Freelance Writing Direct with Estelle: Conversations with authors, journalists, agents, novelists, memoirists, niche writers, publishers, writing teachers, assigning editors and media experts.

Zibby Owens is an author, award-winning podcaster, entrepreneur and CEO. Owens founded Zibby Media, a privately held media company in 2018 with her award-winning podcast Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books. The company has since grown to include the publishing house Zibby Books, the magazine, Zibby Mag, the podcast Network, Zibby Audio, the education platform, Zibby Classes and community events like retreats, a book club, and a writing community. She was celebrated as New York's most powerful book-fluencer by New York Magazine. Owens is a regular contributor to Good Morning America and other broadcast outlets. She's the author of the memoir Bookends, a memoir of love loss in literature, the children's book, Princess Charming, and the editor of Two Anthologies. Owens is a graduate of Yale University in Harvard Business School. She lives in New York with her husband, Kyle Owens of Morning Moon Productions, and her four children. In this episode: How Zibby started her publishing company. Tips for telling an interesting story. What types of books Zibby is looking to publish through Zibby Books. How Zibby manages multiple business ventures. Finding community in the publishing world. Connect with Zibby: Website: https://www.zibbyowens.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zibbyowens/ Zibby Media: https://www.zibbyowens.com/zibby-media-overview BLANK: A NOVEL: https://www.zibbyowens.com/blank Zibby's Books: https://www.zibbyowens.com/writing Connect with Estelle: Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: Available for pre-order. https://lnkd.in/eyxFTpcA Adjunct Instructor, NYU https://www.sps.nyu.edu/professional-pathways/faculty/1068-estelle-erasmus.html (Sign up for my latest classes) Recipient 2023 NYU SPS Teaching Excellence Award Sign up for my newsletter: https://estelleserasmus.com Sign up for my substack https://estelleserasmus.substack.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/EstelleSErasmus Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@estelleserasmus

When Ann was in seventh grade, she read a book called How To Become An Airline Stewardess that fueled her desire to see the world. In Ann's words: "And that's just what I did when I graduated from URI--I went to work for TWA as a flight attendant. Back then, I thought you needed adventures in order to be a writer. Of course, I know now that all you need, as Eudora Welty said, is to sit on your own front porch. But I did see a lot of the world with TWA, and I moved from Boston to St. Louis and finally to NYC, a place I'd dreamed of living ever since I watched Doris Day movies as a little girl. I wrote my first novel, Somewhere Off the Coast of Maine, on international flights and on the Train to the Plane, which was the subway out to JFK. It was published in 1987. Since then, I've published in The New York Times, The Paris Review, O, Bon Appetit, Tin House, The Atlantic Monthly, Real Simple, and other wonderful places; and I've won two Pushcart Prizes, two Best American Food Writing Awards, Best American Spiritual Writing and Travel Writing Awards, and a Boston Public Library Literary Light Award. In this episode: How Ann's flight attendant background inspired her writing Picking a time container to set your story in Writing about grief and loss after personal experiences Finding a writing process that works for each individual person Tips for getting figuring out the freelance market Advice on crafting your writing for the Modern Love column Connect with Ann: Website: https://www.annhood.us/ Connect with Estelle: Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: Available for pre-order. https://lnkd.in/eyxFTpcA Adjunct Instructor, NYU https://www.sps.nyu.edu/professional-pathways/faculty/1068-estelle-erasmus.html (Sign up for my latest classes) Recipient 2023 NYU SPS Teaching Excellence Award Sign up for my newsletter: https://estelleserasmus.com Sign up for my substack https://estelleserasmus.substack.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/EstelleSErasmus Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@estelleserasmus Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/estelle.sobel.erasmus/ Estelle's Classes: https://estelleserasmus.com/teaching-speaking/ Email Estelle: freelancewritingdirect@gmail.com for Sponsorship opportunities.

