Freelance Writing Direct with Estelle: Conversations with authors, journalists, agents, novelists, memoirists, niche writers, publishers, writing teachers, assigning editors and media experts.

What if the truest story of your life lives in a single image, like a photo-booth strip, a tarnished bracelet, a goldfish bowl? In this episode of Freelance Writing Direct, Estelle Erasmus talks with award-winning author Sue William Silverman about her new collection, Selected Misdemeanors: Essays at the Mercy of the Reader. We unpack how flash nonfiction works, why metaphor is your most powerful craft tool, and how to braid the "unaware" and "aware" voices to create resonance—fast. Sue William Silverman is an award-winning author of nine works of nonfiction and poetry. Her new book, Selected Misdemeanors: Essays at the Mercy of the Reader, is a collection of flash essays. Her book on the craft of writing, Acetylene Torch Songs: Writing True Stories to Ignite the Soul, won the 2024 IPPY Silver Award. Her memoir-in-essays collection, How to Survive Death and Other Inconveniences, won the gold star in Foreword Reviews INDIE Book of the Year Award and the Clara Johnson Award for Women's Literature. Other works include Love Sick: One Woman's Journey through Sexual Addiction, made into a Lifetime TV movie; Because I Remember Terror, Father, I Remember You, which won the AWP Award; The Pat Boone Fan Club: My Life as a White Anglo-Saxon Jew; and Fearless Confessions: A Writer's Guide to Memoir. She's co-chair of the MFA in Writing program at Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her media appearances include The View, Anderson Cooper-360, and PBS Books. Watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0SKyHhR98k Connect with Sue: Website: https://www.suewilliamsilverman.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SueWilliamSilverman Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suewilliamsilverman/ Get More from Estelle: Webinar: Sign up for Estelle's webinar on October 9th in collaboration with Writer's Digest Mapping Your Memoir: How to Find the Heart and Shape of Your Story https://writersdigestuniversity.mykajabi.com/mapping-your-memoir Register for a free online Editor-on-Call NYU event on October 29th: Inside Slate an Unfiltered Conversation with Senior Editor, Rebecca Onion.https://events.nyu.edu/event/368190-editor-on-call-inside-slate-an-unfiltered. New Substack post: Why Every Memoir Needs the "Echo Effect". https://estelleserasmus.substack.com/p/why-every-memoir-needs-the-echo-effect 🎤 TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond Estelle blends personal storytelling with actionable strategies for standing out—starting with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine. 📺 Watch, comment, and share 📬 Newsletter + FREE Pitching Guide Find out more about this episode and get Estelle's free pitching guide when you sign up for her newsletter: https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast About Estelle: Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a "Best Book for Writers" by Poets & Writers), and host of Freelance Writing Direct—2025 Podcast of the Year (Education), American Writing Awards. A Contributing Editor for Writer's Digest and adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine. She's served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Explore More: 📘 Writing That Gets Noticed – Buy the book | Audiobook 📰 Subscribe on Substack: https://estelleserasmus.substack.com Latest posts: "Why Every Memoir Needs the "Echo Effect". When Writers Are the Ones Blocking the Page: 6 Ways to Move Forward (and An Offer); "How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen" 🎧 More episodes: Freelance Writing Direct Podcast Read Estelle's latest article How to Use the Internet to Become Your Own Private Investigator (Next Avenue/PBS) Follow Estelle: Instagram: @EstelleSErasmus TikTok: @EstelleSErasmus Twitter: @EstelleSErasmus BlueSky: @estelleserasmus.bsky.social

What if the story of your life wasn't told chronologically, but mapped through your very body—your heart, your hands, even your nose? That's exactly what Nina B. Lichtenstein does in her new memoir-in-essays, Body: My Life in Parts(Vine Leaves Press, 2025). By using sixteen body parts as the framework for memory, metaphor, and meaning, Nina shows how our physical selves carry the imprints of identity, history, and transformation. In their chat, Estelle Erasmus explores with Nina how writing through the body can unlock surprising entry points to story, empathy, and connection. Nina is a native of Oslo, Norway, now living in Maine. She holds a PhD in French literature from UCONN, an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Southern Maine, and is a "recovering academic." Her writing has appeared in Tablet Magazine, Kveller, Brevity Blog, Lilith Magazine, The Washington Post, HuffPost, and AARP, among other places. She is known for her popular blog The Viking Jewess (since 2014). Her