If you’ve got the hunger—the drive, the gumption, the stick-with-it-ness—to develop a great idea and plan your book, then you should do it. In this podcast, writers and industry experts Liz Morrow and Ariel Curry share insights and tools to plan and write your book, navigate the publishing industry, and bring your ideas to life. With interviews from bestselling authors, hungry authors just like you, and other publishing insiders, Hungry Authors is a place for all of us to get better and make our publishing dreams come true – together.
78. “I did that, so I can do this”: Building Self-Efficacy Through Mastery Experiences
Oct 28, 2024
Here at Hungry Authors, we ask you to have a lot of “gumption.” It takes a lot of persistence, daring, and “confidence” to put your writing out into the world. But how do you get all of that gumption? Today, Liz and Ariel are starting a little series on building self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is a term championed by the late great Albert Bandura, who researched how people build up their belief in their own ability to achieve certain goals. He discovered that there are four primary ways we build what he called our “self-efficacy.” The first way is through mastery experiences, and that’s what we’re talking about today.
77. Embracing the Gift in Spiritual Memoir with Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew
Oct 21, 2024
Our writing is a gift – both to ourselves and others. That’s what Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew teaches, and we loved getting to explore these ideas in this week’s episode! In this wide-ranging conversation about spiritual memoir, we cover:
Balancing marketability with honoring the complexity and authenticity of our experience
The author’s “horseshoe” relationship with the reader in memoir
Staying faithful to the gifts that you receive—and that you give—in your writing
Does not finishing really mean failing at our book?
Loving your writing for its own sake, not for what it “does”
Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew is the author of Swinging on the Garden Gate: A Memoir of Bisexuality & Spirit, now in its second edition; the novel Hannah, Delivered; a collection of personal essays, On the Threshold: Home, Hardwood, and Holiness; the chapbook, A Map to Mercy, due out in 2025; and three books on writing: Writing the Sacred Journey: The Art and Practice of Spiritual Memoir; Living Revision: A Writer’s Craft as Spiritual Practice, winner of the silver Nautilus Award; and The Release: Finding Creativity and Freedom After the Writing is Done. She is a founding member of The Eye of the Heart Center for Creative Contemplation, where she teaches writing as a transformational practice and hosts an online writing community. She is a recipient of two Minnesota State Arts Board artists’ fellowships, the Loft Career Initiative Grant, and is a Minnesota Book Awards finalist. She lives in Minneapolis with her wife, daughter, and two rambunctious cats. You can learn more about Elizabeth at www.elizabethjarrettandrew.com and www.spiritualmemoir.com.
76. Book Mapping in Fiction with Lauren Kay
Oct 16, 2024
Nonfiction and fiction seem to exist in different worlds – but in this episode, we chat with fiction author and book coach Lauren Kay about all of the things they have in common! Like us, Lauren is a plotter, not a pantser, and she has built an incredible author community around her resources for fiction authors. She shares about: how and why she built an agency for helping aspiring fiction authors get published, how both nonfiction and fiction authors can think about platform for commercial success, how to develop characters for fiction, and the similarities between memoir and fiction. There’s lots to dig into this week!
Lauren Kay is a Young Adult author, educator, and creator. Her debut Young Adult novel WE SHIP IT was published with HarperCollins in June 2023. Now, Lauren is dedicated to ending gatekeeping in publishing and helping aspiring writers achieve their publishing dreams. She provides writers with transparent and empathetic advice and support through weekly videos, free resources, curated communities, and 1-on-1 editing and coaching services.
75. Lessons Learned from Atomic Habits with Blake Atwood
Oct 08, 2024
If you’ve read Hungry Authors, then you know that we use James Clear’s Atomic Habits as a consistent example throughout the book, because it’s been one of the top selling books of the last decade and it so perfectly exemplifies many of the lessons we teach here. Well – today we have the honor of chatting with Blake Atwood, one of the editors who worked on an early draft of Atomic Habits! We ask him all of our questions about the book’s development: Was there a book map? Did James think about his Transformation Tale? What did the planning process look like?
Blake shares several fantastic lessons about James Clear’s writing journey that prescriptive nonfiction writers can apply to their own process, like:
When to build your platform
How to balance the “how” and the “why” in your book
Why and how you should learn from comp books
How to find “the one thing” you want readers to learn
Why you should use “you” rather than “we” in your prescriptive nonfiction book
Blake Atwood partners with nonfiction authors to craft life-changing books. He was an early developmental editor on Atomic Habits. More recently, he worked with Jefferson Fisher as a book coach for his upcoming release with Penguin Random House. You may learn more—or inquire about working with him—at BlakeAtwood.com.
74. Believing in Your Idea with Jennifer Louden
Oct 02, 2024
Jennifer Louden is a national bestselling author and writing coach who specializes in helping aspiring women writers claim their big ideas and put them into writing. In this episode, Jen helps us understand what makes a Big Idea “big” and how our ideas have to be shaped and honed with careful work and mining. Women especially often struggle to claim the fullness of their ideas. Jen is an expert in women’s empowerment and helping us all believe in our ideas while doing the necessary work to make them even better. In this conversation we also touch on platform and how to build an authentic community around your ideas.
JENNIFER LOUDEN wanted to be Harriet the Spy when she was eight, an enlightened master when she was twelve, and a brilliant comedy writer when she was twenty-two. She penned her bestseller, The Woman’s Comfort Book, after her first why bother time. She’s the author of seven additional books including The Woman’s Retreat Book and The Life Organizer. She has inspired millions of women through her books, her retreats and workshops, and her blog, but probably not her fashion sense and certainly not her cooking. You can learn more about Jen and her work at https://jenniferlouden.com/.
73. Writing a Must-Read with AJ Harper
Sep 24, 2024
This episode is an absolute must-listen for those who want to write a must-read! Today, Liz & Ariel sit down (virtually) with AJ Harper to talk about how to design a book that engages readers from page one, leads them on an intuitive journey, and delivers a powerful transformation that’s even better than they imagined. The three of us share our best practices for thinking about who your reader is, mapping your book, and even editing the manuscript once your first draft is complete. It’s always a treat for us to meet like-minded book pros, and AJ is one of our absolute favorites!
AJ Harper is an editor and publishing strategist who helps authors write transformational books that enable them to build readership, grow their brand, and make a significant impact on the world. As ghostwriter and as developmental editor, she has worked with hundreds of authors, from newbies to New York Times bestselling authors with millions of books sold. AJ teaches her method in Top Three Book Workshop and the Must-Read Editing Workshop. She is a Partner and Head Writing Coach for Heroic Public Speaking, the premier speaker training program created by Michael and Amy Port. She is writing partner to business author, Mike Michalowicz. Together they’ve written ten books, including Profit First. AJ is the author of Write a Must-Read: Craft a Book That Changes Lives–Including Your Own. Connect with her at https://ajharper.com.
72. The Art and Craft of Telling True Stories with Brendan O’Meara
Sep 16, 2024
What exactly is “creative nonfiction”? Today we discuss this question with a writer who’s built his writing career on this sometimes debatable, somewhat elusive term: Brendan O’Meara, host of the Creative Nonfiction Podcast. Brendan says that “creative nonfiction” is a big umbrella, encompassing journalism, narrative nonfiction, personal essay, memoir, documentary films, and so much more. Brendan himself is in the process of writing a biography of legendary runner Steve Prefontaine, so he shares from his own experience about how (logistically) to do the massive amounts of research often required for creative nonfiction and how to build another world – even a past or present real one – for the reader. In creative nonfiction, the challenge is often finding or making meaning from true events, and Brendan shares the lessons he’s learned about Steve Prefontaine and about how we can all find lessons from the lives we witness.
Brendan O’Meara is a journalist and author and host of The Creative Nonfiction Podcast, the show where he speaks to writers, producers, and filmmakers about the art of telling true stories. Come 2025, his biography on the legendary Oregon runner Steve Prefontaine will be published by Mariner Books. He’s not on social media, so he encourages you to head over to brendanomeara.com and sign up for his Rage Against the Algorithm newsletter for creative insights, recommendations, and a way to find a more intentional life online.
71. 10 Myths About Publishing with Terry Whalin
Sep 09, 2024
A large part of what we do at Hungry Authors is help to set authors’ expectations around what it’s actually like to write and publish a book. That’s also what Terry Whalin does in his practical, candid book 10 Publishing Myths: Insights Every Author Needs to Succeed. In this episode, Terry shares the myths and misconceptions that many authors hold about publishing – like around what it’s like to market a book, and what a traditional publisher does for you – so that you can move forward with publishing your book feeling confident and knowledgeable throughout the process.
W. Terry Whalin understands both sides of the editorial desk–as an editor and a writer. He worked as a magazine editor and his magazine work has appeared in more than 50 publications. A former literary agent, Terry is an Acquisitions Editor at Morgan James Publishing.
