Freelance Writing Direct with Estelle: Conversations with authors, journalists, agents, novelists, memoirists, niche writers, publishers, writing teachers, assigning editors and media experts.
Want to get published or land a book deal? Join TEDx speaker and author Estelle Erasmus for smart writing tips, publishing insights, and behind-the-scenes advice for fiction writers, memoirists, and authors at every stage. Winner of the 2025 Podcast of the Year (Education) from the American Writing Awards, Freelance Writing Direct is your go-to podcast for writing tips, publishing advice, and insider strategies to help you get published—whether in essays, memoir, fiction, books, or journalism. Hosted by Estelle Erasmus—award-winning journalist, TEDx speaker, NYU writing professor, and author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a “Best Book for Writers” by Poets & Writers)—this show blends writing craft, career strategy, and behind-the-scenes publishing insight. Each week, Estelle shares short, practical episodes full of: Writing tips for essays, memoir, and books Pitch strategies that get editors' attention Publishing advice from agents and bestselling authors Solo episodes, coaching episodes and candid conversations with industry insiders Whether you're just starting your freelance writing journey or aiming for your next book deal, you’ll find actionable tools, story prompts, and the momentum you need to grow your writing career. Listeners often ask: *How do I get published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, or WIRED? *What writing tips will make my voice stand out? *How do I find an agent or land a book deal? *What do editors actually want? *How do I shape my personal story for publication? You're in the right place. It’s time to elevate your writing—with Freelance Writing Direct. 🎙️ About Estelle Erasmus Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, TEDx speaker, and author of Writing That Gets Noticed. She’s a Contributing Editor for Writer’s Digest, an adjunct writing professor at NYU, and the former editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Estelle’s work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, AARP, Next Avenue, and The Independent, among 150+ other outlets. She is also the host of Freelance Writing Direct, named the 2025 Podcast of the Year in the Education category by the American Writing Awards. Learn more: estelleserasmus.com Newsletter: estelleserasmus.substack.com Social: @EstelleSErasmus on Instagram, X, Threads, and LinkedIn
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#172 A Year in Motion: Writing, Teaching, and Publishing in Real Time
01/01/2026
#172 A Year in Motion: Writing, Teaching, and Publishing in Real Time
In this solo recap episode, Estelle Erasmus reflects on a year shaped by creative momentum, personal loss, and professional growth. As she approaches 200 podcast episodes, expands her teaching at NYU and Writer’s Digest, and leads small-group workshops, she considers what this season revealed and what she is carrying forward into 2026. She also revisits major moments including her TEDx talk, How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond, students publishing in outlets like Modern Love, Brevity, The Boston Globe, The Kenyon Review, Audacity, and Business Insider, and the shifting landscape of personal essay publishing. Alongside these milestones, she reflects on grief, travel, and how lived experience continues to inform the work, even when it is not yet ready for the public eye. In this episode: Momentum through teaching, publishing, and consistency [1:18] Balancing accountability in long-term memoir work [14:38] The shrinking personal essay market and why strategic placement matters [17:53] Using AI as a support tool for brainstorming and structure [18:20] Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/nVLCzIpWlcI Get More from Estelle Upcoming Webinar with Writer’s Digest: Amplifying the Echo Effect in Memoir and Essays, February 26th, 1:00-2:30 pm ET If you want to understand how patterns, callbacks, and emotional echoes can deepen your work, join me for this brand new interactive craft webinar. 🎓 Learn with Estelle: • NYU Zoom Course: Writing About Your Life Through Memoir & Essays — Discover how to beat writer’s block, shape a powerful narrative, pitch editors, and walk away with a ready-to-publish essay or memoir pages. . Private Small-Group Memoir Class — January and March are sold out. Next 6-week session begins May 2026. Email me at freelancewritingdirect@gmail.com for details and to get on the waiting list. 📰 Read & Subscribe • :— NEW POST: How to Pitch Slate: Advice, Ideas and Examples on How to Write Articles and Essays from NYU My Editor-on-Call Event • Newsletter: Sign up at for show updates + a free Pitching Guide. 🎤 Watch: 📘 Book: — named a Poets & Writers “Best Book for Writers.” 🎧 Listen: — 2025 Podcast of the Year (American Writing Awards) About Estelle Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist,TEDx Speaker, author of Writing That Gets Noticed, and host of Freelance Writing Direct. A contributing editor for Writer’s Digest and adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP The Magazine. She has served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Follow Estelle: • Instagram: @EstelleSErasmus • TikTok: @EstelleSErasmus • Twitter: @EstelleSErasmus • BlueSky: @estelleserasmus.bsky.social
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#171 Musings on Writing Through Uncertainty with Abigail Thomas
12/25/2025
#171 Musings on Writing Through Uncertainty with Abigail Thomas
Memoir often begins where certainty ends, and that is exactly where Abigail Thomas feels most alive on the page. In this thoughtful conversation between friends, Estelle Erasmus and Abigail explore what it means to write through uncertainty, follow curiosity, and let small surprising moments become the heart of a story. This episode is for writers who crave honesty on the page, who wrestle with self-doubt, and who want practical ways to turn ordinary moments and uncomfortable memories into powerful stories. In This Episode: How Abby’s writing process starts with curiosity rather than structure [5:42] Why writing for yourself first can quiet doubt and deepen authenticity [10:42] The surprising moments that reshape a memoir while you’re writing it [14:08] What aging and memory loss have taught Abby about storytelling [16:24] Estelle’s own revelations while drafting her memoir [19:57] A simple exercise to unlock vulnerable, unexpected material [20:58] Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/dWoVEinON7c About Abigail Thomas Abigail Thomas has four children,12 grandchildren, two great grandchildren, eleven books, and a high school education. She was asked to leave Bryn Mawr freshman year when she told the Dean she was pregnant, and she never went back. She had always wanted to be a writer, but for a long time the closest she came was bopping around her kitchen to Paperback Writer, by the Beatles. When she was forty-eight, after an interesting adventure, when she got home, she left her ego outside, and began to write a story. It didn't work, but instead of crumpling it up saying "who do you think you are?" sat in a different chair, and another, and at the end of the afternoon, she had written a story. It was published in the Columbia Journal of Poetry and Prose. She had learned you have to keep at it. Writing is work of the best kind. She has written two short story collections, one novel and four works of non-fiction, including the memoirs Safekeeping; A Three Dog Life; What Comes Next and How to Like It; and a book about writing, Thinking about Memoir. Still Life at Eighty: The Next Interesting Thing is her latest memoir, published by Scribners in November 2024. Connect with Abigail Thomas: Substack Abigail Thomas/What Comes Next?: Estelle’s prior Episodes with Abby #116 #83 Get More from Estelle Upcoming Webinar with Writer’s Digest: Amplifying the Echo Effect in Memoir and Essays, February 26th, 1:00-2:30 pm ET If you want to understand how patterns, callbacks, and emotional echoes can deepen your work, join me for this brand new interactive craft webinar. 🎓 Learn with Estelle: • NYU Zoom Course: Writing About Your Life Through Memoir & Essays — Discover how to beat writer’s block, shape a powerful narrative, pitch editors, and walk away with a ready-to-publish essay or memoir pages. . Private Small-Group Memoir Class — January and March are sold out. Next 6-week session begins May 2026. Email me at freelancewritingdirect@gmail.com for details and to get on the waiting list. 📰 Read & Subscribe • :— NEW POST: How to Pitch Slate: Advice, Ideas and Examples on How to Write Articles and Essays from NYU My Editor-on-Call Event • Newsletter: Sign up at for show updates + a free Pitching Guide. 🎤 Watch: 📘 Book: — named a Poets & Writers “Best Book for Writers.” 🎧 Listen: — 2025 Podcast of the Year (American Writing Awards) About Estelle Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist,TEDx Speaker, author of Writing That Gets Noticed, and host of Freelance Writing Direct. A contributing editor for Writer’s Digest and adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP The Magazine. She has served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Follow Estelle: • Instagram: @EstelleSErasmus • TikTok: @EstelleSErasmus • Twitter: @EstelleSErasmus • BlueSky: @estelleserasmus.bsky.social
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#170 Braiding Cultural Context into Your Memoir with Melissa Fraterrigo
12/18/2025
#170 Braiding Cultural Context into Your Memoir with Melissa Fraterrigo
Estelle Erasmus sits down with award-winning author Melissa Fraterrigo, whose latest book, The Perils of Girlhood, is a memoir in essays that examines identity, fear, body image, motherhood, memory, and the cultural touchstones that shaped so many girls growing up in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Together, Estelle and Melissa explore the moments that define girlhood, from fear and body image to parenting, consent, pop culture, and the stories we carry into adulthood, and how writing about them can open conversations we rarely have out loud. In this episode: The real fears that follow girls into adulthood, from unsafe encounters to inherited anger How pop culture influences like Judy Blume, Madonna, and true crime stories shaped a generation The challenge of talking to teenage daughters about consent, body image, and safety Using braided essay structures to layer personal experience with cultural reality Turning difficult memories into narrative without judgment or sensationalism Why reading your work aloud can reveal emotional truth Teaching writing in a way that encourages students to find and trust their voice Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/unHd_sT5lZ8 About Melissa Fraterrigo Melissa Fraterrigo’s memoir, The Perils of Girlhood was published by the University of Nebraska Press in Fall 2025. She is also the author of the novel Glory Days (University of Nebraska Press), which was named one of “The Best Fiction Books of 2017” by the Chicago Review of Books as well as the short story collection The Longest Pregnancy (Livingston Press). Her fiction and nonfiction have appeared in numerous literary journals and anthologies from storySouth and Shenandoah to Notre Dame Review, Sou’wester and The Millions. She teaches creative writing at Purdue University, in the Butler University MFA in Creative Writing program, and is also the founder and executive director of the Lafayette Writers’ Studio in Lafayette, Indiana, where she offers classes on the art and craft of writing. She lives with her husband and two daughters in West Lafayette, Indiana and can be found at . Connect with Melissa: Website: The Perils of Girlhood: Instagram: Get More from Estelle Upcoming Webinar with Writer’s Digest: Amplifying the Echo Effect in Memoir and Essays, February 26th, 1:00-2:30 pm ET If you want to understand how patterns, callbacks, and emotional echoes can deepen your work, join me for this brand new interactive craft webinar. 🎓 Learn with Estelle: • NYU Zoom Course: Writing About Your Life Through Memoir & Essays — Discover how to beat writer’s block, shape a powerful narrative, pitch editors, and walk away with a ready-to-publish essay or memoir pages. . Private Small-Group Memoir Class — January and March are sold out. Next 6-week session begins May 2026. Email me at freelancewritingdirect@gmail.com for details and to get on the waiting list. 📰 Read & Subscribe • :— NEW POST: How to Pitch Slate: Advice, Ideas and Examples on How to Write Articles and Essays from NYU My Editor-on-Call Event • Newsletter: Sign up at for show updates + a free Pitching Guide. 🎤 Watch: 📘 Book: — named a Poets & Writers “Best Book for Writers.” 🎧 Listen: — 2025 Podcast of the Year (American Writing Awards) About Estelle Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist,TEDx Speaker, author of Writing That Gets Noticed, and host of Freelance Writing Direct. A contributing editor for Writer’s Digest and adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP The Magazine. She has served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Follow Estelle: • Instagram: @EstelleSErasmus • TikTok: @EstelleSErasmus • Twitter: @EstelleSErasmus • BlueSky: @estelleserasmus.bsky.social
