The Free Lancer Podcast: Surviving Publishing Without Burning Out or Selling Out

Andy Hodges
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The Free Lancer is a show discussing all things publishing through a queer, social justice lens. It’s for authors and editors navigating the industry in a heart-centered way—one that prioritizes care, relationship-building, and sustainable work practices over the relentless grind of capitalism, tech-bro culture, and AI promises. It explores how author and editor businesses can survive and thrive while also transforming the industry to fight for a better world. Season 2 is running fortnightly through to May 2026. Subscribe now and join the conversation.

  1. 6D AGO

    Does Your Editorial Business Actually Need to Be Visible?

    Send us a text This episode is all about book editor visibility. tl;dr: For most editors, visibility is an optional strategy, not a necessity Tune in to hear how: Visibility isn't something you have to do if you're an editor.You can have a fallow season without pressure to be visible.The pressure to be consistent can have negative mental health implications.Referrals are a significant source of clients for editors.Not all visible editors are successfulBuilding relationships is often more effective than audience building.Social media visibility can help if you're selling low-ticket offerings or editing for self-published authors.It's possible to run a successful editing business without social media.A focus on depth in client relationships rather than quantity can work well. Support the show Queer-owned business. AI-free editing and consulting. Conscious language advocate. 💎Book an editorial assessment: https://www.secondworldeditorial.com/book-an-editorial-assessment 🌈Second World Editorial: Speculative fiction editing and writing: https://www.secondworldeditorial.com 🎓The Narrative Craft: Cultural anthropology developmental editing and consultancy: https://www.thenarrativecraft.com/ 💎Need a transcript? Here you go: https://thefreelancer.buzzsprout.com/ 🥰 Check out my fiction newsletter for stories, opinions, and tips on how to survive publishing without exploiting yourself or others: https://thenarrativecraft.kit.com/e8debf1dd5

    20 min

  2. JAN 8

    Inclusive Language and Nonbinary Gender Outside the Anglosphere

    Send us a text In today's ep I'm chatting with Vesna Kurilic of Shtriga Books again! Today we discuss inclusive language and nonbinary gender in Croatian language and fiction. We explore how culturally specific the discussions around conscious and inclusive language are, and what challenges other contexts face with different approaches toward languages. Then we get onto grammar. In Croatian, which has three grammatical genders, you flag the speaker's gender much more often than in English. We explore what this means for getting your head around nonbinary pronouns, and what that means for Croatian spec fic! Shtriga Books: https://shtriga.com Milena Benini: https://www.croatian-literature.hr/zzindex_sing.php?tekst_id=609&menu_id=1 Support the show Queer-owned business. AI-free editing and consulting. Conscious language advocate. 💎Book an editorial assessment: https://www.secondworldeditorial.com/book-an-editorial-assessment 🌈Second World Editorial: Speculative fiction editing and writing: https://www.secondworldeditorial.com 🎓The Narrative Craft: Cultural anthropology developmental editing and consultancy: https://www.thenarrativecraft.com/ 💎Need a transcript? Here you go: https://thefreelancer.buzzsprout.com/ 🥰 Check out my fiction newsletter for stories, opinions, and tips on how to survive publishing without exploiting yourself or others: https://thenarrativecraft.kit.com/e8debf1dd5

    19 min

  3. 12/14/2025

    2025 Business Review & 2026 Predictions!

    Send us a text In the last episode of 2025, I discuss how the year went from a business and marketing perspective. 2025 was a big experiment in running my business without social media. Things didn't go exactly to plan—tune in to learn which part of my business suffered, the big decisions I made at the end of the year, and find out how much I earned exactly in 2025. I finish with some predictions for 2026. YAY! Support the show Queer-owned business. AI-free editing and consulting. Conscious language advocate. 💎Book an editorial assessment: https://www.secondworldeditorial.com/book-an-editorial-assessment 🌈Second World Editorial: Speculative fiction editing and writing: https://www.secondworldeditorial.com 🎓The Narrative Craft: Cultural anthropology developmental editing and consultancy: https://www.thenarrativecraft.com/ 💎Need a transcript? Here you go: https://thefreelancer.buzzsprout.com/ 🥰 Check out my fiction newsletter for stories, opinions, and tips on how to survive publishing without exploiting yourself or others: https://thenarrativecraft.kit.com/e8debf1dd5