work has been anthologized and her book, Sephardic Women's Voices: Out of North Africa was published in 2017. Nina is the founder and director of Maine Writers Studio and co-founder/co-editor of In a Flash Literary Magazine. She has three grown Viking Jew sons, all over 6'4" tall with the middle names Thor, Balder, and Odin. In this episode: How focusing on body parts can open doors to memory and metaphor [3:25] How structure can emerge organically when working in essays [8:10] Why she chose to add prompts at the end of her book as an act of generosity [12:46] Why senses—especially smell and music—are powerful entry points for memoir [14:44] The importance of empathy when writing about people in your life [16:56] Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/scMn7hgr9zw Connect with Nina: Website: https://www.ninalichtenstein.com/ Learn more about Maine Writers Studio: https://www.mainewritersstudio.com/ In A Flash Literary Magazine https://inaflashlitmag.substack.com/ Nina's Substack: https://ninablichtenstein.substack.com/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=substack_profile On Being Jewish Now Substack: Kol Nidre in a New Key https://onbeingjewishnow.substack.com/p/kol-nidre-in-a-new-key Connect with Estelle: Get More from Estelle: Webinar: Sign up for Estelle's webinar on October 9th in collaboration with Writer's Digest Mapping Your Memoir: How to Find the Heart and Shape of Your Story https://writersdigestuniversity.mykajabi.com/mapping-your-memoir Register for a free online Editor-on-Call NYU event on October 29th: Inside Slate an Unfiltered Conversation with Senior Editor, Rebecca Onion.https://events.nyu.edu/event/368190-editor-on-call-inside-slate-an-unfiltered. New Substack post: Why Every Memoir Needs the "Echo Effect". https://estelleserasmus.substack.com/p/why-every-memoir-needs-the-echo-effect 🎤 TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond Estelle blends personal storytelling with actionable strategies for standing out—starting with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine. 📺 Watch, comment, and share 📬 Newsletter + FREE Pitching Guide Find out more about this episode and get Estelle's free pitching guide when you sign up for her newsletter: https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast About Estelle: Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a "Best Book for Writers" by Poets & Writers), and host of Freelance Writing Direct—2025 Podcast of the Year (Education), American Writing Awards. A Contributing Editor for Writer's Digest and adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine. She's served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Explore More: 📘 Writing That Gets Noticed – Buy the book | Audiobook 📰 Subscribe on Substack: https://estelleserasmus.substack.com Latest posts: "Why Every Memoir Needs the "Echo Effect". When Writers Are the Ones Blocking the Page: 6 Ways to Move Forward (and An Offer); "How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen" 🎧 More episodes: Freelance Writing Direct Podcast Read Estelle's latest article How to Use the Internet to Become Your Own Private Investigator (Next Avenue/PBS) Follow Estelle: Instagram: @EstelleSErasmus TikTok: @EstelleSErasmus Twitter: @EstelleSErasmus BlueSky: @estelleserasmus.bsky.social

What does it mean to be fetishized—and how do you turn that gaze back on the culture that created it? Estelle Erasmus chats with Kaila Yu, a freelance writer whose work has appeared in The Los Angeles Times, Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Business Insider, Condé Nast Traveler, and more. Before turning to journalism, Kaila was a model and the lead singer of the all-Asian American female rock band Nylon Pink. Her debut memoir, Fetishized: A Reckoning with Yellow Fever, Feminism, and Beauty (Crown Publishing, Penguin Random House), braids cultural critique with personal narrative to examine identity, representation, and the male gaze. In this episode: Growing up in the "pornified" 2000s and how it shaped beauty ideals and agency The "ABG" (Asian Baby Girl) aesthetic, model-minority myths, and resisting stereotypes Structuring a memoir-in-essays using cultural archetypes (Geisha, Butterfly, China Doll, "Not Lucy Liu," etc.) Weaving research (colonial histories, media analysis) into lived experience Gen Z, #MeToo, and why we need cultural reckonings now, not 20 years later Life after entertainment: choosing writing for longevity and self-definition Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/4hAi3MN_Png Order her book on Estelle's Bookshop https://bookshop.org/p/books/fetishized-a-reckoning-with-yellow-fever-feminism-and-beauty-kaila-yu/212b9185f28e897d?aid=98827&ean=9780593728017&listref=authors-who-have-appeared-on-freelance-writing-direct&next=t Connect with Kaila Website: https://KailaYu.