Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!

Emily Paulson's second book, Hey Hun: Sales, Sisterhood, Supremacy, and other Lies Behind Multi-Level Marketing (Row House, May 30, 2023) is the eye-opening, funny, and dangerous personal story of author Emily Lynn Paulson rising to the top of the pyramid in the multilevel marketing (MLM) world, only to recognize that its culture and business practices went beyond a trendy marketing scheme and into the heart of white supremacy in America. 

In this episode of the Write the Damn Book Already podcast, we discussed several aspects of her book writing process as well as her journey to the top of (and then exit from) the MLM she participated in.

 INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS

• The basis for the title Hey, hun (because we’re all fascinated with titles and where they are settled on!)

• What compelled Emily to write this (her second) book, and how she got clear on the book's core message

• The benefits of considering your reader’s frame of mind AS YOU'RE WRITING in order to compassionately speak to where they are while taking them toward a new perspective

• Emily's ultimate goal for the book (the hoped-for benefits for herself AND her readers)

• Her book-writing process (hint: it starts with a journal!)

• How she chose which stories to include and which to remove

• The way she included stories about other people's involvement in her story without outright naming them

• The hardest part of the writing

Awesome Email Templates for Authors

From communicating with your launch team to building relationships with readers, my customizable templates take all the guesswork out of writing emails that turn email subscribers into loyal readers. 

🎉 CLICK HERE to access to the templates

Is 2025 the year you start your own podcast? Let's make it simple!

Get 35% off the Podcast Starter Pack with code PODCAST35 at https://publishaprofitablebook.com/podcast101

"I got my podcast launched in 3 days thanks to this great mini-course!"
--Dr. Diana Naranjo, The Characterist podcast host

Support the show

Write the Damn Book Already is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with authors as well as updates and insights on writing craft and the publishing industry.

Available wherever podcasts are available:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
YouTube

Let's Connect!
Instagram
Website

Email the show: elizabeth [at] elizabethlyons [dot] com

The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores.

To see all the ways we can work together to get your book written and published, visit publishaprofitablebook.com/work-with-elizabeth

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!

Whenever I have questions about Instagram/Facebook (or, as it's newly referred to, Meta) ads, the first person I go to is Sam Garcia.

The founder of Dirty Alchemy Digital Marketing, Sam and her team have run ads for some big brands, and not only does she know what she's doing but she also has a way of simplifying a process that often feels like a 1436-mile maze. 

In the latest episode of the Write the Damn Book Already podcast, Sam and I talked about how authors can utilize ads to grow their visibility and their community and, as a result, sell more books and attract more clients. 

 INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS 

🎙️ The most basic (and un-overwhelming) place to start in terms of budget and ad creation

🎙️ The biggest difference between running ads to your book's listing on Amazon and to a page on your on website (and why the second option makes more sense most of the time)

🎙️ Which posts are best to begin boosting (and which are a complete waste of time)

🎙️ Different types of a

Awesome Email Templates for Authors

From communicating with your launch team to building relationships with readers, my customizable templates take all the guesswork out of writing emails that turn email subscribers into loyal readers. 

🎉 CLICK HERE to access to the templates

Dreaming of seeing your book in print but dreading the process?

From cover design to interior formatting to ISBN registration and properly loading your book to distributors, whether you need help with parts of the process or the whole darn thing, I’ve got you covered.

Visit www.publishaprofitablebook.com/self-publishing-services to learn more. 

Your readers are waiting! Let's get your book published!

PublishAProfitableBook.com/Publish (use code AUTHOR25 for 25% off!)

Is 2025 the year you start your own podcast? Let's make it simple!

Get 35% off the Podcast Starter Pack with code PODCAST35 at https://publishaprofitablebook.com/podcast101

"I got my podcast launched in 3 days thanks to this great mini-course!"
--Dr. Diana Naranjo, The Characterist podcast host

Support the show

Write the Damn Book Already is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with authors as well as updates and insights on writing craft and the publishing industry.

