80 episodes

Welcome to the Freelance Writing Direct podcast.

Join Estelle Erasmus every week as she shares short, sound bite-filled podcasts, covering everything that the creative writer, freelance writer, and author needs to know to move forward in their creativity and career.

Estelle will share how the sauce is made, with tips and tricks to give you a leg up in the marketplace. The podcast will also feature interviews with authors and writers who are generous with their own advice.

Throughout the episodes, Estelle will evolve with the audience, as she listens to her guests, share pitches and essays, and offer writing and career prompts.

If you want to learn how to get your work published and noticed you are in the right place.

This show will provide answers to questions like:
*How can I get started writing?
*What are assigning editors in top publications looking for?
*How can I find an agent?
*What do publishers want?
*What are writing craft tips I can implement right away to get published?
*How can my pitches to editors make an impact?
*What do bestselling authors recommend I do to improve my writing practice?
*What craft tips do writing teachers recommend?
*What are tips, tricks and strategies for getting my writing noticed?

It’s time to build your craft with Freelance Writing Direct.

Estelle can’t wait to read what you will be writing.

Freelance Writing Direct: Conversations with authors, journalists, agents, novelists, memoirists, niche writers, agents, publ Estelle Erasmus

    • Business
    • 5.0 • 29 Ratings

Welcome to the Freelance Writing Direct podcast.

Join Estelle Erasmus every week as she shares short, sound bite-filled podcasts, covering everything that the creative writer, freelance writer, and author needs to know to move forward in their creativity and career.

Estelle will share how the sauce is made, with tips and tricks to give you a leg up in the marketplace. The podcast will also feature interviews with authors and writers who are generous with their own advice.

Throughout the episodes, Estelle will evolve with the audience, as she listens to her guests, share pitches and essays, and offer writing and career prompts.

If you want to learn how to get your work published and noticed you are in the right place.

This show will provide answers to questions like:
*How can I get started writing?
*What are assigning editors in top publications looking for?
*How can I find an agent?
*What do publishers want?
*What are writing craft tips I can implement right away to get published?
*How can my pitches to editors make an impact?
*What do bestselling authors recommend I do to improve my writing practice?
*What craft tips do writing teachers recommend?
*What are tips, tricks and strategies for getting my writing noticed?

It’s time to build your craft with Freelance Writing Direct.

Estelle can’t wait to read what you will be writing.

    #79 Being Vulnerable on the Page and Finding Empathy in Your Heart Featuring Amy Ferris

    #79 Being Vulnerable on the Page and Finding Empathy in Your Heart Featuring Amy Ferris

    Amy Ferris is an author, a writer, a screenwriter, an editor and a playwright. Her memoir, Marrying George Clooney, Confessions From a Midlife Crisis (Seal Press) was adapted into an Off-Broadway play in 2012. Amy has written for both the small screen (TV) and the big screen (Feature Films). As a screenwriter, she nominated for a Best Screenplay Award (BET, Black Reel Award) for her adaptation of the film, Funny Valentines (Director, Julie Dash) As an editor, she curated the anthology Shades of Blue, Writers on Depression, Suicide and Feeling Blue (Seal Press), and co-edited the anthology, Dancing at the Shame Prom (Seal Press). She co-authored Old School Love (HarperCollins, 2020) with Rev Run of RUN DMC fame. Amy serves on a variety of advisory boards supporting women and the Arts. She co-founded The Milford Readers & Writers Festival, is on the Advisory Board of the Women’s Media Center (Founded by Jane Fonda, Gloria Steinem and Robin Morgan) and is on faculty at The Kauai Writer's Conference. 
     
    in 2019 she was named one of Women's eNews 21 LEADERS FOR THE 21st CENTURY, in 2021 she was a recipient of NextTribe's The 12 Women Who Changed the World,  and in 2022, Amy was awarded and honored by the Thoughtful Book Festival as Inspirational Woman in Media.  
     
    Her new memoir, Mighty Gorgeous - A Little Book About Messy Love, is published by SheWritesPress.
     
    In this episode:
    Amy’s search for self-worth [3:25] 

    Using social media (particularly Facebook) to build community [4:48] 

    The truth behind imposter syndrome [20:30] 

    The power in writing with vulnerability [26.59]

    Where to get into a story for maximum impact [30.25]  
    Connect with Amy:
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100054335055726
    Book: Mighty Gorgeous
    https://www.amazon.com/Mighty-Gorgeous-Little-Book-About-Messy-Love/dp/1647425530
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ferris_a/




    FREE PITCHING GUIDE: Find out more about this episode #76 at https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast. You also get a free pitching guide if you sign up for my newsletter.
     