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/KailaYu Get More from Estelle: Webinars: NEW: Sign up for my free online Editor-on-call NYU event on October 29th Inside Slate: An Unfiltered Conversation with Senior Editor, Rebecca Onion. Register here Sign up for my webinar on October 9th in collaboration with Writer's Digest Mapping Your Memoir: How to Find the Heart and Shape of Your Story. Sign up here. New Essay: Read my latest essay on Another Jane Pratt Thing. It Happened to Me: I Deliberately Ruined My Nasty Co-Worker's Wedding Video. I loved telling my story all these years later. And don't miss the episode with Jane #155, where we dished all about Sassy, XoJane and more. TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond In my talk I blend personal storytelling with actionable strategies for standing out—starting with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine. Watch, comment, and share Explore More: Writing That Gets Noticed – Buy the book | Audiobook Subscribe on Substack: https://estelleserasmus.substack.comLatest posts: "When Writers Are the Ones Blocking the Page: 6 Ways to Move Forward (and An Offer); Stop Counting Your Words. Start Shaping Your Story" and "How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen" More episodes: Freelance Writing Direct Podcast Follow Estelle: Instagram TikTok Twitter BlueSky

Estelle Erasmus sits down with Sam Hiyate, President and CEO of The Rights Factory, a global literary agency that has represented hundreds of titles across genres, including multiple bestsellers like This One Summer by Jillian and Mariko Tamaki, Healthy AF by Oonagh Duncan, and More by Molly Rodin Winter. In this episode: The trends shaping today's book market, including the rise of speculative elements in literary and commercial fiction [2:45] How "Hollywood memoirs" and screen-ready stories are attracting publishers [5:31] Why themes of escapism, hope, and redemption resonate with readers in turbulent times [6:05] The changing role of editors and the increased need for outside editing before submission [10:33] The realities of pitching agents—what to prepare, how to stand out, and why most pitches get a "no" [12:36] How social media, BookTok, TED Talks, and even backlist titles can drive publishing and film/TV deals [26:05] Why career-building authorship is more valuable than a one-hit wonder—and how agents nurture long-term writer relationships [29:10] Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/DwvdwFu3Ipw Episode Mentioned #148 How to Hook Readers by Planting Curiosity Seeds in Interactive Novels with Bianca Marais https://estelleserasmus.com/148-how-to-hook-readers-by-planting-curiosity-seeds-in-interactive-novels-with-bianca-marais/ About Sam Hiyate SAM HIYATE is keen to discover new voices and help writers prepare their works for market, and to help them build lasting careers. In the past two decades with THE RIGHTS FACTORY his hundreds of book deals have resulted in several bestsellers such as MORE, the memoir by Molly Roden Winter, THIS ONE SUMMER, the graphic novel by Jillian and Mariko Tamaki, non-fiction such as HEALTHY AF (DITCH THE DIET) by Oonagh Duncan and THE MYTH of CAPITALISM by Jonathan Tepper and Denise Hearn, and fiction such as GIRLS IN WHITE DRESSES by Jennifer Close and THE ADULT by Bronwyn Fischer. Connect with Sam Website: https://www.therightsfactory.com Get More from Estelle: Webinar: Sign up for Estelle's webinar on October 9th in collaboration with Writer's Digest: Mapping Your Memoir: How to Find the Heart and Shape of Your Story https://writersdigestuniversity.mykajabi.com/mapping-your-memoir 🎤 TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond Estelle blends personal storytelling with actionable strategies for standing out—starting with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine. 📺 Watch, comment, and share 📬 Newsletter + FREE Pitching Guide Find out more about this episode and get Estelle's free pitching guide when you sign up for her newsletter: https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast About Estelle: Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a "Best Book for Writers" by Poets & Writers), and host of Freelance Writing Direct—2025 Podcast of the Year (Education), American Writing Awards. A Contributing Editor for Writer's Digest and adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine. She's served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Explore More: 📘 Writing That Gets Noticed – Buy the book | Audiobook 📰 Subscribe on Substack: https://estelleserasmus.substack.com Latest posts: "When Writers Are the Ones Blocking the Page: 6 Ways to Move Forward (and An Offer)" and "How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen" 🎧 More episodes: Freelance Writing Direct Podcast Read Estelle's latest article How to Use the Internet to Become Your Own Private Investigator (Next Avenue/PBS) Follow Estelle: Instagram: @EstelleSErasmus TikTok: @EstelleSErasmus Twitter: @EstelleSErasmus BlueSky: @estelleserasmus.bsky.social

