Book Writing & Publishing

In the latest episode of Write the Damn Book Already, Joselyn Takacs and I discussed her first novel, Pearce Oysters (Zibby Books, 6/25/2024).

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

• Her writing process (and the system she and her adviser had for keeping her consistent)
• Free writing versus stream-of-consciousness writing 
• The fun way she’s including the book’s theme in her upcoming book events
• Joselyn's top tricks for getting through writer’s block
• How writing ahead can help authors figure out the book’s trajectory

ABOUT JOSELYN

Joselyn Takacs holds a PhD in Creative Writing and Literature from the University of Southern California and an MFA in Fiction from Johns Hopkins University. Her fiction has appeared in Gulf Coast, Narrative, Tin House, Harvard Review, The Rumpus, DIAGRAM, Columbia: A Journal of Art and Literature, and elsewhere.

She has published interviews and book reviews in the Los Angeles Review of Books and Entropy. Joselyn has taught writing at the University of Southern Californ...

Ava Dellaira’s adult debut novel, Exposure, comes out with Zibby Books on September 10th, 2024. She is also the author of the critically acclaimed young adult novels In Search of Us and Love Letters to the Dead, which was named Best Book of the Year by Apple, Google, BuzzFeed, the New York Public Library and the Chicago Public Library.

She is a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, where she was a Truman Capote Fellow, and the University of Chicago. She grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and now lives in Altadena, CA with her husband and their two young children.

INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS

• The challenges of writing in identities that aren’t your own (and the risks involved in writing outside your own point of view)
• Where Ava’s story ideas originate, and what she aimed to tackle through writing Exposure
• Ava’s editing process preferences, including how she views the editing process and ensures she receives feedback most positively
• Different approaches for when to start one's next b
...

I often say, "We write (or talk) our way INTO what what we want to say."

It's somewhat similar to talking yourself into doing something—using words to explore how you feel or why something seems scary in order to get to the root of the what and the why. 

During a recent Book Writers Collective call, I realized, by talking my way into it, that when writing/publishing a book, we experience a "reverse hourglass" effect of sorts. 

For fun, I also envision it as a stomach (ironically, the body part most heavily churning with anxiety and trepidation during this adventure). 

Without knowing that the first step (of 3) is one of two bottlenecks, many of us get stuck there. Which is both unfortunate and unnecessary!

Allow me to explain via a delightfully friendly graphic. 

As you can see, the first step is one of two bottlenecks—points where you're most likely to become quit. 

And that step is...

...figuring out what the hell the book is about! 

Is it about a specific time in your lif...

In this solo episode of Write the Damn Book Already, I respond to listener's questions, including:

• How do I make sure I'm not infringing on someone else's copyright by referencing their advice, book, or insights in my book? 
• Why is publishing so complicated?
• Why do I become an insecure mess whenever I sit down to write?

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Cory Goodrich's book, Folksong: A Ballad of Death, Discovery, and DNA

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

Available wherever podcasts are available:
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Email the show: elizabeth [at] elizabethlyons [dot] com

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

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

Neely Tubati Alexander's second novel, In a Not So Perfect World (March 2024, Harper Perennial), was noted a "Best Romance to Read in 2024" by Cosmopolitan and received starred reviews from both Publishers Weekly and Kirkus.   

In her second appearance on the Write the Damn Book Already podcast, we discussed her two-book deal with HarperCollins, and how her writing process and industry perspective shifted from Book 1 to Book 2.

INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS 

• What changed the most between books 1 and 2 when it came to her writing  and marketing processes
• How Neely's expectations for book sales change from book to book
• The benefit of being a debut author versus releasing subsequent books 
• How Neely “protects the bubble” in order not to be influenced by others’ opinions so she can tell the story she most wants to tell
• Whether she reads her reviews (and when), and which she pays strong attention to (and even allows to impact the final book edits)

ABOUT NEELY TUBATI ALEXANDER

Neely ...

These days, almost everyone dreams of having a post or reel go viral. That is, until they do.

