Best AmWriting With Jess Podcasts (2024)

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410: Ep 409: Tag Along on a Speaking Trip with Jess! 32:34

29m ago32:34

32:34

Hello #AmWriters! Jess here at the beginning of a very busy fall speaking season, coming to you from the northwest corner of Indiana. I’ve talked to you before about the nuts and bolts of my speaking work, but I thought it would be fun to bring you along with me and talk about the things I pack, plan for, and think about when I’m on the road. If I …

1
Ep 409: Tag Along on a Speaking Trip with Jess! 32:35

42m ago32:35

32:35

Hello #AmWriters! Jess here at the beginning of a very busy fall speaking season, coming to you from the northwest corner of Indiana. I’ve talked to you before about the nuts and bolts of my speaking work, but I thought it would be fun to bring you along with me and talk about the things I pack, plan for, and think about when I’m on the road. If I …

1
#186 - Hannah Weatherill 37:36

17m ago37:36

37:36

Literary and book-to-screen agent, Hannah Weatherill is on the podcast chatting about her career in publishing, what it means to pitch books to television and film studios and building a brand new list with Watson Little. 💖 Join the Patreon 🙏 Support the show and get access to the extended cuts early and ad-free! 📚 The Chosen Ones and Other Tropes …

1
#185 - Jess Popplewell 23:43

3d ago23:43

23:43

Young adult fantasy author and winner of the Times/Chicken House Chairman's Prize Award 2022 is on the podcast chatting about her debut novel, feeling like she sort of cheated her way into publishing and what careers advice she gives to people thinking about working in publishing. 💖 Join the Patreon 🙏 Support the show and get access to the extended…

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#184 - Karen Jennings 25:42

1d ago25:42

25:42

Critically acclaimed author, Karen Jennings joins us this week to chat about how being long-listed for the Booker prize changed her life, her writing process and how aspiring authors can approach the publishing industry. 💖 Join the Patreon 🙏 Support the show and get access to the extended cuts early and ad-free! 📚 The Chosen Ones and Other Tropes 🥳…

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409: #FlashbackFriday: Very Serious About Fun Reads with Emily Henry 35:54

9d ago35:54

35:54

The title of this episode comes from a great George Michael quote that Sarina reminded us of and one that I now think about all the time: People thought I wanted to be seen as a serious musician, but I didn’t. I just wanted to people to know that I was very serious about pop music. That’s us here. We’re very serious about fun reads—and so grateful …

1
#FlashbackFriday: Very Serious About Fun Reads with Emily Henry 35:54

4d ago35:54

35:54

The title of this episode comes from a great George Michael quote that Sarina reminded us of and one that I now think about all the time: People thought I wanted to be seen as a serious musician, but I didn’t. I just wanted to people to know that I was very serious about pop music. That’s us here. We’re very serious about fun reads—and so grateful …

1
#183 - Emily Layden 26:17

10d ago26:17

26:17

Author and screenwriter, Emily Layden is on the podcast this week to chat about her new novel, 'Once More From the Top', her journey to becoming an author and the differences between writing novels and writing for film and television. (Photo by Michelle Lange) 💖 Join the Patreon 🙏 Support the show and get access to the extended cuts early and ad-fr…

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How an Inside-Outline Can Save Your Revision (and maybe your book) 37:20

11d ago37:20

37:20

Hey writers! Maybe I say this all the time, but this episode is GREAT. Remember how in Episode 402 I asked the question for the ages: How Bad Can a Good First Draft Be? At that point I was on a fifth draft and it was sadly still pretty “bad”— think “I built a bookshelf but one of the shelves is on the back and I don’t think it necessarily needed wi…

1
408: How an Inside-Outline Can Save Your Revision (and maybe your book) 37:20

11d ago37:20

37:20

Hey writers! Maybe I say this all the time, but this episode is GREAT. Remember how in Episode 402 I asked the question for the ages: How Bad Can a Good First Draft Be? At that point I was on a fifth draft and it was sadly still pretty “bad”— think “I built a bookshelf but one of the shelves is on the back and I don’t think it necessarily needed wi…