Estelle Erasmus is joined by editor Sari Botton, a memoirist featured in Poets & Writers' "5 Over 50." In this episode, Sari shares why the most powerful memoirs often illuminate the ordinary, how she found the right container to structure her story, and the lessons she's learned about balancing honesty with protecting others on the page. She also discusses the challenges of people-pleasing, the persistence of "mean girls" into adulthood, and how she built a thriving editorial life through her Substack publications, Oldster, Memoir Land, and Adventures in Journalism. Sari Botton's memoir in essays, And You May Find Yourself...Confessions of a Late-Blooming Gen-X Weirdo, was chosen by Poets & Writers magazine for the 2022 edition of its annual "5 Over 50" feature. For five years, she was the Essays Editor at Longreads. She edited the bestselling anthologies Goodbye to All That: Writers on Loving and Leaving New York and Never Can Say Goodbye: Writers on Their Unshakable Love for New York. She publishes Oldster Magazine, Memoir Land, and Adventures in Journalism. In this episode: Why strong memoirs focus on the universal, not just the extraordinary [3:00] How to find the catalytic moment that gives your story shape [5:10] The importance of writing a fearless "vomit draft" before refining [20:18] Strategies for ethically blurring identities while keeping emotional truth [23:39] How to turn editorial skills into sustainable platforms and community-building [32:41] Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/tvQahdqPctE Related Episode: #143 What We Don't Talk About: Family, Loss, Love, and the Art of Editing Anthologies with Michele Filgate https://estelleserasmus.com/143-what-we-dont-talk-about-family-loss-love-and-the-art-of-editing-anthologies/ Connect with Sari Instagram: http://instagram.com/saribotton Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/saribotton.bsky.social Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/sari.botton/ Substack: https://substack.com/@saribotton Website: http://saribotton.com Get More from Estelle: Webinars: Sign up for Estelle's webinar on October 9th in collaboration with Writer's Digest Mapping Your Memoir: How to Find the Heart and Shape of Your Story https://writersdigestuniversity.mykajabi.com/mapping-your-memoir Sign up for Estelle's free online Editor-on-call NYU event on October 29th Inside Slate: An Unfiltered Conversation with Senior Editor, Rebecca Onion. Register here: https://events.nyu.edu/event/368190-editor-on-call-inside-slate-an-unfiltered 🎤 TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond Estelle blends personal storytelling with actionable strategies for standing out—starting with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine. 📺 Watch, comment, and share 📬 Newsletter + FREE Pitching Guide Find out more about this episode and get Estelle's free pitching guide when you sign up for her newsletter: https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast About Estelle: Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a "Best Book for Writers" by Poets & Writers), and host of Freelance Writing Direct—2025 Podcast of the Year (Education), American Writing Awards. A Contributing Editor for Writer's Digest and adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine. She's served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Explore More: 📘 Writing That Gets Noticed – Buy the book | Audiobook 📰 Subscribe on Substack: https://estelleserasmus.substack.com Latest posts: "When Writers Are the Ones Blocking the Page: 6 Ways to Move Forward (and An Offer); Stop Counting Your Words. Start Shaping Your Story" and "How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen" 🎧 More episodes: Freelance Writing Direct Podcast Read Estelle's latest article How to Use the Internet to Become Your Own Private Investigator (Next Avenue/PBS) Follow Estelle: Instagram: @EstelleSErasmus TikTok: @EstelleSErasmus Twitter: @EstelleSErasmus BlueSky: @estelleserasmus.bsky.social

Estelle Erasmus sits down with legendary editor and publishing pioneer Jane Pratt, the founder of Sassy, Jane, and XOJane, and now the voice behind the hit Substack Another Jane Pratt Thing. Jane has built a career on breaking rules, centering women's voices, and creating space for personal, confessional storytelling long before it was mainstream. From her groundbreaking "It Happened to Me" column to her current Substack community, Jane has always put authenticity and conversation at the heart of her work. In this episode: How Jane started Sassy and why it resonated with an entire generation [5:47] How she builds community by jumping into the comments and encouraging readers to turn feedback into full stories [5:06] The challenges she faced publishing taboo topics like abortion, birth control, and sexuality in teen magazines [7:48] The evolution from print to online media to Substack and why Substack feels like the most authentic home for her writing yet [13:02] Her new Controversial Books Only Book Club and what makes it so different [29:50] Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/kydZntdbJhw Connect with Jane: Another Jane Pratt Thing: https://www.anotherjaneprattthing.