At that point, they realize it doesn't often have the "magic bullet" benefits we're led to believe. At best, it has a neutral impact, and at worst, it can go very (very) wrong before you have a chance to get your arms around it. (Thinking you can get your arms around it is often your first mistake!)

But also, everything that goes "wrong" in this life brings with it an opportunity to see something differently (oftentimes, that something is oneself)  and to evolve as a human being.

In this episode of Write the Damn Book Already, I share the top 7 lessons I learned from recently going viral on Threads. I've often said if I ever went viral, it would be for tripping over a pebble or walking straight into a freshly cleaned glass wall, and in this case, I think I would have preferred either of those! 

This happened thanks to a taken-out-of-context writing suggestion that was reposted (and negatively c...

In the latest episode of  Write the Damn Book Already, I spoke with Julie Chavez, author of the incredibly well-received memoir, Everyone But Myself   (January 2024, Zibby Books).

After Julie's life experience turned into a book idea,  she wrote 30,000 words and thought that surely it was a complete, publishable book. Newsflash: It wasn’t. But she stuck with it, and within a few weeks of launch, it became a USA Today Bestseller.

INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS

• Why being naive is the greatest gift for authors sharing vulnerable stories 

• Thoughts on why aspiring authors don’t understand the challenges involved in book writing (it's one of the things this podcast hopes to rectify!)

• Metrics authors use to determine “success” (including Julie's) + an exploration of the “machine” side versus the human side of writing

• How to trust when you've healed "enough” to write about challenges

• The lesser-known benefits of having an agent (beyond getting a book deal)

ABOUT JU...

Transitioning between genres can feel like learning a new dance with the same set of feet. In this episode of Write the Damn Book Already, Zibby Owens shares her experience shifting from memoir (Bookends, July 1, 2022, Little a) to fiction (Blank, March 1, 2024, Little a).

We discuss what it takes to draft a compelling "base layer" for a story. Meanwhile, as the current Goodreads controversy continues to unfold, we chat about the harsh realities of online ratings and the significance of author advocacy in the digital age. Learn how to navigate the murky waters of social media hijacking, and why fortifying a diverse online presence is more important than ever.

 

ABOUT ZIBBY OWENS

Zibby Owens is the creator and host of the award-winning, daily podcast Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books. Zibby is also the founder and CEO of Zibby Media, dubbed “the Zibby-verse” (L.A. Times). It includes publishing house Zibby Books, online magazine Zibby Mag, Zibby’s Book Club, retreats, classes, and e...

With the book publishing industry overflowing with titles vying for attention, I aim to guide aspiring authors through the important steps of writing and publishing high-quality books that get noticed in 2024. 

In this episode of Write the Damn Book Already, we'll a few reminders every author (including myself) can benefit from hearing (or hearing again), including: 

• The pitfalls of prioritizing speed over substance and the pressures that can lead writers to rush the creative process 
• How to assemble a dream team, even if you're an indie author
• A new strategy for managing overwhelm, one piece at a time

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Lucy E.M. Black - The Brickworks 

The Shit No One Tells You About Writing Podcast featuring Lucy E.M. Black 

WTDBA episode with Sarahlyn Bruck

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

Available wherever podcasts are available:
Apple Podcas...

Have you ever wondered how authors juggle character's voices when writing from multiple perspectives? In this episode of the Write the Damn Book Already podcast, it's just one aspect of the creative labyrinth I chat through with Sarahlyn Bruck, author of Light of the Fire (Lake Union Publishing, January 2024) as well as Daytime Drama and Designer You.  

INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS

• The evolution of authors' writing processes and the essential practice of breadcrumbing to keep readers hooked.

• The art of writing in multiple POV

• Unforeseen delays and the art of book release timing 

• Personal challenges authors face when weaving their personal threads into the tapestry of fiction and memoir

• Sarahlyn's experience working with a book coach (she still has one!) and the impact of editorial feedback

ABOUT SARAHLYN

Sarahlyn Bruck writes contemporary, book club fiction and is the award-winning author of three novels: Light of the Fire (January 2024), Daytime Drama (20...