Ep 73: From Memoir to Fiction with Zibby Owens

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!Transitioning between genres can feel like learning a new dance with the same set of feet. In this episode of Write the Damn Book Already, Zibby Owens shares her experience shifting from memoir (Bookends, July 1, 2022, Little a) to fiction (Blank, March 1, 2024, Little a). We discuss what it takes to draft a compelling "base layer" for a story. Meanwhile, as the current Goodreads controversy continues to unfold, we chat about the harsh realities of online ratings and the significance of author advocacy in the digital age. Learn how to navigate the murky waters of social media hijacking, and why fortifying a diverse online presence is more important than ever. ABOUT ZIBBY OWENSZibby Owens is the creator and host of the award-winning, daily podcast Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books. Zibby is also the founder and CEO of Zibby Media, dubbed “the Zibby-verse” (L.A. Times). It includes publishing house Zibby Books, online magazine Zibby Mag, Zibby’s Book Club, retreats, classes, and events. She owns Zibby’s Bookshop, an independent bookstore in Santa Monica, CA. A regular contributor to “Good Morning America” and other outlets, she loves recommending books as “NYC’s Most Powerful Book-fluencer” (Vulture). Zibby is the author of Bookends: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Literature and children’s book Princess Charming, and editor of two anthologies, Moms Don’t Have Time to Have Kids: A Timeless Anthology and Moms Don’t Have Time To: A Quarantine Anthology.A graduate of Yale University and Harvard Business School, Zibby currently lives in New York (with frequent visits to L.A.) with her husband, Kyle Owens of Morning Moon Productions, and her four children ages 9 to 16. CONNECT WITH ZIBBYInstagram @zibbyowens Substack newsletter Website: ZibbyOwens.comBlank: A NovelBookends: A Memoir of Love, Loss and LiteratureWHAT ZIBBY'S READING NOWOther People's Words: Friendship, Loss and the Conversations that Never End by Lissa Soep🧭 BACK COVER BLUEPRINTGet back cover templates for nonfiction, memoir, and fiction; real-world examples; a polishing checklist; and a guide for turning it into an optimized online description that attracts the right readers. 🔗 https://www.publishaprofitablebook.com/blueprint WONDERING EXACTLY HOW TO SELF-PUBLISH SO YOU CAN STOP GUESSING?Grab the action plan and finally feel confident you’re doing this the right way.👉 PublishAProfitableBook.com/actionplan ✍️ 33-DAY BOOK WRITING BOOTCAMPYou've Been Thinking About This Book Forever. So let's get it written (for real this time). 👉 https://www.publishaprofitablebook/writethebookSupport the show******Write the Damn Book Already is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with authors as well as updates and insights on writing craft and the publishing industry.  Available wherever podcasts are available: Apple PodcastsSpotify YouTube Let's Connect! InstagramWebsite Email the show: elizabeth [at] elizabethlyons [dot] comThe podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores.To see all the ways we can work together to get your book written and published, visit publishaprofitablebook.com/work-with-elizabeth