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janepratt/ Substack: https://substack.com/@janebutthathandleistaken Threads: https://www.threads.com/@janepratt Get More from Estelle: Webinar: Sign up for Estelle's webinar on October 9th in collaboration with Writer's Digest Mapping Your Memoir: How to Find the Heart and Shape of Your Story https://writersdigestuniversity.mykajabi.com/mapping-your-memoir 🎤 TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond Estelle blends personal storytelling with actionable strategies for standing out—starting with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine. 📺 Watch, comment, and share 📬 Newsletter + FREE Pitching Guide Find out more about this episode and get Estelle's free pitching guide when you sign up for her newsletter: https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast About Estelle: Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a "Best Book for Writers" by Poets & Writers), and host of Freelance Writing Direct—2025 Podcast of the Year (Education), American Writing Awards. A Contributing Editor for Writer's Digest and adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine. She's served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Explore More: 📘 Writing That Gets Noticed – Buy the book | Audiobook 📰 Subscribe on Substack: https://estelleserasmus.substack.com Latest posts: "When Writers Are the Ones Blocking the Page: 6 Ways to Move Forward (and An Offer); Stop Counting Your Words. Start Shaping Your Story" and "How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen" 🎧 More episodes: Freelance Writing Direct Podcast Read Estelle's latest article How to Use the Internet to Become Your Own Private Investigator (Next Avenue/PBS) Follow Estelle: Instagram: @EstelleSErasmus TikTok: @EstelleSErasmus Twitter: @EstelleSErasmus BlueSky: @estelleserasmus.bsky.social

Estelle Erasmus talks with author and memoir coach Wendy Dale, creator of The Memoir Engineering System. Wendy shares her practical, seven-step approach to structuring memoirs so writers can skip trial-and-error and finish their books with confidence. Wendy Dale is the founder of Memoir Writing for Geniuses and has spent 15 years developing a method that helps writers build their memoirs from the ground up without structural errors. She coaches both newbies and professionals, drawing on her own experience as the author of the memoir Avoiding Prison and Other Noble Vacation Goals (Three Rivers Press/Penguin Random House), and The Memoir Engineering System. In this episode, we discuss: Why memoir structure matters more than prose alone [3:06] The difference between remembering your life vs. creating plot [8:17] How to craft scenes that pull readers in (and avoid generic writing) [11:13] The surprising truth about universality in memoir [15:50] The role of transitions in connecting life stories [18:31] Why subjective writing is the key to emotional resonance [24:34] How to manage (and not get lost in) piles of existing material [26:50] Related Episode #131 Bonny Reichert https://estelleserasmus.com/131-the-flavor-of-trauma-a-food-memoir-wrapped-around-a-family-story/ Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/68mj_phSlwM Connect with Wendy Dale Website: https://www.geniusmemoirwriting.com Reality Show Website: https://www.writeorflightshow.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/writerwendydale Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/memoirwritingforgeniuses YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@memoirwritingforgeniuses Connect with Estelle: Get More from Estelle: Webinar: Sign up for Estelle's webinar on October 9th in collaboration with Writer's Digest Mapping Your Memoir: How to Find the Heart and Shape of Your Story https://writersdigestuniversity.mykajabi.com/mapping-your-memoir 🎤 TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond Estelle blends personal storytelling with actionable strategies for standing out—starting with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine. 📺 Watch, comment, and share 📬 Newsletter + FREE Pitching Guide Find out more about this episode and get Estelle's free pitching guide when you sign up for her newsletter: https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast About Estelle: Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a "Best Book for Writers" by Poets & Writers), and host of Freelance Writing Direct—2025 Podcast of the Year (Education), American Writing Awards. A Contributing Editor for Writer's Digest and adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine. She's served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Explore More: 📘 Writing That Gets Noticed – Buy the book | Audiobook 📰 Subscribe on Substack: https://estelleserasmus.substack.com Latest posts: "When Writers Are the Ones Blocking the Page: 6 Ways to Move Forward (and An Offer); Stop Counting Your Words. Start Shaping Your Story" and "How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen" 🎧 More episodes: Freelance Writing Direct Podcast Read Estelle's latest article How to Use the Internet to Become Your Own Private Investigator (Next Avenue/PBS) Follow Estelle: Instagram: @EstelleSErasmus TikTok: @EstelleSErasmus Twitter: @EstelleSErasmus BlueSky: @estelleserasmus.bsky.social