    Connect with Estelle:
    Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: https://estelleserasmus.com/books/writing-that-gets-noticed/
    Sign up for my Substack https://estelleserasmus.substack.com (with craft advice and writing opportunities)
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus
    TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@EstelleSErasmus 



    New Article Estelle Referred to 
    I’m Learning to Listen in New Ways (Shondaland)
    https://www.shondaland.com/live/family/a46102451/im-learning-to-listen-in-new-ways/
     
    New Article
    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
     

    • 40 min
    #78 No One Is Broken & Everyone Has What It Takes with William Kenower

    #78 No One Is Broken & Everyone Has What It Takes with William Kenower

    William Kenower is the author of Everyone Has What It Takes: A Writer’s Guide to the End of Self-Doubt, Fearless Writing: How to Create Boldly and Write With Confidence, and Write Within Yourself: An Author’s Companion, and the Editor-in-Chief of Author magazine. In addition to his books he’s been published in The New York Times, Writer’s Digest, Edible Seattle, Parent Map, and has been a featured blogger for the Huffington Post. He also hosts the popular podcasts Author2Author, and Fearless Writing With Bill Kenower. 
     
    In this episode:
    How Bill came up with the concept for his book [2:40]
    Following curiosity in your reading [12:20]
    Letting yourself write about what you want to write, without worrying about selling your writing [18:09]
    Advice for getting into the writing flow [16:54]
    Writing with the ‘three narrative arcs.’ [22:33]
    Bill’s opinion on gatekeepers in this industry [29:31]
     
    Connect with Bill:
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bill.kenower
    Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/wdbk
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/williamkenower/



    FREE PITCHING GUIDE: Find out more about this episode #76 at https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast. You also get a free pitching guide if you sign up for my newsletter.
     
    Connect with Estelle:
    Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: https://estelleserasmus.com/books/writing-that-gets-noticed/
    Sign up for my Substack https://estelleserasmus.substack.com (with craft advice and writing opportunities)
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus
    TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@EstelleSErasmus (Come see me every Monday at 7 pm for a live AMA)

    • 37 min
    #77 Writing Personal Stories with HuffPost Personal’s Noah Michelson

    #77 Writing Personal Stories with HuffPost Personal’s Noah Michelson

    Noah Michelson joins the Freelance Writing Direct podcast for the second time! Noah is the head of HuffPost Personal, which he launched in 2018, and the host of HuffPost's "Am I Doing It Wrong?" podcast. He received his MFA in Poetry from New York University, and has been featured on MSNBC, Fuse, Entertainment Tonight, and other outlets. 
     In this episode:
    Writing personal stories and essays [6:25] 
    Linking your writing to relevant events [9:30]
    How to create curiosity with your headlines [13:21]
    Story ideas that work for HuffPost Personal and topics they don’t want [23:31]
    Noah’s best tips for storytelling [32:32]
    The importance of trusting your editors [38:56]
     
    Connect with Noah:
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noahmichelson/
    X: http://www.twitter.com/noahmichelson
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/noahmichelson1
    Noah.Michelson@huffpost.com
    Co-host of HuffPost's Am I Doing It Wrong? podcast
     
    Essays Mentioned in This Episode
    This Woman’s Controversial Obituary about Her Mom Caused Outrage but We Need More Like It. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/writing-honest-obituary-abuse-grief_n_65a8608ae4b041f1ce6498ac
    I Spent Weeks Near Death In The ICU. Asking My Doctors To Do This 1 Thing May Have Saved My Life: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/rare-disease-girl-healthcare-advocate_n_65a86c22e4b00bbb446dd02b. 
    My Blind Date Took Me to a Sex Club. Here’s What Happened. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/sex-club-what-its-really-like_n_5c6f0d3ae4b0e37a1ed63616
    How ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ Has Saved My Marriage. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/curb-your-enthusiasm-marriage_n_65ae9fa5e4b0928ae79bffc4
    I’m Asexual. This is What It’s Like for Me to Date. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/asexual-dating_n_5d42ee6ce4b0ca604e2e11d1
     
    FREE PITCHING GUIDE: Find out more about this episode #77 at https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast. You also get a free pitching guide if you sign up for my newsletter.
     
    Connect with Estelle:
    Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: https://estelleserasmus.com/books/writing-that-gets-noticed/
    Sign up for my Substack https://estelleserasmus.substack.com (with craft advice and writing opportunities)
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus
    TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@EstelleSErasmus 

    • 45 min
    #76 Working with an Literary Agent with Rita Rosenkranz

    #76 Working with an Literary Agent with Rita Rosenkranz

    Rita Rosenkranz founded Rita Rosenkranz Literary Agency after working as an editor at major publishers. She represents almost exclusively adult non-fiction titles in all major categories. She looks for familiar topics presented freshly and lesser-known topics presented commercially. She works with mainstream houses as well as regional publishers for niche projects.
     
