The Page & Podium Podcast with Dr. Amanda Nell Edgar

Page & Podium Press
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Are you dreaming of writing your memoir but feeling stuck or unsure where to begin? Tune in to the Page & Podium Podcast, the ultimate podcast for first-time memoir writers. We bring you expert advice from Page & Podium Press, a publishing team with over 30 years of combined experience helping new authors craft memoirs that captivate readers and attract publishers. In each episode, we dive into essential topics like structuring your story, outlining your chapters, overcoming writer’s block, and breaking through mindset barriers that stop writers in their tracks. With actionable tips and publishing insights, you’ll learn how to not only finish your book but also how to write a memoir that publishers will want to sign. Whether you’re just starting out or deep in the writing process, this podcast will guide you through the ups and downs of memoir writing with a focus on both the creative journey and the end goal—using your story to help others.

  1. Sep 29

    3 Tips for Sentence-Level Editing

    Want to make your prose stronger at the sentence level? Before you start tweaking individual words, there’s one important rule: sentence-level editing comes last. In this episode, I explain why you should finish drafting and structural revision before you start polishing your prose—and why editing too early can actually make perfectionism worse and keep you from finishing your book. Then I walk through three concrete sentence-level editing techniques you can use to make your writing tighter, clearer, and more intentional. These are simple things you can actually search for in your manuscript, which makes them especially useful when you're ready to move from big-picture revision into the finer details of your prose. Key topics * Why sentence-level editing should come after structural revision * What a reverse outline can show you about your manuscript * Why polishing individual chapters too early can derail your draft * How sentence editing can trigger perfectionism * Why learning to tolerate imperfection is part of finishing a book * How to use the word “and” to find unnecessary lists * Why lists of similar adjectives can weaken your prose * How searching for “of” can help you tighten wordy phrases * Using possessives to make sentences shorter and stronger * How to vary sentence length and structure * Simple ways to rearrange sentences without completely rewriting them * When it may be time to get professional feedback on your manuscript Resources mentioned **Free Memoir Method Checklist** https://pageandpodium.com/checklist **Manuscript Review** Get a professional 10,000-foot view of your manuscript, including what’s working, what needs attention, and a step-by-step revision plan: https://pageandpodium.com/manuscript Timestamps 0:00 How to Strengthen Your Book’s Prose 0:30 Welcome to Page and Podium 0:40 Free Memoir Method Checklist 1:25 Why Sentence Editing Comes Last 2:17 Finish Structural Revisions First 6:40 Avoid Perfectionism While Drafting 11:20 Tip 1: Look for Lists and “And” 15:20 Tip 2: Tighten Phrases with “Of” 18:15 Tip 3: Vary Your Sentence Structure 20:25 Get a Manuscript Review 22:08 Final Reminder: Download the Checklist Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: ZQP8CICXIAJM4LAI

  2. Sep 22

    The Biggest Mistake New Authors Make

    The Page & Podium Podcast with Dr. Amanda Nell Edgar

  3. Sep 15

    3 Ways to Outline Your Nonfiction Book

    If you're writing a nonfiction book, you need an outline. Yes, even though you'll discover things as you write that you can't plan for now. Even if you already have years of content. And yes, even if you have the entire book mapped out in your head.   A strong outline gives you the 10,000-foot view of your book while you're down in the weeds writing individual sentences and chapters. It gives you a writing plan, helps you stay focused over a long drafting process, and keeps your ideas moving toward one cohesive book instead of several different books mashed together.   In this episode, I walk through three different ways to outline a nonfiction book depending on what you're writing: a narrative outline for memoir and narrative nonfiction, a content-based outline for authors who already have a lot of existing material, and a persuasive problem-cause-solution outline.   Key topics   * Why every nonfiction book needs an outline * How an outline helps you see the whole book while you're drafting * Using your outline as a practical writing plan * Why an outline keeps a long-term project cohesive * Three different ways to outline nonfiction * The major structural beats of memoir and narrative nonfiction * How to organize years of podcasts, newsletters, social posts, talks, and other content into a book * How to build a topical outline using a simple spreadsheet * Why problem-cause-solution works so well for persuasive nonfiction * How to get professional feedback on your outline before you start drafting   Resources mentioned   **The Memoir Method: 7-Step Structure Sequence** Work through the seven steps I use to help memoir writers build a strong narrative structure: https://pageandpodium.com/structure   **Free guide for turning your existing content into a book** If you've already created podcasts, social media posts, newsletters, talks, videos, or other content, start here: https://pageandpodium.com/guide   **Outline Review** Want professional eyes on your outline before you start—or keep—writing? Learn more about our Outline Review service: https://pageandpodium.com/outline   Timestamps   0:00 Why Every Nonfiction Book Needs an Outline 1:16 How an Outline Gives You the Big Picture 3:45 How an Outline Becomes Your Writing Plan 6:29 How an Outline Keeps Your Book Cohesive 8:11 Three Ways to Outline a Nonfiction Book 9:56 Narrative Outlines for Memoir and Narrative Nonfiction 11:39 The Key Beats of a Narrative Outline 16:04 Memoir Structure Support 17:08 Content Outlines for Content Creators 18:23 How to Organize Existing Content into a Book 23:14 Persuasive Outlines: Problem, Cause, Solution 25:53 Final Advice and Outline Review Support 26:40 Closing   Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: MCIZHYPXDWGQDA9G