He has written more than 60 books through traditional publishers in a wide range of topics from children’s books to biographies to co-authored books. Several of Terry’s books have sold over 100,000 copies. Terry’s book, 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS: INSIGHTS EVERY AUTHOR NEEDS TO SUCCEED (Morgan James Publishing) is his latest book. His one of his most recent books is BILLY GRAHAM, A BIOGRAPHY OF AMERICA’S GREATEST EVANGELIST (Morgan James Publishing). Also Terry has an innovative online training course to help authors effectively connect with literary agents and editors called Write A Book Proposal. Terry is a popular speaker and teacher at numerous writers’ conferences and an active member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors. He lives in Southern California and has an active following on twitter.
Thank you to our sponsor, Goldshlag Design! Work with Michelle to get beautiful graphics for entrepreneurial women with busy lives.
If you haven’t got your copy of Hungry Authors, pick it up wherever books are sold!
70. Rewriting Our Limiting Beliefs with Robin Finn
Sep 03, 2024
Welcome to Season 4 of the Hungry Authors podcast! We’re kicking off this fall season with a deep soul exploration into the beliefs that hold us back with beloved author and writing teacher Robin Finn. Robin’s book, Heart. Soul. Pen., is full of the soul care writing wisdom that all of us need to tackle our fears and rewrite the limiting beliefs that are holding us back. In this episode, Robin gives Ariel & Liz a bit of book therapy and offers all listeners the advice we need to make progress in our writing lives.
Robin Finn MPH, MA, is an award-winning writer, teacher, and author of the new book, Heart. Soul. Pen.: Find Your Voice on the Page and in Your Life (Morehouse Publishing, April 30, 2024). Her work has appeared in national and international press, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and more. She teaches at the esteemed UCLA Extension Writer’s Program and is a cum laude graduate of UCLA. Robin holds master’s degrees in public health from Columbia University and in spiritual psychology from the University of Santa Monica. She lives in Los Angeles with her family where she writes about midlife, spirituality, the creative process, and finding inner peace (sort of). She is a longtime advocate for children with ADHD and learning differences. Find her at www.robinfinn.com.
Robin is also one of the speakers in our Hungry Authors & Friends webinar series, happening now! Sign up here to get the replay of Robin’s talk on Writing Your First Draft and get notified about our next webinar with Ally Fallon!
Thank you to our sponsor, Goldshlag Design! Work with Michelle to get beautiful graphics for entrepreneurial women with busy lives.
If you haven’t got your copy of Hungry Authors, pick it up wherever books are sold!
69. Launching Your Book with Joy with Merideth Hite Estevez
Aug 27, 2024
This week, we’re chatting with our friend Merideth Hite Estevez, founder and author of Artists for Joy, about the resistance we’ve been feeling during book launch. This is the part most authors dread – marketing is often harder than writing it! We’re definitely feeling that right now. Merideth offers us some helpful reframes to approach book launching with more authenticity and connection, and walks us through everything that she’s been doing to launch her book. We also talk about the value of in-person events and how to make book launch events (book signings, a book tour, etc.) doable even for busy authors!
About Merideth
Dr. Merideth Hite Estevez is a creative catalyst, inviting all to the joy of creative expression through her writing, coaching, and performing. As an oboist, Merideth has performed with top orchestras in the US and abroad and has served on faculties of numerous universities and schools of music, most recently as Associate Professor of Oboe at the University of Delaware.
She has been a featured speaker at Google, Longy School of Music, ShePodcasts LIVE, Hope*writers, Music Institute of Chicago, and more. As a coach, she has helped thousands of artists overcome creative block through her popular online creative recovery clusters and has served as an executive coach for all types of arts leaders, from major museum directors to deans of conservatories and art schools.
Merideth’s award-winning podcast, Artists for Joy, is currently in the top 1.5% of podcasts worldwide, and her first book, The Artist’s Joy: A Guide to Getting Unstuck, Embracing Imperfection, and Loving Your Creative Life, debuted at No. 1 in the Creativity category on Audible and held as the No. 2 New Release in Creativity on Amazon for multiple days during launch week.
Since moving to Metro-Detroit, she has performed as a featured artist with Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings, Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival, Ann Arbor Symphony, Lansing Symphony, and Oakland Symphony. She enjoys sharing her gifts bi-monthly at Kirk in the Hills Presbyterian Church as oboist-in-residence.
When she’s not playing oboe or writing, Merideth enjoys drinking matcha lattes and running. She hails from Abbeville, SC, but now lives in Bloomfield Hills, MI, with her husband, Rev. Edwin Estevez, daughter Eva, and son Eli.
Learn more and get a copy of Merideth’s book here.
Thank you to our sponsor!
This episode is sponsored by Goldshlag Design. Work with Michelle to get beautiful graphics for entrepreneurial women with busy lives.
68. Hungry Authors Virtual Book Toast
Aug 12, 2024
Last Tuesday – August 6, 2024 – was the official publication day for Hungry Authors! Our friend Merideth Hite Estevez (who’s been on the show before) offered to host a virtual book toast for us to celebrate the occasion. If you weren’t able to make it live, here is the replay of the book toast. And in another episode we’ll answer additional questions that were sent to us about our experience writing and publishing Hungry Authors. Enjoy!
Thank you to our sponsor, Goldshlag Design! Work with Michelle to get beautiful graphics for entrepreneurial women with busy lives.
If you haven’t got your copy of Hungry Authors, pick it up wherever books are sold!
67. Hungry Authors Introduction: Welcome to the Club
Aug 05, 2024
In honor of the publication of Hungry Authors: The Indispensable Guide to Planning, Writing, and Publishing a Nonfiction Book, we are proud to bring you an excerpt from the audiobook (published by Oasis Media) – “Introduction: Welcome to the Club.” In this excerpt, you’ll learn more about us, Liz & Ariel, and understand the transformation that’s in store for you inside the book. We want to lead by example, so hopefully this Introduction sets your expectations well and gets you excited about starting your journey to your own nonfiction book! Enjoy.
Many thanks to Oasis Media for allowing us to bring you this excerpt.
Join the Virtual Book Toast on August 6, 2024 from 3-3:30p ET on Zoom by clicking this link.
Thanks to our sponsor, Goldshlag Design! Elevate your brand and simplify your life with streamlined digital design services for women entrepreneurs.
What is it like to publish your book with a traditional publisher? In this episode, we take you behind the scenes with our very own editor at Rowman & Littlefield/Bloomsbury, Christen Karniski! Christen is in the business of publishing hungry authors (literally – Hungry Authors the book and hungry authors like all of us!). She makes decisions every day about what proposals move forward for consideration by the editorial board and which ones don’t. This week, we’re chatting with Christen about Hungry Authors the book and also about how Hungry Authors can pitch their books to publishers like Rowman & Littlefield!
Christen Karniski is the executive acquisitions editor for sports and recreation, parenting, and YA nonfiction at Rowman & Littlefield/Bloomsbury. Learn more about Christen and what she’s looking for in this interview with Publishers Weekly.
If you’re looking for help with your design needs, contact Michelle Goldshlag for more beautiful visuals to share with your audience. Visit goldshlagdesign.com for more info.
65. The Pulse on Publishing with Don Pape
Jul 22, 2024
Today we have a very special guest – our very own literary agent, Don Pape! In this episode, we talk to Don about his career in various roles in publishing, the job of an agent, and what he’s learned about supporting Hungry Authors over the years.
Take a look at recently published and forthcoming books represented by Don:
Pape Commons founder Don Pape brings more than thirty years of publishing experience from such houses as Doubleday, Tyndale House, and NavPress. Throughout his career, he has long championed the essence of the Commons: celebrating the individual and stewarding their resources in and through community. From warehouse packer to agent and publisher, Don has worked alongside countless sales and marketing experts, literary agents, and authors. He’s had the privilege of guiding fiction and non-fiction titles to bestselling status, serving such notable authors as Madeleine L’Engle, Louis Giglio, Eugene Peterson, and Liz Curtis Higgs. “My greatest pleasure is in seeing great content become reality on the page—in a physical or digital book,” he says.
64. Hungry Authors Deleted Scene: The Three Forces at Work in Your Writing
Jul 08, 2024
If you’re going to write a book for anyone – even just your family – to read, then you need to get to know the two forces that will be guiding your efforts: Creativity and Marketability. This episode is a “deleted scene” from our book, Hungry Authors: The Indispensable Guide to Planning, Writing, and Publishing a Nonfiction Book (coming August 6!). In it, we teach you about how to balance these two forces while you’re writing.
But there’s one more force at work as well – your nemesis in your creative work: Resistance. Listen in to learn about this master deceiver and how to avoid getting caught in its snares while you’re writing.
Many thanks to our sponsor, Goldshlag Design! Learn more about working with Michelle on her website at https://www.goldshlagdesign.com/.
63. The Power of a Metaphor with Emily P. Freeman
Jul 01, 2024
In this episode, Ariel & Liz chat with Emily P. Freeman, author of the New York Times bestselling How to Walk Into Room: The Art of Knowing When to Stay and When to Walk Away (Harper One, 2024). Emily’s entire book is framed around a metaphor – in this case, a unique way to frame a powerful idea and catch people’s attention. We chat about the metaphor, how that impacted the title, and what it’s like bringing your vulnerable stories into the world.