    29 min

  4. 12/02/2025

    The Publishing Landscape in Croatia, with Vesna Kurilic

    Send us a text How does publishing work outside the Anglosphere? In today's ep, I'm chatting with Vesna Kurilic, owner of Shtriga Books – a small press in Croatia publishing queer speculative fiction. We discuss how things work differently in Croatia, the yawning gulf between literary and genre fiction there (compared with in the Anglosphere), and what Anglo-American publishing could learn from Croatia and vice versa. You can check out Shtriga Books here: https://shtriga.com/ Support the show Queer-owned business. AI-free editing and consulting. Conscious language advocate. 💎Book an editorial assessment: https://www.secondworldeditorial.com/book-an-editorial-assessment 🌈Second World Editorial: Speculative fiction editing and writing: https://www.secondworldeditorial.com 🎓The Narrative Craft: Cultural anthropology developmental editing and consultancy: https://www.thenarrativecraft.com/ 💎Need a transcript? Here you go: https://thefreelancer.buzzsprout.com/ 🥰 Check out my fiction newsletter for stories, opinions, and tips on how to survive publishing without exploiting yourself or others: https://thenarrativecraft.kit.com/e8debf1dd5

    25 min

  5. 10/15/2025

    Wish Fulfilment in Fiction

    Send us a text Why do you read stories? What keeps you turning the page? Wish fulfilment is one possible answer! Tune in to hear other reasons, alongside a chat about wish fulfilment in romance and dystopian fiction, the story problems it can create, and how wish fulfilment links to the oppression of marginalized groups. Enjoy! Links mentioned: Call of the Camino: https://www.suzanneredfearnauthor.com/copy-of-where-butterflies-wander-1 Falconsaga: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/222253066-falconsaga Mythcreants (candy and spinach): https://mythcreants.com/blog/the-best-characters-eat-their-spinach-and-their-candy/ Mind-melding with fictional characters: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/time-travelling-apollo/202104/mind-melding-our-favorite-fictional-characters Support the show Queer-owned business. AI-free editing and consulting. Conscious language advocate. 💎Book an editorial assessment: https://www.secondworldeditorial.com/book-an-editorial-assessment 🌈Second World Editorial: Speculative fiction editing and writing: https://www.secondworldeditorial.com 🎓The Narrative Craft: Cultural anthropology developmental editing and consultancy: https://www.thenarrativecraft.com/ 💎Need a transcript? Here you go: https://thefreelancer.buzzsprout.com/ 🥰 Check out my fiction newsletter for stories, opinions, and tips on how to survive publishing without exploiting yourself or others: https://thenarrativecraft.kit.com/e8debf1dd5

    14 min

  6. 09/11/2025

    Editors Who Write, with Karen Parker

    Send us a text This week's ep is all about how we balance our editing, coaching, and writerly selves and businesses! 😍 We discuss the query trenches, writing routines and habits, whether you need to be a writer to coach writers, and lots more besides! Here are a few things we mention: Karen's coaching: https://www.karenaparker.com/book-coaching Mythcreants community: https://www.patreon.com/Mythcreants Mythcreant's idea of a magnum opus: https://mythcreants.com/blog/six-tips-for-writing-your-first-novel-and-series/ Karen's Captured Phantoms fund and 25 ways to resist in 2025: https://www.karenaparker.com/blog/25-ways-to-resist-in-2025 My Pay-It-Forward fund: https://www.thenarrativecraft.com/pay-it-forward-fund Support the show Queer-owned business. AI-free editing and consulting. Conscious language advocate. 💎Book an editorial assessment: https://www.secondworldeditorial.com/book-an-editorial-assessment 🌈Second World Editorial: Speculative fiction editing and writing: https://www.secondworldeditorial.com 🎓The Narrative Craft: Cultural anthropology developmental editing and consultancy: https://www.thenarrativecraft.com/ 💎Need a transcript? Here you go: https://thefreelancer.buzzsprout.com/ 🥰 Check out my fiction newsletter for stories, opinions, and tips on how to survive publishing without exploiting yourself or others: https://thenarrativecraft.kit.com/e8debf1dd5