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#169 Finding the Line: How a Linear Structure Brought a Memoir Into Focus with Heather Sweeney
12/11/2025
#169 Finding the Line: How a Linear Structure Brought a Memoir Into Focus with Heather Sweeney
Some lives resist easy summary, and Heather Sweeney’s was one of them. After two decades inside a military marriage, marked by relocations, solo parenting, and a gradual loss of personal direction, she knew she had a story, but not yet a shape. Estelle Erasmus talks with Heather about how she translated that long, complicated stretch of living into her memoir, Camouflage: How I Emerged from the Shadows of a Military Marriage. They discuss the early drafting that felt scattered, the challenge of seeing her own experience clearly, and why a straightforward linear structure ultimately gave the narrative its definition. Heather shares how moving chronologically helped her understand what moments carried weight, what could be left out, and how structure can reveal meaning that isn’t visible in real time. In this episode: How Heather determined that a linear structure best served her story [1:33] How she found the true “start” of her memoir [3:00] How she used a three part structure built around beginnings and endings [5:18] How reader responses to her early essay revealed a gap in stories about military divorce [7:02] Why the book needed forward motion instead of fragmentation [11:31] How she balanced writing about real people with protecting privacy [12:00] Turning years of journals into a clean storyline [13:21] How she considered weaving in military history or prescriptive elements, and why she chose to keep the memoir focused and personal [15:03] What she’s excited about next in her writing life [28:44] Why readers from all backgrounds connect with her story [30:06] Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/GlBYpm9Ac2Y About Heather Sweeney: Heather Sweeney is the author of the memoir Camouflage: How I Emerged from the Shadows of a Military Marriage. She writes about divorce, life as a military spouse, parenting, and women’s health, and her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, HuffPost, Business Insider, TODAY.com, Newsweek, Good Housekeeping, Healthline, Reader’s Digest and Military.com, among many others. She lives in Virginia with her boyfriend and two college-aged kids. Connect with Heather: Order Camouflage on Estelle's Bookshop https://bookshop.org/a/98827/9798895653081 Instagram: Substack: LinkedIn: X/Twitter: Get More from Estelle 🎓 Learn with Estelle: • NYU Zoom Course: Writing About Your Life Through Memoir & Essays — • Private Small-Group Memoir Class — JANUARY AND MARCH SOLD OUT. Next 6-week session begins May 2026. Email freelancewritingdirect@gmail.com for details and to get on the waiting list. 📰 Read & Subscribe • :— NEW POST: How to Pitch Slate: Advice, Ideas and Examples on How to Write Articles and Essays from NYU My Editor-on-Call Event • Newsletter: Sign up at for show updates + a free Pitching Guide. 🎤 Watch: 📘 Book: — named a Poets & Writers “Best Book for Writers.” 🎧 Listen: — 2025 Podcast of the Year (American Writing Awards) About Estelle Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist,TEDx Speaker, author of Writing That Gets Noticed, and host of Freelance Writing Direct. A contributing editor for Writer’s Digest and adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP The Magazine. She has served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Follow Estelle: • Instagram: @EstelleSErasmus • TikTok: @EstelleSErasmus • Twitter: @EstelleSErasmus • BlueSky: @estelleserasmus.bsky.social
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#168 The Making of A Modern Love Essay, “Negotiating the End of Us” with Leslie B. Blanchard
12/04/2025
#168 The Making of A Modern Love Essay, “Negotiating the End of Us” with Leslie B. Blanchard
Leslie B. Blanchard joins Freelance Writing Direct for a conversation about developing her Modern Love essay, finding the line that anchored the piece, writing honestly about anticipatory grief, discovering structure through revision, clarifying metaphor, understanding what makes a submission stand out, and learning what the story truly wanted to say.Modern Love essays aren’t accidents, they’re built from a bold hook, clear structure, and often, the courage to write through grief. In this episode of Freelance Writing Direct, Estelle Erasmus talks with her student, writer Leslie B. Blanchard, about the journey of her New York Times Modern Love essay, “Negotiating the End of Us,” from a quick in-class prompt to publication. Leslie shares how the opening line “He always said he would die young” became the spine of the piece, and how focusing on the negotiation around death made her grief story stand out in an inbox flooded with loss. As Estelle often teaches her students, the right entry point can transform a personal story into one an editor cannot ignore, and Leslie’s piece is a powerful example of that. This episode is for writers who want to turn deeply personal material into publishable essays—and need to see exactly how community, revision, and coaching make that possible. Leslie described our workshop process this way, and her words capture the heart of how this essay developed: “I truly believe there is a story in all of us that wants to be told. Sometimes it’s just a matter of finding your authentic voice. I recently had the honor of being published in The New York Times Modern Love, which was a life goal. The piece started with a prompt from Estelle Erasmus in her writing class and developed from there as we workshopped every angle together. What makes this process work is that Estelle gets to know her students in a way that allows her to guide them and help unlock their strongest work. This is the key to crafting an essay that gets noticed in this highly competitive field.” — Leslie B. Blanchard In This Episode: How a 10-minute classroom exercise grew into a Modern Love essay [2:50] Why a specific, original hook is essential when writing about grief [6:21] How Leslie found the structure and emotional center of her piece [10:29] Craft choices that tightened the piece: cutting digressions, choosing one central metaphor, and having “bargaining” in the final line. [20:07] How workshops, careful line edits, community, and supportive coaching can turn a private story into a publishable essay and help a writer trust their voice. [27:47] About Leslie B. Blanchard Leslie tackles the complexities of marriage and child-rearing with a transparency that will leave you simultaneously laughing as you brush away tears. She began writing about marriage to her high school sweetheart and life raising 5 children. She’s since added the grief of widowhood, joy of grandchildren and comfort of remarriage to her cache of insights. She’s been interviewed on NPR, spoken at “Listen To Your Mother” and been published in The New York Times’ Modern Love, Next Avenue, Huffington Post, BonBon Break, Today Parenting, Your Teen Magazine and Scary Mommy. She also a collaborated on, “Lose The Cape - It’s a Teen Thing!” Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/bxezcEqnWK4 Connect with Leslie Her Modern Love essay: Negotiating the End of Us: Instagram - Facebook: Twitter: Pinterest: Get More from Estelle 🎓 Learn with Estelle: • NYU Zoom Course: Writing About Your Life Through Memoir & Essays — • Private Small-Group Memoir Class — JANUARY AND MARCH SOLD OUT. Next 6-week session begins May 2026. Email freelancewritingdirect@gmail.com for details and to get on the waiting list. 📰 Read & Subscribe • :— NEW POST: How to Pitch Slate: Advice, Ideas and Examples on How to Write Articles and Essays from NYU My Editor-on-Call Event • Newsletter: Sign up at for show updates + a free Pitching Guide. 🎤 Watch: 📘 Book: — named a Poets & Writers “Best Book for Writers.” 🎧 Listen: — 2025 Podcast of the Year (American Writing Awards) About Estelle Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist,TEDx Speaker, author of Writing That Gets Noticed, and host of Freelance Writing Direct. A contributing editor for Writer’s Digest and adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP The Magazine. She has served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Follow Estelle: • Instagram: @EstelleSErasmus • TikTok: @EstelleSErasmus • Twitter: @EstelleSErasmus • BlueSky: @estelleserasmus.bsky.social
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#167 Fairyland: A Transcendent Father–Daughter Story Finds New Life in Film with Alysia Abbott
11/27/2025
#167 Fairyland: A Transcendent Father–Daughter Story Finds New Life in Film with Alysia Abbott
Queer history is family history, and Alysia Abbott’s Fairyland proves how one father-daughter story can illuminate an entire era. In this conversation, Estelle Erasmus talks with Alysia about her acclaimed memoir of growing up with her single gay father in 1970s and 80s San Francisco, and how that memoir found new life as a feature film more than a decade later. In this discussion, they explore the love, art, grief, and legacy at the heart of the story. Alysia shares how her father built a queer literary community long before the internet, and how his journals, letters, poems, and comics helped her reconstruct their world on the page. Together, Estelle and Alysia explore the craft, history, and emotional truth that shaped both the memoir and its cinematic adaptation. In this episode: Writing memoir from a daughter’s perspective inside a queer community shaped by AIDS and activism [4:12] Showing how Fairyland bridges counterculture and mainstream culture, bringing a once marginalized father-daughter story into national conversation [6:03] Exploring how memoir can serve a higher purpose by honoring a life, a community, and a legacy that might otherwise be lost [23:53] Capturing the cultural touchstones, from poetry readings to Pride to the queer arts scene, that defined a transformative era [25:33] Using journals, letters, interviews, and research to rebuild a vivid sense of time, place, and character [28:57] Navigating the leap from book to film while remaining a trusted collaborator rather than an obstacle [33:44] Crafting an ending that situates one family’s story inside a larger shared queer history [41:47] Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/sIyYiDxaGP8 About Alysia Alysia Abbott is the author of , which was a New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice and a winner of the ALA Stonewall Award and the Madame Figaro Prix Heroine. The feature film based on her memoir, directed by Andrew Durham and produced by Sofia Coppola, premiered at the Sundance Festival in 2022, played in theaters across the country last month, and is now streaming on major platforms. Her essays and reviews have been published in The New York Times, The Boston Globe, WBUR's Cognoscenti, Vogue and elsewhere. She has been awarded grants and fellowships from the , Ragdale and the Virginia Center for the Arts. She currently teaches literature and memoir at Emerson College and MIT. Connect with Alysia: Stream Fairyland here: Get More from Estelle 🎓 Learn with Estelle: • NYU Zoom Course: Writing About Your Life Through Memoir & Essays — • Private Small-Group Memoir Class — JANUARY AND MARCH SOLD OUT. Next 6-week session begins May 2026. Email freelancewritingdirect@gmail.com for details and to get on the waiting list. 📰 Read & Subscribe • :— NEW POST: How to Pitch Slate: Advice, Ideas and Examples on How to Write Articles and Essays from NYU My Editor-on-Call Event • Newsletter: Sign up at for show updates + a free Pitching Guide. 🎤 Watch: 📘 Book: — named a Poets & Writers “Best Book for Writers.” 🎧 Listen: — 2025 Podcast of the Year (American Writing Awards) About Estelle Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist,TEDx Speaker, author of Writing That Gets Noticed, and host of Freelance Writing Direct. A contributing editor for Writer’s Digest and adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP The Magazine. She has served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Follow Estelle: • Instagram: @EstelleSErasmus • TikTok: @EstelleSErasmus • Twitter: @EstelleSErasmus • BlueSky: @estelleserasmus.bsky.social
