Write the Damn Book Already

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!Katie Clapham didn't set out to build an author platform. (Anyone else tired of that word?) She had a week where she had nothing ready to publish, she was working her usual shift at the bookshop she runs with her mom, and she opened a draft and started writing down the day as it happened. She called it Receipt from the Bookshop, numbered it one on the off chance she'd do it again, and sent it to a couple hundred subscribers at the end of her shift.Roughly 250 people read it. Nearly 12,000 read it every week now, and it's been turned into a book. Receipts from the Bookshop comes out in the US on September 8, 2026 from William Morrow, after publishing in the UK in June 2026.Keep in mind, when the publishing offer came in, her subscriber number was sitting in the low 2,000s. The numbers arrived after the deal, not before.In this episode, Katie and I get into what actually went into the pitch, since this was her first time writing a nonfiction proposal after years of children's and YA books. Sample pages, a short introduction, and about two months of work getting the voice right. We also talk about paid subscribers do to your Sunday-night brain. Why she keeps her best work free and prices her subscription as low as the platform allows. Why she has no website at all (and her publisher has never asked her to have one). And her honest fear going into launch, which was less about the marketing and more that this was the part where she'd find out the book isn't as good as she hopes it is.If you've been circling Substack wondering whether it's the magic platform, or you're mid-manuscript and quietly convinced you need a bigger following before anyone will take you seriously, this episode is a great listen!In this episode:Why Katie joined Substack in November 2022 and what she was actually looking for when she didHow she splits free and paid posts so the pressure doesn't run her lifeWhat a nonfiction book proposal looks like when you don't have a finished bookWhy she disabled Substack's new AI detection scan (very on-trend topic, no?)How she defines success for this book🧭 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 WANT TO SELL MORE BOOKS (WITHOUT THE SELF-PROMO CRINGE)?The Author Visibility Bundle gives you 200+ done-for-you email templates, social media graphics, and other book promo tools designed to help authors build buzz and drive sales, without feeling pushy. 👉  PublishAProfitableBook.com/visibility ✍️ 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!I have been quietly fangirling over Allison Buehner's editing tips on Instagram for months. I have so many of them saved that at this point she deserves her own folder. So I finally asked her to come on the show, and then discovered we had already sort of met years ago, when she emailed me to suggest I talk to another editor she admired. No pitch. Nothing in her it for herself. In twenty years of doing this, nobody had ever done that, and I've thought highly of her ever since.Allison runs Golden Editorial out of Colorado and works mostly with indie and self-publishing authors. She started out in nonfiction and memoir before following her heart into fantasy, contemporary fiction, and, lately, a truly impressive amount of cowboy romance.We got into the things first-time authors usually find out the expensive way:Why "I'll just hire a proofreader" is the priciest shortcut in self-publishing, and what has to happen before your manuscript ever reaches an editorThe real difference between an alpha reader, a critique partner, and a beta reader, plus why handing the book to your best friend is a terrible planWhat a developmental edit actually looks like, and why it can feel like you paid a lot of money for a document that says "go do more work"What good editors will and won't do, because fixing it for you crosses into co-authoringBreaking craft rules on purpose versus breaking them because you never learned them, and roughly how many you can get away with in one bookThe want-versus-need conflict Allison has been recommending to nearly every fiction author lately, and why it makes characters feel like people instead of plot delivery devicesHow to know you're genuinely ready to hand your manuscript to a professional🧭 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 WANT TO SELL MORE BOOKS (WITHOUT THE SELF-PROMO CRINGE)?The Author Visibility Bundle gives you 200+ done-for-you email templates, social media graphics, and other book promo tools designed to help authors build buzz and drive sales, without feeling pushy. 👉  PublishAProfitableBook.com/visibility ✍️ 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!Laurie Notaro has hit the New York Times bestseller list more times than she can pin down. She's also written so many books she can't tell you the number without checking. And she drives a 2008 Mini Cooper, lives in a 1,500 square foot house, and has earned out on exactly one of those books. If you've ever wondered what a long career in publishing actually looks like from the inside, start here.We talk about I've Got a New Complaint, her new essay collection out September 8 from Little A, which is so hysterical I'll be giving it to everyone for the holidays. Laurie walks through her essay writing process, including the structural trick she wishes she'd figured out thirty years earlier. She's also as blunt as you'd expect about the parts nobody prints on a book jacket. Her first book, The Idiot Girls' Action-Adventure Club, was self-published after seven years of rejections, then picked up by Random House. Her career came apart twice. She was dropped by her agent over email while she was on tour. She spent three years living on credit cards. And she was told repeatedly that nobody wants to read about middle-aged women, which is a fascinating position to take on the largest book-buying demographic in the country.We also get into why she left the Big Five for an Amazon imprint, plus her genuine affection for one-star reviews and why they may be the best free marketing a first-time author will ever receive. If you're writing a book and trying to figure out whether traditional publishing or self-publishing is the right road, this is a candid look at both from someone who has done all of it, more than once.🧭 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 WANT TO SELL MORE BOOKS (WITHOUT THE SELF-PROMO CRINGE)?The Author Visibility Bundle gives you 200+ done-for-you email templates, social media graphics, and other book promo tools designed to help authors build buzz and drive sales, without feeling pushy. 👉  PublishAProfitableBook.com/visibility ✍️ 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!Joyce Maynard has been publishing books for fifty-three years. In Wonderland is her fourteenth novel, and it came out eight days before we recorded this. She still does not outline. She sits down knowing exactly who her characters are, what they want, what they're afraid of, what they can't stop thinking about, and then she lets them take her somewhere she didn't plan on going.We talked about the year she rented a little house on the shores of Lake Atitlán, and then bought a piece of land, which now serves as a retreat center where she's hosted well over a thousand women for memoir workshops. The question she gets there, every single time, from women only: How do I tell an honest story about my life without hurting the people in it? Other things we covered:Why she doesn't consider writing to be therapy, and what she thinks needs to happen before your story is ready for the pageThe difference between resilience and reinvention (she has a great analogy involving an inflatable clown)Going back to Yale at sixty-five, and the D- on a French exam that led to a diagnosis at an age when nobody in her generation got oneHer approach to writing as making a movie that plays inside the reader's head, and why she refuses to over-explainWrite what you know, and also the case for writing what you don't know🧭 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 WANT TO SELL MORE BOOKS (WITHOUT THE SELF-PROMO CRINGE)?The Author Visibility Bundle gives you 200+ done-for-you email templates, social media graphics, and other book promo tools designed to help authors build buzz and drive sales, without feeling pushy. 