]

• Advice for writers and reporters on effectively using AI [15:02]

• Peter's premise on what all journalists need to know to become successful in their craft [19:16]

Connect with Peter:

Website: https://www.shankman.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/petershankman/

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

Help Every Reporter Out (Renamed Source of Sources SOS: By Peter Shankman):

https://sourceofsources.com/

Get Peter's latest book on Estelle's Bookshop

https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-boy-with-the-faster-brain-peter-shankman/19865623?ean=9798987703601

Connect with Estelle:

​​FREE PITCHING GUIDE: Find out more about this episode at

https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast. You also get a free pitching guide if you sign up for her newsletter.

Get on the Waiting List for Estelle's online Editor-on-Call Event in Partnership with NYU on June 13

"Making the Cut" with editor for The Cut, Jen Ortiz

https://events.nyu.edu/event/327843-editor-on-call-making-the-cut-with-your-writing

Sign up for Estelle's Personal Essay Class for Writer's Digest

https://www.writersonlineworkshops.com/courses/writing-the-personal-essay-101-fundamentals

See Estelle's latest blog post with news

https://estelleserasmus.com/a-few-pieces-of-exciting-news/

Get Her Book

Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: https://rb.gy/5ihwp0

Sign up for her Substack https://estelleserasmus.substack.com (with craft advice and writing opportunities). Paid subscribers receive opportunities for pitch reviews, plus bonus clips from Freelance Writing Direct guests

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus

TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@EstelleSErasmus

Estelle's Latest Articles

I'm Learning to Listen in New Ways (Shondaland)

https://www.shondaland.com/live/family/a46102451/im-learning-to-listen-in-new-ways/

What to Do PreLaunch to Get Your Book Noticed (Writer's Digest)

https://www.writersdigest.com/getting-published/what-to-do-pre-launch-to-get-your-book-noticed

How to Resist the Temptation of AI When Writing (Wired)

https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-resist-ai-temptation-writing/

Joanna Rakoff is the author of the international bestselling memoir My Salinger Year and the bestselling novel A Fortunate Age, winner of the Goldberg Prize for Fiction and the Elle Readers' Prize. Rakoff's books have been translated into twenty languages, and the film adaptation of My Salinger Year opened in theaters worldwide in 2021 and is now streaming. She has been the recipient of fellowships and residencies from MacDowell, Sewanee, Bread Loaf, Jerome Foundation, Authors' Guild, PEN, Ragdale Foundation, Art OMI/Ledig House, and Saltonstall; and has taught at Columbia University, Brooklyn College, and Aspen Words. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, O: The Oprah Magazine, Vogue, Elle, Porter, and elsewhere, and her new memoir, The Fifth Passenger, is forthcoming from Little, Brown in 2024.

The film adaptation of My Salinger Year stars Margaret Qualley as Joanna and Sigourney Weaver as her boss. Directed by Oscar-nominee Philippe Falardeau, the film opened in sixty-five countries in 2021, and is available for streaming wherever you rent movies.

In this episode:

• Discovering the real theme of your memoir

• The game Joanna plays with herself to make her stories come alive

• How to build out every character in your memoir so they are not one dimensional

• The experience of having your writing adapted into a movie

• Why it's essential to add research into your memoir

• The fine art of excavating memories

• The power of fear to bring out creativity when writing

• Tips for writers on how to write without distraction

Connect with Joanna:

Instagram: @Joanna Rakoff https://www.instagram.com/JoannaRakoff

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoannaRakoffAuthor/

Order My Salinger Year on Estelle's Bookshop

https://bookshop.org/p/books/my-salinger-year-joanna-rakoff/9799872?ean=9780307947987

Other Episodes Mentioned

Episode #39 Kelly McMasters: The Literary Gifts of the Leaving Season

https://estelleserasmus.com/39-the-literary-gifts-of-the-leaving-season/

Episode #81 The Art of Shaping a Compelling Story Featuring Maggie Smith

https://estelleserasmus.com/81-the-art-of-shaping-a-compelling-story-featuring-maggie-smith/

Connect with Estelle:

​​FREE PITCHING GUIDE: Find out more about this episode at

https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast. You also get a free pitching guide if you sign up for her newsletter.