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#166 How to Write for Electric Literature with Editor-in-Chief Denne Michele Norris (Part 2)
11/20/2025
#166 How to Write for Electric Literature with Editor-in-Chief Denne Michele Norris (Part 2)
Electric Literature is where emerging writers become working authors—and in this conversation, I’m taking you behind the scenes with Editor-in-Chief Denne Michele Norris (who I spoke with last week about her debut novel) to unpack exactly what they publish, how they edit, the pitches that stand out, the craft mistakes that make editors stop reading, and the kinds of stories they want to run next. Electric Lit’s mission is to make literature more exciting, relevant, and inclusive. Denne explains how that plays out across their digital journal, including The Commuter, Recommended Reading, and Personal Narrative. She breaks down word counts, pay rates, rights, and why accessibility and unpretentious prose matter just as much as beautiful sentences. Using a real (anonymized) submission, she illustrates the biggest craft problem she sees in personal essays: writers circling their subject instead of simply saying what they need to say. Denne also shares what kinds of cultural criticism and book lists perform best with Electric Literature’s 3-million-strong readership, along with the pop-culture, TV/film, and literary angles that most excite her right now—from prestige TV to Taylor Swift. She also discusses how the magazine sustains itself as a nonprofit. The episode closes with a look at her anthology Both And and a moving reflection on her father’s legacy as a reader. In this episode: What Electric Lit publishes across The Commuter, Recommended Reading, Personal Narrative, and cultural criticism [2:07] How rights, word counts, and pay work for contributors at a digital literary journal [4:57] The craft mistake that sinks many personal essays and how to avoid opaque writing [6:13] What kinds of book lists, pop culture essays, and TV/film criticism Electric Lit’s readers devour [10:27] How Electric Lit operates as a nonprofit and how Denne is expanding her own work with an anthology and a new novel [19:15] Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/cgPJi3r0ERY About Denne Denne Michele Norris is the editor in chief of Electric Literature, winner of the Whiting Literary Magazine Prize. She is the first Black, openly trans woman to helm a major literary publication. She co-hosts the critically acclaimed podcast Food 4 Thot and holds an MFA from Sarah Lawrence College. Episodes Mentioned Episode #165 Giving Every Character Main Character Energy in Your Novel with Denne Michele Norris Articles/Essays Mentioned Carmen Maria Machado essays: I Was My Mother’s Daughter, and Then I Was Stuck with My Dad (Shrinking TV show reference) Peter Orner Connect with Denne: Electric Lit: to Submit Website: When The Harvest Comes: Instagram: Get More from Estelle 🎓 Learn with Estelle: • NYU Zoom Course: Writing About Your Life Through Memoir & Essays — • Private Small-Group Memoir Class — JANUARY AND MARCH SOLD OUT. Next 6-week session begins SEPTEMBER 2026. Email freelancewritingdirect@gmail.com for details. 📰 Read & Subscribe • :— NEW POST: How to Pitch Slate: Advice, Ideas and Examples on How to Write Articles and Essays from NYU My Editor-on-Call Event • Newsletter: Sign up at for show updates + a free Pitching Guide. 🎤 Watch: 📘 Book: — named a Poets & Writers “Best Book for Writers.” 🎧 Listen: — 2025 Podcast of the Year (American Writing Awards) About Estelle Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist,TEDx Speaker, author of Writing That Gets Noticed, and host of Freelance Writing Direct. A contributing editor for Writer’s Digest and adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP The Magazine. She has served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Follow Estelle: • Instagram: @EstelleSErasmus • TikTok: @EstelleSErasmus • Twitter: @EstelleSErasmus • BlueSky: @estelleserasmus.bsky.social
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#165 Giving Every Character Main Character Energy in Your Novel with Denne Michele Norris Part 1
11/12/2025
#165 Giving Every Character Main Character Energy in Your Novel with Denne Michele Norris Part 1
I loved diving into this conversation with Denne Michele Norris, author, and Editor in Chief of Electric Literature. Her insight into writing every character with depth, presence, and main character energy is both generous and deeply human, and this is just Part 1 of our two part discussion. In this illuminating episode, Denne shares the craft behind her stunning debut, When the Harvest Comes, a sweeping queer love story that explores grief, faith, identity, and the transformative power of embracing difference. Stay tuned. Next week, Denne returns to cover what catches her attention as an editor, how writers can stand out, and what it really takes to build a sustainable literary career. In this episode: Raising the stakes; Why Denne chose to open the story with a wedding to root readers in love before loss [2:32] Bringing every character to life: How to ensure no character fades into the background [3:21] Sex as storytelling: writing intimate scenes that move the plot and reveal character [11:22] Dialogue & subtext: what’s said, unsaid, and how readers can live between those lines [14:00] Music as metaphor: a violist’s instrument as inner mirror [24:17] Finding structure: shaping 14 years of revision into a three-part arc [28:08] Title turnaround: The rediscovered sermon that inspired When the Harvest Comes [31:13] Reader takeaway: crafting stories that offer escape, empathy, and affirmation [33:11] Watch on YouTube: About Denne Denne Michele Norris is the editor in chief of Electric Literature, winner of the Whiting Literary Magazine Prize. She is the first Black, openly trans woman to helm a major literary publication. She co-hosts the critically acclaimed podcast Food 4 Thot and holds an MFA from Sarah Lawrence College. Connect with Denne: Website: When The Harvest Comes: Instagram: Get More from Estelle 🎓 Learn with Estelle: • NYU Zoom Course: Writing About Your Life Through Memoir & Essays — • Private Small-Group Memoir Class — January sold out in 4 days. Next 6-week session begins March 2026. Email freelancewritingdirect@gmail.com for details. 📰 Read & Subscribe • :— new post: Why Every Memoir Needs the “Echo Effect” • Newsletter: Sign up at for show updates + a free Pitching Guide. 🎤 Watch: 📘 Book: — named a Poets & Writers “Best Book for Writers.” 🎧 Listen: — 2025 Podcast of the Year (American Writing Awards) About Estelle Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist,TEDx Speaker, author of Writing That Gets Noticed, and host of Freelance Writing Direct. A contributing editor for Writer’s Digest and adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP The Magazine. She has served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Follow Estelle: • Instagram: @EstelleSErasmus • TikTok: @EstelleSErasmus • Twitter: @EstelleSErasmus • BlueSky: @estelleserasmus.bsky.social
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#164 Writing the Restorative Memoir: Finding Meaning in the Messy Middle of Recovery with Mallary Tenore Tarpley
11/06/2025
#164 Writing the Restorative Memoir: Finding Meaning in the Messy Middle of Recovery with Mallary Tenore Tarpley
What if the truest recovery story isn’t about redemption—but restoration? What if healing means learning to live inside the messy middle? Estelle Erasmus talks with journalist and professor Mallary Tenore Tarpley, author of SLIP: Life in the Middle of Eating Disorder Recovery. Mallary shares how she wrote from the in-between—the liminal space between illness and full recovery—crafting a narrative that honors imperfection and progress. Content note: This episode discusses eating disorders, treatment, and grief. Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/89CdVDqkx0Q In this episode: Restorative vs. redemptive narratives: why “progress, not finish lines” can create a more truthful frame and recovery arc. Structure and symbolism: how Mallary used split chapters, recurring motifs, and dual timelines to mirror healing’s nonlinear path. Researching and weaving 175 interviews and scientific studies into scene-driven narrative. Ethical revisitation: returning to treatment centers and old journals without re-engaging harmful behaviors. Craft tools for memory: timelines, sensory anchors, and interviews with loved ones and clinicians as tools for depth and accuracy. Mallary Tenore Tarpley is a journalism and writing professor at the University of Texas at Austin’s Moody College of Communication and McCombs School of Business. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, Time, and Teen Vogue, among other publications. She is the recipient of a prestigious Alfred P. Sloan Foundation grant, which helped support her research and writing. Mallary graduated from Providence College and has a Master of Fine Arts in nonfiction writing from Goucher College. She lives outside of Austin, Texas, with her husband and two children. Slip is her first book. Connect with Mallary Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mallarytenoretarpley/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallary-tenore-tarpley-6719484/ Weekly Substack newsletter: mallary.substack.com Get More from Estelle: NYU (Zoom), 6-week course: Writing About Your Life Through Memoir & Essays — https://www.sps.nyu.edu/courses/WRIT1-CE9800-writing-about-your-life-through-memoir-essays-and-articles.html Private small-group memoir class: January sold out in 4 days. The next 6-week session starts March 2026 and enrollment is open now. Email freelancewritingdirect@gmail.com for details. New Substack post: Why Every Memoir Needs the "Echo Effect". https://estelleserasmus.substack.com/p/why-every-memoir-needs-the-echo-effect 📬 Newsletter + FREE Pitching Guide Find out more about this episode and get Estelle's free pitching guide when you sign up for her newsletter: https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast About Estelle: Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a "Best Book for Writers" by Poets & Writers), and host of Freelance Writing Direct—2025 Podcast of the Year (Education), American Writing Awards. A Contributing Editor for Writer's Digest and adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine. She's served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Explore More: • 📘 Writing That Gets Noticed – Buy the book | Audiobook • 📰 Subscribe on Substack: https://estelleserasmus.substack.com Latest posts: "Why Every Memoir Needs the "Echo Effect". When Writers Are the Ones Blocking the Page: 6 Ways to Move Forward (and An Offer); "How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen" • 🎧 More episodes: Freelance Writing Direct Podcast • Read Estelle's latest article How to Use the Internet to Become Your Own Private Investigator (Next Avenue/PBS) Follow Estelle: • Instagram: @EstelleSErasmus • TikTok: @EstelleSErasmus • Twitter: @EstelleSErasmus • BlueSky: @estelleserasmus.bsky.social
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#163 Writing the Unresolved Story: Trying and Telling the Unvarnished Truth Featuring Chloé Caldwell
10/30/2025
#163 Writing the Unresolved Story: Trying and Telling the Unvarnished Truth Featuring Chloé Caldwell