👉  PublishAProfitableBook.com/visibility ✍️ 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!Eli McCann never planned to write a novel. He wrote one chapter kind of, maybe, to prove to himself he couldn't. But when he handed it to his husband, who both laughed and cried reading it, his curiosity and determination grew.That chapter became Stitched, his debut novel about competitive quilting, unlikely friendships, and found family. The story of how it got published is required listening for any first-time author who's ever been told to change their book to make it more marketable.We talk about the year Eli spent building a storytelling following before he had a book to sell, the agent who warned him publishing has a bias problem against older women (and how unfortunately correct she turned out to be), why he refused to rewrite his book into something it wasn't just to land a deal, and what it was actually like to narrate his own audiobook, complete with dialogue-heavy scenes from multiple distinct voices.🧭 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 WANT TO SELL MORE BOOKS (WITHOUT THE SELF-PROMO CRINGE)?The Author Visibility Bundle gives you 200+ done-for-you email templates, social media graphics, and other book promo tools designed to help authors build buzz and drive sales, without feeling pushy. 👉  PublishAProfitableBook.com/visibility ✍️ 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!Ten books in, Meg Mitchell Moore still doesn't know what her plot is going to be when she starts writing.  Meg Mitchell Moore has published ten novels. And she still starts most of them with no idea what's going to happen. No outline, no plot, sometimes not even a reason her characters are in the room together. She figures it out as she goes, often with her agent's or editor's help.If that sounds like it shouldn't work, that's kind of the point of this conversation. It does work. It's worked ten times! And I love how honest Meg is about the fact that her first drafts are a mess and revisions are where it all comes together. We also get into the parts of book publishing that show up in very few highlight reels. Meg talks about learning, book by book, how much of a "big author moment" (the 10-city tour, the massive publisher push) is actually the author funding it themselves. She talks about the fear of writing a book with no contract attached to it, and how that fear doesn't necessarily go away with experience.We talk about the business-versus-art tension every working writer eventually has to make peace with, and why the current pace of the industry has authors feeling more frantic than they perhaps did fifteen years ago, even as the community itself has gotten more supportive.🧭 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 WANT TO SELL MORE BOOKS (WITHOUT THE SELF-PROMO CRINGE)?The Author Visibility Bundle gives you 200+ done-for-you email templates, social media graphics, and other book promo tools designed to help authors build buzz and drive sales, without feeling pushy. 👉  PublishAProfitableBook.com/visibility ✍️ 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!This episode quickly got personal because I'm elbow-deep in my first novel after six nonfiction books, and Angela Brown writes the kind of fiction that makes one feel quite seen. Angela is the author of Olivia Strauss Is Running Out of Time, Some Other Time, and her newest, Ways to Find Yourself. And I will fully admit I read the prologue the night before we recorded and had a moment. Not a cute moment. A "why am I like this" moment. So we start there, obviously. But this conversation goes way past my feelings about her book (though we do talk about her characters, her sneaky habit of naming them after real people in her life, and the "what if" questions that kick off each of her novels). We get into the actual mess of writing fiction: how she doesn't always know where a story is headed when she starts it, the time an entire book arrived in the shower (why does all our best thinking happen there?) and she wouldn't leave her desk for two hours because she was afraid it would vanish, and the moment (mid-draft) when she realized the book wasn't broken—she was just writing from the wrong point of view.We also talk about her MFA (Was it worth it?), the myth that there's one right way to write a book, and how she's getting much better at saying one simple word: no.Oh, and stick around for the end. You'll walk away saying "no ploblem" for the rest of your week. You're welcome.🧭 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 WANT TO SELL MORE BOOKS (WITHOUT THE SELF-PROMO CRINGE)?The Author Visibility Bundle gives you 200+ done-for-you email templates, social media graphics, and other book promo tools designed to help authors build buzz and drive sales, without feeling pushy. 👉  PublishAProfitableBook.com/visibility ✍️ 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!TV writer, screenwriter, and author Eric Garcia has published six books (so far). He sold three of them to Hollywood and somehow still managed to write his latest novel entirely by accident. He set out to write a short story. Then it got longer. Then it was a novella. Then it was 80,000 words and he had to admit he'd written a whole book, mostly at night, while still juggling film and TV work. We also talk about what's  changed in publishing since his Random House days (Hint: mid-list used to mean stable; now everyone's terrified of it), why chasing trends is a losing game when a book takes years to reach shelves, and why there are no rules for how long a chapter should be, except the one that matters: Don't make me want to stop reading.We also bond hard over the Oxford comma as well as the correct use of "less" and "fewer." I nearly combust with joy over our shared grammar rage. 🧭 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 WANT TO SELL MORE BOOKS (WITHOUT THE SELF-PROMO CRINGE)?The Author Visibility Bundle gives you 200+ done-for-you email templates, social media graphics, and other book promo tools designed to help authors build buzz and drive sales, without feeling pushy. 👉  PublishAProfitableBook.com/visibility ✍️ 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!In this episode, I chat with children's book author and illustrator Erin Thorburn. (She also happens to be my best friend.) We wax not so poetic on book writing, publishing, marketing children's books (her lane, not mine), and navigating the creative industry with humor and properly set expectations. CONVERSATION HIGHLIGHTS:Challenges of publishing (and marketing) children's booksMarketing strategies for authorsThe myths (and, of course, truths) of our experiences building both confidence and communityHow to navigate industry egos and rejection without making it mean you should quit (or just plain quitting) 🧭 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 WANT TO SELL MORE BOOKS (WITHOUT THE SELF-PROMO CRINGE)?The Author Visibility Bundle gives you 200+ done-for-you email templates, social media graphics, and other book promo tools designed to help authors build buzz and drive sales, without feeling pushy. 