Available wherever podcasts are available:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
YouTube

Let's Connect!
Instagram
Website

Email the show: elizabeth [at] elizabethlyons [dot] com

The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores.

To see all the ways we can work together to get your book written and published, visit publishaprofitablebook.com/work-with-elizabeth

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!

Sometimes, you're sure you'll love someone well before meeting them. That's the way I felt when I learned of Laura Belgray's forthcoming book, "Tough Titties." 

At once a collection of essays, a memoir, and a hilariously honest look at navigating various stages of life and business ownership, this book made me feel like I'd known Laura for many lifetimes by the end of page 5 (because she's so wholly relatable).  

In this episode of Write the Damn Book Already, we chatted about why she wrote the book, why she wrote it this way, and her experience (thus far) navigating the publishing world.

It's safe to say I had to back away from the mic a few times during this interview because I was laughing so hard I would have blown out the speakers (and your eardrums).

I know you're going to enjoy it as much as I did! 

 

INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS

- How Laura wrote the exact opposite of a “should book”

- The belief she had about her ability to tell stories that held her back a bit.

- What made her book “hard” to sell, and what she ultimately found in an agent that made all the difference (this is the kind of agent we ALL would want, were we to go that route)

- Laura'

Awesome Email Templates for Authors

From communicating with your launch team to building relationships with readers, my customizable templates take all the guesswork out of writing emails that turn email subscribers into loyal readers. 

🎉 CLICK HERE to access to the templates

Dreaming of seeing your book in print but dreading the process?

From cover design to interior formatting to ISBN registration and properly loading your book to distributors, whether you need help with parts of the process or the whole darn thing, I’ve got you covered.

Visit www.publishaprofitablebook.com/self-publishing-services to learn more. 

Is 2025 the year you start your own podcast? Let's make it simple!

Get 35% off the Podcast Starter Pack with code PODCAST35 at https://publishaprofitablebook.com/podcast101

"I got my podcast launched in 3 days thanks to this great mini-course!"
--Dr. Diana Naranjo, The Characterist podcast host

Support the show

Write the Damn Book Already is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with authors as well as updates and insights on writing craft and the publishing industry.

Available wherever podcasts are available:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
YouTube

Let's Connect!
Instagram
Website

Email the show: elizabeth [at] elizabethlyons [dot] com

The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores.

To see all the ways we can work together to get your book written and published, visit publishaprofitablebook.com/work-with-elizabeth

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!

I’ve always said that if I ever went viral, it would be for something stupid. I’d be filmed saying something grammatically incorrect. Or trip and fall face-first into the concrete in front of Ryan Eggold (after saying something grammatically incorrect).

Apparently, manifestation is truly a thing.

 The PUNCHLINE 

I made an Instagram reel.

Within 24 hours, it had 1.2 million views. 10,000+ likes. and 6,944 shares. 

Here's what happened next. 

 THE BACKSTORY

It started like any old Monday. Slowly and with (decaf) coffee that I firmly believe wakes me up.

Late afternoon, my best friend send me a reel she thought I’d find funny because we have an inside joke about the pronunciation of the word “croissant.”

I laughed hysterically and clicked on the account of the stand-up comedian who made it.

He only had 554 followers, which I thought was a crime because he's so funny. I screenshot his account and shared it to my stories, hoping that a member of my community of 8 would also be thrilled to discover him.

He replied to my story via DM and said thank you. His account had been hacked 2 week prior and he was starting all over. 

I thought, "How can I better share him with my community (of 8)?"

I could repost to my feed (but to repost a reel I figured I'd have to download some new app I didn't know how to work) or I could try one of those duet things. 

The duet option made more sense. It was quick and didn't require that I download a new app.

So I made a ridiculous duet of me "reacting" to Dylan's hilariou

Awesome Email Templates for Authors

From communicating with your launch team to building relationships with readers, my customizable templates take all the guesswork out of writing emails that turn email subscribers into loyal readers. 