What happens when your life unravels up in the middle of writing your book — your marriage ends, fertility treatments stop, your identity shifts, and you have to rewrite the story you thought you were living? In this episode, Estelle Erasmus interviews acclaimed author Chloe Caldwell about her new book, TRYING, a radically honest, formally innovative memoir about fertility, longing, divorce, sexuality, and choosing yourself. Chloe opens up about writing through infertility, divorce, queerness, and identity, and how her real life reshaped the story she thought she was telling. In this episode: Writing a memoir while still living through it [3:34] The shame and silence surrounding infertility [8:37] Trusting intuition and reclaiming personal truth [20:33] Finding humor and craft in heartbreak [25:38] Ending a story that’s still unfolding [39:25] Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/T442Ly6yp0E Chloé Caldwell is the author of the novella Women, the memoir The Red Zone, and the essay collections I’ll Tell You in Person and Legs Get Led Astray. Her essays have appeared in the New York Times, Vogue, Bon Appétit, the Cut, MSNBC, Autostraddle, Longreads, and Nylon and in anthologies including Goodbye to All That: Writers on Loving and Leaving New York and Without a Net: The Female Experience of Growing Up Working Class and Sluts. She offers writing support at . Caldwell lives in Hudson, New York. Connect with Chloe Instagram Check out Estelle’s mention of Chloe in her TEDx Talk How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond Get More from Estelle: Sign up for her 6 week Zoom NYU Course: Writing About Your Life Through Memoir, Essays and Articles New Substack post: Why Every Memoir Needs the “Echo Effect”. 📬 Newsletter + FREE Pitching Guide Find out more about this episode and get Estelle’s free pitching guide when you sign up for her newsletter: About Estelle: Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a “Best Book for Writers” by Poets & Writers), and host of Freelance Writing Direct—2025 Podcast of the Year (Education), American Writing Awards. A Contributing Editor for Writer’s Digest and adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine. She’s served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Explore More: 📘 Writing That Gets Noticed – | 📰 Subscribe on Substack: Latest posts: “Why Every Memoir Needs the “Echo Effect”. When Writers Are the Ones Blocking the Page: 6 Ways to Move Forward (and An Offer); “How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen” 🎧 More episodes: Read Estelle’s latest article (Next Avenue/PBS) Follow Estelle: Instagram: TikTok: Twitter: BlueSky:
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#162 Lessons from the People of Publishing Conference
10/23/2025
#162 Lessons from the People of Publishing Conference
Ever wonder what’s really happening behind closed doors in the publishing industry? In this solo episode, Estelle Erasmus pulls back the curtain on the People of Publishing Conference, held on September 17, 2025, and hosted by the Association of American Literary Agents (AALA). Featuring top CEOs, editors, and agents, the event revealed key trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping today’s book world. Estelle shares her firsthand insights—including what publishing leaders are prioritizing, how AI is reshaping the industry, and what authors can do to stand out in an evolving landscape. Whether you’re writing your first book or deep in the query trenches, this episode offers invaluable perspective from inside the industry, plus Estelle’s Edge—her signature takeaway for writers. Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/SUYC2sDe51k In this episode: The big shifts in publishing today [2:25] Why traditional media appearances don’t always sell books [5:05] How the Anthropic and Meta lawsuits are protecting authors’ rights against AI companies using copyrighted work. [6:30] What foreign publishers are buying right now [7:25] What agents want in memoir proposals and how “Memoir Plus” and light research threads can elevate your story. [13:10] AI in publishing: how it’s being used for translation, productivity, and why every author should learn to use it responsibly. [14:57] Estelle’s biggest takeaway [16:15] Connect with AALA/People of Publishing Website: Podcast Episode Mentioned #35 Flying High with Storyteller Ann Hood Modern Love Essay Referenced Negotiating the End of Us by Leslie Blanchard Get More from Estelle: Register for a free online, lunchtime, Editor-on-Call NYU event on October 29th: Inside Slate an Unfiltered Conversation with Senior Editor, Rebecca Onion. . Sign up for her 6 week Zoom NYU Course: Writing About Your Life Through Memoir, Essays and Articles New Substack post: Why Every Memoir Needs the “Echo Effect”. 🎤 TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond Estelle blends personal storytelling with actionable strategies for standing out—starting with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine. 📺 📬 Newsletter + FREE Pitching Guide Find out more about this episode and get Estelle’s free pitching guide when you sign up for her newsletter: About Estelle: Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a “Best Book for Writers” by Poets & Writers), and host of Freelance Writing Direct—2025 Podcast of the Year (Education), American Writing Awards. A Contributing Editor for Writer’s Digest and adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine. She’s served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Explore More: 📘 Writing That Gets Noticed – | 📰 Subscribe on Substack: Latest posts: “Why Every Memoir Needs the “Echo Effect”. When Writers Are the Ones Blocking the Page: 6 Ways to Move Forward (and An Offer); “How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen” 🎧 More episodes: Read Estelle’s latest article (Next Avenue/PBS) Follow Estelle: Instagram: TikTok: Twitter: BlueSky:
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#161 From Nonfiction to Paranormal Women’s Fiction: Genre-Switching and the Freedom of Self-Publishing with Olga Mecking
10/16/2025
#161 From Nonfiction to Paranormal Women’s Fiction: Genre-Switching and the Freedom of Self-Publishing with Olga Mecking
Can nonfiction writers reinvent themselves as novelists? NIksen author Olga Mecking proves it’s possible—with a new series that blends Dutch folklore, female power, and the freedom of self-publishing. Estelle Erasmus is joined by Olga Mecking, a writer, journalist and occasional translator. Originally from Poland, she now lives with her German husband and three multilingual children in the Netherlands. She has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, The Guardian and the BBC, among others. The US edition of her book, NIKSEN. EMBRACING THE DUTCH ART OF DOING NOTHING was published in 2021 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. NIKSEN has also appeared in 14 languages and several countries around the world. When not writing or thinking about writing, Olga can be found reading books, drinking tea, and doing nothing. In this episode: Defining Paranormal Women’s Fiction and why midlife heroines matter. [2:20] World-building from reality (the Netherlands) + clear rules of magic. [5:43] Designing a series to avoid continuity traps (time jumps = sanity). [7:42] The self-pub learning curve: covers, formatting, and launch pacing. [10:10] A scene-by-scene method: every scene has an event → reaction → decision that drives the next scene. [16:17] Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/zX83GnRBR-Y Connect with Olga: Substack: Instagram: Get More from Estelle: Webinar Register for a free online Editor-on-Call NYU event on October 29th: Inside Slate an Unfiltered Conversation with Senior Editor, Rebecca Onion.. New Substack post: Why Every Memoir Needs the “Echo Effect”. 🎤 TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond Estelle blends personal storytelling with actionable strategies for standing out—starting with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine. 📺 📬 Newsletter + FREE Pitching Guide Find out more about this episode and get Estelle’s free pitching guide when you sign up for her newsletter: About Estelle: Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a “Best Book for Writers” by Poets & Writers), and host of Freelance Writing Direct—2025 Podcast of the Year (Education), American Writing Awards. A Contributing Editor for Writer’s Digest and adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine. She’s served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Explore More: 📘 Writing That Gets Noticed – | 📰 Subscribe on Substack: Latest posts: “Why Every Memoir Needs the “Echo Effect”. When Writers Are the Ones Blocking the Page: 6 Ways to Move Forward (and An Offer); “How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen” 🎧 More episodes: Read Estelle’s latest article (Next Avenue/PBS) Follow Estelle: Instagram: TikTok: Twitter: BlueSky:
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#160 How Flash Nonfiction and Metaphor Turn Small Moments into Big Meaning with Sue William Silverman
10/09/2025
#160 How Flash Nonfiction and Metaphor Turn Small Moments into Big Meaning with Sue William Silverman
What if the truest story of your life lives in a single image, like a photo-booth strip, a tarnished bracelet, a goldfish bowl? In this episode of Freelance Writing Direct, Estelle Erasmus talks with award-winning author Sue William Silverman about her new collection, Selected Misdemeanors: Essays at the Mercy of the Reader. We unpack how flash nonfiction works, why metaphor is your most powerful craft tool, and how to braid the “unaware” and “aware” voices to create resonance—fast. Sue William Silverman is an award-winning author of nine works of nonfiction and poetry. Her new book, Selected Misdemeanors: Essays at the Mercy of the Reader, is a collection of flash essays. Her book on the craft of writing, Acetylene Torch Songs: Writing True Stories to Ignite the Soul, won the 2024 IPPY Silver Award. Her memoir-in-essays collection, 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; The Pat Boone Fan Club: My Life as a White Anglo-Saxon Jew; and Fearless Confessions: A Writer’s Guide to Memoir. She’s co-chair of the MFA in Writing program at Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her media appearances include The View, Anderson Cooper-360, and PBS Books. Watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0SKyHhR98k Connect with Sue: Website: Facebook: Instagram: Get More from Estelle: Webinar: Sign up for Estelle’s webinar on October 9th in collaboration with Writer’s Digest Mapping Your Memoir: How to Find the Heart and Shape of Your Story Register for a free online Editor-on-Call NYU event on October 29th: Inside Slate an Unfiltered Conversation with Senior Editor, Rebecca Onion.. New Substack post: Why Every Memoir Needs the “Echo Effect”. 🎤 TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond Estelle blends personal storytelling with actionable strategies for standing out—starting with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine. 📺 📬 Newsletter + FREE Pitching Guide Find out more about this episode and get Estelle’s free pitching guide when you sign up for her newsletter: About Estelle: Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a “Best Book for Writers” by Poets & Writers), and host of Freelance Writing Direct—2025 Podcast of the Year (Education), American Writing Awards. A Contributing Editor for Writer’s Digest and adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine. She’s served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Explore More: 📘 Writing That Gets Noticed – | 📰 Subscribe on Substack: Latest posts: “Why Every Memoir Needs the “Echo Effect”. When Writers Are the Ones Blocking the Page: 6 Ways to Move Forward (and An Offer); “How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen” 🎧 More episodes: Read Estelle’s latest article (Next Avenue/PBS) Follow Estelle: Instagram: TikTok: Twitter: BlueSky:
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#159 Writing the Body as Memoir with Nina B. Lichtenstein
10/02/2025
#159 Writing the Body as Memoir with Nina B. Lichtenstein
