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

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

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

De: Estelle Erasmus
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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 journalism. Hosted by Estelle Erasmus—award-winning journalist, TEDx speaker, NYU writing professor, and author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a “Best Book for Writers” by Poets & Writers)—this show blends writing craft, career strategy, and behind-the-scenes publishing insight. Each week, Estelle shares short, practical episodes full of: Writing tips for essays, memoir, and books Pitch strategies that get editors' attention Publishing advice from agents and bestselling authors Solo episodes, coaching episodes and candid conversations with industry insiders Whether you're just starting your freelance writing journey or aiming for your next book deal, you’ll find actionable tools, story prompts, and the momentum you need to grow your writing career. Listeners often ask: *How do I get published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, or WIRED? *What writing tips will make my voice stand out? *How do I find an agent or land a book deal? *What do editors actually want? *How do I shape my personal story for publication? You're in the right place. It’s time to elevate your writing—with Freelance Writing Direct. 🎙️ About Estelle Erasmus Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, TEDx speaker, and author of Writing That Gets Noticed. She’s a Contributing Editor for Writer’s Digest, an adjunct writing professor at NYU, and the former editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Estelle’s work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, AARP, Next Avenue, and The Independent, among 150+ other outlets. She is also the host of Freelance Writing Direct, named the 2025 Podcast of the Year in the Education category by the American Writing Awards. Learn more: estelleserasmus.com Newsletter: estelleserasmus.substack.com Social: @EstelleSErasmus on Instagram, X, Threads, and LinkedIn2022 Desarrollo Personal Economía Gestión y Liderazgo Liderazgo Éxito Personal
Episodios
  • #159 Writing the Body as Memoir with Nina B. Lichtenstein

    #159 Writing the Body as Memoir with Nina B. Lichtenstein
    Oct 2 2025
    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
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    34 m
  • #158 Kaila Yu on Fetishization, Feminism, and Memoir as Reckoning

    #158 Kaila Yu on Fetishization, Feminism, and Memoir as Reckoning
    Sep 25 2025
    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 agencyThe “ABG” (Asian Baby Girl) aesthetic, model-minority myths, and resisting stereotypesStructuring a memoir-in-essays using cultural archetypes (Geisha, Butterfly, China Doll, “Not Lucy Liu,” etc.)Weaving research (colonial histories, media analysis) into lived experienceGen Z, #MeToo, and why we need cultural reckonings now, not 20 years laterLife 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 hereSign 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 | AudiobookSubscribe 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
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    32 m
  • #157 Inside the Mind of a Literary Agent: Sam Hiyate on Selling Books, Pitching, and Breaking Into Hollywood

    #157 Inside the Mind of a Literary Agent: Sam Hiyate on Selling Books, Pitching, and Breaking Into Hollywood
    Sep 18 2025
    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
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    34 m
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