Writers With Wrinkles

Beth McMullen and Lisa Schmid
  • 4.9 (52)
  • Books
  • Updated Weekly

Whether you're an aspiring author, indie publisher, or career writer, Writers with Wrinkles is your essential guide to writing craft, book marketing, and the publishing industry. Hosted by authors Beth McMullen and Lisa Schmid, we iron out the wrinkles of the business — from mastering novel writing and story structure to navigating literary agents, query letters, and KDP self-publishing. Each week, we bring you expert interviews with editors, publishers, and bestselling authors, plus practical advice on building your author platform and marketing your book. Whether you're drafting your first manuscript or preparing for a book launch, we have the guidance you need to thrive in today's competitive publishing landscape. Visit www.WritersWithWrinkles.net for resources. Follow us on TikTok: @writerswithwrinkles

  1. Aug 31

    An Acquiring Editor Reveals What She's Buying Right Now

    Most rejected picture book and middle grade manuscripts aren't turned down because they're bad — they're turned down because an editor has already seen five just like them. Susan Marston, the new editorial director of Albatros Books' US expansion (and former 25-year editorial director of the Junior Library Guild), joins us to lay out exactly what's landing on her acquisitions list right now — and what's already been done to death. We talk about why Albatros — the largest publisher in the Czech Republic — is betting big on the American market, what makes a manuscript feel "irresistible" to an editor who's read literally thousands of submissions, and why she thinks the industry needs way more funny books, shorter word counts, and readers who aren't just "a boy and a girl who are best friends." Susan also gets specific about the exact gaps she's trying to fill: mysteries that go beyond the Sherlock-and-sidekick formula, horror-lite for middle grade, memoir, magical realism, and chapter books that actually try something new. If you write for kids, this is the episode where an active acquiring editor tells you, out loud, what she wants to see land in her inbox. In this episode: Why Albatros Books chose now to expand into the US marketWhat "fun nonfiction" means as an acquisitions strategyThe gap in chapter books Susan is actively trying to fillWhy humor is one of the hardest — and most underrated — things to acquireHer take on the "boy and girl best friends" trope in middle grade, and why it's fadingWhy she'd take a great 200-page book over another 400-page epic any dayWhere to send your submission (and what she's hoping lands in that inbox)Submissions: Albatros Books is actively acquiring picture books and chapter books from North American authors. Submission guidelines are on their website — send yours to submissions@albatrosbooks.com. Hit play, grab a pencil, and get ready to take notes — then head to writerswithwrinkles.net for the full breakdown and links mentioned in this episode. Send us Fan Mail Support the show Visit the Website Find Full Episodes on YouTube! Writers with Wrinkles Link Tree for socials and more!

  2. Aug 26

    AI Stole Our Books. Now We're the Suspects

    AI companies are shredding rare books to train their models—and now authors are the ones being told to prove they didn't use AI to write their own. Beth and Lisa unpack the double standard rocking publishing right now. From a debut novelist's multi million dollar book deal getting pulled over AI suspicion, to writers being told to reinsert typos and kill their em dashes just to "prove" they're human, the burden of proof has landed on exactly the wrong people. Beth and Lisa dig into who gets accused (and who conveniently doesn't), why the "nudge theory" behind blue recycling bins explains what's really happening here, and why voting with your dollars might be the only leverage writers have left. Plus: the AI-sounding conference invite that had Lisa convinced she was being scammed — until it wasn't. Here is the content Lisa references:  1) Any AI use can never be completely “safe” but using for research, brainstorming, etc. can be acceptable. Usage for critiquing, improving prose or pacing, generating drafts is NOT. AI generated text is NOT copyrightable. 2) When using AI, stick to paid plans or walled gardens. Read the terms of use carefully re: training, storage of your prompts, input text, etc. 3) Avoid inputting your manuscript. Use prompts instead. 4) Cross-check all output for accuracy (false answers, hallucinations, poor nuance). 5) Keep all evidence of your process whether original or AI-involved.   Okay.  Now hit play, then tell us: has AI made you paranoid about your own writing voice? Send us Fan Mail Support the show Visit the Website Find Full Episodes on YouTube! Writers with Wrinkles Link Tree for socials and more!