Dawn Raffel's sixth book, Boundless as the Sky, is just out. In a starred advance review, Publishers Weekly wrote, "Raffel draws inspiration from Italo Calvino's Invisible Cities and the history of Chicago's 1933 World's Fair for this sublime collection.... This is one to savor." Her previous book, The Strange Case of Dr. Couney, was chosen as one of NPR's best books of 2018 and awarded a Christopher Award for books that affirm the highest values of the human spirit. Previous books include a memoir, a novel, and two story collections. Her writing has appeared in O, The Oprah Magazine, BOMB, New Philosopher, The San Francisco Chronicle, Conjunctions, Open City, The Anchor Book of New American Short Stories and numerous other periodicals and anthologies. Following a long run as a senior-level magazine editor, she is now the fiction editor of the Northwest Review and works as an independent editor for individuals and creative organizations. She teaches at the Center for Fiction and International Literary Seminars, and serves as a mentor at the Association of Writers and Writing Programs. In this episode: How to become a better writer when you have little time to focus on writing Tips on writing a big story with lots of resources. Putting together a system for researching stories for books Finding a structure in longer pieces Writing a Diptych Actionable tips about writing Dawn's best tips for self editing What writing teachers need to provide their students Connect with Dawn Website: https://www.dawnraffel.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawnraffel/ Boundless as the Sky The Strange Case of Dr. Couney Dawn's photo credit for her headshot is Claire Holt. Connect with Estelle: Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: Available for pre-order. https://lnkd.in/eyxFTpcA Adjunct Instructor, NYU https://www.sps.nyu.edu/professional-pathways/faculty/1068-estelle-erasmus.html (Sign up for my latest classes) Recipient 2023 NYU SPS Teaching Excellence Award Sign up for my newsletter: https://estelleserasmus.com Sign up for my substack https://estelleserasmus.substack.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/EstelleSErasmus Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@estelleserasmus Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/estelle.sobel.erasmus/ Estelle's Classes: https://estelleserasmus.com/teaching-speaking/ Email Estelle: freelancewritingdirect@gmail.com for Sponsorship opportunities.

Alisha Fernandez Miranda is the author of My What If Year, which was released in February 2023. Detailing her year of unpaid internships in the dream jobs of her childhood, the book follows Alisha on her quest to figure out what might have happened if her life had taken a different path. Alisha and her story have been featured on Good Morning America, CNN, MSNBC and as one of People's Best New Books. She serves as former CEO and current Chair at I.G. Advisors, an award-winning social impact intelligence agency that consults with the world's biggest non-profits, companies and foundations on their philanthropy and social impact. Alisha is a proud graduate of Harvard University and the London School of Economics. Her writing has been published in Vogue, Romper, The Good Trade, Insider and more. She currently lives in Scotland with her husband and children. In this episode: How Alisha came up with the idea for her book, and brought it to life Working with Zibby Owen's publishing company How Alisha wrote a book based on her life experiences while building a company, traveling, and being a mom How she incorporates her family into her adventures What's next for Alisha? Connect with Alisha: Website: https://www.alishafmiranda.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alishafmiranda/ Connect with Estelle: Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: Available for pre-order. https://lnkd.in/eyxFTpcA Adjunct Instructor, NYU https://www.sps.nyu.edu/professional-pathways/faculty/1068-estelle-erasmus.html (Sign up for my latest classes) https://www.sps.nyu.edu/professional-pathways/faculty/1068-estelle-erasmus.html Recipient 2023 NYU SPS Teaching Excellence Award YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FreelanceWritingDirect Sign up for my substack https://estelleserasmus.substack.com Website: https://estelleserasmus.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/EstelleSErasmus Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@estelleserasmus Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/estelle.sobel.erasmus/ Estelle's Classes: https://estelleserasmus.com/teaching-speaking/ Estelle's Substack: https://estelleserasmus.substack.com Email Estelle: freelancewritingdirect@gmail.com

Vanessa Hua is the author of the national bestsellers A River of Stars and Forbidden City, as well as Deceit and Other Possibilities, a New York Times Editors Pick. A National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellow, she has also received a Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers' Award, the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature, and a Steinbeck Fellowship in Creative Writing, as well as awards from the Society of Professional Journalists, the Asian American Journalists Association, among others. A former longtime columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle, her work has appeared in publications including the New York Times, Washington Post, and The Atlantic. She is a Visiting Writer at Saint Mary's College of California, and has taught at the Warren Wilson MFA Program, Sewanee Writers Conference, and elsewhere. The daughter of Chinese immigrants, she lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family. In this episode: How Vanessa meshes her journalism background into her fiction writing Tips for building scenes in your writing Pantser or Plotter: Which is she? How Vanessa has shifted genres throughout her career Connect with Vanessa: Twitter: https://twitter.com/vanessa_hua Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mononoke97/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/vanessahuawriter Website: www.vanessahua.com Connect with Estelle: Website: https://estelleserasmus.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/EstelleSErasmus Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@estelleserasmus Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/estelle.sobel.erasmus/ Estelle's Classes: https://estelleserasmus.com/teaching-speaking/ Estelle's Substack: https://estelleserasmus.substack.com Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: Available for pre-order. https://lnkd.in/eyxFTpcA Email Estelle: freelancewritingdirect@gmail.com