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#182 - Ellery Lloyd a.k.a. Collette Lyons & Paul Vlitos 27:18

15d ago27:18

27:18

Best-selling husband and wife writing team, Ellery Lloyd joins us this week to chat about their approach to co-writing, the tricky parts within that and their latest novel 'The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby'. 💖 Join the Patreon 🙏 Support the show and get access to the extended cuts early and ad-free! 📚 The Chosen Ones and Other Tropes 🥳 Jamie, M…

1
#181 - Phoebe Morgan 37:20

25d ago37:20

37:20

Publishing Director, editor and best-selling author, Phoebe Morgan joins us to chat all things publishing from both sides of the curtain! 💖 Join the Patreon 🙏 Support the show and get access to the extended cuts early and ad-free! 📚 The Chosen Ones and Other Tropes 🥳 Jamie, Melissa and Noami talk about all things writing, tropes and publishing! ✍️ …

1
From Women’s Fiction to Romance in 30 Days 45:16

25d ago45:16

45:16

Writing BFFs Alison Hammer and Bradeigh Godfrey were thirty days away from a publisher deadline for their third book when the news came down: change this book from women’s fiction to romance. Should they do it? Could they do? How would they do it??? In this episode, Jennie Nash digs into this juicy question. Books mentioned in this episode: The Bea…

1
407: From Women’s Fiction to Romance in 30 Days 45:15

25d ago45:15

45:15

Writing BFFs Alison Hammer and Bradeigh Godfrey were thirty days away from a publisher deadline for their third book when the news came down: change this book from women’s fiction to romance. Should they do it? Could they do? How would they do it??? In this episode, Jennie Nash digs into this juicy question. Books mentioned in this episode: The Bea…

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#180 - Rachel McLean 34:56

29d ago34:56

34:56

Award winning indie-published crime writer, Rachel McLean is on the podcast this week talking about her novels, how she cracked self-publishing and moving into a hybrid publishing approach with Hera. 💖 Join the Patreon 🙏 Support the show and get access to the extended cuts early and ad-free! 📚 The Chosen Ones and Other Tropes 🥳 Jamie, Melissa and N…

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Flashback: Being Genre Flexible with Catherine Newman 55:51

1M ago55:51

55:51

Hi! Jess here. I just finished Catherine Newman’s new novel Sandwich, and I’m feeling a lot of feelings. I expected Sandwich to be great because I love everything Catherine Newman writes, but it was a balm for a wound I did not realize I was nursing. That’s what I love about books. Our feelings about them are highly personal and subjective. Some of…

1
#179 - Samuel Burr 36:59

1M ago36:59

36:59

Debut novelist, amateur puzzle enthusiast and TV executive, Samuel Burr joins us this week to talk about his debut novel "The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers" and how it came to be including an unbelievably fast pre-empt after just 4 hours of going out on submission. 💖 Join the Patreon 🙏 Support the show and get access to the extended cuts early and ad-…

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406: Escaping the Lure of Attention and Approval with Kathleen Smith 47:49

1M ago47:49

47:49

It’s SO SO EASY for creatives to get caught up in chasing after praise and approval to boost their own mood and productivity. How can we spend less energy "borrowing self" from other people's reactions, and more energy pursuing what's important to us? KJ asks Kathleen Smith, author of True to You: A Therapist's Guide to Stop Pleasing Others and Sta…

1
Escaping the Lure of Attention and Approval with Kathleen Smith 47:49

1M ago47:49

47:49

It’s SO SO EASY for creatives to get caught up in chasing after praise and approval to boost their own mood and productivity. How can we spend less energy "borrowing self" from other people's reactions, and more energy pursuing what's important to us? KJ asks Kathleen Smith, author of True to You: A Therapist's Guide to Stop Pleasing Others and Sta…

