This week, I’m joined by publicist Emily Florence, and we’re talking about how to set publicity goals before you start chasing them, why a Today Show appearance might not sell nearly as many books as you think, and how to make your marketing feel less like shouting into the void and more like having conversations that matter.
Here’s what we get into:
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👉 CLICK HERE to get the first draft of your nonfiction or memoir written in 33 days!
...even if you don't have a cabin in the wilderness, 4 uninterrupted hours a day to write, or confidence that you're a "real" writer. No overwhelm, no confusion. Just simple, actionable steps.
Bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz has published nearly 80 books (yes, 80), and in this episode, she shares what it really takes to build and sustain a long-term writing career. From surviving the shifting tides of publishing to protecting what gets you "in the mood" to write, she shares the kind of wisdom every author loves hearing.Â
🎉 Melissa's advice: Don’t quit your day job until the math says you can
🎉 Success is wonderful; it also resets with every new book
🎉 How to protect your creative hours (8am–1pm, in her case)
🎉 Books are logic puzzles, not lightning strikes (I love this analogy!)
🎉 If social media isn’t fun, don’t do it. Period. (Who's cheering?)
🎉 The final sprint before deadline is where the magic (and panic) often happen
Whether you're writing book 1 or book 71, this episode's packed with truths you'll be grateful for.
Website:Â melissa-delacruz.com
Instagram:Â @authormelissadelacruz
X:Â @MelissadelaCruz
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Thriller author N.L. Blandford isn't afraid to go dark—like, murder scene dark—and she absolutely loves it.
In this episode, she talks about writing gritty thrillers with complex villains you’ll root for and recoil from. Natasha never planned to become an author. She just wanted to cross “write a book” off her bucket list. Now she’s five books in, spanning multiple series, and shows no signs of slowing down.
We talk about:
Website:Â www.nlblandford.com
Instagram: @nlblandford
Facebook: www.facebook.com/nlblandford
Books: Bookshop.org, Amazon.com
In this no-fluff episode, publishing powerhouse Jane Friedman speaks to the aspects of writing and publishing that every aspiring author need to hear about. With decades in the industry and zero interest in sugarcoating, Jane breaks down what’s actually working in publishing today.Â
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT:Â
*These videos complement the Chapter One: Done training. You can join the (free) training here: Chapter One: DoneÂ
💡 How to quickly determine whether you're writing nonfiction or memoir
STEP 1. THE OVERALL ROADMAP
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STEP 2:Â IDENTIFYING YOUR MAIN TOPIC
STEP 3: HOW TO IDENTIFY YOUR NORTH STAR
STEP 4: HOW TO IDENTIFY YOUR IDEAL READER
STEP 5: WRITING CHAPTER ONE (NONFICTION)
STEP 1: THEÂ OVERALL ROADMAP
STEP 2:Â IDENTIFYING YOUR MAIN TOPIC
STEP 3: HOW TO IDENTIFY YOUR NORTH STAR
STEP 4: HOW TO IDENTIFY YOUR IDEAL READER
STEP 5: WRITING CHAPTER ONE (MEMOIR)
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In this episode, author Audrey Ingram shares what inspired her newest novel, The Summer We Ran (coming June 3, 2025, Zibby Publishing). Think: teenage love, political ambition, and a dual-timeline structure that spans 25 years and manages to hit you right in the gut and makes you think.
We also dig into how Audrey traded in her life as a practicing attorney for full-time writing and mom-life. The decision to pivot careers during a pandemic? Bold. Brave. And totally intentional. Plus, it’s given her a fresh lens on fulfillment, feminism, and what it really means to choose your own adventure.
🎙️ Why the publishing world is actually a surprisingly supportive crew—and how connecting with fellow writers can keep you sane
🎙️ How redefining feminism helped her embrace passion over pressure
🎙️ Her 12-week first draft practice, and why editing is where the magic happens
🎙️ The role of trusted early readers (and how she uniquely approaches this step)
🎙️ How she ups ...
She’s back! One of my all-time favorite guests, Neely Tubati-Alexander, returns to talk about her third novel, Courtroom Drama. As always, she brings a refreshing, no-nonsense take on staying creative and productive in the unpredictable world of publishing.
📚 Why Neely sprints through her first drafts instead of obsessing over every word
📚 How she embraces her "pantser" style (yep, she often writes the beginning and end first, with no outline in sight)
📚 What it’s really like to write books in the cracks of everyday life, and how reality TV, genre-hopping, and real-life fascinations all sneak into her stories
📚 Using the writing of the next book to stay grounded when the release of the current one is causing stress
📚 Why research is her secret creative fuel, from courtroom procedures to video game design
📚 How the evolution of publishing is finally making room for authors to explore their full range of creativith
Neely’s approach is honest, energizing, and...
What happens when your first novel becomes a global sensation, and your next one takes nearly a decade?
In this episode, bestselling author Nicola Kraus (of The Nanny Diaries fame) gets delightfully honest about what it really takes to write, edit, and publish a book in today’s ever-shifting landscape. From the high highs to the humbling in-betweens, she shares what she’s learned about trusting your process (even when it’s slooooow), navigating a traditional publishing world that’s barely recognizable, and why writing in the present tense might just save your story.
Inside the episode:
Nic...
This week, I sat down with debut author Noël Stark, who went from wrangling chaos behind the scenes in the TV and film world to wrangling words on the page, often in 15-minute bursts. Her novel, Love Camera Action, flips the script on Hollywood romance by spotlighting the crew, not the stars (and the 3 peppers on the spice scale are sure to attract an audience quickly.
Inside the Episode:
What do a flooded house, a nine-month (and still going) renovation, and a debut novel have in common? Angelika Morini.
In this episode, Angelika shares what it actually looked like to finish her first novel, Do You See Me Now?—while living in chaos (read: house stripped to the studs). We talk about why character development can feel a lot like falling in love with someone mysterious and how launching a book is less of a finish line and more like Mile One of a marathon you didn’t know you signed up for.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:
A. Morini is an author from Germany, who w...