🎉 CLICK HERE to access to the templates

Is 2025 the year you start your own podcast? Let's make it simple!

Get 35% off the Podcast Starter Pack with code PODCAST35 at https://publishaprofitablebook.com/podcast101

"I got my podcast launched in 3 days thanks to this great mini-course!"
--Dr. Diana Naranjo, The Characterist podcast host

Support the show

Write the Damn Book Already is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with authors as well as updates and insights on writing craft and the publishing industry.

Available wherever podcasts are available:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
YouTube

Let's Connect!
Instagram
Website

Email the show: elizabeth [at] elizabethlyons [dot] com

The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores.

To see all the ways we can work together to get your book written and published, visit publishaprofitablebook.com/work-with-elizabeth

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!

"I can get your book onto the NYT bestseller list."

"I can get your podcast ranked in the top 10 on Apple."

"I can get you 8692.7 verified reviews on Amazon...in 2 days."

The offers are everywhere. And of course they're appealing. Who WOULDN'T want to be on the New York Times bestseller list? Or have a top-rated podcast? Or have Hunger-Games-level reviews on Amazon?

But the question often is, at what cost? (Literally.)

And then, after nearly passing out upon hearing the answer, the next question is, "Do I HAVE to do that? Is there another way?"

No, you don't. And yes, there is.

Magic bullets sound exciting. But they're rarely sustainable.

Bona fide shortcuts, on the other hand, ARE exciting. And yes, they require more work and time. But more often than not, work + time = joyful momentum, while magic bullet = quick (expensive) dopamine hit followed by months of sadness and confusion.

The good news is that there ARE ways to leverage the system without outright gaming it (and, bonus, you don't end up incredibly disappointed when, within a week, the flash in the pan is fully extinguished and you're unsure how you'll cover next month's expenses).

If getting one of these accolades is a bucket-list item for you and/or you have the cash to invest in the process, terrific.

But if not, there are plenty of other creative ways to get the word out and nurture organic (sustainable!) growth when it comes to book sales and visibility. 

 Resources Mentioned

HARO (Help A Reporter Out)

Kate Rock Book Tours

***

Are you ready to make some bold moves as an author (or aspiring author)?

This FREE challenge will help you stop overthinking and over-planning so you can get out of your own way and show yourself exactly what kind of magic your story or message is capable of creating.

Is 2025 the year you start your own podcast? Let's make it simple!

Get 35% off the Podcast Starter Pack with code PODCAST35 at https://publishaprofitablebook.com/podcast101

"I got my podcast launched in 3 days thanks to this great mini-course!"
--Dr. Diana Naranjo, The Characterist podcast host

Support the show

Write the Damn Book Already is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with authors as well as updates and insights on writing craft and the publishing industry.

Available wherever podcasts are available:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
YouTube

Let's Connect!
Instagram
Website

Email the show: elizabeth [at] elizabethlyons [dot] com

The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores.

To see all the ways we can work together to get your book written and published, visit publishaprofitablebook.com/work-with-elizabeth

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!

As you may or may not know, I don't believe in writers block. 

At least, not in the way many people do---that it's a concept every writer must experience, a rite of passage of sorts, that can keep a writer from writing for days, weeks, or---God forbid---even longer. 

To me, "writers block" is simply the name we give to a feeling we have when we feel "stuck."

And the reason we feel stuck is usually far more simple than we like to make it. We aren't entirely sure what we want to say, or we aren't sure that we "should" say whatever it is that we want to say. 

Over the years, I've identified six (I said it was going to be five, but a sixth came to me while I was recording the podcast!) tips for getting you OUT of "writers block" and into "I have so much to say about this!" These work especially well for those writing nonfiction.  

In this episode of the Write the Damn Book Already podcast, we'll explore each tip so you can get yourself back into writing (and wondering how you ever thought you had nothing to say on a particular topic!).

