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PODCAST

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

Estelle Erasmus

Want to get published or land a book deal? Join TEDx speaker and author Estelle Erasmus for smart writing tips, publishing insights, and behind-the-scenes advice for fiction writers, memoirists, and authors at every stage. Winner of the 2025 Podcast of the Year (Education) from the American Writing Awards, Freelance Writing Direct is your go-to podcast for writing tips, publishing advice, and insider strategies to help you get published—whether in essays, memoir, fiction, books, or

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All Episodes

32:16

#158 Kaila Yu on Fetishization, Feminism, and Memoir...

Freelance Writing Direct with Estelle: Conversations... ·

2025/09/25

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

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34:11

#157 Inside the Mind of a Literary Agent: Sam Hiyate...

Freelance Writing Direct with Estelle: Conversations... ·

2025/09/18

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

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38:18

#156 Finding Yourself After Faking It: Sari Botton on...

Freelance Writing Direct with Estelle: Conversations... ·

2025/09/11

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

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40:10

#155 Breaking the Rules of Publishing with Jane...

Freelance Writing Direct with Estelle: Conversations... ·

2025/09/04

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

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44:02

#154 How to Engineer Your Memoir with Wendy Dale

Freelance Writing Direct with Estelle: Conversations... ·

2025/08/28

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

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17:59

#153 Estelle’s Edge: Repurpose and Revitalize: How to...

Freelance Writing Direct with Estelle: Conversations... ·

2025/08/21

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

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20:32

#152 Estelle’s Edge on Going Viral: How to Protect...

Freelance Writing Direct with Estelle: Conversations... ·

2025/08/14

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

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18:18

#151 Estelle’s Edge on the 2025 U.S. Book Show: AI,...

Freelance Writing Direct with Estelle: Conversations... ·

2025/08/07

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

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39:00

#150 Coaching Episode: From Reported to...

Freelance Writing Direct with Estelle: Conversations... ·

2025/07/31

Have you spent your writing career telling other people’s stories—and now you’re ready to tell your own? In this live coaching session, Estelle Erasmus works with award-winning freelance writer Pamela M. McBride to explore how seasoned journalists and content writers can make the shift into personal essay writing—without losing sight of strategy, clarity, or publishing goals. Pamela M. McBride is an award-winning freelance writer with hundreds of published articles on career management, leadership

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28:17

#149 SEO & Expert Positioning for Podcasters with...

Freelance Writing Direct with Estelle: Conversations... ·

2025/07/24

Estelle Erasmus welcomes podcaster and consultant Adam Schaeuble, host of Podcasting Business School. Adam shares his top strategies for using your podcast as the foundation of a six-figure online business—starting with essentials like your show name, description, and artwork. Together, they break down how to attract the right listeners and convert them into clients. Adam reveals his three-part formula for naming your show, explains why most podcasters miss the mark on SEO, and shares how to boost

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42:42

#148 How to Hook Readers by Planting Curiosity Seeds...

Freelance Writing Direct with Estelle: Conversations... ·

2025/07/17

Estelle Erasmus welcomes back acclaimed author and creator and host of The Shit No One Tells You About Writing podcast, Bianca Marais, to chat about her latest novel, A Most Puzzling Murder—an innovative, genre-blending mystery packed with magic, reader-driven puzzles, royal intrigue, and multiple points of view. Bianca shares how she crafted this original story: a locked-room murder mystery set in a magical royal family, told through over a dozen POVs, choose-your-own-adventure chapters, and

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37:21

#147 What Makes a Literary Agent Say Yes with...

Freelance Writing Direct with Estelle: Conversations... ·

2025/07/10

Estelle Erasmus sits down with literary agent Maria Whelan of Inkwell Management, recently recognized by Poets & Writers as one of today’s top literary advocates. In this candid conversation, Maria shares what’s capturing her attention in the publishing world right now—from standout nonfiction proposals to magical realism, horror with heart, and even Loch Ness Monster romance. She discusses her “career agent” philosophy, how hybrid paths like Substack are reshaping publishing, and the query mistakes

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10:10

#146 Solo Episode: Estelle’s Edge on Shaping a TEDx...

