#89 Level Up Your Novel By Mastering Visual Imagery and Research featuring Amanda Churchill

Amanda Churchill is a writer living in Texas. Her work has been featured in Hobart Pulp, Witness, River Styx, and other outlets. She was a Writer's League of Texas 2021 Fellow and holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from the University of North Texas. The Turtle House is her first novel.

In this episode:

• The challenges of writing a novel about family [3:24]

• Creating an ending in fiction you couldn't provide in real life [5:21]

• Interviewing subjects and researching a novel based on family history [9:50]

• Developing through lines and replicating motifs [18:07]

• How being a graphic designer and focusing on visual as much as the words helped Amanda write the book [25:01]

• Finding the confidence to move forward creatively without fear [20:05]

• Dealing with the intensity of writing about strong emotions [34:29]

• How Amanda structured her writing process and found her agent [36:45]

Connect with Amanda:

Twitter: https://x.com/agchurchill

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandagchurchill/

Website: https://amandagannchurchill.com

Get her book on Estelle's Bookshop

https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-turtle-house-amanda-churchill/20297348?aid=98827&ean=9780063290518&listref=authors-who-have-appeared-on-freelance-writing-direct&

Other Episodes Featuring Novelists

Episode #70 Writing A YA Romance Novel

https://estelleserasmus.com/70-writing-a-ya-romance-novel-with-jennifer-chen/

Episode #63 Witchy Writing With the Shit No One Tells You About Writing Host Bianca Marais

https://estelleserasmus.com/63-witchy-writing-with-bianca-marais/

Episode #58 Writing About Historical Subjects

https://estelleserasmus.com/58-writing-about-historical-subjects-with-audrey-clare-farley/

Connect with Estelle:

​​FREE PITCHING GUIDE: Find out more about this episode at

https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast. You also get a free pitching guide if you sign up for her newsletter.

Get on the Waiting List for Estelle's online Editor-on-Call Event in Partnership with NYU on June 13

"Making the Cut" with editor for The Cut, Jen Ortiz

https://events.nyu.edu/event/327843-editor-on-call-making-the-cut-with-your-writing

Sign up for Estelle's Personal Essay Class for Writer's Digest

https://www.writersonlineworkshops.com/courses/writing-the-personal-essay-101-fundamentals

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https://estelleserasmus.com/a-few-pieces-of-exciting-news/

Get Her Book

Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: https://rb.gy/5ihwp0

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Estelle's Latest Articles

I'm Learning to Listen in New Ways (Shondaland)

https://www.shondaland.com/live/family/a46102451/im-learning-to-listen-in-new-ways/

What to Do PreLaunch to Get Your Book Noticed (Writer's Digest)

https://www.writersdigest.com/getting-published/what-to-do-pre-launch-to-get-your-book-noticed

How to Resist the Temptation of AI When Writing (Wired)

https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-resist-ai-temptation-writing/