Emily P. Freeman is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of five books, including The Next Right Thing: A Simple, Soulful Practice for Making Life Decisions. As a spiritual director, workshop leader, and host of The Next Right Thing podcast (more than 25 million downloads), her most important work is to help create soul space and offer spiritual companionship and discernment for anyone struggling with decision fatigue. Emily holds a master’s degree in spiritual formation and leadership from Friends University. She lives in North Carolina with her family.
62. How to Write a Conclusion That Inspires Action
Jun 24, 2024
A good conclusion will change your reader’s life – whether you’re writing prescriptive nonfiction or memoir or narrative. In this episode, we take you through the mindset and goals of a great conclusion, as well as norms for both prescriptive and creative endings. You’ll learn how to send readers off with a powerful choice, or offer an epilogue that reassures them of the transformation in store for the hero.
61. How to Write an Introduction That Readers Will Love
Jun 17, 2024
Introductions are one of the hardest parts of a book to write! In this solo session, Liz and Ariel take you behind the scenes to share what makes a good introduction, the differences between introductions for prescriptive nonfiction and memoir/narrative nonfiction, and a template you can use to write your own. Preorder our book now!
60. Find a Friend, Write a Book Together – Your Guide to Coauthoring
Jun 11, 2024
You don’t see too many books authored by two people anymore. In the age of personal brands, coauthoring has fallen out of style, but we wanted to share with you everything we’ve learned about coauthoring, why more first-time authors should consider it, and how to make it successful. We get real about the finances, negotiating content, and managing conflict when you’re working with someone on a project you both care about deeply! Preorder our book now!
59. All Our Best Writing Advice in One Episode
Jun 03, 2024
Welcome to the Summer Sessions! As we approach the launch date for our book, Hungry Authors: The Indispensable Guide to Planning, Writing, and Publishing a Nonfiction Book, we wanted to give you ALL of our best advice for ideating, writing, planning, and publishing your book. Some of this you’ll find in our new book, and some things are just for you here on the pod. Hope you enjoy!
Thanks to our sponsor, Goldshlag Design! Learn more about working with Michelle for all of your design needs at goldshlagdesign.com.
58. Season 3 Finale: How Fast Can You Really Write a Book?
May 20, 2024
You’ve probably seen the ads for writing programs that promise a book in an insanely short amount of time: six weeks, one month, two weeks, one weekend – even 24 hours!! Is it really possible to write a “book” in that amount of time?
As ghostwriters, we have strong feelings on this and we’re getting into how writers get the work done. Everyone has a different way – and what matters most is how much thinking and preparation you’ve done when you sit down to do the work.
We’ll be taking next week off for Memorial Day and to give ourselves a small break, but we’ll be back in June for the Summer Season 3.5!
Learn more about our Map Your Book cohort at MapYourBook.com.
57. What Makes a Book Interesting? with Jeff Goins
May 13, 2024
Is it the idea itself? The story being told? The author’s voice? Yes – and no. In this episode, Ariel and Liz chat with bestselling author and ghostwriter Jeff Goins about how to write more interesting books by challenging readers’ assumptions. We talk about how memoirists can craft compelling arguments, how to tell the truth (but tell it slant), and the best writing advice Jeff has ever received.
56. Clear Writing is Clear Thinking with Mara Eller
May 06, 2024
Let’s get clear about clarity! Clarity in writing is one of those ideas we take for granted – of course, good writing is “clear.” But what does that mean? In this week’s episode, Liz and Ariel chat with Mara Eller, writing teacher and editor, about how to achieve clarity in your writing. Mara teaches that clarity is about how you communicate your ideas with the reader – and so you have to start by clarifying those ideas.
55. Memoir as a Force for Good with Mark Daley
Apr 29, 2024
It’s human nature to want to share our stories and seek connection after we’ve been through hard times. That’s plenty reason to write your memoir!
But sometimes memoir can stretch beyond even the bounds of our personal experiences to become a force for good in the world.
That’s what we see in Mark Daley’s debut memoir, Safe, which is about his and his husband’s journey through foster care. In this episode, we talk about the decisions Mark made to keep his family and his foster kids (and their families) safe, and how he’s hoping this memoir will make a difference for all kids in foster care.
If you’re interested in becoming a foster parent, you can learn more through Mark’s organization, The Foster Parent.
And if you’re interested in joining the Hungry Authors Map Your Book cohort in May, learn more here.
54. A Book is the Beginning with Meg Geisewite
Apr 22, 2024
Meg Geisewite’s book, Intoxicating Lies, is one of our favorite examples of a “teaching memoir“: a book that blends memoir with prescriptive nonfiction. It’s a tricky balance to achieve, as we discuss in today’s podcast – but Meg pulls it off beautifully! Moreover, when Meg started writing, she had little experience as a professional writer – she just had a story to tell. Pretty soon, however, she found that her story was an inspiration to others and it has led to a social media community, speaking at conferences, coaching others, and starting a new writing community for other women in similar circumstances. For Meg, a book was just the beginning!
53. Courage and Clarity in Writing with Gala Jackson
Apr 15, 2024
Writing a book is not for the faint of heart! Gala Jackson, career coach and author of Courage, Clarity, & Confidence (Wiley, 2024), knows that first-hand. She faced numerous challenges while writing her book, but she never let them deter her or blur her vision. She’s modeling the message of her book – showing up for herself, her family, and her writing with courage, clarity, and confidence.
Gala Jackson is passionate about helping women stand in the power of their femininity. As an accomplished, executive career and leadership development coach, she works with domestic and international women to redefine and take ownership of their success. She empowers women to discover and live in alignment with the strongest, boldest, most courageous version of themselves. She is the author of the book, Courage, Clarity, and Confidence: Redefine Success and the Way You Work which released in January 2024. Her expertise has appeared in the TED global series The Way We Work with more than 1.5 million views, a local TEDx series, and in globally recognized publications such as the New York Times, Marie Claire, Essence, Huffington Post, and Millie magazine. Gala holds a master’s degree in educational leadership, and a bachelor of fine arts degree in communication. She is a certified executive and leadership development coach, a certified career management coach, and a certified life coach.
Sign up for the Hungry Authors Map Your Book cohort at mapyourbook.com.
52. Publishing with Giants with Lori Melton
Apr 08, 2024
What’s it like to get a book deal with a Big 5 publisher? Lori Melton is a spiritual director and soon-to-be author with the largest publisher in the U.S. In this episode, we talk with Lori about her journey – but most importantly about the incredible idea that she pitched and which found a home in just the right place. Listen and you just might find yourself inspired to take a closer walk with one of your spiritual giants!
Lori G Melton is a Spiritual Director and Retreat Leader with a life-long passion for walking with God and fostering opportunities for others to grow in their relationship with Him. She and her husband, Bryan, are the founders and directors of The Sanctuary at Bear Creek Retreat Center in Allegan, Michigan, the Sanctuary Stirrings Podcast, the proud parents of 5 sons and one daughter, and Nana and Papa to two adorable grands. Lori was born and raised in Niagara Falls, New York (yes, one of the seven wonders of the world), played competitive badminton in high school (don’t laugh it is a sport), and is the other half of a twin sister combination. After dreaming about writing for 30 years while she raised her family, the door finally opened during the COVID crisis in 2020. In January of 2021, she began her first book, Journey with a Giant, Find Your Guide, Fulfill Your Purpose: A One-Year Adventure, and has been offered a contract with one of the top five publishers with a book release date of Fall 2025! Thesanctuaryatbearcreek.com.
51. Making Money as Writers with Kent Sanders
Apr 01, 2024
This week we are sharing an episode that was originally recorded for The Profitable Writer podcast with our friend Kent Sanders. In it, we take you behind the scenes into our lives as freelance ghostwriters and book professionals. This is an honest look at how we make money, how we decide what projects to take on, and what our future goals are. If you want to make a living as a writer, this episode will give you a realistic idea of what that might be like!
Kent Sanders is the founder of Inkwell Ghostwriting, which helps leaders grow their business through books and other content. He is also the author and co-author of numerous books, including 18 Words to Live By: A Father’s Wisdom on What Matters Most and co-author of The Faith of Elvis: A Story Only a Brother Can Tell with Billy Stanley, Elvis Presley’s stepbrother. In addition to writing books for himself and his clients, Kent loves to help other writers. He is the host of the Profitable Writer podcast and the founder of the Profitable Writer community, a membership group that helps writers grow their businesses.
50. Engaging Authentically Online with Kathleen Schmidt
Mar 25, 2024
Continuing our conversation around publicity, this week Liz & Ariel chat with Kathleen Schmidt, long-time publishing executive and founder of KMSPR, about engaging authentically in online spaces. We talk about connecting with readers on Substack and TikTok, and how to balance sharing your personal life with maintaining your “brand.”
As the Founder and CEO of Kathleen Schmidt Public Relations, Kathleen is a well-respected voice in book publishing with in-depth experience in all aspects of the industry, including as a publicist, literary agent, acquisitions editor, and ghostwriter.
