Freelance Writing Direct: Conversations with authors, journalists, agents, novelists, memoirists, niche writers, agents, publ Estelle Erasmus

Sally Wiener Grotta is an award-winning writer, photographer and speaker. Her two most recent books are Of Being Woman, a collection of feminist science fiction (NobleFusion Press) and Daughters of Eve, an essay-based discussion & journaling workbook which mines the tales of biblical matriarchs to explore modern lives, concerns and crises (Bayit Publishing). As a journalist, Sally has traveled on assignment throughout the world, to all the continents, plus many remote islands, covering a wide diversity of cultures and traditions. Sally’s far-ranging experiences flavor her stories and presentations with a sense of wonder, appreciation for human potential and a healthy dose of common sense. Her American Hands narrative photographic project featuring traditional tradespeople (blacksmiths, weavers, spinners, glassblowers, bookbinders, etc.) has received dozens of grants, and the exhibition has been seen in person by over 300,000 people. Sally is co-curator of Galactic Philadelphia Salon reading series, and a member of The Authors Guild and SFWA.
 
How Sally became an accidental biblical student
Fighting against the patriarchy with writing 
The deep roots in female friendships 
Structuring a discussion workbook designed for self reflection and book clubs
Helping people put themselves into the story and making readers your collaborators
Writing essays for the book with a personal touch
How she decided to pick her characters and aligned them with the modules in her book
The must-have writing pledge (and process)  for workshops  
 
Connect with Sally:
Website: https://sallywienergrotta.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SallyWienerGrotta/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SallyWGrotta
YouTube: https://YouTube.com/SallyWienerGrotta
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/sallywienergrotta.bsky.social
   
Connect with Estelle:
 
​​FREE PITCHING GUIDE: Find out more about this episode at 
https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast. You also get a free pitching guide if you sign up for her newsletter.
 
Sign up for Estelle’s Personal Essay Class for Writer’s Digest 
https://www.writersonlineworkshops.com/courses/writing-the-personal-essay-101-fundamentals
 
See Estelle’s latest blog post with news
https://estelleserasmus.com/a-few-pieces-of-exciting-news/



Get Her Book 
Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: https://rb.gy/5ihwp0
 
Pre-Order Her Audiobook:
https://shorturl.at/4uG2P
 
Sign up for her Substack https://estelleserasmus.substack.com (with craft advice and writing opportunities). Paid subscribers receive opportunities for pitch reviews, plus bonus clips from Freelance Writing Direct guests
 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@EstelleSErasmus
 
Estelle’s Latest Articles
I’m Learning to Listen in New Ways (Shondaland)
https://www.shondaland.com/live/family/a46102451/im-learning-to-listen-in-new-ways/



What to Do PreLaunch to Get Your Book Noticed (Writer’s Digest)
https://www.writersdigest.com/getting-published/what-to-do-pre-launch-to-get-your-book-noticed
 
How to Resist the Temptation of AI When Writing (Wired)
https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-resist-ai-temptation-writing/
 

Jessica Strawser is editor-at-large at Writer’s Digest and the USA Today bestselling author of suspenseful book club novels, including Almost Missed You; Not That I Could Tell (a Book of the Month pick); A Million Reasons Why; The Next Thing You Know (a People Magazine Pick), and her latest, The Last Caretaker, an instant USA Today bestseller. Her seventh novel, Catch You Later, is forthcoming October 22, 2024. She has written for The New York Times Modern Love, Publishers Weekly and other fine venues, and is a popular writing instructor and freelance editor specializing in helping writers with their submission packages. She lives with her husband and children in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she was named 2019 Writer-in-Residence for the Public Library of Cincinnati & Hamilton County and awarded an Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Award for 2024. 
 