  3. Aug 17

    The 4 First-Page Mistakes That Get You Rejected Fast, with editor Joel Brigham

    Your opening pages have about 30 seconds to keep a literary agent reading — and most manuscripts lose that fight before the first paragraph ends. Developmental editor Joel Brigham returns to unpack exactly what makes an agent stop reading (and what makes them keep going): the four ingredients — tension, suspense, mystery, and unfairness — that hook a reader in the first few pages. He breaks down why agents almost universally reject prologues, the two-highlighter trick for catching your own info-dumps before an agent does, and where your inciting incident actually needs to land depending on your genre — it's earlier than most writers think. If you've ever gotten a same-day rejection and wondered why, or you're prepping pages for a conference critique or your next query batch, this is the fix-it guide for those first ten pages. Hit play — then check the chapter markers below to jump straight to the section you need. Send us Fan Mail Support the show Visit the Website Find Full Episodes on YouTube! Writers with Wrinkles Link Tree for socials and more!

  4. Aug 3

    10 Years of Rejection, 40 Books Later (Corrected Audio!)

    Note: If you downloaded this episode before 8/3 and experienced audio issues, please delete the download and hit re-download to grab the clean audio file! Wendelin Van Draanen spent 10 years collecting rejections before anyone said yes to her Sammy Keyes mystery series — she just kept writing the next one anyway. Now, 40 books and 30 years later, she's still with the same editor who finally did. If you've ever wondered whether to keep pitching a project nobody wants yet, or whether staying loyal to one editor for decades is a mistake in an industry that rewards jumping ship — this conversation is the counter-argument. Wendelin also gets candid about the moment Rob Reiner called to option Flipped, what it actually takes to hand your book to Hollywood without losing your mind, and the book-festival disaster that had two authors comparing notes on the exact same nightmare bookstore. Ghosted, Wendelin's new romantasy, is up for pre-order now ahead of its October 6th release. Send us Fan Mail Support the show Visit the Website Find Full Episodes on YouTube! Writers with Wrinkles Link Tree for socials and more!

  5. Jul 26

    Tired of Waiting 2 Years to Publish? Go Hybrid

    You could finish four books this year and only ever get to publish one of them. That's the traditional publishing timeline in a nutshell — and it's why more authors are quietly going hybrid: keeping one foot in a trad deal and self-publishing everything else on their own schedule, without waiting on anyone's calendar. In this episode, Beth and Lisa break down what a hybrid author actually is (not to be confused with a hybrid publisher — totally different thing), why it's suddenly everywhere in publishing conversations, and the different ways real authors are structuring it: splitting genres between trad and self-pub, keeping e-book/audio rights on a trad print deal, reissuing backlist titles that reverted back to them. They also get into the real tradeoffs — creative control and faster cash flow vs. running two jobs at once (author and small business owner) — plus a few authors doing it well right now, like Rebecca Thorne. Also in this episode: a shoutout to listener and author Kate McCarrell Moore's new release, Walter and Benny: Good Guys, Nature Spies, and a preview of next episode's guest, bestselling author Wendelin Van Draanen. Hit play, and if you're new here, follow the show — new episodes every week. Find more at writerswithwrinkles.net. Send us Fan Mail Support the show Visit the Website Find Full Episodes on YouTube! Writers with Wrinkles Link Tree for socials and more!

