Book Writing & Publishing

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:

• Why Noël intentionally wrote a love story about the people behind the camera.
• How it took her three years to finish her manuscript (and why that timeline is totally okay if not to be expected).
• The rollercoaster of Pitch Wars, querying 40+ agents, and the 18-month wait from “yes” to launch day.
• Choosing not to read reviews during launch (because sanity matters, and confidence is a fragile beast).
• Why she tailors content differently for Instagram vs. TikTok, and how showing up as her real self resonates most.
• What’s next: a sequel that turns the spotlight on the actors from book one, and an
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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

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
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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.

I was thrilled to chat with her about her perspective on book publishing as well as the rise in indie author opportunities.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

• Navigating the current negativity/collective rut in book publishing 
• The truth about bookstore distribution today (inclu
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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...

Key Takeaways:

• It's important to give yourself permission to try different approaches and strategies when writing and publishing a book.

• Don't feel pressured to follow the advice of others if it doesn't align with your goals or preferences.

• Consistency and courage are key to finding success in your writing journey.

Introduction

In this episode of the Write the Damn Book Already podcast, we discuss the importance of giving yourself permission to do what feels right for your book, regardless of the advice and opinions of others. Let's dive in and explore the power of embracing your own path.

Embracing Your Unique Approach

In the world of book writing and publishing, there is no shortage of advice and opinions on the "right" way to do things. From running ads to choosing the perfect marketing strategy, it can be overwhelming to navigate through the sea of recommendations. However, it's crucial to remember that what works for one person may not work for anot...

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 ...

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...

In the world of book writing and publishing, it's critical to distinguish between the role of a publishing house and that of a printer. While they both play important roles in bringing books to life, their functions and responsibilities differ significantly. 

A publishing house is an organization responsible for acquiring, (sometimes) editing, producing, (sometimes) marketing, and distributing books.

Depending on whether you work with a traditional publishing house or a hybrid publishing house, your publisher may or may not edit or actively market your book. Those may be aspects of your publishing journey you need to source separately from your publisher. (And, of course, if you're self-publishing, you're responsible for all of the above. But unless you're printing off copies from your office like Nick and Jess did for The Pepperwood Chronicles in "New Girl", you're the publisher, not the printer.)

The publisher acts as the intermediary between authors and readers, providing compreh...