In this episode:
How Jessica came up with the concept for her novel based on her life experiences [3:27]
Writing about domestic violence and underground networks in an empowering way [6:47]
Using nature as a setting [10:28]
Her decision making process for writing the POV of one character, when many are available [12:48]
Ending chapters with emotional beats [18:28]
How to keep raising the stakes in a book by bringing out the tension in relationships  [22:32]
Dealing with the “muddle in the middle” [21:18]
Secrets of writing using dialogue, action and reflection [24:55]
Thinking of a book in terms of an arc, not an outline [28:24]
Using time as a device to create a sense of urgency and move the story forward [29:26]
Jessica’s role as Editor at Large at Writer’s Digest [29:44]
 
Connect with Jessica
 
Website: https://jessicastrawser.com 
Facebook: https://facebook.com/Jessicastrawserauthor
Instagram: https://instagram.com/Jessicastrawserauthor 
 
The Last Caretaker on Estelle’s Bookshop 
https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-last-caretaker-jessica-strawser/19674038?ean=9781662510229



Other Episodes Featuring Novelists
Episode #95: The Catalysts and Craft for Charting and Plotting Novels Featuring Ann Hood
https://estelleserasmus.com/95-the-catalysts-and-craft-for-charting-and-plotting-novels-featuring-ann-hood/
 
Episode #89 Level Up Your Novel By Mastering Visual Imagery and Research
https://estelleserasmus.com/89-level-up-your-novel-by-mastering-visual-imagery-and-research/
 
Episode #70 Writing a YA Romance Novel
https://estelleserasmus.com/70-writing-a-ya-romance-novel-with-jennifer-chen/
Episode #63 Witchy Writing With the Shit No One Tells You About Writing Host, Bianca Marais
https://estelleserasmus.com/63-witchy-writing-with-bianca-marais/
 
Episode #47 The Way Life and Writing Should Be With William Dameron
https://estelleserasmus.com/episode-47-the-way-life-and-writing-should-be-with-william-dameron/
 
Episode #45 Writing Women Are the Fiercest Creatures
https://estelleserasmus.com/45-writing-women-are-the-fiercest-creatures/
 
Episode #37 Writing On Fire Island with Jane L. Rosen
https://estelleserasmus.com/37-writing-on-fire-island/
 
Episode #33 My What If Year with Author Alisha Fernandez Miranda
https://estelleserasmus.com/33-my-what-if-year-with-author-alisha-fernandez-miranda/
 
Episode #32 Parallel Lives: Meshing Journalism Into Fiction Writing with Vanessa Hua
https://estelleserasmus.com/32-parallel-lives-meshing-journalism-into-fiction-writing-with-vanessa-hua/

Ann Hood is the author of a dozen books of memoir and fiction, including the bestselling novels THE BOOK THAT MATTERS MOST and THE KNITTING CIRCLE, and editor of the anthologies KNITTING YARNS and KNITTING PEARLS. She lives in Providence, Rhode Island, and New York.
 
In this episode:
How Ann came up with the concept for her book [2:12]
Writing characters born from life experience and cultural history [7:06]
The elements of research in historical novels [9:06]
The Kirkus Review that changed the trajectory of Ann’s career [12:54]
Navigating through multiple POVs [16:38]
Food as a character in the novel and as a portal for emotion [19:55]
How Ann tracks timelines [21:42]
Finding the patterns throughout a book [22:48]
Ann’s favorite part of the publishing process [27:34]
 
Connect with Ann
Website: https://www.annhood.us/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/annhood56
 
Facebook: https://facebook.com/annmariehood/
 
Ann’s episode on her book Flygirl 
Episode #35 Flying High with Storyteller Ann Hood
https://estelleserasmus.com/35-flying-high-with-storyteller-ann-hood/
 
Get Ann’s novel The Stolen Child on Estelle’s Bookshop
https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-stolen-child-ann-hood/20610013?ean=9780393609806
 
Connect with Estelle:
 
​​FREE PITCHING GUIDE: Find out more about this episode at 
https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast. You also get a free pitching guide if you sign up for her newsletter.