Her career encompasses 30 years of creating and directing impactful and strategic global media, marketing, and branding campaigns for politicians, A-List celebrities, athletes, and high-profile personalities.
To date, she has worked on 50 New York Times bestsellers, and her clients have continuously appeared in top-tier national print, broadcast, and radio outlets such as The Today Show, Good Morning America, Vogue, Elle, Financial Times, Vanity Fair, GQ, and Sirius XM.
Schmidt, who learned to read when she was four, comes from a family of voracious readers. Inspired by the legendary book editor Jackie Kennedy Onassis, she purposely focused on obtaining a position in book publishing.
49. Where to Start With Book Publicity with Leah Paulos
Mar 18, 2024
If you’re looking forward to publishing a book someday – like we are! – this conversation with Leah Paulos will give you some practical ideas about where to start and how to maximize your efforts to market your book. We talk about the difference between marketing & publicity, when to start thinking about promotion, how to plan for podcasts, and much more.
Leah Paulos, the Founder of Press Shop PR and Book Publicity School, has worked at the intersection of books and media for over 20 years. Twice named a top PR firm by the Observer, Press Shop has worked on a wide range of titles, including MARCH by Rep. John Lewis, ON TYRANNY by Timothy Snyder, and on books by Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Neil deGrasse Tyson, James Kirchick, and Pulitzer-finalists Samuel Freedman and Louise Aronson. Leah began her career as a magazine editor at Condé Nast, then worked as a freelance writer for dozens of national magazines before moving into book publicity in 2006 and launching Press Shop in 2012. She graduated from Cornell University in 1998, and lives in Brooklyn with her husband and 2 boys.
48. Hungry Agents Need Hungry Authors with Morgan Strehlow
Mar 11, 2024
This week, Liz & Ariel chat with Morgan Strehlow, an up & coming literary agent who is actively looking for authors! We talk about her unique background in sports, ghostwriting book proposals and manuscripts, and now representing other authors in their search to be published. Morgan loves working with hungry authors – partly because she’s a hungry agent herself! Hungry agents (and editors) are aspiring to bigger things and are looking for the yet-to-be-discovered, talented writers who will help boost their careers as well. They’re looking for authors they believe they can sell – even if they have small to no platforms. Listen for more about what Morgan’s looking for in an author!
Morgan Strehlow is an associate literary agent at The Bindery Agency, where she represents both fiction and non-fiction authors. After spending the first decade of her career as a communication strategist in the sports industry, Morgan pivoted into publishing as a freelance writer, literary editor, creative collaborator, and certified book coach. Morgan lives in Central Pennsylvania with her husband and son. You can connect with Morgan through her Substack newsletter, Writing Is A Team Sport, at morganstrehlow.substack.com.
47. The Etiquette of Being a Writer with Courtney Maum
Mar 04, 2024
When you become an author, you don’t get a handbook to guide you through the intricacies of how to do this job well. There’s not even a comprehensive job description! Many first-time authors feel totally mystified at what to expect and stumble their way through the process. Courtney Maum has written the book that should be your handbook, though: Before and After the Book Deal. In this conversation, we chat about what authors don’t know about publishing and how to think about your career as a writer. Courtney shares about her unique background and experience in publishing, from her career as a luxury product namer, copywriter, and author across multiple genres!
Courtney is the author of five books, including the groundbreaking publishing guide that Vanity Fair recently named one of the ten best books for writers, BEFORE AND AFTER THE BOOK DEAL and the memoir THE YEAR OF THE HORSES, chosen by The Today Show as the best read for mental health awareness. A writing coach, executive director of the Turning Points writing retreat, and educator, Courtney’s mission is to help people hold on to the joy of art-making in a culture obsessed with turning artists into brands. You can sign up for her publishing tips newsletter and online masterclasses at CourtneyMaum.com.
46. How Audiobooks Are Made with Julia Whelan
Feb 26, 2024
Audiobooks are the fastest growing segment of the publishing industry – meaning there’s more attention now than ever before on what the audio experience of a book is like. So what should authors know about this important medium? This episode with award-winning audiobook narrator Julia Whelan takes you behind the scenes of audiobook production, so you can understand just what goes into it. We talk through questions like, should authors narrate their own audiobooks? Do authors always get to narrate their own books if they want to? How do you integrate audio elements like music? What are the physical demands on your voice, and how do you prepare for studio time? Plus, we’ll hear from Julia about how writing audiobooks impacts her writing process and the launch of her new audio platform, Audiobrary!
Dubbed “The Adele of Audiobooks” by The New Yorker, Julia Whelan is a writer, lifelong actor, and audiobook narrator of over 500 titles. She has won numerous awards, including Audible’s Narrator of the Year and the Best Female Narrator Audie. AudioFile Magazine has given her its lifetime achievement award, a “Golden Voice”, and her performance of her own debut novel, the international bestseller, My Oxford Year, garnered a Society of Voice Arts award. Her latest novel Thank You For Listening was a Best of 2022 pick at Amazon, Audible, and NPR as well as a Goodreads Choice Award nominee. She has just launched a new audio publishing company and app called Audiobrary, which aims to elevate human storytellers and disrupt standard compensation models for authors and narrators alike; her new book, the 8-part audio series, Casanova LLC, will debut on Audiobrary Valentine’s Day, 2024. She has most recently been invited to participate in the 10th annual Rancho Mirage Writer’s Festival. She is also a Grammy-nominated audiobook director, a former writing tutor, a half-decent amateur baker, and a certified tea sommelier.
Learn more about Audiobrary and listen to Casanova, LLC at audiobrary.com.
45. Approaching Platform with Curiosity and Joy with Ann Kroeker
Feb 19, 2024
If building a platform is something you feel you “have” to do – this episode will help you find the hidden joys available to you! In this conversation, Ann Kroeker helps Ariel & Liz reframe their thinking around platform and bring a greater sense of curiosity to the process. Building a platform is just one more way to share your message and your story with the world – and who knows, you might love it if you find the right outlet!
Ann Kroeker is a writing coach leveraging over three decades of experience in the writing and publishing world to support writers looking for input and the confidence they need to advance their careers. Her clients have achieved personal goals, landed contracts, hit bestseller lists, and won awards. Ann is also an author, speaker, and host of the Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach podcast. She works with clients one-on-one and through her comprehensive book proposal program, her signature craft course The Art & Craft of Writing, and her platform membership program called Your Platform Matters (YPM). Ann’s website offers loads of writing-related content, landing her on The Write Life’s annual 100 Best Websites for Writers list six years in a row. She’s presented at conferences, retreats, and summits; been a guest on writing-related podcasts; co-authored On Being a Writer: 12 Simple Habits for a Writing Life that Lasts; and authored Not So Fast: Slow-Down Solutions for Frenzied Families and The Contemplative Mom.
44. How Agents Advocate for Authors with Lluvia Augustin
Feb 12, 2024
This week brings another literary agent conversation, this time with Lluvia Agustin! Just as publishers themselves have areas of expertise, so do agents. Lluvia specializes in representing Hispanic authors who write in Spanish. We talk about the unique challenges about publishing in the US market for Spanish-language authors, as well as the opportunities for translations that abound. Lluvia also recently returned from the 2023 Guadalajara Book Fair, and we chat all about what happens at book fairs, what it’s like to have your book represented there, and how you can use book fairs to network with publishing industry professionals.
Lluvia Agustin is the founder of The Agustin Agency, a literary agency in Nashville that specializes in Hispanic authors who write in Spanish. The agency’s books have been published by HarperCollins, Lifeway B&H, Planeta and other publishers in Spanish, English and Portuguese. In May 2022, one of the agency’s books received The Harold Kregel Award by the SEPA organization. Lluvia Agustin has held various senior level roles in the publishing industry over the years, which include being the senior sales director for HarperCollins publishers for their Spanish division until 2018. Lluvia has held other sales and marketing roles at other publishing companies. Lluvia enjoys reading a variety of genres, taking long walks and cooking. Lluvia lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her two grown children, John and Esteban Lopez.
43. Get Signed in 2024 with Lucinda Halpern
Feb 05, 2024
Is 2024 the year you want to sign a book deal? Literary agent Lucinda Halpern, founder of Lucinda Literary, has the best advice for hooking an agent and publisher. In this episode, we chat about the importance of the pitch and how to attract attention by answering the who, what. where, when, why about your book in your query letter. Lucinda also tells us the three keys to getting signed (although… you really just need two of them!). These and more insights are the basis of her new book, Get Signed: Find an Agent, Land a Book Deal, and Become a Published Author.
