Book Writing & Publishing

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

I've recently had a key realization about book writing, especially when it comes to writing memoir and non-fiction. 

Many times, people think the writing process will allow them to quickly (and easily) unlock or unravel buried feelings or insights. But this misconception sets an unrealistic expectation and creates potential roadblocks. 

As is the case with therapy (ask me how I know), there’s no set timeline for completing a book, and the process is often more complex and time-consuming than anticipated.

So here's my $0.02 on how to best navigate the unexpected detours that often arise while writing a book you'll be incredibly proud to release to the world.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BOOK WRITERS COLLECTIVE

When it comes to book writing, "I'm waiting for inspiration/motivation" is often code for "I have no idea where this is going and it scares the sh*t out of me so I'll figure it out another day." 

But there are ways around (read: through) this challenge. 

In this episode, I offer some of my favorite tips so that you can get out of "waiting" and into writing!

Looking for more support on this adventure? Check out Write the Damn Book Already or The Book Writers Collective!

WRITE THE DAMN BOOK ALREADY

A program for writing powerful, thought-provoking nonfiction or memoir.

This is for you if you:

✍️ Want to write a powerful book, making sure you're avoiding common (and unnecessary) mistakes along the way 

✍️ Crave the support of a proven book-writing process as well as knowledgeable guidance and compassionate ass-kicking (when necessary) when the adventure feels “sticky” and you begin feeling unsure of what you’re doing, why you started, or whether it’s going to be worth it (hin...

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...

The story is always unfolding...

In this episode of Write the Damn Book Already, I spoke with Diana Naranjo about her memoir (which is currently on submission). She recounts a pivotal moment where a professional connection with author Abraham Verghese (Cutting for Stone, The Covenant of Water) led to her first agent connection.

 

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

• How Diana learned to write after completing her first draft
• The nuanced difference between memoir and creative non-fiction
• Her strategies for finding agents and the value of learning from the author community's experiences. 
• The challenge of identifying as "a writer" 

CONNECT WITH DIANA

Instagram: @dnaranjo

WHAT DIANA'S READING NOW

Tell Me Everything: The Story of a Private Investigation by Erika Krouse
 

RESOURCES MENTIONED

In a Not So Perfect World by Neely Tubati Alexander

The Covenant of Water and Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

Everyone But Myself by Julie Chavez

Tough Titties by Laura Belgray 

The Ultimate Pod...

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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Spotify
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Let's Connect!
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Website

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

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

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

Lauren Kay's young adult debut novel, We Ship It, was a dream come true, but it wasn't easy to get there. Now, she helps other writers achieve the same joy, minus the roadblocks. Having secured eight agent offers in a month,  she works with authors dreaming about a traditional publishing deal to help them write irresistible query letters.

INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS

• The 7-year path to her first novel, for which she received a 6-figure advance (best quote: "Lightning speed in this industry is 7 years.")
• The importance of transparency in the book industry when it comes to timelines, sales figures, and overall expectations
• The idea of an author “deserving” their lead author status (I hadn't heard this before, and loved the discussion around it!)
• How changing our expectations as authors can lead to far better results 
• The “before” and “after” of publishing
• Top mistakes to avoid when writing query letters + how to navigate the world of querying without becoming (too) disappointed 
...

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...

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...