Sign up for Estelle’s Personal Essay Class for Writer’s Digest 
https://www.writersonlineworkshops.com/courses/writing-the-personal-essay-101-fundamentals
 
See Estelle’s latest blog post with news
https://estelleserasmus.com/a-few-pieces-of-exciting-news/




Get Her Book 
Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: https://rb.gy/5ihwp0
 
Sign up for her Substack https://estelleserasmus.substack.com (with craft advice and writing opportunities). Paid subscribers receive opportunities for pitch reviews, plus bonus clips from Freelance Writing Direct guests
 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@EstelleSErasmus
 
Estelle’s Latest Articles
I’m Learning to Listen in New Ways (Shondaland)
https://www.shondaland.com/live/family/a46102451/im-learning-to-listen-in-new-ways/



What to Do PreLaunch to Get Your Book Noticed (Writer’s Digest)
https://www.writersdigest.com/getting-published/what-to-do-pre-launch-to-get-your-book-noticed
 
How to Resist the Temptation of AI When Writing (Wired)
https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-resist-ai-temptation-writing/



Other Recent Episodes Focused on Novelists 
Episode #89 Level Up Your Novel By Focusing on Visual Imagery and Research
https://estelleserasmus.com/89-level-up-your-novel-by-mastering-visual-imagery-and-research/
 
Episode #70 Writing a YA Romance Novel
https://estelleserasmus.com/70-writing-a-ya-romance-novel-with-jennifer-chen/
 
Episode #63 Witchy Writing with the Host of the Shit Noone Tells You About Writing, Bianca Marais
https://estelleserasmus.com/63-witchy-writing-with-bianca-marais/
 
Episode #47 The Way Life and Writing Should Be
https://estelleserasmus.com/episode-47-the-way-life-and-writing-should-be-with-william-dameron/
 

Sue William Silverman is an award-winning author of eight works of nonfiction and poetry. Her most recent book is Acetylene Torch Songs: Writing True Stories to Ignite the Soul. Her previous book, How to Survive Death and Other Inconveniences, won the gold star in Foreword Reviews Indie Book of the Year Award and the Clara Johnson Award for Women’s Literature. Other works include Love Sick: One Woman’s Journey through Sexual Addiction, made into a Lifetime TV movie; Because I Remember Terror, Father, I Remember You, which won the AWP Award; and The Pat Boone Fan Club: My Life as a White Anglo-Saxon Jew. She is faculty co-chair in the MFA in Writing Program at Vermont College of Fine Arts.
 
How Sue came up with the title ‘Acetylene Torch Songs' [2:54]
Writing down situation, emotions and dialogue that grip the reader [4:24]
Addressing the gap in memory [7:03]
Crafting the “Aware” and “Unaware” voice in memoir [11:06]
The untruth about only writing about headline heavy events [16:53]
The power of small moments, sensory language and metaphors [20:54]
Employing texture for the ending of your essay [24:41]
The key distinction between writing an essay collection vs. memoir [29:24]



Connect with Sue:
Website: https://www.suewilliamsilverman.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SueWilliamSilverman
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suewilliamsilverman/
 
Recent Episodes with Other Writing Teachers
Episode #87 Writing Memoir That Reads Like a Novel and Captivates on Every Page Featuring Joanna Rakoff
https://estelleserasmus.com/87-writing-memoir-that-reads-like-a-novel-and-captivates-on-every-page-featuring-joanna-rakoff/
 
Episode #85 Jumping Genres in Writing Featuring Melissa Hart
https://estelleserasmus.com/85-jumping-genres-in-writing-and-advice-on-successfully-submitting-to-awp/
 
Episode #83 Writing Your Way Into an Engaging and Enthralling Story Featuring Abigail Thomas
https://estelleserasmus.com/83-writing-your-way-into-an-engaging-and-enthralling-story-featuring-abigail-thomas/
 
Episode #81 The Art of Writing A Compelling Story Featuring Maggie Smith
https://estelleserasmus.com/81-the-art-of-shaping-a-compelling-story-featuring-maggie-smith/



Connect with Estelle:
 
​​FREE PITCHING GUIDE: Find out more about this episode at 
https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast. You also get a free pitching guide if you sign up for her newsletter.