What if the story of your life wasn’t told chronologically, but mapped through your very body—your heart, your hands, even your nose? That’s exactly what Nina B. Lichtenstein does in her new memoir-in-essays, Vine Leaves Press, 2025). By using sixteen body parts as the framework for memory, metaphor, and meaning, Nina shows how our physical selves carry the imprints of identity, history, and transformation. In their chat, Estelle Erasmus explores with Nina how writing through the body can unlock surprising entry points to story, empathy, and connection. Nina is a native of Oslo, Norway, now living in Maine. She holds a PhD in French literature from UCONN, an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Southern Maine, and is a “recovering academic.” Her writing has appeared in Tablet Magazine, Kveller, Brevity Blog, Lilith Magazine, The Washington Post, HuffPost, and AARP, among other places. She is known for her popular blog The Viking Jewess (since 2014). Her work has been anthologized and her book, was published in 2017. Nina is the founder and director of and co-founder/co-editor of . She has three grown Viking Jew sons, all over 6'4" tall with the middle names Thor, Balder, and Odin. In this episode: How focusing on body parts can open doors to memory and metaphor [3:25] How structure can emerge organically when working in essays [8:10] Why she chose to add prompts at the end of her book as an act of generosity [12:46] Why senses—especially smell and music—are powerful entry points for memoir [14:44] The importance of empathy when writing about people in your life [16:56] Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/scMn7hgr9zw Connect with Nina: Website: Learn more about Maine Writers Studio: In A Flash Literary Magazine Nina’s Substack: On Being Jewish Now Substack: Kol Nidre in a New Key Connect with Estelle: Get More from Estelle: Webinar: Sign up for Estelle’s webinar on October 9th in collaboration with Writer’s Digest Mapping Your Memoir: How to Find the Heart and Shape of Your Story Register for a free online Editor-on-Call NYU event on October 29th: Inside Slate an Unfiltered Conversation with Senior Editor, Rebecca Onion.. New Substack post: Why Every Memoir Needs the “Echo Effect”. 🎤 TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond Estelle blends personal storytelling with actionable strategies for standing out—starting with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine. 📺 📬 Newsletter + FREE Pitching Guide Find out more about this episode and get Estelle’s free pitching guide when you sign up for her newsletter: About Estelle: Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a “Best Book for Writers” by Poets & Writers), and host of Freelance Writing Direct—2025 Podcast of the Year (Education), American Writing Awards. A Contributing Editor for Writer’s Digest and adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine. She’s served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Explore More: 📘 Writing That Gets Noticed – | 📰 Subscribe on Substack: Latest posts: “Why Every Memoir Needs the “Echo Effect”. When Writers Are the Ones Blocking the Page: 6 Ways to Move Forward (and An Offer); “How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen” 🎧 More episodes: Read Estelle’s latest article (Next Avenue/PBS) Follow Estelle: Instagram: TikTok: Twitter: BlueSky:
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#158 Kaila Yu on Fetishization, Feminism, and Memoir as Reckoning
09/25/2025
#158 Kaila Yu on Fetishization, Feminism, and Memoir as Reckoning
What does it mean to be fetishized—and how do you turn that gaze back on the culture that created it? Estelle Erasmus chats with Kaila Yu, a freelance writer whose work has appeared in The Los Angeles Times, Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Business Insider, Condé Nast Traveler, and more. Before turning to journalism, Kaila was a model and the lead singer of the all-Asian American female rock band Nylon Pink. Her debut memoir, Fetishized: A Reckoning with Yellow Fever, Feminism, and Beauty (Crown Publishing, Penguin Random House), braids cultural critique with personal narrative to examine identity, representation, and the male gaze. In this episode: Growing up in the “pornified” 2000s and how it shaped beauty ideals and agency The “ABG” (Asian Baby Girl) aesthetic, model-minority myths, and resisting stereotypes Structuring a memoir-in-essays using cultural archetypes (Geisha, Butterfly, China Doll, “Not Lucy Liu,” etc.) Weaving research (colonial histories, media analysis) into lived experience Gen Z, #MeToo, and why we need cultural reckonings now, not 20 years later Life after entertainment: choosing writing for longevity and self-definition Watch on YouTube: Order her book on Estelle’s Bookshop Connect with Kaila Website: Instagram: Get More from Estelle: Webinars: NEW: Sign up for my free online Editor-on-call NYU event on October 29th Inside Slate: An Unfiltered Conversation with Senior Editor, Rebecca Onion. Sign up for my webinar on October 9th in collaboration with Writer’s Digest Mapping Your Memoir: How to Find the Heart and Shape of Your Story. New Essay: Read my latest essay on Another Jane Pratt Thing. I loved telling my story all these years later. And don't miss the episode with where we dished all about Sassy, XoJane and more. TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond In my talk I blend personal storytelling with actionable strategies for standing out—starting with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine. Explore More: Writing That Gets Noticed – | Subscribe on Substack: Latest posts: “When Writers Are the Ones Blocking the Page: 6 Ways to Move Forward (and An Offer); Stop Counting Your Words. Start Shaping Your Story” and “How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen” More episodes: Follow Estelle:
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#157 Inside the Mind of a Literary Agent: Sam Hiyate on Selling Books, Pitching, and Breaking Into Hollywood
09/18/2025
#157 Inside the Mind of a Literary Agent: Sam Hiyate on Selling Books, Pitching, and Breaking Into Hollywood
Estelle Erasmus sits down with Sam Hiyate, President and CEO of The Rights Factory, a global literary agency that has represented hundreds of titles across genres, including multiple bestsellers like This One Summer by Jillian and Mariko Tamaki, Healthy AF by Oonagh Duncan, and More by Molly Rodin Winter. In this episode: The trends shaping today’s book market, including the rise of speculative elements in literary and commercial fiction [2:45] How “Hollywood memoirs” and screen-ready stories are attracting publishers [5:31] Why themes of escapism, hope, and redemption resonate with readers in turbulent times [6:05] The changing role of editors and the increased need for outside editing before submission [10:33] The realities of pitching agents—what to prepare, how to stand out, and why most pitches get a “no” [12:36] How social media, BookTok, TED Talks, and even backlist titles can drive publishing and film/TV deals [26:05] Why career-building authorship is more valuable than a one-hit wonder—and how agents nurture long-term writer relationships [29:10] Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/DwvdwFu3Ipw Episode Mentioned #148 How to Hook Readers by Planting Curiosity Seeds in Interactive Novels with Bianca Marais About Sam Hiyate SAM HIYATE is keen to discover new voices and help writers prepare their works for market, and to help them build lasting careers. In the past two decades with THE RIGHTS FACTORY his hundreds of book deals have resulted in several bestsellers such as MORE, the memoir by Molly Roden Winter, THIS ONE SUMMER, the graphic novel by Jillian and Mariko Tamaki, non-fiction such as HEALTHY AF (DITCH THE DIET) by Oonagh Duncan and THE MYTH of CAPITALISM by Jonathan Tepper and Denise Hearn, and fiction such as GIRLS IN WHITE DRESSES by Jennifer Close and THE ADULT by Bronwyn Fischer. Connect with Sam Website: Get More from Estelle: Webinar: Sign up for Estelle’s webinar on October 9th in collaboration with Writer’s Digest: Mapping Your Memoir: How to Find the Heart and Shape of Your Story 🎤 TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond Estelle blends personal storytelling with actionable strategies for standing out—starting with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine. 📺 📬 Newsletter + FREE Pitching Guide Find out more about this episode and get Estelle’s free pitching guide when you sign up for her newsletter: About Estelle: Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a “Best Book for Writers” by Poets & Writers), and host of Freelance Writing Direct—2025 Podcast of the Year (Education), American Writing Awards. A Contributing Editor for Writer’s Digest and adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine. She’s served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Explore More: 📘 Writing That Gets Noticed – | 📰 Subscribe on Substack: Latest posts: “When Writers Are the Ones Blocking the Page: 6 Ways to Move Forward (and An Offer)” and “How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen” 🎧 More episodes: Read Estelle’s latest article (Next Avenue/PBS) Follow Estelle: Instagram: TikTok: Twitter: BlueSky:
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#156 Finding Yourself After Faking It: Sari Botton on Memoir, Honesty, and Editing
09/11/2025
#156 Finding Yourself After Faking It: Sari Botton on Memoir, Honesty, and Editing
Estelle Erasmus is joined by editor Sari Botton, a memoirist featured in Poets & Writers’ “5 Over 50.” In this episode, Sari shares why the most powerful memoirs often illuminate the ordinary, how she found the right container to structure her story, and the lessons she’s learned about balancing honesty with protecting others on the page. She also discusses the challenges of people-pleasing, the persistence of “mean girls” into adulthood, and how she built a thriving editorial life through her Substack publications, Oldster, Memoir Land, and Adventures in Journalism. Sari Botton's memoir in essays, And You May Find Yourself...Confessions of a Late-Blooming Gen-X Weirdo, was chosen by Poets & Writers magazine for the 2022 edition of its annual "5 Over 50" feature. For five years, she was the Essays Editor at Longreads. She edited the bestselling anthologies Goodbye to All That: Writers on Loving and Leaving New York and Never Can Say Goodbye: Writers on Their Unshakable Love for New York. She publishes Oldster Magazine, Memoir Land, and Adventures in Journalism. In this episode: Why strong memoirs focus on the universal, not just the extraordinary [3:00] How to find the catalytic moment that gives your story shape [5:10] The importance of writing a fearless “vomit draft” before refining [20:18] Strategies for ethically blurring identities while keeping emotional truth [23:39] How to turn editorial skills into sustainable platforms and community-building [32:41] Watch on YouTube: Related Episode: #143 What We Don’t Talk About: Family, Loss, Love, and the Art of Editing Anthologies with Michele Filgate Connect with Sari Instagram: Bluesky: Facebook: Substack: Website: Get More from Estelle: Webinars: Sign up for Estelle’s webinar on October 9th in collaboration with Writer’s Digest Mapping Your Memoir: How to Find the Heart and Shape of Your Story Sign up for Estelle’s free online Editor-on-call NYU event on October 29th Inside Slate: An Unfiltered Conversation with Senior Editor, Rebecca Onion. Register here: 🎤 TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond Estelle blends personal storytelling with actionable strategies for standing out—starting with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine. 📺 📬 Newsletter + FREE Pitching Guide Find out more about this episode and get Estelle’s free pitching guide when you sign up for her newsletter: About Estelle: Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a “Best Book for Writers” by Poets & Writers), and host of Freelance Writing Direct—2025 Podcast of the Year (Education), American Writing Awards. A Contributing Editor for Writer’s Digest and adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine. She’s served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Explore More: 📘 Writing That Gets Noticed – | 📰 Subscribe on Substack: Latest posts: “When Writers Are the Ones Blocking the Page: 6 Ways to Move Forward (and An Offer); Stop Counting Your Words. Start Shaping Your Story” and “How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen” 🎧 More episodes: Read Estelle’s latest article (Next Avenue/PBS) Follow Estelle: Instagram: TikTok: Twitter: BlueSky:
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#155 Breaking the Rules of Publishing with Jane Pratt: From Sassy to Substack
09/04/2025
#155 Breaking the Rules of Publishing with Jane Pratt: From Sassy to Substack
Estelle Erasmus sits down with legendary editor and publishing pioneer Jane Pratt, the founder of Sassy, Jane, and XOJane, and now the voice behind the hit Substack Another Jane Pratt Thing. Jane has built a career on breaking rules, centering women’s voices, and creating space for personal, confessional storytelling long before it was mainstream. From her groundbreaking “It Happened to Me” column to her current Substack community, Jane has always put authenticity and conversation at the heart of her work. In this episode: How Jane started Sassy and why it resonated with an entire generation [5:47] How she builds community by jumping into the comments and encouraging readers to turn feedback into full stories [5:06] The challenges she faced publishing taboo topics like abortion, birth control, and sexuality in teen magazines [7:48] The evolution from print to online media to Substack and why Substack feels like the most authentic home for her writing yet [13:02] Her new Controversial Books Only Book Club and what makes it so different [29:50] Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/kydZntdbJhw Connect with Jane: Another Jane Pratt Thing: Instagram: Substack: Threads: Get More from Estelle: Webinar: Sign up for Estelle’s webinar on October 9th in collaboration with Writer’s Digest Mapping Your Memoir: How to Find the Heart and Shape of Your Story 🎤 TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond Estelle blends personal storytelling with actionable strategies for standing out—starting with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine. 📺 📬 Newsletter + FREE Pitching Guide Find out more about this episode and get Estelle’s free pitching guide when you sign up for her newsletter: About Estelle: Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a “Best Book for Writers” by Poets & Writers), and host of Freelance Writing Direct—2025 Podcast of the Year (Education), American Writing Awards. A Contributing Editor for Writer’s Digest and adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine. She’s served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Explore More: 📘 Writing That Gets Noticed – | 📰 Subscribe on Substack: Latest posts: “When Writers Are the Ones Blocking the Page: 6 Ways to Move Forward (and An Offer); Stop Counting Your Words. Start Shaping Your Story” and “How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen” 🎧 More episodes: Read Estelle’s latest article (Next Avenue/PBS) Follow Estelle: Instagram: TikTok: Twitter: BlueSky:
