Way-Word Writers Podcast

Conquer Your Path
  • 4.8 (18)
  • BOOKS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

A publishing podcast for every writer, illuminating the publishing industry with episodes focused on craft, marketing, business, and mental health for writers of all experience levels. waywordwriters.substack.com

  1. APR 28

    EPISODE 110: Inside Today’s Cookbook Market with Agent Sally Ekus

    Way-Word Writers cohosts (Heather Cashman, Stephanie Bearce, and Nicki Jacobsmeyer) welcome senior literary agent Sally Ekus of the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency’s Ekus Group to discuss the current cookbook market and how cookbooks remain viable alongside online recipes. Ekus explains how food culture has expanded opportunities for niche, concept- and technique-driven cookbooks, and why success still depends on exceptional, tested, clearly written recipes plus voice, concept, and platform. She addresses myths such as “everyone loves my family recipes” and “it will be easy,” emphasizes choosing the right medium, and suggests beginners study bookstore shelves, acknowledgments, and agents’ query preferences. Ekus outlines a portfolio approach to platform building and shares resources from her free Substack, including proposal guidelines and where-to-begin posts, plus advice on “coffee table cookbook” positioning. 00:00 Welcome to Way-Word 00:32 Why Cookbooks Now 01:08 Meet Agent Sally Ekus 03:07 Cookbook Market Snapshot 05:07 Online Recipes vs Books 06:22 Why We Buy Cookbooks 07:15 Only Three Recipes 09:28 What Makes Success 11:11 Cookbook Myths Busted 12:56 Should You Write One 14:16 Getting Started Research 15:29 Self Publishing Options 16:27 Platform and Pitch Strategy 19:11 Publishing Is A Long Game 19:28 Fiction Platforms And Publisher Risk 20:17 AI Disruption And Human Trust 21:32 Why She Built The Newsletter 23:02 Hyper Mentorship And Skill Sessions 26:12 Cookbook Structure As Story Craft 27:49 Proposal Guidelines And Where To Begin 29:38 Coffee Table Cookbook Myth 31:39 Books That Changed Her Cooking 34:12 Lightning Round And Farewell Find Sally at JVNLA HERE and on Substack at Not So Secret Agent! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit waywordwriters.substack.com

    37 min

  2. APR 7

    EPISODE 109: ​Grammar as a Craft Choice with Patty McGee

    Hosts Heather Cashman, Stephanie Bearce, and Nicki Jacobsmeyer welcome nationally recognized grammar expert Patty McGee, author of “Feedback That Moves Writers Forward” and “Not Your Granny’s Grammar,” to discuss grammar as a tool for clarity, intention, and voice rather than rigid rules. McGee explains why grammar feels scary due to shame-based schooling and “grammar police” culture, and emphasizes learning key sentence structures (simple, compound, complex, compound-complex) to shape rhythm and meaning. She advises that grammar focus during drafting depends on a writer’s fluency, highlights comma splices as a common issue, downplays strict comma-before-conjunction rules, and encourages intentional rule-breaking—especially in dialogue—based on audience and purpose. The group discusses distractions like repetitive punctuation errors, AI’s conflicting guidance, knowing oneself before critique, and trusting candid readers and copy editors, then closes with a lightning round on Oxford commas, fragments, adverbs, and starting sentences with conjunctions. 00:00 Welcome to Way-Word 00:32 Meet Patty McGee 01:38 Why Grammar Feels Scary 03:58 Rules vs Voice 06:22 Four Sentence Types08:30 Drafting or Revising 09:48 Comma Splices and Commas 15:00 Grammar as Paintbrush 16:38 Authors vs Copy Editors 18:41 Grammar Distractions in Queries 21:50 Where Rules Came From 23:52 AI Grammar Anxiety 25:00 Know the Basics 26:00 Writing Voice Choices 26:57 Audience and Genre Rules 29:01 When to Let Go 31:04 Lightning Round Grammar 36:08 Professional vs Personal 36:55 Where to Find Patty 37:22 Final Thanks and Outro ​Go to Patty McGee’s website here! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit waywordwriters.substack.com

    38 min

  3. MAR 24

    EPISODE 108: The Art of Line Editing: Elevating Character and Plot with Author Jennifer Gennari