👉  PublishAProfitableBook.com/visibility ✍️ 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!Nadia Hashimi's newest novel (her seventh published book), City of Widows (William Morrow), releases in July 2026. She's already published four books for adults: The Pearl that Broke Its Shell (which is an international bestseller), When the Moon in Low, A House Without Windows, and Sparks Like Stars, as well as two middle grade novels, One Half from the East and The Sky at Our Feet. Our conversation was both fascinating and enlightening as we talked about Afghan culture, the importance of discipline in creative work, and Nadia's writing process. As a mom of four and pediatrician, her schedule most certainly doesn't allow for "easy" writing blocks, and her encouraging, honest words will no doubt reassure new and seasoned authors alike.🧭 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 WANT TO SELL MORE BOOKS (WITHOUT THE SELF-PROMO CRINGE)?The Author Visibility Bundle gives you 200+ done-for-you email templates, social media graphics, and other book promo tools designed to help authors build buzz and drive sales, without feeling pushy. 👉  PublishAProfitableBook.com/visibility ✍️ 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!In this episode, Ann Garvin (who will release her 7th novel, Tell Two Friends, in September 2026 with Lake Union) discloses the often messy, unglamorous truth of how a story actually starts. For her, that's usually as some tiny thing Ann can't stop thinking about, long before it has a plot or even characters attached to it. We talk about how to take that one nagging "kernel" of fascination and slowly build a book around it, and why your characters' flaws are usually what make readers care. Ann also walks through a deceptively useful trick for getting unstuck: asking, "What's the worst possible thing that could happen to this character right now?" (and then doing that to them).Whether you write memoir, self-help, or fiction, this conversation is really about the same question every writer eventually has to answer: What am I actually fascinated by, and am I brave enough to explore it further? No matter how you're published or what genre you're writing, the part about having to sit down and write the damn book is the same for everyone!🧭 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 WANT TO SELL MORE BOOKS (WITHOUT THE SELF-PROMO CRINGE)?The Author Visibility Bundle gives you 200+ done-for-you email templates, social media graphics, and other book promo tools designed to help authors build buzz and drive sales, without feeling pushy. 👉  PublishAProfitableBook.com/visibility ✍️ 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!The woman. The myth. The legend: Jordan Roter. She's a TV writer, screenwriter, author, and one of the funniest and most genuine people I know. I truly could talk to her for days (and I'd like to, as it would preclude the need any sort of formal abdominal workout). Her novel, Moms Like Us (2025, Little A), was recently optioned for the screen, and she's back to give her hot takes on:Midlife transitions (welcome, all my fellow perimenopause travelers!)Self-publishing versus traditional publishingThe currently hot TV shows I was previously afraid to watch (Heated Rivalry, Off Campus, and Euphoria)Navigating publicity and marketing as an author The importance of remembering that you only need 1 "yes"🧭 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 WANT TO SELL MORE BOOKS (WITHOUT THE SELF-PROMO CRINGE)?The Author Visibility Bundle gives you 200+ done-for-you email templates, social media graphics, and other book promo tools designed to help authors build buzz and drive sales, without feeling pushy. 👉  PublishAProfitableBook.com/visibility ✍️ 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!In this heartfelt interview, author Cinelle Barnes shares her journey through writing A Way Home (Little A, June 9, 2026), a heart-wrenching memoir about remembering and rebuilding a life after everything known disappears in a flash. Her latest memoir takes us alone with her as she recovers from a sudden ruptured brain aneurysm. But her journey was far more than physical. It's the healing of soul, of body, of identity. It's a woman/mother/daughter/immigrant/writer redrawing the map of herself. The mere existence of this book is a triumph, and the beautiful magic of it is a feat of awe. Cinelle is also the author of Monsoon Mansion: A Memoir and Malaya: Essays on Freedom. 🧭 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 WANT TO SELL MORE BOOKS (WITHOUT THE SELF-PROMO CRINGE)?The Author Visibility Bundle gives you 200+ done-for-you email templates, social media graphics, and other book promo tools designed to help authors build buzz and drive sales, without feeling pushy. 👉  PublishAProfitableBook.com/visibility ✍️ 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!In this episode, Elizabeth Lyons and Liz Lawson discuss Liz's journey from YA to adult fiction (It Happened One Murder, July 2026), the realities of book launches, and insights into the publishing industry. She shares personal experiences, misconceptions about launch days, and the evolving landscape of genre categories.TOPICS INCLUDE:- Transitioning from YA to Adult Fiction- Understanding Reader Expectations- The Differences in Writing YA vs. Adult- Navigating Genre and Audience- The Evolution of YA and Adult Fiction- The Challenge of Engaging Young Readers- The Complexity of Book Marketing🧭 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!In this episode, Joan F. Smith, author of Your Soulmail is Attached (her debut adult novel), shares her journey through the publishing world, her writing process, and insights into navigating multiple editors, genres, and the realities of a writing career. TOPICS COVEREDWriting process and outlining techniquesNavigating multiple editors and genre shiftsBalancing income and writing careerHandling feedback and critique partnersPublishing industry insights and author experiences🧭 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!Louise Marburg has spent years devoted to the short story form. So naturally, she accidentally wrote a novel. Her debut, Fancy Meeting You, features Laura Harrigan: a psychiatrist, mother of twin boys, and pathological liar who apparently had too much personality to stay confined to a short story. Louise and I talked about what it was like to finally write a character she didn't want to let go of, and why she'd actually consider a sequel (which, she says, she'd never say about anything else she's written).We also got into the bigger picture stuff: the current state of publishing, why small presses are having a real moment, and why luck is a bigger factor in this industry than most people want to admit. Louise is refreshingly clear-eyed about the money side of writing (hint: making loads of money isn't the point), and her take on what a publicist is actually for might shift the way you think about hiring one!Plus we talked AI, the two completely separate industries that both call themselves "the book world," and what Louise is reading right now—including one very famous book she was not a fan of (because no book is for everyone!).