Sign up for Estelle’s Personal Essay Class for Writer’s Digest 
https://www.writersonlineworkshops.com/courses/writing-the-personal-essay-101-fundamentals
 
See Estelle’s latest blog post with news
https://estelleserasmus.com/a-few-pieces-of-exciting-news/



Get Her Book 
Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: https://rb.gy/5ihwp0
 
Sign up for her Substack https://estelleserasmus.substack.com (with craft advice and writing opportunities). Paid subscribers receive opportunities for pitch reviews, plus bonus clips from Freelance Writing Direct guests
 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@EstelleSErasmus
 
Estelle’s Latest Articles
I’m Learning to Listen in New Ways (Shondaland)
https://www.shondaland.com/live/family/a46102451/im-learning-to-listen-in-new-ways/



What to Do PreLaunch to Get Your Book Noticed (Writer’s Digest)
https://www.writersdigest.com/getting-published/what-to-do-pre-launch-to-get-your-book-noticed
 
How to Resist the Temptation of AI When Writing (Wired)
https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-resist-ai-temptation-writing/

Mimi Zieman is a writer, physician, and speaker with a new memoir, Tap Dancing on Everest, about the risks we take to become our truest selves. She’s written a play, The Post-Roe Monologues, that has been performed in multiple cities and has co-authored 16 editions of a medical guide, Managing Contraception. Her writing has appeared in Newsweek, The Sun Magazine, Ms. Magazine, The Forward, NBC News THINK, and other publications. She did her OB/GYN training at Columbia University and is an advocate for reproductive rights, having served as Director of Family Planning, Emory University School of Medicine, Chief Medical Officer Planned Parenthood Southeast and as an advisor to the CDC working on contraceptive guidelines. Her newsletter provides medical news along with inspiration from art and nature. 
 
In this episode:
Mimi’s career shift from working in the medical field to writing a memoir [1:11]
Ignoring “expert” advice and focusing on what works for you [5:55]
How she used throughlines to address multiple topics [9:34]
The genesis of her book’s title [11:45]
Writing about her cultural and religious background and family history to honor her ancestors [13:35]
Cultivating the book’s structure [16:40]
Adding poetry, metaphor and alliteration to enhance the book on the sentence and word level [22:40]
Finding that inciting incident that starts the book off [24:50]
Pushing through difficult moments to find the gold [27:00]
Writing to capture a universal experience for the reader [27:24]
The benefits of using precise language to build credibility [28:35]
 
Connect with Mimi
Website: https://www.mimiziemanmd.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mimiziemanmd
Instagram: https://instagram.com/mimiziemanmd
Facebook: https://facebook.com/mimiziemanmd
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@mimiziemanmd
 