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#154 How to Engineer Your Memoir with Wendy Dale
08/28/2025
#154 How to Engineer Your Memoir with Wendy Dale
Estelle Erasmus talks with author and memoir coach Wendy Dale, creator of The Memoir Engineering System. Wendy shares her practical, seven-step approach to structuring memoirs so writers can skip trial-and-error and finish their books with confidence. Wendy Dale is the founder of Memoir Writing for Geniuses and has spent 15 years developing a method that helps writers build their memoirs from the ground up without structural errors. She coaches both newbies and professionals, drawing on her own experience as the author of the memoir Avoiding Prison and Other Noble Vacation Goals (Three Rivers Press/Penguin Random House), and The Memoir Engineering System. In this episode, we discuss: Why memoir structure matters more than prose alone [3:06] The difference between remembering your life vs. creating plot [8:17] How to craft scenes that pull readers in (and avoid generic writing) [11:13] The surprising truth about universality in memoir [15:50] The role of transitions in connecting life stories [18:31] Why subjective writing is the key to emotional resonance [24:34] How to manage (and not get lost in) piles of existing material [26:50] Related Episode #131 Bonny Reichert Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/68mj_phSlwM Connect with Wendy Dale Website: Reality Show Website: LinkedIn: Facebook: YouTube: Connect with Estelle: Get More from Estelle: Webinar: Sign up for Estelle’s webinar on October 9th in collaboration with Writer’s Digest Mapping Your Memoir: How to Find the Heart and Shape of Your Story 🎤 TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond Estelle blends personal storytelling with actionable strategies for standing out—starting with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine. 📺 📬 Newsletter + FREE Pitching Guide Find out more about this episode and get Estelle’s free pitching guide when you sign up for her newsletter: About Estelle: Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a “Best Book for Writers” by Poets & Writers), and host of Freelance Writing Direct—2025 Podcast of the Year (Education), American Writing Awards. A Contributing Editor for Writer’s Digest and adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine. She’s served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Explore More: 📘 Writing That Gets Noticed – | 📰 Subscribe on Substack: Latest posts: “When Writers Are the Ones Blocking the Page: 6 Ways to Move Forward (and An Offer); Stop Counting Your Words. Start Shaping Your Story” and “How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen” 🎧 More episodes: Read Estelle’s latest article (Next Avenue/PBS) Follow Estelle: Instagram: TikTok: Twitter: BlueSky:
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#153 Estelle’s Edge: Repurpose and Revitalize: How to Turn Old Writing into New Essays, Articles, and Bylines
08/21/2025
#153 Estelle’s Edge: Repurpose and Revitalize: How to Turn Old Writing into New Essays, Articles, and Bylines
Estelle Erasmus shares strategies on how to breathe new life into the work you’ve already created. She draws from her 30+ years in publishing to reveal practical, creative ways to transform past essays, blog posts, journal entries, or even pieces from defunct websites into fresh, publishable work. In this episode: Turn older writing into micro memoirs, flash fiction, or service journalism [1:25] Rework rejected pitches into timely articles or essays [6:15] Pitch local and regional outlets for new publishing opportunities [8:20] Use past material for TEDx talks, profiles, and reported pieces [8:57] Leverage platforms like Substack, Medium, and literary journals to grow your audience [15:35] Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/lGAg07y-GMo Related Episodes and Articles Episodes #139 How to Submit Your Writing to Literary Magazines and Get Published #88 The Founder of HARO, Launches SOS—Source of Sources #18 Repurposing Writing Through Reprints Articles When Writers Are the Ones Blocking the Page: 6 Ways to Move Forward (And An Offer) If You are Thinking of Doing an Audiobook Audiobook and sample for Writing That Gets Noticed Order and listen here Connect with Estelle: Get More from Estelle: Webinar: Sign up for Estelle’s webinar on October 9th in collaboration with Writer’s Digest Mapping Your Memoir: How to Find the Heart and Shape of Your Story 🎤 TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond Estelle blends personal storytelling with actionable strategies for standing out—starting with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine. 📺 📬 Newsletter + FREE Pitching Guide Find out more about this episode and get Estelle’s free pitching guide when you sign up for her newsletter: About Estelle: Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a “Best Book for Writers” by Poets & Writers), and host of Freelance Writing Direct—2025 Podcast of the Year (Education), American Writing Awards. A Contributing Editor for Writer’s Digest and adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine. She’s served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Explore More: 📘 Writing That Gets Noticed – | 📰 Subscribe on Substack: Latest posts: “When Writers Are the Ones Blocking the Page: 6 Ways to Move Forward (and An Offer); Stop Counting Your Words. Start Shaping Your Story” and “How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen” 🎧 More episodes: Read Estelle’s latest article (Next Avenue/PBS) Follow Estelle: Instagram: TikTok: Twitter: BlueSky:
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#152 Estelle’s Edge on Going Viral: How to Protect Your Energy and Leverage the Moment
08/14/2025
#152 Estelle’s Edge on Going Viral: How to Protect Your Energy and Leverage the Moment
Estelle Erasmus walks you through the exhilarating and sometimes overwhelming experience of going viral as a writer. With multiple viral articles under her belt (featured in The New York Times, Washington Post, HuffPost, and more), Estelle shares hard-earned wisdom on how to navigate the emotional rollercoaster, manage the spotlight, and make the most of sudden visibility. Whether your piece is trending online, being picked up internationally, or even discussed on national TV, this episode gives you the tools to handle the moment with grace, clarity, and strategy. In this episode: What going viral really means in the publishing and media world [1:18] Estelle’s personal experiences with viral essays and the unexpected outcomes [2:02] How to prepare for the emotional and logistical aftermath of virality [3:37] Why setting boundaries (auto-responders, media filters, social media limits) is essential [6:09] Strategies for turning viral momentum into long-term career opportunities (book deals, speaking gigs, newsletter growth, more) [11:45] WATCH ON YOUTUBE: Article Referenced: When to Reply on Social Media...And When To Not (Wired) https://www.wired.com/story/when-to-reply-on-social-media-and-when-to-not/ Get More from Estelle: 📬 Newsletter + FREE Pitching Guide Find out more about this episode and get Estelle’s free pitching guide when you sign up for her newsletter: 🎤 TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond Estelle blends personal storytelling with actionable strategies for standing out—starting with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine. 📺 About Estelle: Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a “Best Book for Writers” by Poets & Writers), and host of Freelance Writing Direct—2025 Podcast of the Year (Education), American Writing Awards. A Contributing Editor for Writer’s Digest and adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine. She’s served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Explore More: 📘 Writing That Gets Noticed – | 📰 Subscribe on Substack: Latest posts: “Stop Counting Your Words. Start Shaping Your Story” and “How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen” 🎧 More episodes: Read Estelle’s latest article (Next Avenue/PBS) Classes: 📝 One spot left in Estelle’s September/October 6-week Zoom fiction class. Email: freelancewritingdirect@gmail.com for info. Follow Estelle: Instagram: TikTok: Twitter: BlueSky:
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#151 Estelle’s Edge on the 2025 U.S. Book Show: AI, Publishing, and the Future of Writing
08/07/2025
#151 Estelle’s Edge on the 2025 U.S. Book Show: AI, Publishing, and the Future of Writing
In this solo episode, Estelle Erasmus recaps her experience at the 2025 U.S. Book Show, where over 800 publishing professionals gathered at the New York Academy of Medicine. Drawing on her 30+ years in the industry, Estelle brings her insider lens to the conversations shaping the future of writing. She shares intel from panels with top executives like Jonathan Karp (CEO of Simon & Schuster) and David Shelley (CEO of Hachette Book Group), along with her own sharp insights about what’s shifting in the publishing landscape—from AI disruption to author platform evolution. In this episode: Why publishing with the Big Five isn’t as easy as it used to be—and how they are supporting indie presses in an unlikely area [1:54] Why human instinct and editorial intuition still matter— even in an algorithm-driven industry [9:07] Why mentorship, networking, and in-person collaboration matter more than ever for young professionals [10:27] Smart ways authors can grow their platform beyond social media: (think: newsletters, blogs, and thought leadership) [14:32] Connect with Estelle: Related Episodes #141 Estelle’s Edge On How AI is Disrupting Content Marketing #119 Estelle’s Edge on Steering Through the Publishing Gauntlet #90 Estelle’s Edge on the U.S. Book Show 2024 Get More from Estelle: 📬 Newsletter + FREE Pitching Guide Find out more about this episode and get Estelle’s free pitching guide when you sign up for her newsletter: 🎤 TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond Estelle blends personal storytelling with actionable strategies for standing out—starting with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine. 📺 Where I talk about how to shape a TEDx Talk, in the first of several episodes related to my Talk About Estelle: Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a “Best Book for Writers” by Poets & Writers), and host of Freelance Writing Direct—2025 Podcast of the Year (Education), American Writing Awards. A Contributing Editor for Writer’s Digest and adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine. She’s served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Explore More: 📘 Writing That Gets Noticed – | 📰 Subscribe on Substack: Latest posts: “Stop Counting Your Words. Start Shaping Your Story” and “How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen” 🎧 More episodes: Read Estelle’s latest article (Next Avenue/PBS) Classes: 📝 Two spots left in Estelle’s September/October 6-week Zoom fiction class. Email: freelancewritingdirect@gmail.com for info. Follow Estelle: Instagram: TikTok: Twitter: BlueSky:
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#150 Coaching Episode: From Reported to Personal—Crafting and Pitching Essays That Sell
07/31/2025
#150 Coaching Episode: From Reported to Personal—Crafting and Pitching Essays That Sell