🧭 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!If you've ever thought "I could write a book about this" while watching a reality TV show at 10pm, you're going to love this episode! Amy Mass spent years writing for TV (you might recognize "The Goldbergs" and "Last Man Standing" from her credits), and after relocating from LA to a charming small town outside Atlanta during COVID, she channeled all of that storytelling experience into her debut novel, Reality Bites, out May 12, 2026 from Harper Perennial.In this episode, Amy and I talk about what it actually looked like to make the leap from TV writer to novelist, including writing three books and two movies in four years, going out on submission, shelving her first manuscript, and finally landing a deal with a major publishing house. We also get into her writing process (she's both a pantser and a plotter), why she writes dialogue first, and how she keeps a running collection of joke scraps and character notes scattered across her phone, her laptop, and random Post-its around the house.We also talk about what it was like getting notes from her agent and her editor, and how to push back on notes without being precious about it. Her phrase "find the note behind the note" is one to hold onto! And then we get into the part that surprises most authors: how much marketing is still on you. Amy was genuinely caught off guard by how much time, energy, and social media hustle a book launch requires—even with a publicity team in your corner. 🧭 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!Most authors don’t realize that publishing isn’t just about writing a book. Before long, it often becomes a full-on entrepreneurial rollercoaster. In this episode, I talk with Allie Hill, author of the Girlfriend's Guide to Empty Nesting, about what really happens after you hit "publish." She reveals what surprised her, what flopped, and what secretly skyrocketed her confidence. This episode is perfect for first-time authors, seasoned writers, or anyone curious about the gritty truth behind that glossy book cover.(And just wait until you hear her book recommendation from the "What I'm Reading Now" segment!) 🧭 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 WANT TO SELL MORE BOOKS (WITHOUT THE SELF-PROMO CRINGE)?The Author Visibility Bundle gives you 200+ done-for-you email templates, social media graphics, and other book promo tools designed to help authors build buzz and drive sales, without feeling pushy. 👉  PublishAProfitableBook.com/visibility ✍️ 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!Rachel Beanland has written three novels (her newest, The Half Life, releases on July 14, 2026 from Simon & Schuster), and she's still surprised by how much each book teaches her. In this episode, we talk about what it actually looks like to challenge yourself as a writer—specifically, her decision to write her latest novel, The Half-Life, in first person for the first time. (As I've recently learned while working on my own novel, it's harder than it sounds, and Rachel has the perfect explanation as to why.)We also get into how personal history shapes fiction (her first novel grew out of a family tragedy from nearly a century ago), why a strong sense of place isn't optional, and what happens when you trust your instincts even when the process feels messy as hell.🧭 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!Rachel Weaver wrote her memoir Dizzy at a seven-day writing residency in Wyoming where she was, by her own description, "the depressed one in the corner the whole time." The (ultimate) result? A beautifully structured, deeply honest book about chronic illness, power dynamics, and what it takes to keep living the life you want even when your body has other plans.In this conversation, we dig into the craft and business of writing memoir. Rachel talks about why she swore she'd never write one, what finally changed her mind, and the specific structural problem that kept the book feeling like "just a story about me" for years.We also get into the pitch that got her on this podcast (four sentences, total), what it actually means when agents say a genre is "hard to sell," why bringing in outside eyes too early can kill your momentum, and what her writing group friend Erika Kraus said about her early draft that I am going to be repeating for the rest of my life.If you're writing a memoir and you've wondered how to make it about something bigger than yourself without losing your own story in the process, this episode's for you.🧭 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 WANT TO SELL MORE BOOKS (WITHOUT THE SELF-PROMO CRINGE)?The Author Visibility Bundle gives you 200+ done-for-you email templates, social media graphics, and other book promo tools designed to help authors build buzz and drive sales, without feeling pushy. 👉  PublishAProfitableBook.com/visibility ✍️ 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!If your book has been sitting in a half-finished state for longer than you'd like to admit, this episode is for you. I'm in the middle of writing my seventh book — my first real attempt at fiction — and I'm not even going to pretend it's going smoothly. In this episode, I talk about what keeps stalling the manuscript, what finally got me moving again, and what happened when I locked herself in a hotel room for a weekend to try to power through it (the pool situation was a distraction I did not anticipate).This episode covers the writing retreat reality check. In other words:why booking the coziest hotel might actually work against youwhy having even a loose plan beats having nonewhat it means to "zoom out" and add anchors to your story instead of obsessing over any one scene or chapterI also talk about working with my critique partners (Neely Tubati Alexander and Ann Garvin), why their blunt feedback on a certain Ferris wheel scene was exactly what I needed, and how being too close to your own work is just an unavoidable part of the process.Whether you're writing memoir, nonfiction, or fiction, and whether you've been at it for three months or three years, stalling is not failure. It's writing. And this episode is a reminder that literally every author goes through it.🧭 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!Lori is a traditionally published author of seven books whose latest novel, Kiss, Marry, Kill, releases April 7th with HarperCollins. Last time she was on the show, we talked about her novel, Romantic Friction. This time? We get into the business of publishing — the stuff most authors don't hear about until they're already in the thick of it.Plus, what Lori does (and questions) when it comes to her own marketing hustle, and why she goes all in every launch season even when she's not sure the return is worth it.🧭 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 WANT TO SELL MORE BOOKS (WITHOUT THE SELF-PROMO CRINGE)?The Author Visibility Bundle gives you 200+ done-for-you email templates, social media graphics, and other book promo tools designed to help authors build buzz and drive sales, without feeling pushy. 👉  PublishAProfitableBook.com/visibility ✍️ 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!Ever wonder what happens when an academic specializing in medieval women’s visions suddenly writes her first novel? In this episode, Jennifer Brown shares her unexpected leap from dusty manuscripts to publishing with St. Martin’s Press and how a canceled conference sparked her fiction journey—without a soul telling her she should.In this episode:How Jennifer’s fascination with medieval women and their visions inspired her novel, The Lost Book of Elizabeth BartonThe serendipitous week in London that kickstarted her writing processScrapping outlines and embracing the messy, fun process of discoveryThe unexpected ease of her path to publicationInsights into marketing a traditionally published book when the house does some of the heavy lifting (emphases on "some")Her thoughts on the complexity of writing multiple timelines and switching points of viewThe importance of embracing revision as part of the creative process🧭 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!Many indie authors lose sleep over the idea of getting banned on Amazon. Honestly? That fear makes sense. It's not possible to guarantee that your account would be suspended or deactivated, but if it is, there are steps you can take to rectify the situation.In this episode, I'm breaking down what actually causes account suspensions (things you can absolutely control), the tactics some authors use to game visibility that end up backfiring spectacularly, and what to do if you find yourself on the wrong end of Amazon's AI-based decisions.We'll cover keyword stuffing, category gaming, review-related red flags, and the not-so-obvious mistakes that put accounts at risk. Plus, what a real appeal process looks like and when it might be worth diversifying your distribution altogether.Because here's the thing: There's almost always a way forward. If you're self-publishing and want to stay legit, steady, and sane, this one's for you.