  6. Jul 20

    Why Bestselling Author Jason June Shares Every Book Advance He's Ever Gotten

    New York Times bestselling author Jason June (Out of the Blue, Jay's Gay Agenda) returns to Writers With Wrinkles for a wide-ranging conversation covering his growing acting career, the current state of the publishing industry, and his upcoming adult rom-com Santa and Krampus' Cozy Killer Christmas, out fall 2027. Jason is refreshingly candid — about book advances, about the anxiety running through publishing right now, and about finding joy in the work when the business side gets hard.  Guest Jason June — NYT bestselling author, actor, screenwriter, and self-described "Laura Dern stan" based in Dallas, TX. Known for YA rom-coms Out of the Blue and Jay's Gay Agenda, and publisher of The Ventorship, a newsletter on author finances and transparency.  Highlights •     Auditioning post-COVID: why self-tapes democratize acting, and what's lost without an in-person redirect from a casting director •     How years of writing fiction sharpened Jason's instincts for character and story on set •     The "greater sense of unease" in publishing right now — AI concerns, slow timelines, and authors questioning why traditional publishing can't move faster •     Self-publishing's rising role, the discovery gap it still faces, and why hybrid careers are becoming more common •     The Dungeon Crawler Carl story as a case study in trusting your own artistic vision •     Why Jason publicly shares his advances and royalties through The Ventorship — and the argument that most of that "secrecy" is self-imposed •     Publishing as a side hustle: debut culture, shrinking advances, and the myth of the "cushy" author life •     The MER Principle (Beth's term): find the niche community obsessed with your book's specific hook, not a general audience •     The premise behind Santa and Krampus' Cozy Killer Christmas — a "dark cozy" where Krampus only kills the people who'd otherwise doom humanity •     Jason's advice to aspiring authors: chase the joy, and aim to be "prolific, not perfect"  Key Takeaway Whether you're navigating traditional publishing, weighing a hybrid career, or just trying to market your next book, the throughline is the same: get specific. Specific about your niche audience, specific about your finances, and specific about what actually brings you joy in the work. Have a marketing tip that's worked for you? Beth and Lisa want to hear it. •     Beth: beth@writerswithwrinkles.net •     Lisa: lisa@writerswithwrinkles.net •     Join The Waiting Room, our Facebook community for writers •     Website: writerswithwrinkles.net Send us Fan Mail Support the show Visit the Website Find Full Episodes on YouTube! Writers with Wrinkles Link Tree for socials and more!

  7. Jul 6

    Back in the Query Trenches: Author Lisa Frenkel Riddiough on Losing an Agent and Starting Over

    Episode Summary In this episode of Writers With Wrinkles, hosts Beth McMullen and Lisa Schmid welcome back returning guest Lisa Frenkel Riddiough to discuss her brand-new picture book, Furious Turtle (Disney Hyperion), book two in the Forest School of Big Feelings series. The conversation quickly moves into the heart of the episode: Lisa's experience losing her longtime literary agent to retirement and having to re-enter the query trenches after years of being represented. Lisa walks through how her second querying experience differed from her first — a small, curated list built mostly on personal referrals, a calmer and more strategic mindset, and the ability to separate emotional attachment from business decision-making. She also shares the exact query letter that landed her new agent, breaking down why it worked so well, including her formula for picture book pitches (title + word count + comps, story gist, and the twist/ending). The episode wraps with candid advice for writers who've lost an agent — take stock of the career you've already built — and Lisa's biggest publishing lesson: it's okay to make mistakes. Key Topics Discussed New release: Furious Turtle, a rhyming picture book about managing big emotions, releasing the day after this episode airsBook launch event at Old Haunts Bookstore in Granite Bay, CALosing an agent to retirement and starting the query process overBuilding a small, referral-based query list instead of mass-queryingUsing leverage (an editor offer) without abandoning the goal of finding an agent who loves the full body of workReading her actual query letter aloud, line by linePicture book pitch formula: title, word count, comps → story gist → the twist/endingKeeping old manuscripts organized — shelved drafts can resurface as the right opportunity laterPitching picture books vs. middle grade novelsReframing job loss (agent loss) as not career loss — taking stock of everything already builtEmbracing mistakes as part of the growth process in publishing Notable Quotes On what a great query needs: the title should convey nearly the entire premise of a picture book.On business vs. heart: writers need to separate emotional attachment from evaluating what's genuinely a good match professionally.On losing an agent: the fact that someone once represented you is proof a career already exists — that career doesn't disappear with the agent.On mistakes: mistakes are simply how writers learn, and grace matters more than perfection. Guest Info Lisa Frenkel Riddiough writes board books, picture books, and middle grade novels using wordplay, humor, rhyme, and whimsy. She holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Hamline University. More at lisariddiough.com. Send us Fan Mail Support the show Visit the Website Find Full Episodes on YouTube! Writers with Wrinkles Link Tree for socials and more!