Lucinda is also offering Hungry Authors listeners a free gift! Claim it right here:
Lucinda Halpern is a literary agent with over 15 years experience, and the founder of Lucinda Literary, based in New York. Prior to founding her agency, she worked in the Publicity division of HarperCollins, where she assisted on the media campaign for Freakonomics among other New York Times bestsellers. She later worked as a marketing consultant for Gretchen Rubin (The Happiness Project), before launching her career as an agent. She has worked with all major publishers, including Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, Macmillan, Hachette, and Scholastic, and currently represents New York Times and internationally best-selling authors in the categories of business, health, lifestyle, popular science, narrative nonfiction, memoir, and upmarket fiction. Her classes and coaching programs have been taught to hundreds of writers worldwide, and became the inspiration for Get Signed: Find an Agent, Land a Book Deal, and Become a Published Author (Hay House; Penguin Random House; February 6th, 2024).
42. Book Mapping to Build Confidence with Camden Morgante
Jan 29, 2024
Dr. Camden Morgante is looking forward to publishing her first book later this year! In this episode, Camden and Ariel chat about her experience traditional publishing, how her book map helped her to build confidence, and the topic of her forthcoming book: purity culture.
Dr. Camden Morgante is a licensed clinical psychologist with over 13 years of experience as a therapist, college professor, and supervisor. She owns a private therapy practice focusing on women’s issues, relationships, sexuality, trauma, and spirituality. She is a writer, speaker, and coach on purity culture recovery, egalitarianism, and faith reconstruction. Her first book, Recovering from Purity Culture, will be published in October 2024 by Baker Books. Dr. Camden lives in Knoxville, Tennessee with her husband and their daughter and son.
41. Refine Your Ideas By Mapping Your Book With Claire Williams
Jan 23, 2024
Sometimes we dream of writing a book before we even know which book idea to start with! There are so many possibilities. Do you start with the poetry collection you’ve always dreamed of, or the novel that’s been sitting in a folder on your desktop, or the practical how-to book that you feel you could write in your sleep?
That was the dilemma for Claire Williams, an executive coach who took the Hungry Authors Map Your Book cohort last summer. In this episode, she talks about how mapping out her ideas helped her decide which one would be the best step forward toward her dreams. Now she’s writing a proposal, launching a Substack, and guesting on pods!
Learn more about Claire’s GAANT chart and suscribe to her Substack right here.
Claire Williams is an Executive Coach, Team Coach, Leadership Development Writer, and the founder of In Depth Coaching & Development. Claire has trained and coached hundreds of leaders, from managers to the C-Suite, in dozens of organizations across five continents, including Target, Boeing, McDonalds, GE, United HealthCare, Hershey, and Post Consumer Brands. Leaders and organizations seek Claire out for her expertise in transformational development in the workplace, particularly her specialized approaches in Vertical Development, the Enneagram, and the Leadership Circle Profile. Claire publishes The Diving Board, a Substack newsletter “for humans in the deep end – a jumping-off point to pursue meaningful work in a swirly world”. She’s currently working on publishing her first book. As a writer, Claire engages both the mind and the heart of her readers, inviting them into soulful explorations and experiments rooted in time-tested leadership research. She challenges leaders to do the hard work of inner work and equips them with the most powerful tools for the job. Claire refuses to choose between the language of business and the language of the human spirit, because both exist in the real world, and both will shape the world of the future. Claire lives in St. Paul, MN, with her husband Rob and 2 kids: Amos (9) and Mabel (6). She loves books, early mornings, ice cream shops, and avoiding household chores.
40. Keep Your Plans Flexible with Mitch Weathers
Jan 17, 2024
How does book mapping build your confidence as a writer? And how do you shift your plans throughout the writing process? This week, we’re talking with educational consultant, speaker, and first-time author Mitch Weathers, whose book, Executive Functions for Every Classroom, just published. Mitch didn’t feel like a writer – and he never really felt the “flow” – but creating a book map made all the difference, enabling him to create a book proposal, sign a book deal, and finish his first draft.
We also talk about how book maps can and should be flexible throughout the writing process. Book maps shouldn’t restrict your ideas; they should empower you to create an engaging narrative.
Mitch became a gifted teacher because he was a mediocre student. He rarely felt comfortable in the classroom. In fact, it took him 7 years for him to graduate from college. As a teacher, Mitch was fortunate to experience school as if it happened around him – unsure how to engage in learning with confidence. There is a loneliness to experiencing school as a passive object and not an active subject. When he entered the classroom Mitch relied on his personal experiences as a learner. He recognized that what we teach, the content, is secondary. We must first lay the foundation for learning before we can get to teaching. Mitch designed Organized Binder to empower teachers with a simple but research-backed strategy to teach students executive functioning skills while protecting instructional time in class. The secret is found in establishing a predictable learning routine that serves to foster safer learning spaces.
It’s 2024! In our first episode of Season 3, Liz & Ariel share their word(s) of the year and talk about a better way to plan your resolutions for 2024. What problem do you want to solve this year? And what options do you have for solving that problem? Share your ideas with us on Instagram.
We also share information about our new Map Your Book cohort which starts in February. Head to mapyourbook.com to learn more and register!
38. Should You Publish Your Book?
Dec 04, 2023
Season 2 Finale!! We are finishing the season with one of the most fundamental questions in publishing: Should you – should everyone – should anyone – publish a book?
Really, embedded in this question are a few questions: Should you write a book? And does that automatically mean you should also publish it? Does everyone have a story worth telling? Does everyone’s idea add value to the world?
The answers are nuanced, and in this final episode of season 2, Ariel & Liz explore them at length.
Follow us for more @hungryauthors on Instagram, or check out our website hungryauthors.com.
37. Edit Your Book in Three Phases
Nov 27, 2023
Let’s say you’ve finished writing your book (INCREDIBLE – AMAZING – GOOD JOB!!). Now what do you do with it?
Most people would say, “Send it to an editor!” and they’re not wrong.
But there’s a lot that you can do to improve your manuscript, strengthen your skills as an author, and help your editor before you send it off. Besides, you won’t always have time or access to an editor, depending on your project. In this episode, Ariel & Liz walk you through the three-phase process they use with their own writing to make their work as good as can be on their own:
Phase 1: Make it work
Phase 2: Make it right
Phase 3: Make it pretty
Learn more about our work or take the full masterclass on how to edit your book on hungryauthors.com!
Follow us on Instagram @hungryauthors.
36. Mining Your Life for Content
Nov 20, 2023
What sets Malcolm Gladwell, Ryan Holiday, Dani Shapiro, and other incredible nonfiction writers apart? They know how to find great material.
One of the hidden arts of the writing process is mining for content – that is, looking at your life, your clients’ problems, stories you hear on podcasts or TV, or random articles you find online, and suddenly seeing the connection to an idea you’ve been thinking about. Everything is material, if you can find the right lesson or idea to apply to it.
So in this episode, Ariel & Liz talk about where to find interesting stories and examples to include in your book. When you start looking for them, you may be surprised to find that they are everywhere!
Learn more about us at hungryauthors.com or follow us on Instagram at @hungryauthors.
35. No One Can Do It for You
Nov 13, 2023
If you’ve ever struggled to get your writing done, you are not alone! One of the most common requests we get is for “accountability.” We hear things like, “I need you to hold my feet to the fire” and “I need you to set deadlines for me.” In this episode, Ariel & Liz talk all about when accountability works and when it doesn’t – including our experiences when we tried and failed to hold others accountable. We share our favorite tips for getting work done and using external motivators (like writing coaches, writing groups, retreats, etc.) to help you get work done and meet your writing goals.
Ultimately, though, NO ONE can hold you accountable except you.
The good news with accountability is that it’s a skill you can learn. You can always get better at keeping promises to yourself, and it helps to start early and start small.
Listen to the episode for all of our tips for strengthening your accountability muscles!
Learn more about us at hungryauthors.com or follow us on Instagram @hungryauthors.
34. How to Set Writing Goals
Nov 06, 2023
This week, a little life update and some practical advice on setting writing goals for those of you who need numbers and a schedule to get motivated! You didn’t think we’d be doing math on this podcast, did you?
We talk average word count ranges for the top three nonfiction genres: prescriptive, memoir, and narrative nonfiction. We’ll also share our thoughts on how long it should take you to write a book and how to figure out an ideal daily, weekly, or chapter word count goal – or take a different approach and set a time goal instead.
In this episode, we mentioned Otter.ai and Rev.com for dictations and transcribing recordings to make your life even easier and help you get started.
Follow us on Instagram @hungryauthors or visit our website hungryauthors.com for more insights and advice!
33. Here’s What’s Wrong With Your Memoir
Oct 31, 2023
This week Ariel & Liz talk about why it’s so hard to sell memoirs to traditional publishers – including a little debate between the two of us around whether your memoir needs to have something extraordinary in order to be a good fit for traditional publishers. Plus, we give a little update on the Hungry Authors manuscript and where we’re at getting feedback from our beta readers!
32. No Such Thing as Writers’ Block with Honoree Corder
Oct 23, 2023
This week we share wisdom from an incredibly prolific author and someone who helps others realize their dreams of being published: Honorée Corder! Honorée shares her Bestselling Book Formula, how to use your book as part of your business, how she comes up with ideas, and why writers’ block is like the Loch Ness monster – that is, it doesn’t exist! Honorée Corder is the author of more than 50 books, including her newest, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS WRITER’S BLOCK, a publishing consultant, TEDx speaker, host of the Empire Builders Mastermind, and Founder of Indie Author University. Honorée passionately turns aspiring non-fiction authors into bestselling and best earning authors (and so much more)! She does all sorts of other magical things, and her badassery is legendary. You can find out more at HonoreeCorder.com.