🧭 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!Creative careers look glamorous from the outside. The inside is usually…a little messier.In episode 160, I sit down with Liz Astrof, TV writer ("Stumble," "King of Queens," "Pivoting," etc.) and author of Stay-At-Work Mom, to talk about the real mechanics of building a career in entertainment and publishing. Not the highlight reel. The actual process.Liz shares what it’s like to write for television while also stepping into the world of books. Different mediums. Different pressures. Same core truth: Good work takes time to find its footing.We talk about the long stretch between idea and green light. The pitches that don’t land. The projects that stall. And why collaboration is both the magic and the madness of working in TV (and being an author!).She also shares a candid look at her version of resilience. Not the motivational-poster version but the practical version, where you keep showing up, keep refining, and keep creating—even when the timeline isn’t cooperating (which, let's face it, is the one constant).If you’ve ever wondered how creative careers actually unfold—or questioned whether persistence alone is enough—this conversation will feel familiar and encouraging in the best possible ways.***** 🧭 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 WANT TO SELL MORE BOOKS (WITHOUT THE SELF-PROMO CRINGE)?The Author Visibility Bundle gives you 200+ done-for-you email templates, social media graphics, and other book promo tools designed to help authors build buzz and drive sales, without feeling pushy. 👉  PublishAProfitableBook.com/visibility ✍️ 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!In this episode, I’m joined by Emma Grey, whose newest novel, Start at the End, publishes on April 7, 2026. We talk about writing brave stories and building a creative life that can withstand rejection.Emma shares how vulnerability fuels her fiction. Not for shock value, but how honest emotions earn their place on the page. We talk about how she approaches structure, how she stays grounded in character, and why the process of storytelling keeps evolving right alongside the writer.We also get into rejection. The real kind, the kind that stings. Emma’s take? It’s part of the path, and it's not a verdict on your talent.And then there’s what’s next for Emma—TV adaptation plans and the shift from prose to screen. What changes? What stays? And how do you protect the emotional core of a story when new collaborators step in?If you’re writing something that feels personal—or wondering whether you’re resilient enough to keep going—this conversation is a must-listen. *****🧭 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 WANT TO SELL MORE BOOKS (WITHOUT THE SELF-PROMO CRINGE)?The Author Visibility Bundle gives you 200+ done-for-you email templates, social media graphics, and other book promo tools designed to help authors build buzz and drive sales, without feeling pushy. 👉  PublishAProfitableBook.com/visibility ✍️ 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!In this episode, I’m joined by U.K.-based bestselling author Alexandra Potter, known for Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k-Up and her newest release, So, I Met This Guy... We talk about her writing journey, the freedom (and risk) of genre versatility, and why she refuses to be boxed in (as should you!).Alexandra shares how she develops characters with depth and momentum. A friend calls her the “cork board queen,” and once you hear her plotting process, you’ll understand why. We also dive into the heartbeat of her current books: female friendships. The kind that carry you through heartbreak, reinvention, and the messy middle of midlife. She makes a strong case for why we need a female equivalent of the word “bromance.” (I've been contemplating an appropriate term ever since!)We touch on the role of timing, the importance of community, and the ever-unpredictable path to bestseller status. ***************************************************************🧭 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 WANT TO SELL MORE BOOKS (WITHOUT THE SELF-PROMO CRINGE)?The Author Visibility Bundle gives you 200+ done-for-you email templates, social media graphics, and other book promo tools designed to help authors build buzz and drive sales, without feeling pushy. 👉  PublishAProfitableBook.com/visibility ✍️ 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!Can you write a memoir without putting your name on it?In this episode, I tackle two of the most common questions I hear from aspiring memoirists: Can I stay anonymous? and What makes a book successful? I break down why selling a memoir without a personal identity attached is tough. Readers connect to people, not just stories. And when the story is personal, anonymity adds a level of friction you can’t ignore.I also share why the best memoirs often read like fiction. Strong scenes. Real tension. Clean narrative arc. Which is why, if anonymity feels non-negotiable, writing the story as fiction might actually be the smarter move.Then there’s the success question.Is it bestseller lists? Revenue? Or simply finishing a draft you once thought you couldn’t write?If you’ve been circling your story but stuck on fear, privacy, or what “counts” as success, this conversation will help you ground your next step.🧭 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 ✍️ 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!It's critical to understand the dynamics of book distribution, the advantages of ebooks, and strategies for increasing sales, especially as an indie author. So in this conversation, I discuss recent updates in the self-publishing world, focusing on distribution platforms for authors, particularly the new option for ebook distribution through Bookshop.org. The conversation also touches on the challenges indie authors face in getting their books into physical bookstores and how I suggest indie authors best utilize various distribution platforms for maximum effectiveness.RESOURCES MENTIONEDVideo: How to Update Your Fonts if KDP Rejects Your ManuscriptEpisode 98: Going Wide Vs. Amazon Exclusivity (KDP Select) Getting Your Self-Published Book Into Bookstores Author Email Toolkit: 30+ Templates for Building Buzz, Selling More Books, and Growing Your Reader List🧭 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!Sarah Vacchiano’s journey from querying 100 agents to publishing with one of the industry’s top houses is a story of patience, "luck," and the power of building genuine relationships.In this episode, Sarah shares the behind-the-scenes details of her publishing journey, including how a chance reconnection with an editor led to her debut novel’s acquisition and publication. You'll discover how her strategic persistence, timing, and a bit of serendipity turned a decade-long work into a real-life success story that defies typical timelines.We break down:The unconventional path from manuscript to publication, including querying, rejection, and a six-year pauseHow the universe conspired through a friend’s recommendation to seal her deal with Little A (an imprint of Amazon)The magic of editorial collaboration, with insights into the intensive editing processThe importance of vulnerability and personal growth reflected in her characters and storyWhy embracing failure and loss as part of growth unlocks opportunities we never imaginedThis episode is perfect for aspiring authors, entrepreneurs, and anyone navigating the unpredictable road to success. Sarah’s story proves that sometimes, the biggest wins happen when you least expect them.