Copy Chief Radio CCR291: (Wisdom Tree) Laura Belgray on writing, and selling, Tough Titties
Jun 13, 2023
Laura Belgray, a witty writer and founder of Talking Shrimp, shares her journey of creating her memoir, Tough Titties. She highlights the challenges of maintaining her unique voice while navigating the publishing world. With hilarious anecdotes from her college days and insights on the impact of AI, Laura emphasizes the blend of truth and humor in storytelling. She also reveals the tough yet rewarding editing process, the importance of marketing for authors, and her hopes for inspiring readers to venture into writing themselves.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Write Your True Book, Then Give It Meaning
- Write the book you want, not the expected business tie-in, even if agents push for marketability.
- Shape personal stories into a coherent arc and add meaning so readers understand why you told them.
Honesty Prevents Preachiness
- Laura avoids preachiness because she often hasn't fully absorbed the lessons she writes about.
- That honesty keeps her voice from sounding didactic or conclusive.
Left Lane Fiasco Becomes A Callback
- Laura recounts driving on Merritt Parkway, refusing to pull over and forcing a cop to swerve around her.
- That embarrassing moment became a college-long running joke about who wanted to ride with her.
