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. Get the new book: Write. Revise. Publish.: Essential Lessons From the Writers With Wrinkles Podcast — five seasons of insider publishing advice in one place. Available everywhere Oct. 6th. Visit www.WritersWithWrinkles.net for resources. Follow us on TikTok: @writerswithwrinkles

  1. Sep 28

    Want to Write a Graphic Novel? A First Second Editor Explains

    Your graphic novel isn't a novel. It's a screenplay, and editors can tell from page one whether you know the difference. First Second Books editor Ivan Taurisano explains how to write and submit a graphic novel script that gets read. Kids ages 8 to 12 head straight for the graphic novel shelf, and prose writers are trying to follow them there. But Ivan says a submission that misses the format doesn't just earn a "not for me." It can earn a "don't send me your next one." Here's what he wants you to know before you write a single panel. In this episode: Why writing a graphic novel is closer to writing a screenplay than a prose novelRevealing character through dialogue alone (no "she looked wistfully at the ocean")Why editors talk page count, not word count, and the "70,000-word graphic novel" red flagWhat to submit for a script-only project vs. an author and illustrator team: script, pitch, synopsis, and 20–30 sample pagesHow much art direction is too much, and the one question to ask before you leave an art noteWhy illustrators usually earn more than writersThe biggest mistake Ivan sees: art that doesn't match the audience you're pitchingWhy kids who read "slightly above their level" become lifelong readersAdult graphic novels and First Second's sister imprint, 23rd StreetIvan's manuscript wishlist: Middle grade graphic novels about girl friendship that capture how big those fights and bonds feel at 10, 11, and 12DragonsEarly reader graphic novels for ages 4–7, 64–96 pages, any topicStories with fresh magic systemsA joyful, new take on the immigrant journey that shows the excitement, not only the hardshipIvan's inbox (ivan.taurisano@firstsecondbooks.com) is open to agented and unagented creators, and he gives feedback when he passes.  Books and resources mentioned: Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud (Ivan's must-read before you write a graphic novel)The Investigators by John Patrick GreenDog Man by Dav PilkeyPizza and TacoNarwhal and JellyParachute KidsTuck Everlasting (graphic novel adaptation)Clara and the DevilHow to Catch Santa Claus (How to Catch series)James and the Giant Peach by Roald DahlHit play, then grab a graphic novel for the age group you want to write for. Follow Writers With Wrinkles so you don't miss our next Ask Beth and Lisa episode, and send us your questions! 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. Sep 21

    150+ Episodes of Publishing Advice, Now in One Book

    We just turned 150+ episodes of hard-won publishing wisdom into one book — and it's finally here. Write, Revise, Publish: Essential Lessons from the Writers With Wrinkles Podcast is up for pre-order now, and today Beth and Lisa are pulling back the curtain on why they wrote it, what's inside, and how it can save you from making the same missteps they did. If you've ever finished a podcast episode thinking "that's such a good tip" — and then completely forgotten it by the next day — this book is the fix. Beth and Lisa gathered the best insight from over five years and 150+ conversations with agents, editors, and authors, organized it by where you are in your process (first draft through published book), and added end-of-chapter worksheets so you can actually use it, not just read it. Plus: they're launching a brand-new segment called the Confetti Club, where debut and new-release authors get the mic to pitch their own books — no interview pressure, just celebration. In this episode: The cover reveal for their new book, Write, Revise, Publish: Essential Lessons from the Writers With Wrinkles PodcastWhy they built the book around 150+ episodes of guest wisdom instead of just their own opinionsHow the book is organized so there's a spot for you whether you're drafting, revising, querying, or publishingThe personal (and often embarrassing) asides from Beth and Lisa woven into every chapterEnd-of-chapter worksheets designed to turn the book into a practical writing tool, not just a readIntroducing the Confetti Club — a new short-form segment spotlighting authors with books releasing within 30 daysWho's lined up for the first three Confetti Club episodesA teaser for a third big announcement — coming next monthRelease date, pre-order details, and (of course) a Taylor Swift tangentPre-order Write, Revise, Publish on Amazon now — it releases in ebook and paperback on October 6th. And if you've got a book coming out in the next 30 days, keep an eye out: the Confetti Club wants to celebrate you too. Hit play, and let's dive in. And if you love the show, a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts takes two minutes and helps us keep ironing out the wrinkles every week. 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. Sep 14

    Why Middle Grade Books Got Too Long For Kids To Read

    Harry Potter didn't just create a fantasy phenomenon — according to one Big Five editor, it quietly helped break middle grade publishing. Every book that tried to chase that success got longer, older, and harder for actual kids to read, and now imprints are shutting down because of it. In this encore episode, literary agent, bestselling children's author, and founder of At-Home Author Vicki Weber breaks down what's really happening in publishing right now — the layoffs, the imprint closures, and why "everybody's throwing spaghetti at the wall." Then she gets tactical: her #1 piece of advice for authors in the query trenches (hint: it's not "wait for The One agent"), how to read between the lines of an agent's wishlist, and why chasing a "dream agent" is quietly sabotaging your confidence. In this episode: The real story behind Vicki's viral Substack post on the state of middle gradeThe "Harry Potter theory" — how one runaway bestseller reshaped an entire categoryWhy editors loving your book is only the beginning, not the end, of acquisitionsVicki's #1 tip for querying authors: write another book (and why the process isn't a straight line)How to research an agent's actual taste, not just their stated genresWhy "my dream agent passed" is the wrong way to think about rejectionSelf-publishing vs. traditional: how to decide which is right for your bookWhat to do about a "bad" sales track record (and how to reframe it)Simple, low-cost ways to build an email list and audience before you're publishedVicki's current manuscript wishlist: horror-tinged, commercial, with social commentaryWe had a new guest lined up for this week, but a family emergency meant we had to reschedule — so we're bringing back one of our favorite conversations instead. Find Vicki's Substack and more show links in the notes at writerswithwrinkles.net. Hit play and let's get to it! 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 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!

  5. 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!

  6. 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!

  7. 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!

  8. 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!

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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. Get the new book: Write. Revise. Publish.: Essential Lessons From the Writers With Wrinkles Podcast — five seasons of insider publishing advice in one place. Available everywhere Oct. 6th. Visit www.WritersWithWrinkles.net for resources. Follow us on TikTok: @writerswithwrinkles

Information

  • Creator
    Beth McMullen and Lisa Schmid
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    173
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Writers With Wrinkles
  • Show Website
    Writers With Wrinkles

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