🧭 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!An elementary school librarian by day. A writer by night (and other spare moments). Somewhere in between, a whole book got written.In episode 154, I’m joined by Cassie Miller, author of the upcoming young adult contemporary sports romance Meet Me Under the Lights (Viking, March 2026). We talk about how she balanced teaching, writing, and real life long enough to finish a novel—and then had the courage to send it into the traditional publishing world.Cassie walks through her querying experience with refreshing honesty. The waiting. The no’s. The small wins that kept her going. And the moment it shifted from “maybe someday” to seeing her story become a real book.We also dig into what helped her stay grounded while juggling deadlines and expectations, and why writing while working full-time didn’t disqualify her from success. Instead, it helped shape it.This conversation isn’t about overnight breakthroughs or perfectly optimized writing schedules. It’s about showing up consistently, trusting the work, and letting progress count even when it feels slow.*****🧭 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 WANT TO SELL MORE BOOKS (WITHOUT THE SELF-PROMO CRINGE)?The Author Visibility Bundle gives you 200+ done-for-you email templates, social media graphics, and other book promo tools designed to help authors build buzz and drive sales, without feeling pushy. 👉  PublishAProfitableBook.com/visibility ✍️ 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!Fear of failure shows up early for most authors. And despite what you may think, it doesn’t magically disappear once you’re published.In this episode, I get honest about how fear, rejection, and unmet expectations quietly shape the writing process, especially in nonfiction and memoir. Drawing from years of editing experience (and my own hard-earned lessons), I break down why failure so often feels personal—and why that belief keeps writers stuck.This conversation reframes failure as one thing: information. I'll challenge the myth of overnight success, name the role imposter syndrome plays for authors at every stage, and offer a more realistic definition of success—one that actually supports long-term creative work.If you’ve ever questioned your talent, taken rejection personally, or wondered whether you’re “doing this wrong,” this episode will feel familiar in the best way.🧭 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 ✍️ 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!In this episode, I discuss the significance of context in the author space, emphasizing the need for transparency in marketing. I also talk about that dreaded task: building an author email list. EPISODE CHAPTERS01:37 - The Power of Quiet Reflection04:09 - When Navigating the Author Space: Context Matters10:02 - Building Your Email List: A Key to Success15:04 - Commitment to Growth: Choosing Your Platform🧭 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!This episode starts with a question that’s been tapping me on the shoulder all year: What would it look like to choose ease without giving up momentum?I’m reflecting on the past year in book writing and publishing, and sharing what I’m carrying forward into 2026. Less hustle-for-hustle’s-sake. More sustainable progress that feels livable.I talk about why consistency in book sales matters more than viral spikes, and why realistic goals tend to outperform ambitious ones you can’t maintain. There’s an honest look at marketing, too. It takes time. It’s rarely linear. And there’s no shortcut that replaces steady effort and experimentation. Finally, I dig into the quieter side of growth: building community, focusing on connection over vanity metrics, and staying open to adapting your approach as the market (and your life) changes.🧭 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 ✍️ 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!Episode 150 provides the reset many authors quietly crave as Jenn Hanson-dePaula returns to help us modify (if not outright rebuild) our expectations, systems, and perspectives when it comes to book sales.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:• How to implement a "2 sales a day" strategy.• Becoming "profitable, not popular." (Hint: Clicks matter. Likes and views don’t.)• The simple link path that outperform complicated funnels every time.• The easiest daily selling you're probably NOT doing. We also walk through how to measure what actually moves readers, not what flatters the algorithm. Jenn breaks down clean DM workflows, repeatable content, and approaches that spark joy so you can stop force-feeding content.We also look at the quieter parts of growth: handling criticism, building systems before you’re “big,” and treating your author life like a business, even when it still feels small.If you want calm, clarity, and a plan that won’t chew through your energy the way I'm currently going through the pantry pack of Peppermint Patties in my freezer, this episode lands exactly where you need it.CONNECT WITH JENNWebsite: jenndepaula.comInstagram: @jenndepaulabookmarketing🧭 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 WANT TO SELL MORE BOOKS (WITHOUT THE SELF-PROMO CRINGE)?The Author Visibility Bundle gives you 200+ done-for-you email templates, social media graphics, and other book promo tools designed to help authors build buzz and drive sales, without feeling pushy. 👉  PublishAProfitableBook.com/visibility ✍️ 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!In this episode, I share 8 books that reshaped how I parent, relax, and think about storytelling in 2025.Books:Just Do Nothing (for Parents) by Joanna HardisThe Summer We Ran by Audrey IngramWhat Happened to Lucy Vale by Lauren OliverRomantic Comedy by Curtis SittenfeldAnna Karenina by Leo TolstoySmall Victories by Anne LamottMoms Like Us by Jordan Roter***📚 Author Visibility Bundle (200+ customizable email and social media templates just for authors)***🧭 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!In this episode, we walk through 5 mistakes that quietly undermine first-time self-publishers and show how to fix each one with practical, doable steps.We start by tightening your audience with a one-sentence framework that keeps every chapter aligned to a clear promise. From there, we map a real editing workflow: self-edit, gather targeted beta feedback on structure and flow, then bring in a professional editor who can strengthen the developmental and line work.We also get honest about design. DIY your interior with reliable templates and checklists. But your cover? Invest in that. It needs to signal genre, earn clicks, and meet exact printer specs for spine width, trim, and image quality.Then we dig into metadata, the quiet engine behind discoverability. Keywords, categories, and a clean description help the right readers find you on the world’s third-largest search engine. If you’re tired of guessing and want a simpler way to publish with confidence, this conversation gives you clarity and next steps you can trust.MENTIONED RESOURCES:Workshop with Jane Friedman: The Indie Author’s Guide to a Standout Amazon ListingDate: January 16, 2026Time: 10am PST / 11am MST / noon CST / 1pm ESTSign up