    In this episode of Wayward Writers, hosts Heather Cashman, Stephanie Bearce, and Nicki Jacobsmeyer welcome author Jennifer Gennari to discuss the intricacies of line editing and its importance in the writing process. Jennifer talks about her journey as a writer and editor, shares her approach to character-driven dialogue, and offers practical advice for strengthening sentences. The conversation also delves into common issues faced by writers and teaching strategies to improve one’s manuscript. Guest recommendations for craft books and personal anecdotes round out this educational and inspirational episode. If you’d like to read Heather’s deep dive article on this episode, you can find it here: EPISODE 104 DEEP DIVE: The Art of Line Editing, A Guide to Polishing Your Prose 00:00 Introduction to Wayward Writers 00:32 Meet Jennifer Gennari 01:33 Jennifer’s Writing Journey 02:48 Books Jennifer Recommends 04:23 The Importance of Line Editing 06:27 Line Editing Techniques 08:18 Character Development Through Line Editing 12:35 Character-Driven Analogies 17:17 Avoiding Over-Polishing in Writing 18:06 The Power of Reading Aloud 19:31 Using Beta Readers Effectively 21:20 Common Issues in Student Manuscripts 23:04 Recognizing Generic Sentences 25:11 Polishing Dialogue for Emotional Resonance 27:23 Advice for Middle Grade Authors 28:54 Recommended Craft Books 30:20 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Find Out MORE: Jennifer Gennari’s Website and Links to Muffled and Stifled. ​​​​The Art of Description: World Into Word​ by Mark Doty ​The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat Kekla Magoon, Author Refuse to Be Done: How to Write and Rewrite a Novel in Three Drafts by Matt Bell Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Second Edition: How to Edit Yourself Into Print by Renni Browne & Dave King This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit waywordwriters.substack.com

    31 min

  4. MAR 10

    EPISODE 107: Summit Club Workshops--Coming to Way-Word Writers

    Heather Cashman, Stephanie Bearce, and Nicki Jacobsmeyer introduce Way-Word Writers’ new Substack offerings to support writers across genres and career stages with actionable resources. They describe two paid tiers: the $50/year Trailblazer Tier featuring craft, marketing, and business worksheets, and the $150/year Summit Club providing deep-dive, on-demand workshops that can be paused and revisited, building an ongoing library. They highlight current workshops including a promotional planning overview focused on building a street team and launch timeline, Heather’s “From First Draft to Final Synopsis” revision and synopsis method using highlighting and outlines, and upcoming sessions such as Nicki’s time management and goal-setting class and Stephanie’s character-building workshop using the Enneagram. They encourage community interaction via comments, email requests, and continued connection through their website and social platforms. 00:00 Welcome to Way-Word 00:36 Why We Chose Substack 01:26 Trailblazer Tier Worksheets 02:20 Summit Club Deep Dives 03:25 Learn Anytime Benefits 05:40 Class Street Team Promo 07:29 Class Revision Synopsis 10:07 Monthly Workshop Schedule 11:27 Class Time Management 14:34 Class Enneagram Characters 17:55 Actionable Workshop Promise 18:42 Request Topics Connect 19:50 Final Sign Off This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit waywordwriters.substack.com

    20 min

  5. MAR 9

    Tackling Time Management & Writing Goals

    Feel like you don’t have enough hours in the day? Writing goals not being met like you hoped? Nicki Jacobsmeyer, author and business professional, explores different time management strategies and goal setting that work for your life and make you more intentional. Determine where you’re currently spending time, what pesky distractions get in your way, and how to tackle the ticking clock by prioritizing writing and what’s most important to you. Summit Club Workshop includes: * Time Audit template * Time Examiner template * Goals-Chunks-Segments Planning Strategies template This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit waywordwriters.substack.com

    33 min

  6. FEB 24

    EPISODE 106: Kickstarter Campaigns & Author Partnering with Christina Boufis and Victoria Olsen

    On this episode of Way-Word Writers, hosts Heather Cashman, Stephanie Bearce, and Nicki Jacobsmeyer talk with longtime collaborators Christina Boufis (fiction/nonfiction author and author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Writing Nonfiction) and Victoria Olson (author of biography, fiction, and nonfiction; former university writing instructor) about how their co-writing partnership works and what it was like to use Kickstarter in their publishing journey. They outline major hurdles and what they would do differently, share outcomes, and note Kickstarter is better suited to genre, niche, and quirky projects than many memoirs or standard domestic thrillers. The episode closes with where to find them (somdarkforest.com, christinaboufis.com, Penny Dreadful Media on TikTok) and what’s next: completing the sequel by spring and planning additional collaborative books (including titles Dark Circles and Dark Science) alongside their solo projects. 00:00 Welcome to Way-Word Writers (Meet the Hosts & Mission) 00:36 Today’s Guests: Long-Term Co-Authors + Kickstarter Publishing 02:03 How Their Writing Partnership Began (Dickens Camp to First Project) 03:27 Drafting Together in One Google Doc (Discovery Writing + NaNoWriMo Sprint) 05:20 Editing, Roles, and the ‘Jazz Improv’ Collaboration Style 06:50 Pros, Cons, and Keeping a Unified Voice as Co-Authors 10:30 Staying Motivated Through Life & Rejection (Why Partnership Helps) 12:01 Why They Chose Kickstarter (After a Small-Press Offer) 15:16 Kickstarter Reality Check: Visual Assets, Video, Swag, and New Skills 18:17 Running the Campaign: Backer Swaps, Reward Tiers, Stretch Goals & Fulfillment 19:21 Backer Demands & Going Physical: Paperback, Hardcover, Collector Mindset 21:14 When It Stops Feeling Overwhelming: Mastermind Support & Campaign Vetting 22:44 Kickstarter’s Built-In Community Engine: Updates, Requests & Reader Connection 24:12 Results & Aftermath: Low Goal Strategy, 400% Funded, Early Reviewers 25:23 Social Media Spillover: Promoting Beyond Kickstarter + Why TikTok 27:09 Kickstarter First Steps: Finish the Book, Find Community, Study Other Campaigns 29:49 Design, Video & Reward Strategy: Outsourcing, Swag, Special Editions, Signed eBooks 32:16 Would They Do It Again? Time, Energy, and the Real Learning Curve 33:42 Is Kickstarter a Fit? Genre vs Memoir, Niche/Quirky Books & Physicality 36:15 What’s Next + Where to Find Them: Sequels, Solo Projects, Websites & Farewell ​Find more about Christina Boufis at christinaboufis.com! ​Find more about Victoria Olsen at victoriaolsen.com! ​Some Dark Force, a Victorian thriller, by Christina Boufis and Victoria Olsen. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit waywordwriters.substack.com