  4. Sep 8

    The Dangers of Writing a Memoir

    The Page & Podium Podcast with Dr. Amanda Nell Edgar

  5. Sep 1

    Are you Expert Enough to write a book?

    Are You Expert Enough to Write a Book? Who are you to write a book? It’s a question I hear all the time from smart, accomplished people who have spent years—sometimes decades—building real expertise. And weirdly, the more you know, the easier it can be to convince yourself that what you know is obvious, unoriginal, or not quite enough. In this episode, I’m digging into two forces that tend to keep expert authors stuck: **fear of visibility** and **the curse of expertise.** Because sometimes we tell ourselves we’re afraid of putting ourselves out there when the deeper fear is actually the opposite: *What if I put myself out there and nobody cares?* And sometimes we assume we’re not qualified enough simply because we’ve lived with our own knowledge for so long that we’ve forgotten how much we had to learn to get here. If you’ve been sitting on a book idea while wondering whether you really have the authority to write it, I’ll give you three questions to help you separate genuine readiness concerns from the self-doubt that comes with claiming your expertise. ## In this episode: * Why highly accomplished people still struggle to call themselves experts * The fear of visibility—and the fear underneath it * Why experts underestimate how valuable their knowledge is * How fear of visibility and the curse of expertise reinforce each other * Why wanting to write a book may tell you something important * How writing a book can actually help you step more fully into your expertise * Three questions to help you decide whether you’re ready to move forward * Why asking **“If I could help people, why wouldn’t I?”** can change the way you think about writing your book ## The 3 questions: 1. **How many people would have to be helped by your book for writing it to be worth it?** 2. **Why would anyone care?** 3. **If you could help people, why wouldn’t you?** ## Timestamps 00:00 — Why so many people who want to write a book never do 01:41 — Why even accomplished experts question whether they know enough 03:13 — Are you actually unready—or talking yourself out of the book? 05:09 — Fear of visibility 06:10 — The deeper fear: what if nobody sees you? 08:27 — The curse of expertise 09:53 — How self-doubt and visibility fears reinforce each other 11:27 — Escaping the false binaries around expertise and visibility 12:48 — How writing a book can help you claim your expertise 13:46 — Examining your own relationship with visibility and expertise 15:55 — Question 1: How many people would need to be helped? 19:40 — Question 2: Why would anyone care? 23:06 — Question 3: If you could help people, why wouldn’t you? 26:20 — Moving forward with your book ## Ready to write your book? Take the **Expert Author Quiz** to find out what kind of expert author you are, where your biggest strengths are, and what may get in your way as you move forward: https://pageandpodium.com/quiz And if you’d like support writing, finishing, or publishing your book, you can learn more about working with Page & Podium Press at: https://pageandpodium.com --- Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: SJHXB7JG86VBOP61