31. Exploring the Authors Guild with Johnny Chinnici
Oct 16, 2023
Navigating the publishing industry can be daunting for many new authors (and experienced ones!). This week, we chat with Johnny Chinnici from the Authors Guild to make sure you’re aware of all of the support (both free and paid) that exists for authors. This isn’t a sponsored episode; we just love all of the advocacy work that the Authors Guild does and want to make sure more authors are aware of the benefits and resources that are out there! In this episode, we talk about BookTok, publishing scams, and how you can work with the Authors Guild to protect your rights.Johnny Chinnici is marketing and communications coordinator at the Authors Guild, which is a fancy way of saying he runs educational webinars and helps authors in a variety of ways. He holds an MFA in poetry from the New School, and his work has appeared in various journals and on The Best American Poetry blog. He grew up in Texas and lives in Queens.Follow Johnny on TikTok: @johnnychinnici
30. Get Media-Ready with Paula Rizzo
Oct 09, 2023
Have you ever dreamed about getting media coverage for your book? And we don’t just mean social media – we mean TV, podcasts, radio, news! Author and media expert Paula Rizzo has so many ideas for authors to help them find and pitch the right media outlets for their books. Believe it or not, this process starts from the very beginning – with having a strong idea and something important to say. In this episode, Paula will teach you:
the accordion method so you’re always ready for any question!
“the hook, the twist, and the takeaway” for great pitches
how to be your own producer and start creating your own media to get more media attention
Plus, Paula has some great advice for authors (like us!) who might be putting a little too much emphasis on the importance of the pub date!Learn more about Paula’s Media Ready Author course!Download Paula’s free resource: 10 Questions Every Author Needs to Answer
29. The Enneagram in Writing with Christa Hardin
Oct 02, 2023
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard about the personality typing system called The Enneagram. This week, Liz and Ariel are joined by Enneagram in Marriage coach and counselor Christa Hardin to talk about her new book, The Enneagram in Marriage! We talk about how Christa found her unique angle in a saturated market, how being a 7 impacted her writing process, and the particular vulnerability of expertise. Knowing the Enneagram isn’t just helpful for marriage; it can help you as a writer and creator, too!Christa Hardin (MA, Wheaton College) has counseled and coached couples all over the globe for two decades. Founder of Reflections Counseling Center, LLC, Christa hosts the popular Enneagram + Marriage podcast, which has over 1 million downloads and has helped thousands of couples find refreshment, joy, balance, and connection together. Christa uses the Enneagram and other research-based marriage tools to give couples deeper insight into their strengths and shadows, and to help them determine how they can shine brightest in the world together. She lives with her husband and three children in Florida.Order The Enneagram in Marriage here: https://www.enneagraminyourmarriage.com/.Follow Christa on Instagram @enneagramandmarriage
28. Navigating the Publishing Industry with Jane Friedman
Sep 25, 2023
This week, we interview publishing expert Jane Friedman. We talk about Jane’s recent brush with AI and Amazon and what authors can do to protect themselves from AI scams. We also chat through current trends across the publishing industry, what authors need to know about traditional publishing, and the surprising benefits of choosing to work with a small, independent (not-Big 5) publisher. We talk about the four “buckets” (types) of authors who get traditional book deals, and how you can be a breakout author.Jane Friedman has spent nearly 25 years working in the book publishing industry, with a focus on author education and trend reporting. She is the editor of The Hot Sheet, the essential publishing industry newsletter for authors, and was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World in 2023. Her latest book is THE BUSINESS OF BEING A WRITER (University of Chicago Press), which received a starred review from Library Journal. In addition to serving on grant panels for the National Endowment for the Arts and the Creative Work Fund, she works with organizations such as The Authors Guild to bring transparency to the business of publishing.Read Jane’s blog at https://janefriedman.com/.Follow Jane on Instagram @janefriedman.Get the Hot Sheet in your inbox: https://hotsheetpub.com/.
27. From Bylines to Books with Ericka Andersen
Sep 18, 2023
One of the best and most underrated ways to build your platform and get a book deal is to write articles for major publications – aka get “bylines.” Today we brought on freelance writer and coach Ericka Andersen to help us understand how to get your name in high-profile publications like The New York Times, The Atlantic, The New Yorker, Inc., and any other places where it would make sense for you to start reaching your audience. The good news is that getting bylines is way easier than a book proposal – so start there and scale up!Ericka Andersen is a freelance writer and writing coach at Pitch and Publish Co. Follow her @pitchandpublish on Instagram or visit https://pitchandpublish.co/ to find Ericka’s courses and tutorials.And follow us @hungryauthors on Instagram!
26. All the Platform Poe-sibilities with Catherine Baab-Muguira
Sep 11, 2023
Cat Baab-Muguira always hated the idea of “building a platform” (don’t we all??), so she resisted it for years, even when preparing to pitch a nonfiction book to publishers. Instead, she took a counterintuitive approach to pitching the book that she published in 2019: Poe for Your Problems. In this episode, Cat tells her story and shares her advice for aspiring authors who want to explore other Poe-sibilities for growing their platform!Sign up for Cat’s Substack, Poe Can Save Your Life: https://poecansaveyourlife.substack.com/.Read Poe for Your Problems: https://bookshop.org/a/20362/9780762499090.Follow Hungry Authors on Instagram: @hungryauthors
25. Inside Our Summer Writing Process
Sep 04, 2023
In the first episode of Season 2, Liz & Ariel take you behind-the-scenes into how they’re co-authoring the Hungry Authors book, the publishing process ahead, and what you can look forward to in the rest of Season 2!
24. Season 1 Finale: How We Got a Book Deal!
Jun 19, 2023
That’s right – Hungry Authors is going to be a book! This week, we’re spilling the tea on how we ourselves secured a traditional publishing deal. We share exactly what happened, step-by-step, with all of the details of how we made connections, worked with our agent, and negotiated our contract. In addition, we break down the pros and cons of our book proposal, getting really honest about what we were up against and how we overcame some very common challenges.Ultimately, we are SO grateful for the opportunity to bring Hungry Authors to life – and that’s why we’ll be taking the summer off from podcasting to focus on writing the book. You can look forward to Season 2 in September 2023, along with a new book mapping product that we’ll be launching soon.In the meantime, we’d love to send you our EXACT book proposal (minus our home addresses!), the query letter we sent to agents, and the video we submitted to publishers. Click here to give us your email so we can send it to you!https://bit.ly/hungryauthorsPlus, keep following us on Instagram @hungryauthors this summer as we document the writing process!
23. The Secret to 1000+ Preorders with Megan Faulkner
Jun 12, 2023
Megan Faulkner is deep in launch mode with her book, Happily Ever After All. And as a first-time author, she is rocking it!! A few weeks before her book published, she surpassed 1000 preorder sales – which, if you know publishing, is A LOT. We just had to chat with her to find out her secret, talk about working with an assisted self-publishing company, and learn her advice for other aspiring authors. Turns out, you might want to adopt Megan’s grandma!Megan Faulkner encourages women to embrace a full, abundant life of freedom. Megan has served full time in the local Church for fifteen years where her enthusiasm for ministry to teenagers and their families, women in various seasons of life, the marginalized, and orphans have collided into a singular passion for seeing people encounter the love of Jesus and leave radically changed. Megan’s blog, Joy in the Journey, depicts ridiculous tales of living a life filled with Jesus and His grace. Wife Me Up, Megan’s podcast which has reached about 10,000 listeners, is a place where women who live on purpose and mission have their voices elevated. Her first book, Happily Ever After All: On-Purpose Living in a Fairytale World, releases on May 5! Aside from reading, studying, and teaching God’s Word, her passions in life include Haitian orphans, sunshine, and coffee—in that exact order.
22. Writing in the Messy Middle with Steph Crowder
Jun 05, 2023
We love chatting with Hungry Authors who are in the middle of it – so today we’re thrilled to have Steph Crowder on the show! Steph is a business coach and trainer whose course “Year on the Wall” has helped hundreds of people plan their time differently. She’s in the process now of turning that course into a book. We talked about the difference between writing fiction and writing nonfiction, growing your self-belief as an author, the benefits of being a beginner in the writing process, and how to work through your first book jitters.Steph Crowder is a business coach & sales expert who has been helping people build online businesses they love since 2015. As an English major in college and an avid writer for as long as she can remember, becoming a published author is her biggest dream she intends to realize in the coming year!