Get on the Waiting List for Estelle's online Editor-on-Call Event in Partnership with NYU on June 13

"Making the Cut" with editor for The Cut, Jen Ortiz

https://events.nyu.edu/event/327843-editor-on-call-making-the-cut-with-your-writing

Sign up for Estelle's Personal Essay Class for Writer's Digest

https://www.writersonlineworkshops.com/courses/writing-the-personal-essay-101-fundamentals

See Estelle's latest blog post with news

https://estelleserasmus.com/a-few-pieces-of-exciting-news/

Get Her Book

Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: https://rb.gy/5ihwp0

Sign up for her Substack https://estelleserasmus.substack.com (with craft advice and writing opportunities)

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus

TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@EstelleSErasmus

Estelle's Latest Articles

I'm Learning to Listen in New Ways (Shondaland)

https://www.shondaland.com/live/family/a46102451/im-learning-to-listen-in-new-ways/

What to Do PreLaunch to Get Your Book Noticed (Writer's Digest)

https://www.writersdigest.com/getting-published/what-to-do-pre-launch-to-get-your-book-noticed

How to Resist the Temptation of AI When Writing (Wired)

https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-resist-ai-temptation-writing/

Bob Eckstein (he/him) is an award-winning illustrator, writer, and cartoonist for the New Yorker, New York Times, Reader's Digest, Smithsonian Magazine, Atlas Obscura, and many others. His Footnotes from the World's Greatest Bookstores was a New York Times bestseller and made many 'Best Of' 2016 lists and continues to be an 'Amazon Most Wished for Title' years later. He is also the author of The History of the Snowman, The Illustrated History of the Snowman, and The Complete Book of Cat Names (That Your Cat Won't Answer to Anyway).

His work has been exhibited in the Cartoon Art Museum of San Francisco, Smithsonian Institute, The Cartoon Museum of London, and many others. Eckstein has spoke in over a 200 TV and radio shows like Good Morning America and places like NYPL, Miami Book Fair, The Norman Rockwell Museum, and The Grolier Club. He teaches writing and cartooning around the world including School of Visual Arts, New York University, Pratt Institute and Yonsei University in South Korea. His new book is Footnotes from the Most Fascinating Museums: Stories and Memorable Moments from People Who Love Museums.

In this episode:

• How Bob started his unlikely career in writing

• Advice for writing stories from a different lens

• Pivoting in your career to discover new forums for your work

• Bob's live drawing process and how to learn, and grow, while remaining authentic

• Emerging into a state of playfulness with your work

• Bob and Estelle's actionable tips for writers

Connect with Bob:

Website: https://eckstein2.wixsite.com/mysite-1

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Footnotes-Most-Fascinating-Museums-Memorable/dp/1797224395/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bob_eckstein/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BobEckstein?lang=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bobeckstein1?lang=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bob.eckstein

Substack: https://thebob.substack.com

Podcast: The Cartoon Pad: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cartoon-pad/id1561378159

If you purchase Bob's new book, Footnotes from the Most Fascinating Museums this month (May 2024), as a thanks, you will receive a free lifetime subscription to his popular humor newsletter The Bob. You need to notify him by email you bought a copy at [email protected]—he is using the honor system.

FREE PITCHING GUIDE: Find out more about this episode at

https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast. You also get a free pitching guide if you sign up for her newsletter.

Sign up for Estelle's Micro Memoir Workshop with Writer's Digest on May 23

https://www.writersonlineworkshops.com/courses/making-your-mark-with-micro-memoir

Sign up for Estelle's online Editor-on-Call Event in Partnership with NYU on June 13

"Making the Cut" with editor for The Cut, Jen Ortiz

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/editor-on-call-making-the-cut-with-estelle-erasmus-and-jen-ortiz-tickets-860897576827

Sign up for Estelle's Writing Parenthood Class for NYU

https://www.sps.nyu.edu/professional-pathways/courses/WRIT1-CE9225-writing-parenthood.html

Sign up for Estelle's Personal Essay Class for Writer's Digest

https://www.writersonlineworkshops.com/courses/writing-the-personal-essay-101-fundamentals

Connect with Estelle:

Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: https://estelleserasmus.com/books/writing-that-gets-noticed/

Sign up for her Substack https://estelleserasmus.substack.com (with craft advice and writing opportunities)

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus

TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@EstelleSErasmus

Episodes mentioned on the program:

Episode #79: Being Vulnerable on the Page and Finding Empathy in Your Heart Featuring Amy Ferris

https://estelleserasmus.com/79-being-vulnerable-on-the-page-and-finding-empathy-in-your-heart/

Episode #77: Writing Personal Stories with HuffPost's Noah Michelson

https://estelleserasmus.com/77-writing-personal-stories-with-huffpost-personals-noah-michelson/

Episode #81: The Art of Shaping a Compelling Story Featuring Maggie Smith

https://estelleserasmus.com/81-the-art-of-shaping-a-compelling-story-featuring-maggie-smith/

Estelle's Latest Articles

I'm Learning to Listen in New Ways (Shondaland)

https://www.shondaland.com/live/family/a46102451/im-learning-to-listen-in-new-ways/

What to Do PreLaunch to Get Your Book Noticed (Writer's Digest)

https://www.writersdigest.com/getting-published/what-to-do-pre-launch-to-get-your-book-noticed

How to Resist the Temptation of AI When Writing (Wired)

https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-resist-ai-temptation-writing/

Oregon-based journalist Melissa Hart is the author of seven books, including the award-winning middle-grade novels Avenging the Owl and Daisy Woodworm Changes the World, and the memoirs Gringa: A Contradictory Girlhood and Wild Within: How Rescuing Owls Inspired a Family. Her articles and essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Smithsonian, CNN, Slate, The Washington Post, and numerous other publications. She teaches for the MFA in Creative Writing Program at Southern New Hampshire University In 2025, Sourcebooks will publish her nonfiction book Down Syndrome Out Loud: 20+ Stories to Change Your Mind about Disability.