  6. Aug 26

    How to Unstick Your Writing

    If your book has been sitting untouched for a while, there’s a good chance you’ve already tried the obvious solution: push yourself harder. Write more often. Get more disciplined. Set a deadline. Put your butt in the seat. And if that worked, great. But if it hasn’t, this episode is for you. Because one of the things I see all the time with stalled book projects is that the longer the book sits, the more we start making the problem about ourselves. We decide we’re lazy, undisciplined, too distracted, not a “real” writer, or maybe just incapable of finishing the thing. That makes sitting down to write feel pretty terrible. So in this episode, I’m talking about a different way to get unstuck: finding your way back to the part of the project that actually interests you. We’ll talk about what happens when self-doubt starts running the writing process, how to reconnect with the reason you wanted to write the book in the first place, and six practical things you can try when writing has started to feel like a slog. I also tell you why I bought myself a little kid’s watercolor set when I couldn’t make myself work on my memoir. It helped more than it had any business helping. Take the Expert Author Quiz to find out what kind of book you should write and get personalized advice for moving it forward: https://pageandpodium.com/quiz Learn more about Page & Podium Press: https://pageandpodium.com TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction 06:08 How books stall 08:31 Why the writing process gets harder after the easy beginning 10:47 When ADHD, self-doubt, and identity-level fear take over 11:39 Finding the seed of curiosity again 13:55 Tip 1 — Look for the other side of the coin 18:35 Tip 2 — Refocus on what the book is for 22:40 Tip 3 — Change the medium to unstick the idea 26:29 Tip 4 — Get around other writers and use body doubling 29:47 Tip 5 — Reconnect with what you enjoy about writing 33:19 Tip 6 — Do something ridiculous to restart creativity 36:28 You deserve to enjoy the writing process Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: OLD8REH6Z073JCU3

  7. Aug 26

    5 Ways to Hone Your Book Idea

    Is your book idea actually ready to become a book? One of the biggest mistakes nonfiction authors make is comparing a rough, early idea to the polished idea inside a published bestseller. But those ideas did not begin fully formed. They were refined through writing, conversation, feedback, market testing, self-reflection, and often professional support. In this episode, I share five practical ways to hone your book idea before you start writing. You’ll learn how to clarify your unique perspective, test your message through speaking and teaching, use journaling to uncover what you may be avoiding, listen more closely to your audience, and connect your expertise with the personal experiences that made you care about this topic in the first place. The clearer your idea is before you begin, the easier the writing process becomes—and the stronger, more distinctive the final book will be. Not sure what kind of book best fits your experience, goals, and expertise? Take the free Expert Author Quiz for a personalized result, examples of authors with a similar path, and practical guidance on what to embrace, what to watch out for, and what to do next: https://pageandpodium.com/quiz TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Why comparing your rough idea to a published bestseller is unhelpful 01:29 The significance of developing a clear, unique perspective early on 02:41 How completed books undergo extensive editing, market testing, and self-reflection 03:37 Real-time example of a client’s journey from idea to polished chapters 04:57 The impact of idea development on writing ease and quality 06:24 Overcoming fears of sharing your idea or having it stolen 06:54 Practical ways to hone your idea: working with professionals 08:17 The value of feedback and discussion in refining your message 09:39 The importance of clarifying your core differentiator 10:43 Using speaking and teaching to test and deepen your ideas 11:43 Building your platform and audience early for better clarity 13:11 Journaling on emotional vulnerabilities and underlying premises 14:33 Exploring basic, foundational details that ground your larger idea 16:24 How understanding simple mechanics can strengthen your message 17:51 Combining personal stories with your expertise for greater impact 21:07 The importance of integrating your personal connection with the topic 23:33 Yolanda Bogart’s blend of personal story and professional expertise Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: GQU4SKOQMNCKWJB4

  8. Aug 11

    3 Steps to a Memoir that Shows Your Expertise

    The Page & Podium Podcast with Dr. Amanda Nell Edgar

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Are you dreaming of writing your memoir but feeling stuck or unsure where to begin? Tune in to the Page & Podium Podcast, the ultimate podcast for first-time memoir writers. We bring you expert advice from Page & Podium Press, a publishing team with over 30 years of combined experience helping new authors craft memoirs that captivate readers and attract publishers. In each episode, we dive into essential topics like structuring your story, outlining your chapters, overcoming writer’s block, and breaking through mindset barriers that stop writers in their tracks. With actionable tips and publishing insights, you’ll learn how to not only finish your book but also how to write a memoir that publishers will want to sign. Whether you’re just starting out or deep in the writing process, this podcast will guide you through the ups and downs of memoir writing with a focus on both the creative journey and the end goal—using your story to help others.

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