 RESOURCES MENTIONED

Publish A Profitable Book course 

Book Writing Made Simple program

 

 

Is 2025 the year you start your own podcast? Let's make it simple!

Get 35% off the Podcast Starter Pack with code PODCAST35 at https://publishaprofitablebook.com/podcast101

"I got my podcast launched in 3 days thanks to this great mini-course!"
--Dr. Diana Naranjo, The Characterist podcast host

Support the show

Write the Damn Book Already is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with authors as well as updates and insights on writing craft and the publishing industry.

Available wherever podcasts are available:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
YouTube

Let's Connect!
Instagram
Website

Email the show: elizabeth [at] elizabethlyons [dot] com

The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores.

To see all the ways we can work together to get your book written and published, visit publishaprofitablebook.com/work-with-elizabeth

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!

Linda Sivertsen, “Book Mama,” is in LOVE with books—reading, writing, and selling them. Her titles have won awards and hit all the lists as an author, co-author, and former magazine editor and ghostwriter. But her driving force has been to publish sustainably.

Naïve and optimistic enough to believe in magic, she’s on a mission to save forests via her role as a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Ambassador. When she’s not fostering literary love matches on her Beautiful Writers Podcast (a favorite stop for writers on tour), writing, and promoting Beautiful Writers, or midwifing books at her Carmel or virtual writing retreats, Linda can be found on the back of a horse or running with her dogs. 

I

Awesome Email Templates for Authors

From communicating with your launch team to building relationships with readers, my customizable templates take all the guesswork out of writing emails that turn email subscribers into loyal readers. 

🎉 CLICK HERE to access to the templates

Dreaming of seeing your book in print but dreading the process?

From cover design to interior formatting to ISBN registration and properly loading your book to distributors, whether you need help with parts of the process or the whole darn thing, I’ve got you covered.

Visit www.publishaprofitablebook.com/self-publishing-services to learn more. 

Is 2025 the year you start your own podcast? Let's make it simple!

Get 35% off the Podcast Starter Pack with code PODCAST35 at https://publishaprofitablebook.com/podcast101

"I got my podcast launched in 3 days thanks to this great mini-course!"
--Dr. Diana Naranjo, The Characterist podcast host

Support the show

Write the Damn Book Already is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with authors as well as updates and insights on writing craft and the publishing industry.

Available wherever podcasts are available:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
YouTube

Let's Connect!
Instagram
Website

Email the show: elizabeth [at] elizabethlyons [dot] com

The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores.

To see all the ways we can work together to get your book written and published, visit publishaprofitablebook.com/work-with-elizabeth

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!

Even though she ended up getting a degree in chemical engineering, Renata Trebing started reading cookbooks (for fun) when she was 8 years old. So it’s not terribly surprising that she ended up writing one!

She loved the idea of writing about food passionately, as Nigella Lawson has done. Not long after her first book was published, she had an idea for a second book (with a completely different style and intention).

In the most recent episode of the Write the Damn Book Already podcast, Renata and I chatted about her author journey (and about the many benefits of breath work, which was incredibly informative!)

 Interview Highlights

[8:00] Why Renata couldn’t get started on or hone in on the main message for the second book (even though she knew how to write and publish one already) and how an unexpected illness cemented the purpose of the book

[12:00] The macro level of writing versus the micro level (the micro level is where it’s supposed to become fun, but it often becomes overwhelming and people quit)

[13:20] On what her illness made her feel about herself as a nutrition coach (it’s the OPPOSITE of “a fraud” or in any way not able to position herself as a credible authority]

[14:21] Why she was petrified of having anyone read it and what she was worried they’d judge (even though she was so certain of what she had written) and the actual messages she got from readers

[18:10] The book writing schedule that helped her get the damn thing written!

[30:36] How Renata determined WHO she was writing to a

Awesome Email Templates for Authors

From communicating with your launch team to building relationships with readers, my customizable templates take all the guesswork out of writing emails that turn email subscribers into loyal readers. 