1
#178 - Kate Young 36:20

1M ago36:20

36:20

Award winning cookbook author and debut novelist, Kate Young is here to chat about her debut novel, 'Experienced', the process of creating a cookbook and the differences between publishing cookbooks and fiction. (Photo by Tom Jacob Headshots) 💖 Join the Patreon 🙏 Support the show and get access to the extended cuts early and ad-free! 📚 The Chosen O…

1
Why you don't have to do it like that one writer in the NYT 54:05

2M ago54:05

54:05

We only meant to dissect the success of the writer from this NYT piece briefly, but it turned out we had a lot to say. No, we can’t all imitate her (nor do we want to) but there are things to be learned here. And things to be learned by checking in on your goals at mid-year! How’s it going out there? LINKS New York Times: How a Self-Published Book …

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405: Why you don't have to do it like that one writer in the NYT 54:04

2M ago54:04

54:04

We only meant to dissect the success of the writer from this NYT piece briefly, but it turned out we had a lot to say. No, we can’t all imitate her (nor do we want to) but there are things to be learned here. And things to be learned by checking in on your goals at mid-year! How’s it going out there? LINKS New York Times: How a Self-Published Book …

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Stop! Don't Write that Book (Yet) 21:37

2M ago21:37

21:37

The Blueprint is a process of inquiry that ideally happens before you start to write a book, but is also incredibly effective before you start to revise a manuscript or if you happen to be stuck writing chapter three, or thirteen, or thirty-three over and over again. Jennie created the Blueprint and KJ is both a fan and a book coach who is certifie…

1
#177 - Sawad Hussain 37:44

2M ago37:44

37:44

Awarding winning translator Sawad Hussain joins us this week to tell us about how she tackles translation, what it's like to get into and work as a translator in publishing and her latest publication "The Djinn's Apple". 💖 Join the Patreon 🙏 Support the show and get access to the extended cuts early and ad-free! 📚 The Chosen Ones and Other Tropes 🥳…

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404: An #AmWriting Success Story! 34:18

2M ago34:18

34:18

The #AmWriting team is so excited to present this interview with Dr. Barb Mayes Boustead – because it’s an #AmWriting success story! Barb was the random winner of The Summer Blueprint Challenge we ran in the summer of 2022. She won a Blueprint review with Jennie Nash – and the book proposal that came out of that work recently landed Barb a book dea…

1
An #AmWriting Success Story! 34:19

2M ago34:19

34:19

The #AmWriting team is so excited to present this interview with Dr. Barb Mayes Boustead – because it’s an #AmWriting success story! Barb was the random winner of The Summer Blueprint Challenge we ran in the summer of 2022. She won a Blueprint review with Jennie Nash – and the book proposal that came out of that work recently landed Barb a book dea…

1
#176 - Joanna Courtney AKA Anna Stuart 32:46

2M ago32:46

32:46

Historical, contemporary and romantic fiction author Joanna Courtney joins us on the podcast this week to chat about her latest novels set in World War 2 as well as her previous work in medieval and contemporary fiction. We chat about publishing and the differences between a traditional publisher and a digital first publisher like Bookouture. 💖 Joi…

1
#175 - Emma Steele 34:02

2M ago34:02

34:02

High concept romance writer, Emma Steele is on the podcast this week chatting about her debut novel and going through each step of her publishing journey from writing her first manuscript all the way through to the launch of her debut, "The Echoes of Us". 💖 Join the Patreon 🙏 Support the show and get access to the extended cuts early and ad-free! 📚…

1
403: Tiny Worlds: How a nature illustrator and author built a fanbase for her work. 40:33

2M ago40:33

40:33

Hello #AmWriters, Jess here. When Rosalie Haizlett emailed to introduce me to her work, I was intrigued. At the time, I was working on the marketing section of a book proposal, trying to thick- and thin-slice the book’s potential audience and explain why my fanbase as well as new readers might purchase this particular book I was describing. So when…