Have you spent your writing career telling other people’s stories—and now you’re ready to tell your own? In this live coaching session, Estelle Erasmus works with award-winning freelance writer Pamela M. McBride to explore how seasoned journalists and content writers can make the shift into personal essay writing—without losing sight of strategy, clarity, or publishing goals. Pamela M. McBride is an award-winning freelance writer with hundreds of published articles on career management, leadership development, Diversity & Inclusion, military life, health and wellness, culture, and lifestyle topics. She is a contributing author to Sisters from AARP and her work has appeared in Essence Magazine, Black Enterprise Magazine, Upscale Magazine, Military Families Magazine, and Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps Times. Pamela co-authored The Mocha Manual to Military Life: A Savvy Guide for Wives, Girlfriends and Female Service Members and Work It Girl: The Black Woman’s Guide to Professional Success. She is an honoree at the 2025 Black Authors Festival, and serves on the Armed Services Arts Partnership Alumni Board. In this episode: How to strategically submit personal essays while preserving memoir material [4:15] Why most essays need a strong throughline—and how to find yours [8:56] How to build a submission system and stay current with editors [9:46] Tips for pitching personal essays with compelling titles and angles [23:49] Building a pitching system that works [21:46] The real expectations around editor feedback and revision today [32:44] The benefits of writing micro memoirs like Tiny Love Stories [34:35] Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/7hP5giZSe2M Connect with Pamela Website: Linkedin: Instagram: Threads: Order Her Book: Connect with Estelle: Related Episodes #123 Christie Tate Joanna Rakoff #87 #116 Abigail Thomas and #83 Solo Episode #141 on AI Pitching to Editors Other Coaching Episodes #115 Crafting Notable Narratives #84 Getting Your Writing Noticed Get More from Estelle: 📬 Newsletter + FREE Pitching Guide Find out more about this episode and get Estelle’s free pitching guide when you sign up for her newsletter: 🎤 TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond Estelle blends personal storytelling with actionable strategies for standing out—starting with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine. 📺 About Estelle: Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a “Best Book for Writers” by Poets & Writers), and host of Freelance Writing Direct—2025 Podcast of the Year (Education), American Writing Awards. A Contributing Editor for Writer’s Digest and adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine. She’s served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Explore More: 📘 Writing That Gets Noticed – | 📰 Subscribe on Substack: Latest posts: “Stop Counting Your Words. Start Shaping Your Story” and “How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen” 🎧 More episodes: Read Estelle’s latest article (Next Avenue/PBS) Classes: 📝 Two spots left in Estelle’s September/October 6-week Zoom fiction class. Email: freelancewritingdirect@gmail.com for info. Here is the link to the webinar I am leading for Writer's Digest on October 9th. https://writersdigestuniversity.mykajabi.com/mapping-your-memoir Follow Estelle: Instagram: TikTok: Twitter: BlueSky:
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#149 SEO & Expert Positioning for Podcasters with Adam Schaeuble of Podcasting Business School
07/24/2025
#149 SEO & Expert Positioning for Podcasters with Adam Schaeuble of Podcasting Business School
Estelle Erasmus welcomes podcaster and consultant Adam Schaeuble, host of Podcasting Business School. Adam shares his top strategies for using your podcast as the foundation of a six-figure online business—starting with essentials like your show name, description, and artwork. Together, they break down how to attract the right listeners and convert them into clients. Adam reveals his three-part formula for naming your show, explains why most podcasters miss the mark on SEO, and shares how to boost discoverability—without a full rebrand. In this episode: Why podcast titles and artwork are your most powerful SEO tools [1:47] How to extend your podcast name to improve search rankings [2:21] The importance of using “Google questions” in your description [10:26] Why solo episodes are key to expert positioning and conversions [12:15] How coaching-style episodes build trust and credibility [12:47] Tools to streamline your workflow (like StreamYard and ) [26:35] The mindset you need for long-term podcast success [27:14] Watch on YouTube: Connect with Adam: Instagram: Website: Connect with Estelle: Related Episodes (Solo episode) #141 Estelle’s Edge on How AI is Disrupting Content Marketing (Coaching episode) #144 Elevate Your Voice, Expand Your Reach Also, check out 🎥 Podcasting Made Easy – Estelle’s talk for AWP’s Career Corner YouTube series Get More from Estelle: 📬 Newsletter + FREE Pitching Guide Find out more about this episode and get Estelle’s free pitching guide when you sign up for her newsletter: 🎤 TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond Estelle blends personal storytelling with actionable strategies for standing out—starting with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine. 📺 About Estelle: Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a “Best Book for Writers” by Poets & Writers), and host of Freelance Writing Direct—2025 Podcast of the Year (Education), American Writing Awards. A Contributing Editor for Writer’s Digest and adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine. She’s served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Explore More: 📘 Writing That Gets Noticed – | 📰 Subscribe on Substack: Latest posts: “Stop Counting Your Words. Start Shaping Your Story” and “How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen” 🎧 More episodes: Classes: 📝 Two spots left in Estelle’s September/October 6-week Zoom fiction class. Email: freelancewritingdirect@gmail.com for info. Follow Estelle: Instagram: TikTok: Twitter: BlueSky:
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#148 How to Hook Readers by Planting Curiosity Seeds in Interactive Novels with Bianca Marais
07/17/2025
#148 How to Hook Readers by Planting Curiosity Seeds in Interactive Novels with Bianca Marais
Estelle Erasmus welcomes back acclaimed author and creator and host of The Shit No One Tells You About Writing podcast, Bianca Marais, to chat about her latest novel, A Most Puzzling Murder—an innovative, genre-blending mystery packed with magic, reader-driven puzzles, royal intrigue, and multiple points of view. Bianca shares how she crafted this original story: a locked-room murder mystery set in a magical royal family, told through over a dozen POVs, choose-your-own-adventure chapters, and interactive puzzles that invite readers to email for clues and bonus content. Estelle and Bianca dive into everything from the writing process to the strategic use of point-of-view shifts, how to keep villains compelling, and what writers can learn from puzzles. Together, Estelle and Bianca explore how to use curiosity to hook readers, build momentum with multiple POVs, and write villains who are flawed yet irresistible. Whether you're a fan of mysteries, a writer fascinated by craft, or just curious about what makes interactive fiction tick, this episode is a masterclass in creativity and reader engagement. In this episode: How Bianca designed an interactive novel that readers can play and puzzle through [3:29] The role of puzzles, alternate endings, and bonus chapters in fiction [5:10] Craft tips on managing multi-POV narratives and character arcs [9:08] Keeping the pacing of a story and how to do it well [15:44] Building a strong foundation for a story [17:18] The five minute rule [18:51] Why flawed, relatable villains make the best antagonists [25:27] How Bianca balances creativity with market trends—and still writes from the heart [33:41] Whether you're a mystery fan, an aspiring novelist, or just curious about how interactive fiction works, this episode is a masterclass in creativity, craft, and reader engagement. Watch on YouTube: Bianca Marais cohosts the popular podcast The Shit No One Tells You About Writing, which is aimed at helping emerging writers get published. She teaches creative writing through the podcast and was named a winner of the Excellence in Teaching Award for Creative Writing at the University of Toronto’s School of Continuing Studies. She lives in Toronto, where she loves playing escape-room games and writing about strong female protagonists. Connect with Bianca Website Instagram: Episode #63 Witchy Writing with Author/Podcast Host of The Shit No One Tells You About Writing with Bianca on Freelance Writing Direct On YouTube: Episode Where Bianca and CeCe talk about Bianca writing her book Don’t forget to check out my episode on The Shit No One Tells You About Writing Talking All about How to Get Your Writing Noticed, Pitching, Publishing and More. If you haven’t yet—watch my TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond In this bold, funny, and widely shared talk, I blend personal storytelling with the real-world writing strategies I’ve developed as a longtime magazine editor, NYU professor, and writing coach. It all starts with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine—and builds into a powerful message about how to stand out in a crowded, noisy world, no matter the medium. 📺 Watch, comment, and share: About Estelle: Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a “Best Book for Writers” by Poets & Writers), and host of Freelance Writing Direct—2025 Podcast of the Year (Education), American Writing Awards. A Contributing Editor for Writer’s Digest and adjunct instructor at NYU, she’s written for over 150 outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine, and has served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Explore More: Writing That Gets Noticed – Buy the book: https://rb.gy/0dpdcs Audiobook version: Subscribe on Substack for craft tips, pitch advice, and podcast extras: Latest posts: “Stop Counting Your Words. Start Shaping Your Story—And a Bonus for Paid Subscribers.” and “How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen” Listen to more episodes of Freelance Writing Direct: Follow Estelle: Instagram: TikTok: Twitter: BlueSky:
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#147 What Makes a Literary Agent Say Yes with Inkwell’s Maria Whelan
07/10/2025
#147 What Makes a Literary Agent Say Yes with Inkwell’s Maria Whelan
Estelle Erasmus sits down with literary agent Maria Whelan of Inkwell Management, recently recognized by Poets & Writers as one of today’s top literary advocates. In this candid conversation, Maria shares what’s capturing her attention in the publishing world right now—from standout nonfiction proposals to magical realism, horror with heart, and even Loch Ness Monster romance. She discusses her “career agent” philosophy, how hybrid paths like Substack are reshaping publishing, and the query mistakes she sees over and over. If you’re looking for agent insight—or want to better understand how to pitch a project that stands out—this episode is a must-listen. In this episode: What most writers overlook in nonfiction proposals How to query memoir, fiction, and children’s books effectively Why passion and originality matter more than chasing trends How the publishing landscape has shifted post-pandemic The role of writing groups and community in an author’s success Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/p64Mlq0nQhE About Maria Maria graduated from University College Dublin then obtained her Masters in Modern Literature from the University of Edinburgh. Before joining InkWell, she worked as a Foreign Rights Assistant at Janklow & Nesbit and worked at Akashic Books. Maria enjoys a blend of literary and commercial fiction, as well as speculative fiction, horror, and magical realism. She is particularly fond of novels that straddle the cultural divide. She is looking for books in the fiction and nonfiction space that speak to the current cultural moment or examine overlooked facets of society. Some of her authors include Luke Dumas, Joselyn Takacs, Katrina Kittle, Audrey Burges, Dima Alzayat, Luna McNamara, and Vinod Busjeet. Connect with Maria X: @mariarwhelan IG: mariawhelann LinkedIn: Submit to Inkwell: If you haven’t yet—watch Estelle’s TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond In this bold, funny, and widely shared talk, Estelle blends personal storytelling with the real-world writing strategies she’s developed as a longtime magazine editor, NYU professor, and writing coach. It all starts with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine—and builds into a powerful message about how to stand out in a crowded, noisy world, no matter the medium. 📺 Watch, comment, and share: About Estelle: Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a “Best Book for Writers” by Poets & Writers), and host of Freelance Writing Direct—2025 Podcast of the Year (Education), American Writing Awards. A Contributing Editor for Writer’s Digest and adjunct instructor at NYU, she’s written for over 150 outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine, and has served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Explore More: Writing That Gets Noticed – Buy the book: https://rb.gy/0dpdcs Audiobook version: Subscribe on Substack for craft tips, pitch advice, and podcast extras: Latest posts: “Stop Counting Your Words. Start Shaping Your Story—And a Bonus for Paid Subscribers.” and “How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen” Listen to more episodes of Freelance Writing Direct: Follow Estelle: Instagram: TikTok: Twitter: BlueSky:
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#146 Solo Episode: Estelle’s Edge on Shaping a TEDx Talk That Gets Seen
07/03/2025
#146 Solo Episode: Estelle’s Edge on Shaping a TEDx Talk That Gets Seen
In the first of several short, bite-sized solo episodes on TEDx Talks, Estelle Erasmus shares the exact strategy behind her own talk—how she discovered the right idea, built a strong structure, and delivered a message that resonated with thousands. Whether you're applying to give a talk or refining one you’ve already booked, this episode offers practical tools to help your TEDx Talk connect, teach, and stick. In this episode: What TEDx organizers look for (and what to avoid) [2:21] Why your talk needs an idea—not just a personal story [3:58] Tips for blending story, research, and message [6:43] The three teaching tenets Estelle builds her talk around [7:27] Why circling back to your opening creates resonance [7:34] If you haven’t yet—watch my TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond In this bold, funny, and widely shared talk, I blend personal storytelling with the real-world writing strategies I’ve developed as a longtime magazine editor, NYU professor, and writing coach. It all starts with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine—and builds into a powerful message about how to stand out in a crowded, noisy world, no matter the medium. 📺 Watch, comment, and share: About Estelle: Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a “Best Book for Writers” by Poets & Writers), and host of Freelance Writing Direct—2025 Podcast of the Year (Education), American Writing Awards. A Contributing Editor for Writer’s Digest and adjunct instructor at NYU, she’s written for over 150 outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine, and has served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Explore More: Writing That Gets Noticed – Buy the book: Audiobook version: Subscribe on Substack for craft tips, pitch advice, and podcast extras: Latest posts: “Stop Counting Your Words. Start Shaping Your Story—And a Bonus for Paid Subscribers.” and “How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen” Listen to more episodes of Freelance Writing Direct: Follow Estelle: Instagram: TikTok: Twitter: BlueSky:
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#145 Solo Episode: Estelle’s Edge on Essays—Mining Your Life For Stories That Get Noticed
06/26/2025
#145 Solo Episode: Estelle’s Edge on Essays—Mining Your Life For Stories That Get Noticed
In this bite-sized solo episode, Estelle Erasmus shares her insider strategies for turning real-life moments into essays that stand out—and sell. From capturing grief or joy to finding the magic in the mundane, Estelle shows you how to shape your story, sharpen your angle, and give your writing the attention it deserves. In this episode: How to combine unexpected ideas to find a fresh angle [2:43] Tips for capturing story-worthy moments without keeping a journal [4:49] The power of sensory language and scene-building [7:28] Why Estelle teaches both craft and publication strategy [7:48] How to pitch a coaching episode or get more from her Substack [8:37] If you haven’t yet—watch my TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond In this bold, funny, and widely shared talk, I blend personal storytelling with the real-world writing strategies I’ve developed as a longtime magazine editor, NYU professor, and writing coach. It all starts with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine—and builds into a powerful message about how to stand out in a crowded, noisy world, no matter the medium. 📺 Watch, comment, and share: About Estelle: Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a “Best Book for Writers” by Poets & Writers), and host of Freelance Writing Direct—2025 Podcast of the Year (Education), American Writing Awards. A Contributing Editor for Writer’s Digest and adjunct instructor at NYU, she’s written for over 150 outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine, and has served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Explore More: Writing That Gets Noticed – Buy the book: https://rb.gy/0dpdcs Audiobook version: Subscribe on Substack for craft tips, pitch advice, and podcast extras: Latest posts: “Stop Counting Your Words. Start Shaping Your Story—And a Bonus for Paid Subscribers.” and “How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen” Listen to more episodes of Freelance Writing Direct: Follow Estelle: Instagram: TikTok: Twitter: BlueSky: Student Spotlight Barbra Cosentino, one of Estelle’s students, began working on this personal essay in Estelle’s class. It later evolved into this beautiful, published piece that reflects the kind of storytelling we explore in this episode. Read it here: “My Mother, Floating in the Atlantic Ocean”—Next Avenue
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#144 Coaching Episode: Elevate Your Voice, Expand Your Reach
06/19/2025
#144 Coaching Episode: Elevate Your Voice, Expand Your Reach
Estelle Erasmus chats with award-winning journalist Lanier Isom in a powerful coaching session about balancing voice, platform, and purpose across a writing life. They explore how to manage time, stay organized across genres, and breathe new meaning into a stalled book project—all while staying true to your voice. In this episode: The challenges of writing across genres—and how to stay organized [4:13] Time-blocking strategies that actually work [5:18] How to track your writing progress and momentum [7:57] Why voice matters more than ever in building a platform [11:51] Ways to shape reported stories into personal, memorable pieces [16:02] How to reframe a book project through the lens of support and meaning [22:24] What to consider before sharing personal work on Substack [25:00] Want to be featured in a future coaching episode? Email Estelle at freelancewritingdirect@gmail.com with “Coaching Episode” in the subject line. Lanier mentioned she listened to Episode #77: “Writing Personal Stories with HuffPost Personal’s Noah Michelson”before our conversation. If you’re interested in that conversation, you can watch it on YouTube: or listen on Apple Podcasts: Watch on YouTube: About Lanier A former educator, publicist and editor, Lanier Isom is an author and journalist living in her hometown, Birmingham, Alabama. She wrote, Grace and Grit, the life story of Alabama native and fair pay advocate, Lilly Ledbetter. The film LILLY, based on the book, was released by Blue Harbor Entertainment in select theaters this May. Isom’s articles, editorials, and essays have been featured in Al Jazeera, LA Times, Huffington Post, Salvation South and The Bitter Southerner. She's a frequent contributor to Inside Climate News and . She’s also the recipient of the Alabama Library Association Nonfiction Award and a 2023 Fellowship from the Alabama State Council on the Arts. This year, Alabama Media Professionals awarded her first place for her longform article on McIntosh, Alabama, a small town being poisoned by two chemical plants. She recently finished a memoir, which examines the personal and collective cost for a generation of silenced women confronting a southern school’s buried truths. You can find her on Substack, Instagram and Facebook @lanierisom. Connect with Lanier Substack Instagram Facebook X: If you haven’t yet—watch my TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond In this bold, funny, and widely shared talk, I blend personal storytelling with the real-world writing strategies I’ve developed as a longtime magazine editor, NYU professor, and writing coach. It all starts with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine—and builds into a powerful message about how to stand out in a crowded, noisy world, no matter the medium. 📺 Watch, comment, and share: About Estelle: Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a “Best Book for Writers” by Poets & Writers), and host of Freelance Writing Direct—2025 Podcast of the Year (Education), American Writing Awards. A Contributing Editor for Writer’s Digest and adjunct instructor at NYU, she’s written for over 150 outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine, and has served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Explore More: Writing That Gets Noticed – Buy the book: https://rb.gy/0dpdcs Audiobook version: Subscribe on Substack for craft tips, pitch advice, and podcast extras: Latest posts: “Stop Counting Your Words. Start Shaping Your Story—And a Bonus for Paid Subscribers.” and “How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen” Listen to more episodes of Freelance Writing Direct: Follow Estelle: Instagram: TikTok: Twitter: BlueSky:
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#143 What We Don’t Talk About: Michele Filgate on Family, Loss, Love, and the Art of Editing Anthologies
06/12/2025
#143 What We Don’t Talk About: Michele Filgate on Family, Loss, Love, and the Art of Editing Anthologies
Editor and author Michele Filgate returns with a powerful follow-up to her bestselling anthology What My Mother and I Don’t Talk About—this time turning the lens on fatherhood. In this episode, Estelle Erasmus chats with Michele about the personal and professional transformations that shaped What My Father and I Don’t Talk About, how TikTok gave her earlier book a second life, and what it really takes to build a lasting literary career. In this episode: What changed between publishing her first and second anthology [2:26] The unexpected TikTok virality that reignited interest in her debut [4:20] How grief, marriage, and motherhood shaped her latest work [10:12] What it takes to edit a balanced, emotionally resonant collection [12:24] Advice for writers looking to create and publish anthologies [13:44] Why literary citizenship is crucial to a sustainable writing career [18:01] Michelle’s next chapter: turning inward to publish her own book [23:31] Michele Filgate is the editor of What My Mother and I Don’t Talk About and What My Father and I Don’t Talk About. Her writing has appeared in Longreads, Poets & Writers, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, The Paris Review Daily, Tin House, Gulf Coast, Oprah Daily, and many other publications. She received her MFA in Fiction from NYU, where she was the recipient of the Stein Fellowship. She teaches creative writing at The New School. Connect with Michele: Episodes Mentioned Kelly McMasters Joanna Rakoff: If you haven’t yet—watch my TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond In this bold, funny, and widely shared talk, I blend personal storytelling with the real-world writing strategies I’ve developed as a longtime magazine editor, NYU professor, and writing coach. It all starts with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine—and builds into a powerful message about how to stand out in a crowded, noisy world, no matter the medium. 📺 Watch, comment, and share: About Estelle: Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a “Best Book for Writers” by Poets & Writers), and host of Freelance Writing Direct—2025 Podcast of the Year (Education), American Writing Awards. A Contributing Editor for Writer’s Digest and adjunct instructor at NYU, she’s written for over 150 outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine, and has served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. ✨ Explore More: 📚 Writing That Gets Noticed – | 📬 Subscribe – Craft tips, pitch advice & exclusive podcast extras. Latest post 🎧 – Interviews, insights & behind-the-scenes publishing tips Follow Estelle: 📸 | 🎵 | 🐦 | 🌐
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