🎉 CLICK HERE to access to the templates

Is 2025 the year you start your own podcast? Let's make it simple!

Get 35% off the Podcast Starter Pack with code PODCAST35 at https://publishaprofitablebook.com/podcast101

"I got my podcast launched in 3 days thanks to this great mini-course!"
--Dr. Diana Naranjo, The Characterist podcast host

Support the show

Write the Damn Book Already is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with authors as well as updates and insights on writing craft and the publishing industry.

Available wherever podcasts are available:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
YouTube

Let's Connect!
Instagram
Website

Email the show: elizabeth [at] elizabethlyons [dot] com

The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores.

To see all the ways we can work together to get your book written and published, visit publishaprofitablebook.com/work-with-elizabeth

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!

When it comes to book publishing, there are 3 main models available: traditional, independent, and self. None is the best across the board. One is the best for each author and each book! 

I find it curious that still (and we've somehow made it to 2023), self-publishing (or hybrid publishing, or author-financed publishing, as it's sometimes referred to) is seen as "lesser than" by authors. 

In this episode of Write the Damn Book Already, I offer a perspective that might shift yours as well. Not because I'm trying to steer you in any specific direction or convince you of your best next step, but because the way we think of "self-financed" when it comes to publishing is so much different from the way we think about it in any other business!

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. You can tag me on IG (@elizabethlyonsauthor), DM me, or email me ([email protected]).

 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES MENTIONED

Write the Damn Book Already: Tell Your Story, Share Your Message, Make Your Impact

Publish A Profitable Book course

Is 2025 the year you start your own podcast? Let's make it simple!

Get 35% off the Podcast Starter Pack with code PODCAST35 at https://publishaprofitablebook.com/podcast101

"I got my podcast launched in 3 days thanks to this great mini-course!"
--Dr. Diana Naranjo, The Characterist podcast host

Support the show

Write the Damn Book Already is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with authors as well as updates and insights on writing craft and the publishing industry.

Available wherever podcasts are available:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
YouTube

Let's Connect!
Instagram
Website

Email the show: elizabeth [at] elizabethlyons [dot] com

The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores.

To see all the ways we can work together to get your book written and published, visit publishaprofitablebook.com/work-with-elizabeth

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!

I don't know it it's an end-of-year thing or an all-year-round thing, but I'm hearing a lot of people saying, quietly, that they feel like they're a bit "behind. 

Honestly, I get it. I'm about to turn 50, and I certainly have days where I think, "I can't possibly be 50, because I haven't yet [fill in the blank]."

It's easy to begin to wonder if everyone else knows something we don't, is smarter, happier, or more deserving. 

But the good news (and the truth of it all) is, being on the "slow boat" (taking a bit longer than you perhaps wanted to) toward any goal isn't a bad thing! 

This episode is here to remind you that you're exactly where you're supposed to be while offering you a few different perspective shifts that may even make you grateful you didn't get where you want to be sooner! 

 

Awesome Email Templates for Authors

From communicating with your launch team to building relationships with readers, my customizable templates take all the guesswork out of writing emails that turn email subscribers into loyal readers. 

🎉 CLICK HERE to access to the templates

Is 2025 the year you start your own podcast? Let's make it simple!

Get 35% off the Podcast Starter Pack with code PODCAST35 at https://publishaprofitablebook.com/podcast101

"I got my podcast launched in 3 days thanks to this great mini-course!"
--Dr. Diana Naranjo, The Characterist podcast host

Support the show

Write the Damn Book Already is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with authors as well as updates and insights on writing craft and the publishing industry.

Available wherever podcasts are available:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
YouTube

Let's Connect!
Instagram
Website

Email the show: elizabeth [at] elizabethlyons [dot] com

The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores.

To see all the ways we can work together to get your book written and published, visit publishaprofitablebook.com/work-with-elizabeth