1
Tiny Worlds: How a nature illustrator and author built a fanbase for her work. 40:34

2M ago40:34

40:34

Hello #AmWriters, Jess here. When Rosalie Haizlett emailed to introduce me to her work, I was intrigued. At the time, I was working on the marketing section of a book proposal, trying to thick- and thin-slice the book’s potential audience and explain why my fanbase as well as new readers might purchase this particular book I was describing. So when…

1
#174 - Philip Kavvadias 36:46

2M ago36:46

36:46

Children's author, Philip Kavvadias joins us this week to chat about his debut novel with Chicken House, his writing process and the journey he went on as a writer before landing his three book deal. 💖 Join the Patreon 🙏 Support the show and get access to the extended cuts early and ad-free! 📚 The Chosen Ones and Other Tropes 🥳 Jamie, Melissa and N…

1
402: How Bad Can a Good First Draft Be? 18:16

2M ago18:16

18:16

Let me start by answering the question posed in the title: very bad. Very very bad. Terrible, even. Plotless meandering senseless drivel involving two-dimensional characters continually lifting cups of coffee to their lips and then never putting them down and suddenly, without warning, pumping gas instead. Although, to be honest, that last is never…

1
How Bad Can a Good First Draft Be? 18:16

3M ago18:16

18:16

Let me start by answering the question posed in the title: very bad. Very very bad. Terrible, even. Plotless meandering senseless drivel involving two-dimensional characters continually lifting cups of coffee to their lips and then never putting them down and suddenly, without warning, pumping gas instead. Although, to be honest, that last is never…

1
#173 - Claire McGowan 25:34

3M ago25:34

25:34

Best-selling crime/thriller writer, Claire McGowan is on the podcast chatting about her books, writing romance as Eva Woods and teaching an MA in Crime Writing. 💖 Join the Patreon 🙏 Support the show and get access to the extended cuts early and ad-free! 📚 The Chosen Ones and Other Tropes 🥳 Jamie, Melissa and Noami talk about all things writing, tro…

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401: Nothing Sells Books. But Books Still Sell. 42:54

3M ago42:54

42:54

It’s EPISODE 401! That’s a lot of episodes. We’re proud. We’re also not done—and a couple weeks ago, a fellow writer decreed, in an email post that went rather viral, that No One Buys Books. We disagree. Instead, we offer the following less bleak but not entirely rosy corollary: Nothing Sells Books. But Books Still Sell. Coming at you in this episo…

1
Nothing Sells Books. But Books Still Sell. 42:54

3M ago42:54

42:54

It’s EPISODE 401! That’s a lot of episodes. We’re proud. We’re also not done—and a couple weeks ago, a fellow writer decreed, in an email post that went rather viral, that No One Buys Books. We disagree. Instead, we offer the following less bleak but not entirely rosy corollary: Nothing Sells Books. But Books Still Sell. Coming at you in this episo…

1
#172 - Alexandra Potter 34:09

3M ago34:09

34:09

Best-selling romantic comedy author, Alexandra Potter joins us to talk about her latest the novel, the sequel to 'Confessions of a Forty-Something F*** Up'. We also chat about the television adaptation, 'Not Dead Yet', as well as the writing process and how publishing has changed over the years. (Picture by Alecsandra Dragoi) 💖 Join the Patreon 🙏 S…

1
Trusting Your Gut on a Complicated Plot 37:30

3M ago37:30

37:30

Today, I (Jennie) am excited to welcome novelist Caroline Leavitt to the show. She's a very prolific author who's novels have landed on the New York Times bestseller list, the USA today bestseller list, and have been optioned for films, translated into many languages, contents for magazines, and won all kinds of awards. Caroline is also the co-foun…

