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Writers talk craft, agent hunt, query trenches, publishing industry, and more. Hosted by Mindy McGinnis.
Episodes
Monday Jan 27, 2020
Monday Jan 27, 2020
Today’s guest is Abbigail N. Rosewood, whose debut, If I Had Two Lives, follows a young girl from her childhood in a military camp in 1990s Vietnam, where her mother is in hiding as a political dissident, to her adulthood as a lonely and disillusioned immigrant in New York, where she must learn what it means to love and be loved, and to reconfigure home in the aftermath of ruins.
Abbigail joined me today to talk about diving deep into your emotions to develop an authentic relationship with your reader. Also covered: three things you need to know before you begin writing, as well as the publication process and the sting of rejection, post-publication.
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Monday Nov 18, 2019
Monday Nov 18, 2019
Today’s guest is Manuela Velasco, the marketing and publicity director as well as an editor for Tessera Editorial which was founded on the idea that publishing can and should be an accessible industry to all people. Through myriad diverse voices in the profession, Tessera Editorial hopes to open the world of books to as many readers as possible. Manuela joined me today to talk about the services that Tessera offers, as well as why getting people of color into all aspects of publishing – not just authors – is important for true diversity and inclusivity in the industry. Also covered: what a sensitivity read is – and what it isn’t. And diversity as a hot topic in publishing – is it a double edged sword?
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Links for Tessera Editorial:
Website: https://www.tesseraeditorial.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TesseraEdits
Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/tesseraeditorial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tesseraeditorial/
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Monday Jun 10, 2019
Monday Jun 10, 2019
Today’s guest is Lori Goldstein, former journalist and current author and editor who has a bachelor's in journalism and previously worked for technology publications in the “East Coast Silicon Valley” city of Boston.
Lori joined me today to talk about about how the query process actually works – even though we all know how painful it is. Also, writing loss leaders like prequel novellas and pre-order campaigns – are they worth it?
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Friday Apr 19, 2019
Friday Apr 19, 2019
A bonus episode for my listeners! I was recently interviewed by my local radio station, and thought I would re-broadcast for you.
Saturday Jan 19, 2019
Saturday Jan 19, 2019
Today’s guest is Anica Mrose Rissi the author of the Anna, Banana chapter-book series, the picture books Watch Out for Wolf! and The Teacher’s Pet, as well as a YA novel, Always Forever Maybe. Her essays have been published by The Writer and the New York Times, and she plays fiddle in and writes lyrics for the band Owen Lake and the Tragic Loves. Anica grew up in Maine and spent many years in New York City, where she worked as an executive editor in children’s book publishing.
Anica joined me today to talk about writing from a place of pain, and methods to redirect the endless feedback loop of anxiety towards something creative and productive, as well as how process can change from project to project and across age categories. Also covered: considering the performance of reading aloud versus the narrative that is meant to be read silently, writing for other writers, and how essays can both remind of your own authority on the subject, as well as open yourself up to vulnerability.
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Monday Dec 17, 2018
Monday Dec 17, 2018
In this episode: How to know when you need to walk away from that draft, steps to take to make sure nothing you write is ever wasted, and some tips for getting unstuck. Also covered: approaches to editing, and when to hire a professional editor.
Monday Aug 13, 2018
Monday Aug 13, 2018
Today’s guest is Jessica Verdi, author of the YA contemporary novels My Life After Now, The Summer I Wasn’t Me, What You Left Behind, as well as And She Was. Jess received her MFA in Writing for Children from The New School and is a freelance editor of romance, women’s fiction, chick lit, YA, and kid lit
Jessica joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about querying a first novel, landing her agent, and breaking out of writing only one genre. Also covered: how Jessica handles hot button issues in her books, and the pushback that can come from writing about such topics, as well as the pros and cons of getting an MFA and why everyone needs an editor.
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Monday Jul 23, 2018
Monday Jul 23, 2018
Today’s guest is Kit Frick, author of psychological thrillers for teens, as well as a poet and editor. Kit joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about not only the querying process, but the process of knowing her writing was ready to query – and how she got to that place, as well as how different structures can be illuminating for particular stories, and how those same structures are challenges to write.
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