Linda Lowen is a Syracuse, NY-based writer, editor, writing instructor, and freelance reviewer/critic. She is a book reviewer for Publishers Weekly covering Adult Memoir/Nonfiction, and Children's Fiction/Nonfiction including YA, middle grade, graphic novels and picture books. She's a theater critic at the Syracuse Post-Standard / syracuse.com, and she reviews for Blue Ink Review which focuses on the self-publishing industry. Linda's nonfiction has been published in the Sunday New York Times and in "Tiny Love Stories: True Tales of Love in 100 Words or Less" (Artisan Books 2020). She's the author of her hometown's first travel guidebook, "100 Things to Do in Syracuse Before You Die," (Reedy Press 2022) and her next book "Secret Syracuse: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure," will be published in Fall 2023. Both were written in a tight, condensed time frame under contract: 100 days for "100 Things," and less than 60 days for "Secret Syracuse." In her previous life, she was an award-winning radio/television producer and talk show host in upstate New York, and content creator for MSN.com and the New York Times Company-owned website About.com. She also works with New Bridge Educational Consulting as an Essay Specialist advising high school students applying to college on best practices in writing their admissions essays. She specializes in short-form creative nonfiction, and teaches online and at conferences and workshops throughout the Northeast. In this episode: The benefit of restricting yourself to a niche. How to tell a narrative with less words. Tips on bringing out the story behind the emotion. Practicing self-care while writing a book Connect with Linda: Website: https://lindalowen.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linda-lowen/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alwayswantedtowrite/ Connect with Estelle: Website: https://estelleserasmus.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/EstelleSErasmus Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@estelleserasmus Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/estelle.sobel.erasmus/ Estelle's Classes: https://estelleserasmus.com/teaching-speaking/ Estelle's Substack: https://estelleserasmus.substack.com Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: Available for pre-order. https://lnkd.in/eyxFTpcA Connect with Sherry: Website: https://sherrybeckpaprocki.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paprockisherry/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sherry.paprocki Twitter: https://twitter.com/sherrypaprocki Book: www.freelancefancy.com If you've enjoyed our podcast, please leave us a review. Reviews help bring our podcast in front of more people. We want to hear from you. For questions, ideas for future episodes, and thoughts on our episodes, email us at freelancewritingdirect@gmail.com.

Kim Foley MacKinnon is a Boston-based editor, journalist, and travel writer. She is the executive editor of Girl Camper Magazine, and is currently serving as the president of the Society of American Travel Writers, the country's most esteemed travel writing organization. Over the past 15 years, her work has appeared in the Boston Globe, AAA Horizons, Daily Candy, Global Traveler, Business Traveller, Lola, Boston Herald, Parents magazine, Bay State Parent, and many other publications. She has also written four guidebooks and contributed to several others. Her latest book is 100 Things to Do on Cape Cod & the Islands. In this episode: How Kim started writing about travel. Advice for getting started writing in the travel industry. Finding your niche in travel writing. Details on joining Society of American Travel Writers Connect with Kim: Website: https://www.escapewithkim.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-foley-mackinnon-160b996/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/escapewithkim/ Girl Camper: https://girlcamper.com Connect with Estelle: Website: https://estelleserasmus.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/EstelleSErasmus Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@estelleserasmus Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/estelle.sobel.erasmus/ Estelle's Classes: https://estelleserasmus.com/teaching-speaking/ Estelle's Substack: https://estelleserasmus.substack.com Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: Available for pre-order. https://lnkd.in/eyxFTpcA Connect with Sherry: Website: https://sherrybeckpaprocki.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paprockisherry/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sherry.paprocki Twitter: https://twitter.com/sherrypaprocki Book: www.freelancefancy.com If you've enjoyed our podcast, please leave us a review. Reviews help bring our podcast in front of more people. We want to hear from you. For questions, ideas for future episodes, and thoughts on our episodes, email us at freelancewritingdirect@gmail.com.