    In this episode:
    How to research literary agents [3:39]
    How to build your credibility before publishing a book or working with a literary agent [8:03]
    Maintaining a professional relationship with your literary agent [11:24]
    What makes a good, responsible author [17:21]
    How authors can navigate contracts and how literary agents can help [19:47]
    Advice on advocating for yourself as an author [23:18]
    How to connect with Rita if you are interested in her as a literary agent [35:01]



    Connect with Rita:
    Website: https://ritarosenkranzliteraryagency.com



    FREE PITCHING GUIDE: Find out more about this episode #76 at https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast. You also get a free pitching guide if you sign up for my newsletter.
     
    Connect with Estelle:
    Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: https://estelleserasmus.com/books/writing-that-gets-noticed/
    Sign up for my Substack https://estelleserasmus.substack.com (with craft advice and writing opportunities)
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus
    TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@EstelleSErasmus (Come see me every Monday at 7 pm for a live AMA)
     

    • 39 min
    #75 Charting the Trends in Publishing

    #75 Charting the Trends in Publishing

    There has been a big change in the industry recently, and in this episode Estelle covers what has been happening and why and what you need to do about it. 
     
    Estelle Erasmus has been in publishing for 3 decades — on both sides of the publishing wall — as a gatekeeper and as a journalist/writer who has found ways to break through the gate and get noticed — which is what she covers in her book, and teaches her students at NYU, in private coaching, and for Writer’s Digest.
     
    Through the years, Estelle has seen multiple trends emerge —— and go away. From the days that print was king, to the rise of online publications, to the start of blogging, Estelle has been there and has been able to pivot and maximize each trend. She shares what to do, and also covers the changes in social media that every writer needs to be aware of. 
     
    Since people are consuming content in different ways than they were before, and advertisers are paying in different ways than they were before, publishing is going through a bumpy ride. But there is hope for content creators. Tune in to hear current trends and how you can continue to be a successful writer today. 



    FREE PITCHING GUIDE: Find out more about this episode #75 at https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast. You also get a free pitching guide if you sign up for my newsletter.
     
    Connect with Estelle:
    Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: https://estelleserasmus.com/books/writing-that-gets-noticed/
    Sign up for my Substack https://estelleserasmus.substack.com (with craft advice and writing opportunities, and special clips and interaction with Estelle  for paid subscribers)
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus
    TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@EstelleSErasmus

    • 19 min
    #74 How to Write And Structure a Health/Wellness Book with Megy Karydes

    #74 How to Write And Structure a Health/Wellness Book with Megy Karydes

    As someone who started out in service journalism at Woman’s World magazine decades ago, I found Megy Karydes new book really well sourced and structured and wanted to speak to her about how she did it. We discussed ways to find experts, locate research and navigate through a complicated publishing landscape, while creating a quality product. 
     
    In this episode:
    Megy Karydes  mental health journey and reason for the book [4:17]
    Structuring her book and Estelle’s tips on service journalism [13:01]
    Megy’s story about finding an agent & pitching to book publishers [11:05]
    How she found expert sources for her book and what Estelle recommends [18:14]
    Resources from Megy and Estelle every writer/author can use [13:41]
    Building accountability structures [31:40]
    Creating deadlines for yourself as an author [25:15]
     
    Connect with Megy: 
    Website: http://www.megykarydes.com/
     
    FREE PITCHING GUIDE: Find out more about this episode #74 at https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast. You also get a free pitching guide if you sign up for my newsletter.
     
    Connect with Estelle:
    Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: https://estelleserasmus.com/books/writing-that-gets-noticed/
    Sign up for my Substack https://estelleserasmus.substack.com (with craft advice and writing opportunities)
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus
    TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@estelleserasmus 
     

    • 33 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
29 Ratings

29 Ratings

Autobiographical Storyteller ,

The Most Perfect Podcast If You’re Interested in Getting Published

I listened to very first podcast episode and have listened to every one since. A great podcast for anyone interested in learning more about the literary landscape. Estelle Erasmus is a great interviewer, and the podcast is curated with the best guests, including literary agents, editors like Noah Michelson from Huffington Post Personal, and writers and essayists with wisdom to impart. Highly recommended for writers looking to their writing noticed.

Publishing Professional ,

Helping Writers

Estelle digs deeply in her interviews to uncover useful and inspirational information for beginning as well as established writers. Her affection and admiration for her writing community is obvious.

RT8248 ,

Tips, Tricks, and Much More

This is not a writer’s interview where you will hear questions about “interrogating the patriarchy’s construction of the natural world.”
Instead, you will hear writers talk about finding time to write with two preschoolers in the house. People with day jobs who write novels. Editors talking about what catches their eye.
Nor does Estelle waste a minute. She and the interviewees are laser-focused on the craft of writing. It is short. You can listen on your trip to pick up groceries or on the subway. You will learn about story construction, the advantages and disadvantages of “pantsing” vs. outlining, and how to use the objective correlative.
I’d be surprised if you spend a half hour listening to Estelle without finding at least one thing that will inspire you or help you write better.

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