In this episode:

• When it's ok to switch genres in writing [6:00]

• Melissa's framework for writing and researching her new book [9:27]

• The positive and negative aspects of writing a historical piece [15:47]

• Melissa's advice on how to write old topics from new perspectives [16:51]

• Tips for submitting, moderating and titling panels [28:06]

• Encouraging advice for writers at all levels [32:38]

Connect with Melissa:

Website: https://melissahart.com

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wildmelissahart

Instagram: https://instagram.com/WildMelissaHart

Melissa's story for the LA Times

What a Quail Taught Me About Grief By Joining a Flock of Turkeys

https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2024-05-03/quail-turkey-birds-grief

Melissa's article for Hidden Compass

The Vaudevillian Ghosts of Liberty

https://hiddencompass.net/story/the-vaudevillian-ghosts-of-liberty/

Estelle's article that Melissa teaches

Singing My Dad Back to Me

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/13/well/family/singing-my-dad-back-to-me.html

Sign up for Estelle's Micro Memoir Workshop with Writer's Digest on May 23

https://www.writersonlineworkshops.com/courses/making-your-mark-with-micro-memoir

FREE PITCHING GUIDE: Find out more about this episode at

https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast. You also get a free pitching guide if you sign up for her newsletter.

Sign up for Estelle's Writing Parenthood Class for NYU

https://www.sps.nyu.edu/professional-pathways/courses/WRIT1-CE9225-writing-parenthood.html

Sign up for Estelle's Personal Essay Class for Writer's Digest

https://www.writersonlineworkshops.com/courses/writing-the-personal-essay-101-fundamentals

Connect with Estelle:

Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: https://estelleserasmus.com/books/writing-that-gets-noticed/

Sign up for her Substack https://estelleserasmus.substack.com (with craft advice and writing opportunities)

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus

TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@EstelleSErasmus

For another episode focused on historical writing, check out episode #58, Writing About Historical Subjects

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/freelance-writing-direct-conversations-with-authors/id1647429472?i=1000633432856

Estelle's Latest Articles

I'm Learning to Listen in New Ways (Shondaland)

https://www.shondaland.com/live/family/a46102451/im-learning-to-listen-in-new-ways/

What to Do PreLaunch to Get Your Book Noticed (Writer's Digest)

https://www.writersdigest.com/getting-published/what-to-do-pre-launch-to-get-your-book-noticed

How to Resist the Temptation of AI When Writing (Wired)

https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-resist-ai-temptation-writing/

This is a new element to the show, where Estelle will do episodes where she taps into her 3 decades of publishing experience and live coaches writers at every stage of their career on the next steps to take to elevate their work and navigate through issues facing writers.

Anna Medaris is a freelance health and lifestyle journalist with nearly 15 years of experience writing features, narratives, explainers, profiles, and news hits for publications including the Washington Post, Business Insider, Cosmopolitan, Women's Health, US News & World Report, Vox, Everyday Health, Monitor on Psychology, and others. She left staff jobs to go freelance full-time for the first time in June 2023. Anna is passionate about, and skilled in, telling sensitive human-interest stories (from heartbreaking tales of maternal suicide to light-hearted exposes of runners' digestive issues), critiquing quirky cultural trends (from White Claw to cold plunges to "biological age" tests), and answering questions you didn't know you had (what does "skoliosexual" mean? Can you cure an "emotional hangover?" Is "resting bitch face" real?). Anna has appeared as a health expert and commentator on the "TODAY Show," "Good Morning America," Hulu's "Age of Influence," and many local TV and radio stations. A champion for journalism and community, she serves as the New York City chapter lead of the Association of Healthcare Journalists; the VP of Communications for the Deadline Club, the Society of Professional Journalists' local chapter; and as a writing coach through the New York Writing Room. Anna is a proud University of Michigan alum, recreational triathlete, and beer enthusiast who lives in Brooklyn with her husband and basset hound, Lou Longbody.

In this episode:

• Estelle delves into 3 issues that Anna Medaris is confronting at the mid-point of her career [1:18]

• Anna's present and future publishing goals [6:41]

• How she found guidance and community through Freelance Writing Direct [6:47]

• Estelle Edge on showing voice, expanding publishing opportunities, navigating through a day to day job, and finding joy in the work [10:11]

Connect with Anna

Website: www.annamedaris.com

Twitter, Instagram: @annamedaris

Twitter: https://twitter.com/annamedaris

Instagram: https://instagram.com/annamedaris

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-medaris/

FREE PITCHING GUIDE: Find out more about this episode at

https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast. You also get a free pitching guide if you sign up for my newsletter.