Other Episodes Featuring Memoirists
 
Episode #87 Writing Memoir That Reads Like a Novel and Captivates on Every Page Featuring Joanna Rakoff  
https://estelleserasmus.com/87-writing-memoir-that-reads-like-a-novel-and-captivates-on-every-page-featuring-joanna-rakoff/
Episode #83 Writing Your Way into An Engaging and Enthralling Story Featuring Abigail Thomas 
https://estelleserasmus.com/83-writing-your-way-into-an-engaging-and-enthralling-story-featuring-abigail-thomas/
Episode #81 The Art of Shaping a Compelling Story Featuring Maggie Smith
https://estelleserasmus.com/81-the-art-of-shaping-a-compelling-story-featuring-maggie-smith/ 
Episode #79 Being Vulnerable on the Page and Finding Empathy In Your Heart Featuring Amy Ferris
https://estelleserasmus.com/79-being-vulnerable-on-the-page-and-finding-empathy-in-your-heart/
Episode #44 Telling Your Stories without Shame or Apology
https://estelleserasmus.com/44-telling-your-stories-without-shame-or-apology/
Episode #40 My Father’s List
https://estelleserasmus.com/40-my-fathers-list-and-laura-carney/
Episode #39 The Literary Gifts of the Leaving Season
https://estelleserasmus.com/39-the-literary-gifts-of-the-leaving-season/
Episode #38 Cheryl Strayed on Writing and Tiny Beautiful Things
https://estelleserasmus.com/38-cheryl-strayed-on-writing-and-tiny-beautiful-things/
Episode #35 Flying High with Storyteller Ann Hood
https://estelleserasmus.com/35-flying-high-with-storyteller-ann-hood/
Episode #33 My What If Year
https://estelleserasmus.com/33-my-what-if-year-with-author-alisha-fernandez-miranda/





Connect with Estelle:
 
​​FREE PITCHING GUIDE: Find out more about this episode at 
https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast. You also get a free pitching guide if you sign up for her newsletter.



Sign up for Estelle’s Personal Essay Class for Writer’s Digest 
https://www.writersonlineworkshops.com/courses/writing-the-personal-essay-101-fundamentals
 
See Estelle’s latest blog post with news
https://estelleserasmus.com/a-few-pieces-of-exciting-news/



Get Her Book 
Writing Th

Lara Lillibridge (she/they) is the author of  The Truth About Unringing Phones: Essays on Yearning; Mama, Mama, Only Mama: An Irreverent Guide for the Newly Single Parent, and Girlish: Growing Up in a Lesbian Home. Lara is the Interviews Editor for Hippocampus Magazine and Creative Nonfiction Co-editor for HeartWood Literary Magazine. She holds an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from West Virginia Wesleyan College
 
In this episode:
How she approached writing about tough family topics [3:04]
Building bridges into each chapter of your book [5:18]
Developing a writing practice after you’ve lost your words [7:44]
The surprising genesis of Lara’s book’s title and how it works as a throughline [10:03]
How Lara found her publisher [13:16]
The importance of audio rights to your book with the advent of AI [16:31]
The trauma of writing about difficult relationships and the importance of self-care [21:11]
Researching family history with handy online tools[23:20]
Lara’s work as Interviews editor for Hippocampus Magazine [28:08]
 
Connect with Lara:
 
Twitter: @Only_Mama  
Facebook: @LaraBethLillibridge  
Instagram: @LaraLillibridge 
Website: www.LaraLillibridge.com
 
Lara’s Interview with Estelle on Hippocampus Magazine
https://hippocampusmagazine.com/2024/04/interview-with-estelle-erasmus-author-of-writing-that-gets-noticed/



Connect with Estelle:
 
​​FREE PITCHING GUIDE: Find out more about this episode at 
https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast. You also get a free pitching guide if you sign up for her newsletter.
 
Sign up for Estelle’s Personal Essay Class for Writer’s Digest 
https://www.writersonlineworkshops.com/courses/writing-the-personal-essay-101-fundamentals
 
See Estelle’s latest blog post with news
https://estelleserasmus.com/a-few-pieces-of-exciting-news/
 
Get Her Book 
Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: https://rb.gy/5ihwp0
 
Sign up for her Substack https://estelleserasmus.substack.com (with craft advice and writing opportunities). Paid subscribers receive opportunities for pitch reviews, plus bonus clips from Freelance Writing Direct guests
 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@EstelleSErasmus
 
Estelle’s Latest Articles
I’m Learning to Listen in New Ways (Shondaland)
https://www.shondaland.com/live/family/a46102451/im-learning-to-listen-in-new-ways/



What to Do PreLaunch to Get Your Book Noticed (Writer’s Digest)
https://www.writersdigest.com/getting-published/what-to-do-pre-launch-to-get-your-book-noticed