Estelle Erasmus shares strategies on how to breathe new life into the work you've already created. She draws from her 30+ years in publishing to reveal practical, creative ways to transform past essays, blog posts, journal entries, or even pieces from defunct websites into fresh, publishable work. In this episode: Turn older writing into micro memoirs, flash fiction, or service journalism [1:25] Rework rejected pitches into timely articles or essays [6:15] Pitch local and regional outlets for new publishing opportunities [8:20] Use past material for TEDx talks, profiles, and reported pieces [8:57] Leverage platforms like Substack, Medium, and literary journals to grow your audience [15:35] Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/lGAg07y-GMo Related Episodes and Articles Episodes #139 How to Submit Your Writing to Literary Magazines and Get Published https://estelleserasmus.com/139-how-to-submit-your-writing-to-literary-magazines-and-get-published/ #88 The Founder of HARO, Launches SOS—Source of Sources https://estelleserasmus.com/88-the-founder-of-haro-peter-shankman-a-hero-to-journalists-on-deadline-launches-source-of-sources/ #18 Repurposing Writing Through Reprints https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/freelance-writing-direct-with-estelle-conversations/id1647429472?i=1000596773834 Articles When Writers Are the Ones Blocking the Page: 6 Ways to Move Forward (And An Offer) https://estelleserasmus.substack.com/p/when-writers-are-the-ones-blocking If You are Thinking of Doing an Audiobook https://estelleserasmus.substack.com/p/if-you-are-thinking-of-doing-an-audiobook Audiobook and sample for Writing That Gets Noticed Order and listen here https://www.audiobooks.com/promotions/promotedBook/786773/writing-that-gets-noticed-find-your-voice-become-a-better-storyteller-get-published?refId=207903 Connect with Estelle: Get More from Estelle: Webinar: Sign up for Estelle's webinar on October 9th in collaboration with Writer's Digest Mapping Your Memoir: How to Find the Heart and Shape of Your Story https://writersdigestuniversity.mykajabi.com/mapping-your-memoir 🎤 TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond Estelle blends personal storytelling with actionable strategies for standing out—starting with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine. 📺 Watch, comment, and share 📬 Newsletter + FREE Pitching Guide Find out more about this episode and get Estelle's free pitching guide when you sign up for her newsletter: https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast About Estelle: Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a "Best Book for Writers" by Poets & Writers), and host of Freelance Writing Direct—2025 Podcast of the Year (Education), American Writing Awards. A Contributing Editor for Writer's Digest and adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine. She's served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Explore More: 📘 Writing That Gets Noticed – Buy the book | Audiobook 📰 Subscribe on Substack: https://estelleserasmus.substack.com Latest posts: "When Writers Are the Ones Blocking the Page: 6 Ways to Move Forward (and An Offer); Stop Counting Your Words. Start Shaping Your Story" and "How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen" 🎧 More episodes: Freelance Writing Direct Podcast Read Estelle's latest article How to Use the Internet to Become Your Own Private Investigator (Next Avenue/PBS) Follow Estelle: Instagram: @EstelleSErasmus TikTok: @EstelleSErasmus Twitter: @EstelleSErasmus BlueSky: @estelleserasmus.bsky.social

Estelle Erasmus walks you through the exhilarating and sometimes overwhelming experience of going viral as a writer. With multiple viral articles under her belt (featured in The New York Times, Washington Post, HuffPost, and more), Estelle shares hard-earned wisdom on how to navigate the emotional rollercoaster, manage the spotlight, and make the most of sudden visibility. Whether your piece is trending online, being picked up internationally, or even discussed on national TV, this episode gives you the tools to handle the moment with grace, clarity, and strategy. In this episode: What going viral really means in the publishing and media world [1:18] Estelle's personal experiences with viral essays and the unexpected outcomes [2:02] How to prepare for the emotional and logistical aftermath of virality [3:37] Why setting boundaries (auto-responders, media filters, social media limits) is essential [6:09] Strategies for turning viral momentum into long-term career opportunities (book deals, speaking gigs, newsletter growth, more) [11:45] WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/NUCd5P-Zdk0 Article Referenced: When to Reply on Social Media...And When To Not (Wired) https://www.wired.com/story/when-to-reply-on-social-media-and-when-to-not/ Get More from Estelle: 📬 Newsletter + FREE Pitching Guide Find out more about this episode and get Estelle's free pitching guide when you sign up for her newsletter: https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast 🎤 TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond Estelle blends personal storytelling with actionable strategies for standing out—starting with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine. 