    29 min

  7. 08/28/2025

    Literary Magazines for the Overwhelmed

    Send us a text This week's ep is all about lit mags! ✨ If you're exploring this space and trying to figure it out, this podcast ep is for you. I discuss how to find the right magazine for your story, the importance of reading widely, and the realities of rejection in the submission process.  I also explore the culture and industry of literary magazines, including issues of elitism, gatekeeping, and the value of punk/DIY publications.  Here are a few resources I recommend you check out: Chill Subs: https://www.chillsubs.com/ Writer Beware: https://writerbeware.blog/ ALLi Watchdog: https://www.allianceindependentauthors.org/watchdog/ Taco Bell Quarterly: https://tacobellquarterly.org/ Hustle Culture versus the Literary Academy: https://www.thenarrativecraft.com/post/two-cultures-in-publishing-hustle-culture-vs-the-literary-academy My lit mag wins so far: https://www.thenarrativecraft.com/books-short-stories-andrew-hodges Support the show Queer-owned business. AI-free editing and consulting. Conscious language advocate. 💎Book an editorial assessment: https://www.secondworldeditorial.com/book-an-editorial-assessment 🌈Second World Editorial: Speculative fiction editing and writing: https://www.secondworldeditorial.com 🎓The Narrative Craft: Cultural anthropology developmental editing and consultancy: https://www.thenarrativecraft.com/ 💎Need a transcript? Here you go: https://thefreelancer.buzzsprout.com/ 🥰 Check out my fiction newsletter for stories, opinions, and tips on how to survive publishing without exploiting yourself or others: https://thenarrativecraft.kit.com/e8debf1dd5

    22 min

  8. 08/13/2025

    Decolonizing Fiction Craft with Karen Parker

    Send us a text Welcome to Season 2! Yay! Today's topic is decolonizing fiction craft, and I'm chatting with the book coach and fiction editor Karen Parker. We cover everything from the hero's journey and remakes to the Iowa Writers' Workshop and how NOT to workshop. Come hang out with us :) Here's Karen's coaching – if you're ready to start pitching your novel, or you've tried and failed so far in the query trenches, come join their coaching cohort from September:  https://www.karenaparker.com/book-coaching Here's a piece by Karen on Jane Friedman's blog: https://janefriedman.com/sensitivity-reading-in-speculative-fiction-why-it-matters-more-than-you-think  Here are some of the links mentioned in the show: Ben Bacon:  https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-64162799 Orly Goldwasser:  https://museum.imj.org.il/en/exhibitions/2016/pharaoh-in-canaan/pdf/alphabet-en.pdf  Felicia Rose Chavez:  https://www.antiracistworkshop.com/the-antiracist-writing-workshop  Clarion West: https://www.clarionwest.org/resources/workshop-methods/ Support the show Queer-owned business. AI-free editing and consulting. Conscious language advocate. 💎Book an editorial assessment: https://www.secondworldeditorial.com/book-an-editorial-assessment 🌈Second World Editorial: Speculative fiction editing and writing: https://www.secondworldeditorial.com 🎓The Narrative Craft: Cultural anthropology developmental editing and consultancy: https://www.thenarrativecraft.com/ 💎Need a transcript? Here you go: https://thefreelancer.buzzsprout.com/ 🥰 Check out my fiction newsletter for stories, opinions, and tips on how to survive publishing without exploiting yourself or others: https://thenarrativecraft.kit.com/e8debf1dd5

    34 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

The Free Lancer is a show discussing all things publishing through a queer, social justice lens. It’s for authors and editors navigating the industry in a heart-centered way—one that prioritizes care, relationship-building, and sustainable work practices over the relentless grind of capitalism, tech-bro culture, and AI promises. It explores how author and editor businesses can survive and thrive while also transforming the industry to fight for a better world. Season 2 is running fortnightly through to May 2026. Subscribe now and join the conversation.

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