21. Why You Might WANT to Self-Publish with Jake Kelfer
May 29, 2023
We talk a lot about traditional publishing on this podcast, so today we wanted to switch gears and talk about self-publishing with one of our favorite entrepreneurs, Jake Kelfer! Jake had an unconventional entre to publishing – but once he published his first book and saw the power books have to change your life, he was hooked. In this episode, we talk about why self-publishing might be the right choice for you no matter your credentials or background, how to clarify the intention for your book, and the power of being your own distributor.Jake Kelfer is a lifestyle entrepreneur, life elevator, and coach to ambitious entrepreneurs and freedom seekers helping people write and launch bestselling books. He is the creator of Big Idea To Bestseller which helps coaches and entrepreneurs write, publish, and launch nonfiction books to grow their businesses and make an impact.He is a 4x bestselling author, a high-energy motivational speaker and hype man, investor, and the founder of the Professional Basketball Combine, which helped 70+ NBA draft prospects turn their dreams of playing pro basketball into their reality. He and his work have been featured on Forbes, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, and many other major media outlets.Connect with Jake on social at @jakekelfer!
20. Thinking Outside the Publishing Box with Zibby Owens
May 22, 2023
Zibby Owens is living the dream! In the book world, she’s an author, podcaster, and most recently a publisher and bookstore owner. She brings innovation and outside-the-box thinking to every bookish endeavor, and it was so much fun to hear how she thinks about every aspect of the reading life. She’s not just a reader’s reader; she’s also an author’s author, and she’s designing her publishing company around novel ways to support authors. Zibby shares what her editorial team looks for in great memoirs, and what she’s learned from opening her own bookstore.Zibby Owens is an author, award-winning podcaster, entrepreneur, and CEO. Owens founded Zibby Media, a privately-held media company, in 2018, with her award-winning podcast Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books. The company has since grown to include the publishing house Zibby Books, the magazine Zibby Mag, the podcast network Zibby Audio, the education platform Zibby Classes, and community events like retreats, a book club, and a writing community. She was celebrated as “New York’s Most Powerful Book-fluencer” by New York Magazine. Owens is a regular contributor to “Good Morning America” and other broadcast outlets. She is the author of the memoir Bookends: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Literature, the children’s book, Princess Charming, and the editor of two anthologies. Owens is a graduate of Yale University and Harvard Business School. She lives in New York with her husband, Kyle Owens of Morning Moon Productions, and her four children. Follow her on Instagram @zibbyowens.
19. Reframing Rejection with Merideth Hite Estevez
May 15, 2023
Rejection is probably our least favorite part of the writing life – but in this episode, we’re reframing rejections to talk about what we can learn, how to take care of ourselves, and how to stay motivated and focused on your goals. We invited creative coach and professional oboist Merideth Hite Estevez to share her publishing journey and how she helps other creatives reframe rejection and grow resilience in their writing life.An active freelancer and sought-after recitalist, oboist Dr. Merideth Hite Estevez has performed and taught throughout North and South America, Asia, and Europe. Her education has taken her all over the world—Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, Yale School of Music, Fulbright Scholar to Germany, and to The Juilliard School where she received for her doctorate in oboe.As founder and director of Artists for Joy in 2017, Merideth invites artists into community to debunk the stereotype of the tortured artist, to unleash joy in the creation of art in all disciplines, and to consider creativity as a spiritual practice. Her podcast of the same name was a 2022 winner of the Award of Excellence in 2022 Communicator Awards and is in the top 2% of podcasts worldwide according to listennotes.com. Merideth has led thousands of artists in creative recovery and discovery through her popular support groups around Julia Cameron’s book “The Artist’s Way” and is a Start with Heart Facilitator through Graydin. She runs a thriving one-to-one coaching business help artists thrive.When she’s not playing oboe or making reeds, Merideth enjoys traveling the world and attempting to speak foreign languages with a southern accent. She hails from Abbeville, SC, but now lives in Bloomfield Hills, MI, where she resides with her husband, Rev. Edwin Estevez, daughter Eva, and son Eli.Merideth’s website: https://artistsforjoy.org/Merideth’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/artistsforjoy/Merideth’s freebie: 3 Ways to Love Your Inner ArtistDheepa Maturi’s Ritual for Rejection: https://www.dheeparmaturi.com/post/moment-by-moment
18. Finding a Literary Agent
May 08, 2023
We’re jumping back into our series on the work of getting traditionally published, and this week Liz and Ariel are talking about literary agents: What do they do? Why do you need one? Where do you find one? How do you persuade them to take you on? How many should you pitch? When should you stop pitching?We’re big fans of literary agents – and not just because we have many friends who are agents; we’ve seen first-hand how having a literary agent can make all the difference in your publishing experience. In this practical episode, we’ll give you everything you need to know to find the right agent partner.Some of the links we mentioned in this episode:
17. Saying yes to yourself as a writer with Lisa Cooper Ellison
May 01, 2023
When pitching and querying, we spend a lot of time waiting for an agent or publisher to say yes to us. But what if the road to that external yes isn’t just about having a killer idea, excellent writing skills, or a bucket full of perseverance. What if it’s about how we see ourselves? During this podcast interview, we explore the various internal no’s we can encounter, how they can lead to self-sabotage, procrastination, and prose that lacks the confidence needed to reach the finish line, as well as how to create the internal landscape that helps you say yes to your writing and yourself.Lisa Cooper Ellison is an author, speaker, and trauma-informed writing coach with an Ed.S in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a background in mindfulness. She regularly presents on grief and resilience and teaches courses on writing about trauma, memoir, and the book proposal. A regular contributor to the Jane Friedman blog, Lisa’s essays and short stories have appeared in HuffPost, Hippocampus Literary Magazine, and Kenyon Review Online, among others. She writes weekly letters to her newsletter followers on how to write and live from a space of authenticity and resilience. To learn more and receive a free copy of her e-book Write More, Fret Less: Five Brain Hacks that Will Supercharge Your Productivity, Creativity, and Confidence, check out her website: lisacooperellison.com.
16. Collaborate to Build Your Network with Tyler Wagner
Apr 24, 2023
The #1 best tool you can have in your platform is a strong network! And there’s no one better to talk about how to build your network than today’s guest, Tyler Wagner. In this episode, Tyler shares his top tips for cold-emailing the people you want to connect with and using in-person events like conferences to make connections.
Tyler Wagner is the host of the Tyler Wagner Show and founder of Authorsunite.com, where he helps people become successful authors. His passion is in helping others spread their message with the world through the written word. Follow him on Instagram @tylerbwagner.
15. Learning From Comp Books
Apr 17, 2023
This week we’re talking about one of the most underutilized tools in publishing: comp books! “Comp” can stand for competing, competitive, complementary, comparable, comparative – there are lots of names, but they all share the purpose of helping you to identify other books like yours. In this episode, Liz and Ariel teach you how to find comps, use those comps as models for your writing, write a great comps analysis in your book proposal, and use your comps to pitch your book to agents and editors.It’s only when you know the other books on your topic that you can contribute something truly new and unique!To learn more about our masterclasses or register for the upcoming beta version of our Book Mapping Course, visit https://hungryauthors.com/.
14. Make Your Boldest Statement with Stephanie Duncan Smith
Apr 10, 2023
When you’re pitching a book proposal to a publisher, you’ll have to submit a writing sample. But what do acquisitions editors look for in that writing sample? The strength of your writing can make or break the deal – and yet, we spend most of our time worrying about platform and other parts of the proposal. Today, we talk with acquisitions editor Stephanie Duncan Smith about how to improve your writing so that it impresses editors. Stephanie shares so many great insights about making a bold statement, learning to write by reading great books, and the writing that’s caught her eye.Learn more about Stephanie at WritingForYourLife.com, or follow her on Instagram @stephduncansmith.
13. How to Map Your Nonfiction Book
Apr 03, 2023
Once you’ve clarified the big idea for your book, your next challenge is figuring out how you’re going to bring that big idea to life. In this episode, Liz and Ariel walk you through their book mapping process, giving a brief overview of the three key stages:
Your transformation tale
Book structure
Chapter structure
In each stage, Liz & Ariel teach the questions you should be asking and give examples of how you might visually map out your book’s content.
To learn more about our masterclass on April 19, visit bit.ly/bigbookidea.
12. Experiment to Find Your Book Idea with Kent Sanders
Mar 27, 2023
Today we’re answering the question: How do you know if you have the right book idea? We’re joined by Kent Sanders, ghostwriter and author coach, to chat about why it’s so important to write the right book (and how to avoid writing the wrong book), how to test out your ideas, and how to balance your passion with what your audience wants. Each of us shares what we think makes a great book idea, and we have a friendly debate about what makes for great prescriptive nonfiction and great memoirs.Kent Sanders is the founder of Inkwell Ghostwriting, which helps leaders grow their business through books and other content. He is also the author and co-author of numerous books, including 18 Words to Live By: A Father’s Wisdom on What Matters Most and co-author of The Faith of Elvis: A Story Only a Brother Can Tell with Billy Stanley, Elvis Presley’s stepbrother.In addition to writing books for himself and his clients, Kent loves to help other writers. He is the host of the Daily Writer podcast, which helps writers cultivate the habits for creative success, and the founder of the Daily Writer membership community. He lives just outside of St. Louis and enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife and teenage son.To learn more about Kent and the Daily Writer Club, visit https://dailywriterlife.com/ or follow him on social media @dailywriterlife.