Sign up for Estelle's Micro Memoir Workshop with Writer's Digest on May 23

https://www.writersonlineworkshops.com/courses/making-your-mark-with-micro-memoir

Sign up for Estelle's NYU class Writing Parenthood. She will work with you on articles, essays and pitches, plus offer editor intel.

https://www.sps.nyu.edu/professional-pathways/courses/WRIT1-CE9225-writing-parenthood.html

Connect with Estelle:

Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: https://estelleserasmus.com/books/writing-that-gets-noticed/

Sign up for her Substack https://estelleserasmus.substack.com (with craft advice and writing opportunities)

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus

TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@EstelleSErasmus

For a media-focused episode try Episode #67 How to Be a Media-Friendly Author

https://estelleserasmus.com/67-how-to-be-a-media-friendly-author-with-paula-rizzo/

Read Estelle's latest blog post: A View from the Erma Bombeck Writer's Workshop

https://estelleserasmus.com/a-view-from-the-erma-bombeck-writers-workshop/

Estelle's Latest Articles

I'm Learning to Listen in New Ways (Shondaland)

https://www.shondaland.com/live/family/a46102451/im-learning-to-listen-in-new-ways/

What to Do PreLaunch to Get Your Book Noticed (Writer's Digest)

https://www.writersdigest.com/getting-published/what-to-do-pre-launch-to-get-your-book-noticed

How to Resist the Temptation of AI When Writing (Wired)

https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-resist-ai-temptation-writing/

Abigail Thomas has four children,12 grandchildren, two great grandchildren, eleven books, and a high school education. She was asked to leave Bryn Mawr freshman year when she told the Dean she was pregnant, and she never went back. She had always wanted to be a writer, but for a long time the closest she came was bopping around her kitchen to Paperback Writer, by the Beatles. When she was forty-eight, after an interesting adventure, when she got home, she left her ego outside, and began to write a story. It didn't work, but instead of crumpling it up saying "who do you think you are?" sat in a different chair, and another, and at the end of the afternoon, she had written a story. It was published in the Columbia Journal of Poetry and Prose. She had learned you have to keep at it. Writing is work of the best kind.

She has written two short story collections, one novel and four works of non-fiction, including the memoirs Safekeeping; A Three Dog Life; What Comes Next and How to Like It; and a book about writing, Thinking about Memoir. Still Life at Eighty: The Next Interesting Thing is her latest memoir.

In this episode:

• Finding inspiration in unlikely places [4:13]

• The allure of getting older [10:49]

• Deciding on writing from a side door to deal with difficult material [18:18]

• Abigail's go-to source for analyzing words [23:49]

• Tips for editing your work [28:29]

• Writing exercises she gives to her students [36:40]

• The requirement of ruthlessness in memoir [40:59]

Connect with Abigail Thomas:

Website: https://www.abigailthomas.net

Books: https://www.abigailthomas.net/books/

Photo Credit : Jennifer Waddell

FREE PITCHING GUIDE: Find out more about this episode at

https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast. You also get a free pitching guide if you sign up for her newsletter.

Sign up for Estelle's Micro Memoir Workshop with Writer's Digest on May 23

https://www.writersonlineworkshops.com/courses/making-your-mark-with-micro-memoir

Sign up for Estelle's Writing Parenthood Class for NYU

https://www.sps.nyu.edu/professional-pathways/courses/WRIT1-CE9225-writing-parenthood.html

Sign up for Estelle's Personal Essay Class for Writer's Digest

https://www.writersonlineworkshops.com/courses/writing-the-personal-essay-101-fundamentals

Connect with Estelle:

Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: https://estelleserasmus.com/books/writing-that-gets-noticed/

Sign up for her Substack https://estelleserasmus.substack.com (with craft advice and writing opportunities)

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus

TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@EstelleSErasmus

For another episode focused on a top memoirist, episode #81 The Art of Shaping a Compelling Story Featuring Maggie Smith

https://estelleserasmus.com/81-the-art-of-shaping-a-compelling-story-featuring-maggie-smith/

Estelle's New Articles

I'm Learning to Listen in New Ways (Shondaland)

https://www.shondaland.com/live/family/a46102451/im-learning-to-listen-in-new-ways/

What to Do PreLaunch to Get Your Book Noticed (Writer's Digest)

https://www.writersdigest.com/getting-published/what-to-do-pre-launch-to-get-your-book-noticed

How to Resist the Temptation of AI When Writing (Wired)

https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-resist-ai-temptation-writing/