    39 min

  7. FEB 10

    EPISODE 105: Layered Themes & Hooks in Picture Books with Chloe Ito Ward

    In this episode of Way-Word Writers, hosts Heather Cashman, Stephanie Bearce, and Nicki Jacobsmeyer interview Chloe Ito Ward, a Japanese American children’s author with a background in education. They discuss Chloe’s new and upcoming books, the thematic elements in her writing, and the inspiration and process behind her stories. Chloe shares how her personal and professional experiences influence her work and provides insights into the challenges of writing for a young audience. The conversation also touches on the importance of diversity, cultural representation, and authenticity in children’s literature. 00:00 Welcome to Way-Word Writers 00:31 Introducing Chloe Ito Ward 00:45 Chloe’s Teaching Background and Inspiration 02:06 All the Ways We Learn 08:49 Made For More: The Story Behind the Book 11:39 Writing for Young Readers 16:40 Author’s Note and Reader Engagement 19:52 Reflecting on Parental Influence 20:07 Introducing Chopsticks Are.... 20:37 Cultural Touchpoints in Chopsticks Are.... 21:05 Expanding the Scope of Chopsticks Are.... 23:51 Research and Writing Process 25:11 Conversations Around Chopsticks 28:04 Balancing Authenticity and Accessibility 29:33 Creative Writing Process 31:09 Themes and Identity in Writing 34:10 Avoiding Didacticism in Picture Books 36:45 Lightning Round Q&A 37:55 Conclusion and Farewell Find out more about Chloe Ito Ward on her website here! On Tuesday February 17, see our companion deep dive article about adding hooks and layers to your book to increase depth, universal resonance, and commercial viability: EPISODE 105 DEEP DIVE: Layering Hooks and Themes Into Your Manuscript This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit waywordwriters.substack.com

    39 min

  8. JAN 30

    SPECIAL EPISODE: ​Navigating the Creative Journey: Way-Word Writers' 2026 Goals and Changes

    ​In this episode of the Way-Word Writers Podcast, hosts Heather Cashman, Stephanie Bearce, and Nicki Jacobsmeyer share updates on their current writing projects and discuss the exciting changes in their creative journeys as they step into 2026. They open up about their writing seasons, upcoming goals, and how they are planning to sustain their creative passion while balancing various aspects of their lives. The episode also introduces changes in the podcast's release schedule and the addition of new, in-depth content on their Substack to better support their writing community. ​PLEASE NOTE: Our schedule will change to a podcast every other Tuesday and a DEEP DIVE companion article on the Tuesdays in between. ​Workshops for our Substack Summit Club level will be released periodically, at least every other month. 00:00 Welcome to Way-Word Writers 00:31 Introduction to the Podcast 01:34 Hosts Share Their Current Writing Projects 02:53 Stephanie's Exciting New Ventures 04:45 Nicki's Writing Journey and Goals 12:42 Heather's Writing and Life in Costa Rica 17:48 Balancing Writing and Promotion 19:43 Changes to the Podcast Schedule 25:45 Workshops and Community Engagement 28:11 Final Thoughts and Farewell This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit waywordwriters.substack.com

    29 min
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4.8
out of 5
18 Ratings

About

A publishing podcast for every writer, illuminating the publishing industry with episodes focused on craft, marketing, business, and mental health for writers of all experience levels. waywordwriters.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Conquer Your Path
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    116
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Way-Word Writers
  • Show Website
    Way-Word Writers Podcast

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