📺 Watch, comment, and share About Estelle: Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a "Best Book for Writers" by Poets & Writers), and host of Freelance Writing Direct—2025 Podcast of the Year (Education), American Writing Awards. A Contributing Editor for Writer's Digest and adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine. She's served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Explore More: 📘 Writing That Gets Noticed – Buy the book | Audiobook 📰 Subscribe on Substack: https://estelleserasmus.substack.com Latest posts: "Stop Counting Your Words. Start Shaping Your Story" and "How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen" 🎧 More episodes: Freelance Writing Direct Podcast Read Estelle's latest article How to Use the Internet to Become Your Own Private Investigator (Next Avenue/PBS) Classes: 📝 One spot left in Estelle's September/October 6-week Zoom fiction class. Email: freelancewritingdirect@gmail.com for info. Follow Estelle: Instagram: @EstelleSErasmus TikTok: @EstelleSErasmus Twitter: @EstelleSErasmus BlueSky: @estelleserasmus.bsky.social

In this solo episode, Estelle Erasmus recaps her experience at the 2025 U.S. Book Show, where over 800 publishing professionals gathered at the New York Academy of Medicine. Drawing on her 30+ years in the industry, Estelle brings her insider lens to the conversations shaping the future of writing. She shares intel from panels with top executives like Jonathan Karp (CEO of Simon & Schuster) and David Shelley (CEO of Hachette Book Group), along with her own sharp insights about what's shifting in the publishing landscape—from AI disruption to author platform evolution. In this episode: Why publishing with the Big Five isn't as easy as it used to be—and how they are supporting indie presses in an unlikely area [1:54] Why human instinct and editorial intuition still matter— even in an algorithm-driven industry [9:07] Why mentorship, networking, and in-person collaboration matter more than ever for young professionals [10:27] Smart ways authors can grow their platform beyond social media: (think: newsletters, blogs, and thought leadership) [14:32] Watch on YouTube Connect with Estelle: Related Episodes #141 Estelle's Edge On How AI is Disrupting Content Marketing https://estelleserasmus.com/141-solo-episode-estelles-edge-on-how-ai-is-disrupting-content-marketing/ #119 Estelle's Edge on Steering Through the Publishing Gauntlet https://estelleserasmus.com/119-solo-episode-estelles-edge-on-steering-through-the-publishing-gauntlet/ #90 Estelle's Edge on the U.S. Book Show 2024 https://estelleserasmus.com/90-bonus-episode-estelles-edge-on-the-u-s-book-show-2024/ Get More from Estelle: 📬 Newsletter + FREE Pitching Guide Find out more about this episode and get Estelle's free pitching guide when you sign up for her newsletter: https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast 🎤 TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond Estelle blends personal storytelling with actionable strategies for standing out—starting with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine. 📺 Watch, comment, and share And check out episode #145 Where I talk about how to shape a TEDx Talk, in the first of several episodes related to my Talk About Estelle: Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a "Best Book for Writers" by Poets & Writers), and host of Freelance Writing Direct—2025 Podcast of the Year (Education), American Writing Awards. A Contributing Editor for Writer's Digest and adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine. She's served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Explore More: 📘 Writing That Gets Noticed – Buy the book | Audiobook 📰 Subscribe on Substack: https://estelleserasmus.substack.com Latest posts: "Stop Counting Your Words. Start Shaping Your Story" and "How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen" 🎧 More episodes: Freelance Writing Direct Podcast Read Estelle's latest article How to Use the Internet to Become Your Own Private Investigator (Next Avenue/PBS) Classes: 📝 Two spots left in Estelle's September/October 6-week Zoom fiction class. Email: freelancewritingdirect@gmail.com for info. Follow Estelle: Instagram: @EstelleSErasmus TikTok: @EstelleSErasmus Twitter: @EstelleSErasmus BlueSky: @estelleserasmus.bsky.social