Sheryl Ziegler, Psy.D. is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and a Play Therapist in private practice. She is the author of Mommy Burnout: how to reclaim your life and raise healthier children in the process. She is a regular national and local news contributor on topics related to parenting and mental health and did a Tedx talk on "Why Moms are Miserable" which is all about the power of connection. She is the host of Dr. Sheryl's PodCouch and the founder of the parent-child puberty course, Start with the Talk. She is a frequent speaker on chronic stress, parenting and burnout both in the workplace and at home. Dr. Ziegler is Colorado's NBC affiliate (9News) Parenting Expert for the franchise series Mental Health & Me. In this episode: Tips and tricks on getting great sound bites from the people you are interviewing. Examples of effective sound bites — and why they work. The benefits of working with a ghostwriter. Connect with Sheryl: Website: https://drsherylziegler.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrSherylZiegler LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drsherylziegler/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsherylziegler/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mommyburnout Connect with Estelle: Website: https://estelleserasmus.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/EstelleSErasmus Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@estelleserasmus Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/estelle.sobel.erasmus/ Estelle's Classes: https://estelleserasmus.com/teaching-speaking/ Estelle's Substack: https://estelleserasmus.substack.com Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: Available for pre-order. https://lnkd.in/eyxFTpcA Connect with Sherry: Website: https://sherrybeckpaprocki.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paprockisherry/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sherry.paprocki Twitter: https://twitter.com/sherrypaprocki Book: www.freelancefancy.com If you've enjoyed our podcast, please leave us a review. Reviews help bring our podcast in front of more people. We want to hear from you. For questions, ideas for future episodes, and thoughts on our episodes, email us at freelancewritingdirect@gmail.com.

Shelby Leigh is a bestselling poet who writes about mental health, self love, healing, and more. She is a mental health advocate and a book marketing strategist. She has been writing on internet for more than 7 years, amassing a following of more than 500,000 readers. She is the author of the #1 best selling book Changing with the Tides, and just released the book Girl Made of Glass. Shelby empowers writers to show up on social media and promote their books through courses and guides. In this episode: How Shelby started sharing her poems online. The marketing aspect of writing a book. "BookTok" and advice for creating content on TikTok. Connect with Shelby: Website: https://shelbyleigh.co/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shelbyleighpoetry/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shelbyleighpoetry Twitter: https://twitter.com/shelbyleighpoet YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@shelbyleighpoetry Connect with Estelle: Website: https://estelleserasmus.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/EstelleSErasmus Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@estelleserasmus Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/estelle.sobel.erasmus/ Estelle's Classes: https://estelleserasmus.com/classes Estelle's Substack: https://estelleserasmus.substack.com Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: Available for pre-order. https://lnkd.in/eyxFTpcA Connect with Sherry: Website: https://sherrybeckpaprocki.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paprockisherry/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sherry.paprocki Twitter: https://twitter.com/sherrypaprocki Book: www.freelancefancy.com If you've enjoyed our podcast, please leave us a review. Reviews help bring our podcast in front of more people.

Stacey is a former senior editor at Remodeling Magazine, and today she writes mostly about the Build World from her home in Pittsford, New York. You can find her by-lines in publications like Better Homes and Gardens and USA Today Special Interest Publications, AARP online; Forbes.com; REALTOR magazine; Professional Builder; Products; Professional Remodeler; Custom Builder; Timber Home Living, Country's Best Cabins, Remodeling, Window & Door Magazine, Rochester Magazine, Canandaigua Magazine, Net Assets; AKC's Family Dog; Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, Washington Post, Baltimore Jewish Times. She is also the co-author of Hiking the Catskills: A Guide to the Area's Greatest Hikes. Stacey holds an MFA from George Mason University and has taught writing at George Mason, George Washington, Marymount and Georgetown University. She also teaches at the writers center in Washington D.C. and Writers and Books in Monroe Community College in Rochester, New York. Her essay, Tourist No More, which is her contribution to the book She Can Find Her Way: Women Travelers at Their Best was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. She is currently working on a novel. When not writing, Stacey loves to hike, read and bake – but, of course, not all at once. In this episode: The importance of creating relationships with editors. Tips Stacey learned through her journey in freelancing. How Stacey balanced writing a book, while still writing and publishing articles. Stacey's advice on productivity. Connect with Stacey: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacey-freed-0099573/ Connect with Estelle: Website: https://estelleserasmus.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/EstelleSErasmus Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@estelleserasmus Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/estelle.sobel.erasmus/ Estelle's Classes: https://estelleserasmus.com/classes Estelle's Substack: https://estelleserasmus.substack.com Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: Available for pre-order. https://lnkd.in/eyxFTpcA Connect with Sherry: Website: https://sherrybeckpaprocki.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paprockisherry/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sherry.paprocki Twitter: https://twitter.com/sherrypaprocki Book: www.freelancefancy.com If you've enjoyed our podcast, please leave us a review. Reviews help bring our podcast in front of more people. We want to hear from you. For questions, ideas for future episodes, and thoughts on our episodes, email us at freelancewritingdirect@gmail.com.