11. The Work of Getting Traditionally Published
Mar 20, 2023
Yes, there’s hope for small platforms – but that doesn’t mean you don’t have to work hard to get your ideas noticed! In this episode, Liz and Ariel talk about what it takes to get published, and kick off a series of episodes on the following pieces of the publishing journey:
Honing your idea
Planning your book
Refining your writing
Understanding the landscape
Finding the right agent
Making a great pitch
Forming good connections
Handling rejection
There’s a lot of work that goes into being traditionally published, so join us in coming weeks to learn more about how to work on each of these pieces.
10. The Hungry Author Journey with Brittany Estes
Mar 13, 2023
Brittany Estes is the original hungry author! Brittany knew for years that she was meant to write a book, and the idea finally came together at the right time. She and Liz worked together to refine her book idea and her proposal. All of that hard work paid off when she landed an agent and then got a book deal! But that doesn’t mean it was easy; she had to work hard for the past two years to bring this book to fruition. In this episode, we hear about the gumption and devotion to your reader required to make it to the finish line.
Brittany Estes has been coaching and championing women for over ten years. She is a professional and certified life coach who has worked in large churches utilizing her skills. She is also wife to her high school sweetheart and mother to seven children, two through adoption. Days are filled with dance parties, confetti, and all the coffee. Brittany is not your normal mom or pastor’s wife. She is also a tattooed, pink-haired, firecracker of a woman who speaks her mind and cannot be tamed. The freedom she lives in drives her mission to help everyone she meets.
9. Inside Big 5 Publishing With Stephen Rubin
Mar 06, 2023
The publishing industry has changed drastically over the past five decades, and publishing executive Stephen Rubin has had a front row seat to it all! In this conversation, Liz & Ariel chat with Stephen about the shifting weight of platform and celebrity in acquisitions, the importance of a great proposal, the role of politics in publishing, trends in the industry, and why he considers himself an optimist.
Stephen Rubin joined Bantam Books in 1984 after a decade-plus career in journalism. Named president and publisher of Doubleday in 1990, he remained there until 2009, interrupted by a three-year stint in London as chairman of Transworld Publishers. He served as president and publisher of Henry Holt until 2020, and currently he is a consulting publisher for Simon & Schuster. Rubin sits on the board of the San Francisco Conservatory for Music and is the founder of the Stephen and Cynthia Rubin Institute for Music Criticism.
Authors often hear that to get a traditional publishing deal, you have to have a “large” platform. But is that true? And what does “large” really mean? How important is the quality of your writing or your idea? In this episode, Liz and Ariel discuss platform, whether only celebrities can publish memoirs, and interesting new insights from Publishers Marketplace that might disprove this widespread publishing myth.
To learn more about us, follow @hungryauthors on Instagram.
7. Puzzling Out Your Memoir with Alee Anderson
Feb 20, 2023
Memoir is one of the most popular genres, for both readers and writers. For authors, memoir offers the chance to tell your story, to process the hard things you’ve been through, to share a message of hope and transformation with the world. But memoirs are notoriously tricky to write! In today’s episode, we chatted with Alee Anderson, who specializes in writing trauma-based memoirs, to get her take on the craft (and the business) of writing memoir. Alee thinks of memoirs like a puzzle, and we loved hearing her practical approach to putting them together!
Alee Anderson is a six-figure-earning ghostwriter and editor who has worked in-house at one of the top 5 publishing houses in the world. She works exclusively with trauma survivors to turn their pain into best-selling books. Alee is also the founder of Hey! Young Writer, a mentorship platform where she and her team inspire youth to pursue their passion for writing.
6. Learning to Write Prose with Matt Williams
Feb 13, 2023
Today’s guest, author and producer Matt Williams, shares all about how he made the switch from writing for TV to learning to write prose. Matt has learned the value of practicing writing, listening to your “Spirit Voice,” thinking carefully, and not rushing the process. He has so many nuggets of wisdom to share for aspiring writers, especially those who are interested in improving their craft! Plus, he shares the origin story of Home Improvement, which you do not want to miss!
Matt Williams is best known as the creator and Executive Producer of the hit series Roseanne and the co-creator and Executive Producer of Home Improvement, one of the most successful programs in television history. Williams started his television career when he joined The Cosby Show during its premiere season and worked as a writer/producer on the show for three subsequent seasons. He also co-created the series A Different World. Matt’s work was nominated for Emmy and Humanitas Awards and won a Peabody Award for Outstanding Achievement in Television Writing.
In 1989, Williams formed the bi-coastal production company Wind Dancer Films with principals Carmen Finestra and David McFadzean. Williams’ projects under the Wind Dancer banner include the television programs Carol & Company, Soul Man, Buddies, and the PBS children’s program Ready Jet Go! In film, Matt wrote or produced Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken, Firelight, Where the Heart Is, What Women Want, Bernie, and The Keeping Room.
Matt has directed numerous productions in regional and Off-Broadway theatres. He directed the world premiere of Robby Benson’s musical Open Heart at the Cherry Lane Theatre. Along with Daryl Roth Productions and his partners at Wind Dancer, he co-produced the stage production of Camping with Henry and Tom. He and Wind Dancer co-produced The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin at Playwrights Horizons.
In addition to his many credits, Matt is a founding board member of The New Harmony Project and the Cherry Lane Theatre. Matt is currently an Adjunct Associate Professor at Columbia University School of the Arts Theatre Program. He lives in New York with his wife, actress Angelina Fiordellisi, the Artistic Director of the Cherry Lane Theatre.
5. Trusting Yourself as a Writer with Kate Moore
Feb 06, 2023
Today’s Hungry Author conversation is with Kate Moore, author of The Radium Girls and The Woman They Could Not Silence. Kate shares how she learned to trust herself as a writer and take every opportunity she could to learn new skills. Her career started in editing, but she quickly transitioned to ghostwriting, acting, and finally writing her own narrative nonfiction books. She uses her experience to research and represent the stories of forgotten women of history, a gift for all of us as readers and writers.
Kate Moore is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Radium Girls, which won the 2017 Goodreads Choice Award for Best History, was voted U.S. librarians’ favourite nonfiction book of 2017, and was named a Notable Nonfiction Book of 2018 by the American Library Association. A British writer based near Cambridge, UK, Kate writes across a variety of genres and has had multiple titles on the Sunday Times bestseller list. Her latest book is the critically acclaimed The Woman They Could Not Silence, which, among other accolades, was named runner-up for Best History in the 2021 Goodreads Choice Awards and a 2021 Booklist Editor’s Choice.
4. Thinking Like a Designer with Warren Berger
Jan 30, 2023
Ariel and Liz chat with New York Times bestselling author Warren Berger about how writers can use design thinking to think strategically about their careers, how authors can maintain their hunger even after the book publishes, and the two questions every writer needs to ask.
Innovation expert and questionologist WARREN BERGER has studied hundreds of the world’s foremost innovators, entrepreneurs, and creative thinkers to learn how they ask questions, generate original ideas, and solve problems. He is the author or co-author of more than 12 books on innovation, including the bestseller A MORE BEAUTIFUL QUESTION: The Power of Inquiry to Spark Breakthrough Ideas and the internationally acclaimed GLIMMER, named one of Businessweek’s Best Innovation and Design Books of the Year. His writing appears in Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Psychology Today, and The New York Times. He lives in New York.
As hungry authors, we show up to our writing through all seasons of life, both the good and the bad. Liz and Ariel are no exceptions. In June 2022, Liz’s younger brother Jack suddenly passed away, and Ariel has been dealing with the ups and downs of infertility for nearly five years. In this vulnerable episode, we talk about how “real life” and our “writing lives” are not separate; we are whole integrated people, and that means we write through grief and heartache along with joy. We don’t necessarily have answers; there are no easy tips we can give for writing when life sucks. But as writers, we have each other. We see you, we hear you, and we’re with you.
2. Real Talk About Writing and Publishing with Allison Fallon
Jan 23, 2023
Platform is NOT the thing stopping you from publishing your book. Don’t believe us? In this episode, Liz and Ariel chat with award-winning author and friend Allison Fallon about the myth of platform, balancing marketability and creativity, writing from your heart, and working with editors.
Allison Fallon is an award winning author, sought after public speaker, and nationally recognized writing coach. She has coached hundreds of thousands of writers – from NYT Bestselling authors to total beginners to help them finally get their books written and on shelves. Her most recent book, THE POWER OF WRITING THINGS DOWN, walks anyone – even those who swear they aren’t “real” writers – through a simple daily practice they can use to reduce anxiety, curb depression, improve their confidence and gain clarity in their life. She lives in Nashville, TN, with her husband Matt, daughter Nella, and son Charlie.
1. The Only Thing You Need to Get Published
Dec 23, 2022
In our first episode, Liz and Ariel discuss what it means to be a hungry author and the most important asset you need to get your book published. We’ll give you a hint: it’s NOT a big platform! Hungry authors just need the right mindset and a solid plan.
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