1
400: Trusting Your Gut on a Complicated Plot 37:29

3M ago37:29

37:29

Today, I (Jennie) am excited to welcome novelists Caroline Lovett to the show. She's a very prolific author who's novels have landed on the New York Times bestseller list, the USA today bestseller list, and have been optioned for films, translated into many languages, contents for magazines, and won all kinds of awards. Caroline is also the co-foun…

1
#171 - Karen Swan 41:15

3M ago41:15

41:15

Sunday Times bestselling romance author, Karen Swan joins us this week to talk about her writing, how she chooses her locations and how she loves to schedule and plan out each novel. 💖 Join the Patreon 🙏 Support the show and get access to the extended cuts early and ad-free! 📚 The Chosen Ones and Other Tropes 🥳 Jamie, Melissa and Noami talk about a…

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5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Self Publishing 10:16

3M ago10:16

10:16

As a hybrid author with a long history of both self-publishing and traditional contracts, I’m often asked about this choice. How I decided to self-publish, and is it still a good idea? This is question for the ages! Or, well, since 2007. The answer is that it’s complicated. My own feelings about self-pub have surely evolved over the years. This Mar…

1
399: 5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Self Publishing 10:16

3M ago10:16

10:16

As a hybrid author with a long history of both self-publishing and traditional contracts, I’m often asked about this choice. How I decided to self-publish, and is it still a good idea? This is question for the ages! Or, well, since 2007. The answer is that it’s complicated. My own feelings about self-pub have surely evolved over the years. This Mar…

1
#170 - Megan Carroll 36:05

3M ago36:05

36:05

Literary agent, Megan Carroll is back on the podcast to chat about everything happening in publishing, her list and what she's looking for in submissions. 💖 Join the Patreon 🙏 Support the show and get access to the extended cuts early and ad-free! 📚 The Chosen Ones and Other Tropes 🥳 Jamie, Melissa and Noami talk about all things writing, tropes an…

1
398: His Years of Writing Eloquently: The Return of A.J. Jacobs 56:07

3M ago56:07

56:07

He’s back! He’s back! One of my favorite writers, an early and generous mentor, the fantabulous A.J. Jacobs. We interviewed him last when his book, The Puzzler, came out, and he’s back to talk about his new book, The Year of Living Constitutionally: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution’s Original Meaning. Links from the Pod: A.J.’s web…

1
His Years of Writing Eloquently: The Return of A.J. Jacobs 56:08

3M ago56:08

56:08

He’s back! He’s back! One of my favorite writers, an early and generous mentor, the fantabulous A.J. Jacobs. We interviewed him last when his book, The Puzzler, came out, and he’s back to talk about his new book, The Year of Living Constitutionally: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution’s Original Meaning. Links from the Pod: A.J.’s web…

1
#169 - Sally Hepworth 35:32

4M ago35:32

35:32

Best-selling contemporary fiction author, Sally Hepworth dials into the podcast this week all the way from Australia to chat about her latest novel, how she finds a different approach to writing each of her stories, where she finds inspiration and the dream of a big screen adaptation. 💖 Join the Patreon 🙏 Support the show and get access to the exte…

1
397: Starting Energy v. Finishing Energy: How the work gets done, start to finish. 40:24

4M ago40:24

40:24

We’ve been talking a lot lately about the how hard it is to finish a project and how different that energy is from the wonderful, euphoric, sometimes manic starting energy. Here’s some advice from Jess, Sarina, and Jennie on how authors manage their lives and relationships and work amid the ups and downs of writing projects. AmReading: Sarina: She’…

1
Starting Energy v. Finishing Energy: How the work gets done, start to finish. 40:24

4M ago40:24

40:24

We’ve been talking a lot lately about the how hard it is to finish a project and how different that energy is from the wonderful, euphoric, sometimes manic starting energy. Here’s some advice from Jess, Sarina, and Jennie on how authors manage their lives and relationships and work amid the ups and downs of writing projects. AmReading: Sarina: She’…

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