here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__NjEykZNSwSpeZ48tydhpwSelf-Publishing Starter Kit: https://www.publishaprofitablebook.com/selfpublishing101Self-Publishing Action Plan:https://www.publishaprofitablebook.com/actionplan🧭 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 ✍️ 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!If you’re writing a nonfiction book or memoir and your draft feels messy, scattered, or “not quite ready,” this episode will help you clean it up fast. I’m sharing 5 editing rules that instantly improve any nonfiction manuscript — the same rules I use to help guide the authors whose manuscripts I edit. These are the patterns I’ve seen again and again after coaching hundreds of authors, editing countless drafts, and publishing six nonfiction books of my own. When you understand these rules, your writing gets clearer, tighter, and far more compelling. And most importantly, your reader stays with you.Inside the episode, you’ll learn: – Why your intro is probably too long – How writing for ONE reader changes everything – How to make each chapter deliver a single promise – The difference between clarity and jargon – How to end chapters with momentum (and why that matters more than you think)If you want help starting your book, you can grab my free “Can't Stop Writing” guide here: https://www.publishaprofitablebook.com/chapteroneAnd if you’re ready to self-publish a book that looks and feels professional — without getting lost, overwhelmed, or making amateur mistakes — the full Publish the Damn Book Already program is here: https://www.publishaprofitablebook.com/publish🧭 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 ✍️ 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!Wanting life to be wonderful and wanting to be wonderful aren’t the same thing, and that gap is where today’s conversation lives.Israeli journalist and author Lihi Lapid joins me to talk about motherhood’s messy truths, the pressure to be “more” than "good enough," and the writing choices that make a story feel honest. From bestselling novels to a children’s book that calms homes during chaotic times, Lihi's path as an author reframes what success and impact really mean.We unpack her new book’s dual narrative: a “princess” self alongside the unfiltered woman doing dishes once the spotlight fades. It’s a sharp mirror of how we perform on the outside while wrestling with doubt inside. This episode serves as an important reminder that grace and grit can coexist, and that being real might be the easiest, hardest, and most wonderful act of all.🧭 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!Today I'm sharing 5 quick wins that make self-publishing feel simple, not scary, and show how small moves can build sustainable momentum. By the end of these 5 steps, you will have:• locked in a clear (and easy to pronounce over and over again) working title• chosen a credible publishing company name• and understanding of ISBNs and taken the first step toward purchasing yours• selected a trim size that best fits your word count• gathered cover inspiration that guides your final design• drafted dedication and acknowledgments pages Want all this in writing, step by step? Just go to publishaprofitablebook.com/jumpstart to get the 5 quick wins delivered directly to your inbox, one day at a time🧭 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!Ever felt like everyone else has the secret playbook for publishing while you’re just winging it? Same.In this episode, I spill everything I'd tell you as the author of six books (and having published 50+ for others) if I wasn't afraid you'd unfollow or outright block me. I'll get real about the financial side of authorship—the thin margins, the myth of “making it” with one viral post, and the practical ways nonfiction authors can pair their books with courses, workshops, or speaking to create lasting impact.And because no creative path is linear, I also dive into the human stuff: editors who disagree, 3 a.m. regrets, friends who vanish at launch. The fix for all of it? A simple but powerful rule: adopt a no-panic zone mindset.***🧭 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!A single question on a cold Hudson Valley walk: What if there’s a body in that hunter’s tent? sparked the debut thriller The Gallagher Place by Julie Doar. In this episode, we chat about how she wrote the first draft by instinct, then shifted gears into precision: charting dates, timelines, and cause-and-effect until every twist landed in a way that made sense. When the manuscript worked its way to 100K+ words, cutting became an act of getting clarity on what stays, what goes, and how much weight the opening chapter really has to carry.As it turns out, her years working at Starbucks trained the same muscles that make a thriller work: anticipating and executing under pressure. We talk about turning that fast-twitch instinct into a writing rhythm, plus the art of finishing one idea before chasing the next.We also chat about how querying parallels sales strategy: staggering submissions, treating rejections as market data, and refining pages until they convert. The mindset shift from “why not me?” to “what did I learn?” keeps momentum alive until the right agent says yes.🧭 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!What happens when a traditionally published debut novel suddenly appears on Kindle Unlimited while still showing wide? That unexpected twist opens into a bigger conversation about publishing decisions (and what’s actually within an author’s control).In this episode, Turner Gable Kahn, author of The Dirty Version (Harper Perennial), shares how she honored her grandmothers with a pen name, threaded #MeToo-era questions into a contemporary romance, and wrestled with multiple endings before landing on the one that aligned with her feminist lens.We also dig into her writing process. And, the publishing side. A sharp agent and editor helped shape her manuscript, but much to many authors' chagrin, even with a major publishing house, you’re still the one creating assets, posting, and doing the lion's share of marketing.  If you’re weighing traditional vs. indie, fighting the mid-book slump, or simply trying to finish without losing your mind, this conversation offers both clarity and solidarity.🧭 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 WANT TO SELL MORE BOOKS (WITHOUT THE SELF-PROMO CRINGE)?The Author Visibility Bundle gives you 200+ done-for-you email templates, social media graphics, and other book promo tools designed to help authors build buzz and drive sales, without feeling pushy. 👉  PublishAProfitableBook.com/visibility ✍️ 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!Maid meets Under the Tuscan Sun!Betsy Cornwell built her career writing young adult fantasy, but her newest book tells an entirely different story. In this episode, Betsy opens up about her memoir, Ring of Salt, which chronicles her escape from an abusive marriage and her creation of a sanctuary for single-parent artists.At the center is the Old Knitting Factory in western Ireland, a historic building she transformed into a childcare-inclusive residency. What began as a crowdfunded dream became both a physical refuge and a symbol of resilience, reshaping her creative life.Betsy also shares wisdom about the writing process itself. Teaching creative writing at the University of Galway, she knows firsthand how perfectionism derails authors and offers that waiting to write or release a book until it’s guaranteed “good” is like refusing to give birth unless you know the baby will be perfect.This is an episode for anyone wrestling with the voice that says “not good enough.” Ring of Salt releases September 30th.