Freelance Writing Direct with Estelle: Conversations... ·

2025/07/03

In the first of several short, bite-sized solo episodes on TEDx Talks, Estelle Erasmus shares the exact strategy behind her own talk—how she discovered the right idea, built a strong structure, and delivered a message that resonated with thousands. Whether you're applying to give a talk or refining one you’ve already booked, this episode offers practical tools to help your TEDx Talk connect, teach, and stick. In this episode: What TEDx organizers look for (and what to avoid) [2:21] Why your talk

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10:10

#145 Solo Episode: Estelle’s Edge on Essays—Mining...

Freelance Writing Direct with Estelle: Conversations... ·

2025/06/26

In this bite-sized solo episode, Estelle Erasmus shares her insider strategies for turning real-life moments into essays that stand out—and sell. From capturing grief or joy to finding the magic in the mundane, Estelle shows you how to shape your story, sharpen your angle, and give your writing the attention it deserves. In this episode: How to combine unexpected ideas to find a fresh angle [2:43] Tips for capturing story-worthy moments without keeping a journal [4:49] The power of sensory

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26:56

#144 Coaching Episode: Elevate Your Voice, Expand...

Freelance Writing Direct with Estelle: Conversations... ·

2025/06/19

Estelle Erasmus chats with award-winning journalist Lanier Isom in a powerful coaching session about balancing voice, platform, and purpose across a writing life. They explore how to manage time, stay organized across genres, and breathe new meaning into a stalled book project—all while staying true to your voice. In this episode: The challenges of writing across genres—and how to stay organized [4:13] Time-blocking strategies that actually work [5:18] How to track your writing progress and

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30:33

#143 What We Don’t Talk About: Michele Filgate on...

Freelance Writing Direct with Estelle: Conversations... ·

2025/06/12

Editor and author Michele Filgate returns with a powerful follow-up to her bestselling anthology What My Mother and I Don’t Talk About—this time turning the lens on fatherhood. In this episode, Estelle Erasmus chats with Michele about the personal and professional transformations that shaped What My Father and I Don’t Talk About, how TikTok gave her earlier book a second life, and what it really takes to build a lasting literary career. In this episode: What changed between publishing her first

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34:54

#142 Giving Motherhood a Microphone: How Listen to...

Freelance Writing Direct with Estelle: Conversations... ·

2025/06/05

If you’ve ever felt creatively stuck or invisible after becoming a mom, this conversation will speak to you. Nearly 15 years ago, a single storytelling show about motherhood sparked a nationwide movement—and it’s still going strong. Here, we explore how Listen to Your Mother grew from one stage to 70, how the blogging boom birthed a wave of creative expression, and how vulnerability can turn into community power. We also dive into what happens after the kids grow up—when ambition, burnout, and joy

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13:02

#141 Solo Episode: Estelle’s Edge on How AI Is...

Freelance Writing Direct with Estelle: Conversations... ·

2025/05/29

AI is disrupting the writing industry—fast. But what does that mean for you as a freelance writer, content creator, or journalist? In this Summer Shorts with Estelle solo episode, I share my editorial perspective on the recent Chicago Sun-Times controversy involving an AI-generated listicle that included fake book titles attributed to real authors. You'll learn: Why listicles and content marketing assignments are disappearing [3:38] What types of editorial content are most vulnerable to AI

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29:52

#140 Growing Up in a Black-and-White World and the...

Freelance Writing Direct with Estelle: Conversations... ·

2025/05/22

What does it mean to grow up in a world that doesn’t fully reflect your identity?.In this episode, covering memoir, race, religion, the stories we’re told, and the ones we learn to write ourselves, Estelle Erasmus sits down with writer and memoirist Shannon Luders-Manuel, author of The One Who Loves You: A Memoir of Growing Up Biracial in a Black and White World. Shannon shares the deeply personal journey behind her memoir, which explores her childhood growing up mixed-race in a predominantly white

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36:57

#139 How to Submit Your Writing to Literary Magazines...

Freelance Writing Direct with Estelle: Conversations... ·

2025/05/15

Submitting your work doesn’t have to feel like a mystery. In this episode, Estelle Erasmus is joined by Dennis James Sweeney, author of How to Submit: Getting Your Writing Published with Literary Magazines and Small Presses (New World Library). Whether you're a seasoned writer or just starting out, this conversation offers a grounded and empowering look at how to navigate the literary submission process. In this episode: How to find the right literary magazines and small presses for your work

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159 results

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