  8. Jun 30

    How to Publish Nonfiction: Agent Alia Hanna Habib's Guide (summer encore series!)

    Beth and Lisa welcome literary agent and debut author Alia Hanna Habib, whose book Take It From Me is a practical behind-the-scenes guide to getting a nonfiction book published. Alia represents acclaimed writers including Clint Smith and Nicole Hannah-Jones, was named one of New York Magazine's most powerful New Yorkers you've never heard of, and writes the Substack newsletter Delivery and Acceptance. WHAT IT'S REALLY LIKE TO BE A WRITER (WHEN YOU'RE ALSO AN AGENT) Alia shares what it was like to experience the writer's side of publishing for the first time — the anxiety of waiting for feedback, the obsessive inbox-checking, and the hard-won empathy for her own clients. Her takeaway: before you hit send on that panicked email to your agent, ask yourself — am I sending this because I need an answer, or to soothe my own anxiety? If it's the latter, wait. HOW THE BOOK CAME TO BE The idea came during an afternoon nap. Alia was expanding a writing workshop for Stanford academics and realized there was no practical guide specifically about nonfiction publishing. She texted her colleague and friend Meredith Pafel Simonoff two paragraphs — and had a proposal within weeks. Writing the book took two years, complicated by divorce, loss, and the realities of doing it alongside a full-time career. THE NONFICTION LANDSCAPE RIGHT NOW We're in an escapist moment. Romantasy, cozy mysteries, and rom-coms are dominating. In nonfiction, what's working is practical books that make your life better or give you hope. Alia also sees a coming wave of tech-critical books skeptical of our online lives. Her agenting philosophy: if something fascinates her, it'll fascinate readers. She doesn't chase headlines — nonfiction timelines are two-plus years, and you can't predict the news. CRAFT: WRITING A WINNING NONFICTION PROPOSAL The biggest mistake Alia sees is what she calls "death by PowerPoint" — leading with marketing bullet points instead of writing. Publishers are readers first. Her advice: Open with a scene in the voice of the book, not a summarySolve the "page 100 problem" — what's the engine that sustains 80,000 words?Keep marketing sections grounded in what you actually bring to the table — platform, expertise, existing audience. Publishers decide budgets and tours. Skip the hypotheticals.You're being judged on how you tell a story, not how great you are at bullet pointsWHAT ALIA IS LOOKING FOR RIGHT NOW Books that provide guidance or reframe someone's life, historical true crime, and narrative nonfiction with a strong storytelling engine. Current projects include a Regency-era true crime story and My Jane Austen Breakup Album — a literary memoir about a man who lost his partner and his home and spent a year couch-surfing with his collected Jane Austen, reading her for romantic advice while navigating the gay dating scene in Manhattan. FIND ALIA Substack: Delivery and Acceptance  Book: Take It From Me — available now wherever books are sold Send us Fan Mail Support the show Visit the Website Find Full Episodes on YouTube! Writers with Wrinkles Link Tree for socials and more!

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About

Whether you're an aspiring author, indie publisher, or career writer, Writers with Wrinkles is your essential guide to writing craft, book marketing, and the publishing industry. Hosted by authors Beth McMullen and Lisa Schmid, we iron out the wrinkles of the business — from mastering novel writing and story structure to navigating literary agents, query letters, and KDP self-publishing. Each week, we bring you expert interviews with editors, publishers, and bestselling authors, plus practical advice on building your author platform and marketing your book. Whether you're drafting your first manuscript or preparing for a book launch, we have the guidance you need to thrive in today's competitive publishing landscape. Visit www.WritersWithWrinkles.net for resources. Follow us on TikTok: @writerswithwrinkles

Information

  • Creator
    Beth McMullen and Lisa Schmid
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    170
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Writers With Wrinkles
  • Show Website
    Writers With Wrinkles

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