🧭 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 WANT TO SELL MORE BOOKS (WITHOUT THE SELF-PROMO CRINGE)?The Author Visibility Bundle gives you 200+ done-for-you email templates, social media graphics, and other book promo tools designed to help authors build buzz and drive sales, without feeling pushy. 👉  PublishAProfitableBook.com/visibility ✍️ 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!Most authors have as big a stack (if not bigger) of abandoned drafts as they do books that actually make it into the world. Jane Hamilton—bestselling author of The Book of Ruth and A Map of the World and two-time Oprah Book Club pick—is refreshingly open about that reality.Her newest novel, The Phoebe Variations, took nearly a decade to finish. Not because she was “blocked,” but because finding the center of a story often means writing and tossing out entire versions until one finally lands. “I wrote probably seven distinct novels before I got to what it is now,” she told me.She talks about putting “Spanx” on her drafts while acknowledging the boxes of pages she’ll likely never read again. As I always say, those pages weren’t wasted; they were the stepping stones to the book she ultimately wrote. “I just have to make it the best failure I can,” she says, “and in doing so I get to the next place.”For writers who may also feel stuck (*raises own hand), her perspective is freeing. Writing isn’t mechanical. It’s unpredictable and sometimes maddening. But it's always a process of discovery.Whether you’ve read Jane’s work for years or are just meeting her now, this conversation is a candid look at the messy road to great storytelling.🧭 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 WANT TO SELL MORE BOOKS (WITHOUT THE SELF-PROMO CRINGE)?The Author Visibility Bundle gives you 200+ done-for-you email templates, social media graphics, and other book promo tools designed to help authors build buzz and drive sales, without feeling pushy. 👉  PublishAProfitableBook.com/visibility ✍️ 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!Copyright. Piracy. LibGen. AI scraping. If just reading that list makes you want to hide under your desk with a bottle of...something...you’re not alone. Indie authors are being forced to navigate a landscape that feels murkier by the day, and most of us didn’t exactly sign up to become copyright attorneys.Unfortunately, the “poor man’s copyright” trick (mailing yourself a sealed copy of your manuscript) I used to suggest won’t do a thing to protect you in 2025. What does matter? Understanding when and how to formally register your copyright, what that three-month filing window really means, and how to handle it when you discover your book has been pirated.In this episode, I break down:Whether copyright registration is worth the time and money for indie authorsWhat to do (and what not to do) if your book shows up on LibGen or other shady sitesThe difference between healthy protection and exhausting paranoiaI’ll show you how to balance protecting your work with staying focused on what really matters—building genuine connections with readers who do want to support you.Want to go deeper? Check out Jenn Hansen-dePaula’s conversation with attorney Olivia Maynes for a legal perspective here: https://jenndepaula.com/podcast/90🧭 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!There are more than 42 million books on Amazon right now. So how in the world do you help your book stand out? One word: keywords.Think of keywords as Amazon’s GPS. They tell the algorithm exactly where your book belongs and who should see it. However, Amazon only gives you seven keyword boxes to work with. Seven! Which means every slot has to pull its weight.In this episode, I walk you through how to make those keywords work harder for you. We cover:Why those “optional” keyword boxes are actually non-negotiable if you want readers to find you.The difference between broad, hopelessly crowded terms (like romance or personal growth) and the kind of long-tail keywords that actually connect you to the right readers.Simple (and sometimes free) ways to research what your audience is really typing into Amazon.Paid (but not ghastly expensive) tools that can save you time if you want to dig deeper.How to maximize all 50 characters in each slot.The big no-nos: other authors’ names, book titles, quotation marks (all off-limits).🧭 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!Amazon ads don’t have to be complicated (or eat up your entire marketing budget) to actually sell books. In this episode, I’m sharing my approach to making Amazon ads simple(r) without endless spreadsheets, confusing dashboards, or the kind of budget that makes you wonder if you should’ve stuck with free bookmarks.Common Questions Tackled:Do I really need to spend $50–$100 a day like people recommend for Meta ads? Or can I start with $2–$3 and still see results?How do I actually know if my ads are working?Everyone says to use 300+ keywords. Do I actually need that many? (No, you don't.)Should I even bother with ads if my book listing isn’t fully optimized yet? How often am I supposed to tweak campaigns?What’s more important: impressions and clicks, or actual conversions (aka sales)?Can I determine the exact words people are typing into Amazon when they find my book?If you’ve been curious about trying Amazon ads but feel completely overwhelmed by the process, head to publishaprofitablebook.com/amazonads and see how simple this process can actually be.🧭 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!Writers dream of the day they’ll hold their finished book, but few warn you about how intense the editing phase can be. In this episode, debut novelist Jill Beissel gets real about the messy, magical process of turning a rough draft into a polished novel readers will love.Jill’s upcoming book, Glitter and Gold (out October 7!), went through what she calls “color-coded chaos”—a DIY system using highlighters, sticky notes, and sheer persistence to untangle plot issues and deepen character arcs.She also shares what it’s like to write while raising two young kids and working full-time. Some nights she wrote 500 words, others just 50, but she kept showing up. Her writing sprints, “progress over perfection” mindset, and decision to celebrate any words written (instead of beating herself up for what she didn’t write) are what more of us need to hear.We talk about dual timelines, beta readers, and why sometimes, the bravest thing a writer can do is shelve a manuscript after 100+ rejections and start fresh. And if you’re near Phoenix, join her for the launch of Glitter and Gold at Changing Hands Bookstore on October 17. Come for the celebration and stay for the reminder that persistence and patience really do pay off.🧭 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

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!Ever feel like everyone has some secret book marketing hack? Most of those “shortcuts” are just expensive detours.In this episode, I’m calling out three distractions that keep indie authors spinning their wheels. First up: Kirkus Reviews. Are they legit? Yes. Are they worth the price for most self-published authors? Maybe. But if you're hoping a $400 review is going to move thousands of copies, well, it probably won't. Then we dive into the Amazon Bestseller badge obsession. Finally, we'll talk about AI. As someone who edits A LOT of manuscripts, I can spot AI-generated content from a mile away. So can readers. In publishing, the long game truly is the shortcut.***Want to learn how to actually get your book in front of the right readers? My Amazon Ads for Indie Authors course is officially open—with early bird pricing! Now live at publishaprofitablebook.com/amazonads. 🧭 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 ✍️ 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