Book Writing & Publishing

Writers dream of the day they’ll hold their finished book, but few warn you about how intense the editing phase can be. In this episode, debut novelist Jill Beissel gets real about the messy, magical process of turning a rough draft into a polished novel readers will love.

Jill’s upcoming book, Glitter and Gold (out October 7!), went through what she calls “color-coded chaos”—a DIY system using highlighters, sticky notes, and sheer persistence to untangle plot issues and deepen character arcs.

She also shares what it’s like to write while raising two young kids and working full-time. Some nights she wrote 500 words, others just 50, but she kept showing up. Her writing sprints, “progress over perfection” mindset, and decision to celebrate any words written (instead of beating herself up for what she didn’t write) are what more of us need to hear.

We talk about dual timelines, beta readers, and why sometimes, the bravest thing a writer can do is shelve a manuscript after 100+ re...

If you’re the kind of person who devours psychological thrillers but also wants to be emotionally sucker-punched (in the best way), Lauren Oliver’s What Happened to Lucy Vale needs to be on your radar. 

In this episode, Lauren takes us behind the scenes of what might be her most structurally daring novel to date. Set in a small Indiana town with a possibly-haunted house at its core, Lucy Vale unspools two eerie mysteries—one set in the past, one unraveling in real time—using both traditional storytelling and a collective “we” voice (think The Virgin Suicides meets Reddit sleuth thread). 

This book took years to write, and when you hear how the pieces click into place, you’ll understand why. 

Through this book, she challenges us to ask: What if we’re not always the hero in someone else’s story? 

We also dive into Lauren’s writing journey, which is less “neat staircase to the top” and more “rollercoaster meets overgrown hiking trail.” She talks honestly about the pressure to st...

If you’ve been chasing the magical marketing strategy that will finally make your book “take off,” welcome to the club. In this episode, I’m addressing the question nearly every author eventually asks: What does it actually take to make a book successful?

Spoiler: there’s no guaranteed formula. Even authors with six-figure advances, NYT bestsellers, or celebrity blurbs still worry their latest book won’t sell. 

So what are we really buying when we shell out thousands for a publicist? Often, it’s access and visibility, not actual sales. You can land your book in front of all the right people, and still... crickets. Why? Because readers are human. Think about how long you’ve let a book sit in your online cart before clicking “buy,” even if you really wanted to read it.

Success usually requires a mix of good writing, staying power, and yes, a little luck. But maybe it’s time we stop defining success only by sales numbers. What if it’s about writing something you’re proud of? Or c...

Miranda Cowley Heller's father was a book editor; her grandfather edited Jack Kerouac and was friends with Hemingway. That legacy, while inspiring, left her frozen when it came to pursuing her own writing. 

Instead, she built a thriving career in publishing and TV, eventually heading up drama series at HBO. Then, in her 50s, she wrote the novel she’d been carrying around for years, The Paper Palace, which became a New York Times #1 bestseller and a Reese’s Book Club pick. 

Now, she's returned to her first creative love—poetry—with a stunning new collection: The Deep Water Knows. “Poetry is almost like putting snapshots of your soul into the world,” she tells me. 

In this episode, Miranda gets real about the myth of getting wiser with age, the vulnerability of releasing creative work into the world, and why your voice is never too late to matter.

ABOUT MIRANDA

Miranda Cowley Heller has worked as senior vice president and head of drama series at HBO, developing and overseeing ...

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.

INSIDE THE EPISODE:

🎙️ 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 ...

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:

• Why her latest novel took nearly a decade to write and release
• How editing is actually where the magic happens (even if it feels like a root canal)
• The sneaky power of tense, and why it matters more than you think
• What authors really need to know about publishing today (spoiler: it’s not just “write the book”)
• The simple truth about how readers find books they love 

ABOUT NICOLA KRAUS

Nic...

What if you could transform a lived experience into a compelling narrative that reads like fiction?

In this episode, I chat with the talented Sarah Gormley, author of The Order of Things. In a candid discussion about "memoir plus," we explore how memoir can deliver powerful messages while engaging readers with its storytelling.

The conversation also turned to the intricacies of publishing. We explored the merits of hybrid publishing versus publishing services, with insights into marketing strategies that can elevate an author's reach. 

ABOUT SARAH

Sarah Gormley is a writer and art gallery owner living in Columbus, Ohio. Her undergraduate degree from DePauw University reinforced an early love for literature and writing, while the heavy sprinkling of liberal-arts fairy dust taught her how to analyze and articulate a clear point of view. She rounded out this foundation with concentrations in marketing and operations from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.

Her marke...

From writing the first chapter of The Undercurrent (Zibby Books, Oct 2024) as a standalone piece to fleshing out a full literary suspense novel I can’t put down, Sarah Sawyer has quickly become one of my new favorite authors. 

In this episode of Write the Damn Book Already, we discussed: 

• What has most surprised her about the publishing process
• Sarah's view of the editing process (which is one to adopt immediately, if not sooner!)
• The formidable task of securing blurbs (which even traditionally published authors often have to do themselves)
• How writing this book has caused her to look at other books and authors differently

CONNECT WITH SARAH

Sarah's debut novel, The Undercurrent
Sarah’s website: www.sarahsawyerauthor.com
Sarah’s Instagram: @SarahSawyerAuthor

WHAT SARAH’S READING

James by Percival Everett
Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar
The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell
Swift River by Essie Chambers

Emma Grey is the Australian author of the international bestseller, THE LAST LOVE NOTE, which was both a Book of the Month and Target Book Club pick, and was praised in Oprah Daily as “relatable, hilarious and charming".

She’s back this November with her new novel, PICTURES OF YOU — a suspense-filled romance about love and control that explores the way a sparkling relationship can morph into darkness and what might happen with a second chance at first love.

In her second appearance on the Write the Damn Book Already podcast, we chatted about Emma's experiences with prologues, her collaborative work with editors (from different countries, no less), and the evolution of her book-writing process. She also reflects on the challenges of writing a second novel after the success of her first, emphasizing the importance of pushing through the "messy first draft."

CONNECT WITH EMMA

Emma's website: www.emmagrey.com.au
Emma's Instagram: instagram.com/emmagreyauthor
Click here to order The Last L...

Mary Jones' book, The Goodbye Process (July 30, 2024, Zibby Books), is, in four words, hard to put down. Her raw, vivid descriptions of characters and experiences alike quickly pierced my soul and extended my bedtime!  

In this episode, Mary and I discussed her love of the short story form, some (perhaps surprising truths about writing and organizing short stories/essays, thoughts on beta readers, the querying and submission process, and our mutual love of "Days of Our Lives."

CONNECT WITH MARY

Book: The Goodbye Process

Instagram: @maryjoneswriter

X: @maryfjjones 

Threads: @maryjoneswriter

Website: www.maryjoneswriter.com

WHAT MARY'S READING

All Fours by Miranda July

MENTIONS

I Miss You When I Blink by Mary Laura Philpott 

You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith 

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout