Freelance Writing Direct with Estelle

Hosted by Estelle Erasmus

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Jun 2026

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Winner of the 2026 American Writing Award for Podcast of the Year (Business), Freelance Writing Direct with Estelle is an award-winning podcast featuring candid conversations with bestselling authors, literary agents, editors, and publishing insiders about writing craft, memoir, publishing, platform-building, and getting noticed. Hosted and curated by Estelle Erasmus, TEDx speaker, NYU writing professor, former magazine editor-in-chief, and author of Writing That Gets Noticed, the show delivers practical strategies, publishing insight, and creative inspiration for writers at every stage. Whether you're pitching essays, shaping a memoir, building your platform, or pursuing a book deal, you'll find actionable advice, coaching insights, and behind-the-scenes industry conversations to help move your writing career forward. Learn more at EstelleErasmus.com and subscribe to Estelle's newsletter at Estelle's Substack: https://estelleserasmus.substack.com

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June 11, 202631 min

#195 Writing Through Brain Fog, Chronic Illness, and Uncertainty with Rachel Weaver

What happens when you wake up one day dizzy and it never stops? In this episode of Freelance Writing Direct, Estelle Erasmus talks with acclaimed author Rachel Weaver about her powerful new memoir, Dizzy. Rachel shares how she navigated nearly two decades of chronic illness before finding relief, and how she transformed that experience into a compelling braided memoir that weaves together her years working in the Alaskan wilderness, her medical journey, motherhood, marriage, and questions of power, resilience, and identity. Rachel discusses: • Why she chose to open Dizzy with the dramatic scene of falling through the ice in Alaska • How nature became a source of metaphor throughout the memoir • The surprising parallels between encounters with bears and encounters with doctors • Writing through brain fog, screen sensitivity, and chronic illness • How she developed the book's braided structure • Avoiding repetition in an illness narrative • Finding an ending for a memoir when the story is still unfolding • The five-year process of writing and revising Dizzy • Why writers should focus on process before product • The path to publication for both Dizzy and her forthcoming novel, The Last Run Watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CU7-lLHkHEM About Rachel Weaver Rachel Weaver is the author of the memoir Dizzy and the novel Point of Direction, which was named a Top 10 Book to Pick Up Now by O, The Oprah Magazine and won the Willa Cather Award for Fiction. Her forthcoming novel, The Last Run, publishes in June 2026. Before earning her MFA in Writing and Poetics from Naropa University, Rachel worked for the U.S. Forest Service in Alaska studying bears, raptors, and songbirds. She teaches at Wilkes University and Lighthouse Writers Workshop and holds a Certification of Professional Achievement in Narrative Medicine from Columbia University. Learn more at: Rachel Weaver's website Get More From Estelle Erasmus Check out My Latest Substack Post: Step Into My Time Capsule: Back When Print Magazines Ruled https://estelleserasmus.substack.com/p/step-into-my-time-capsule-back-when Estelle on My First Byline (a walk down memory lane as a former beauty editor at Woman's World) https://yourfirstbyline.substack.com/p/my-first-byline-estelle-erasmus Private Small-Group Memoir/Essay ClassMy Next 6-week session that begins September 2026 has one more spot left. Email freelancewritingdirect@gmail.com for details. Read & SubscribeSubstack: NEW post: A Recap of the Editor-on-Call Event with Susan Dabbar of PROVOKEDmagazine. My next Editor-on-Call event is September 16. Sign up for my substack to get notified early. WatchEstelle's TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond BookWriting That Gets Noticed — named a Poets & Writers "Best Book for Writers." Listen/WatchFreelance Writing Direct Podcast — 2026 Podcast of the Year, Business (American Writing Awards) https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast About Estelle Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, TEDx speaker, and author of Writing That Gets Noticed. She is the host, founder, and executive producer of Freelance Writing Direct and an adjunct professor at NYU. Her work has appeared in more than 150 publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP The Magazine. She has served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Follow Estelle Instagram: @EstelleSErasmus TikTok: @EstelleSErasmus Twitter/X: @EstelleSErasmus Bluesky: @estelleserasmus.bsky.social If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review Freelance Writing Direct, and share it with the writers in your life.

June 4, 202637 min

#194 Why Wade Rouse Finally Wrote the Book He Was Meant to Write

Just in time for Pride month, in this heartfelt and often hilarious conversation, Estelle Erasmus talks with USA Today bestselling author Wade Rouse and his husband, Gary Edwards, about Wade's deeply personal new novel, That's What Friends Are For. After publishing bestselling novels under the pen name Viola Shipman, Wade shares why he felt compelled to write this story under his own name and how The Golden Girls, grief, aging, friendship, and his experience growing up gay in the Missouri Ozarks inspired the book. Wade and Gary discuss: • Why Wade chose to step away from an established brand and publish under his own name • How The Golden Girls helped him connect with his mother and grandmother after a family tragedy • Creating four unforgettable characters inspired by the spirit, not the stereotypes, of television's most beloved sitcom • The importance of found family and community • Writing about aging, mortality, second chances, and late-life love • The role Gary plays as Wade's husband, business partner, and self-described "Kim Kardashian stage mom" • Building a sustainable writing career and the realities of the publishing business • Why readers connect so deeply with authenticity • The value of humor, pop culture references, and trusting your creative instincts This conversation is filled with wisdom about storytelling, reinvention, resilience, and what it means to finally become comfortable in your own skin. Watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUzg0GrzXLQ About My Guests Wade Rouse is the USA Today and internationally bestselling author of five memoirs and twelve novels. His novels, written under the pen name Viola Shipman in honor of his grandmother, have been selected as must-reads by NBC's Today Show and named Michigan Notable Books. His latest novel, That's What Friends Are For, is published under his own name. It was a national bestseller, a BookBub Best New Fiction and Most Uplifting Book of the Year, a Zibby Media Most Anticipated Book of 2026, and featured on CBS-NY/Club Calvi Book Club. Wade's next book, The Bluff, will publish October 13. It is a Christmas novel and family drama inspired by the holiday classic, The Family Stone, and romance classic, Somewhere in Time, and set on Mackinac Island. Gary Edwards left a successful sales career to help Wade build and sustain his writing career. He manages social media, events, book tours, reader engagement, and the thriving Wine, Words & Wade community, while serving as Wade's biggest champion and creative partner. Connect with Wade Rouse Website: ViolaShipman.com (https://violashipman.com) Website: WadeRouse.com (https://waderouse.com) FB: Viola Shipman (https://www.facebook.com/authorviolashipman/) FB: Author Wade Rouse (https://www.facebook.com/authorwaderouse/) Instagram: Viola_Shipman (https://www.instagram.com/viola_shipman/) IG: AuthorWadeRouse (https://www.instagram.com/authorwaderouse/) Bookbub: @violashipman (https://www.bookbub.com/authors/viola-shipman) Get More From Estelle Erasmus Estelle on My First Byline (a walk down memory lane as a former beauty editor at Woman's World) https://yourfirstbyline.substack.com/p/my-first-byline-estelle-erasmus Private Small-Group Memoir/Essay ClassMy Next 6-week session that begins September 2026 has two more spots left. Email freelancewritingdirect@gmail.com for details. Read & SubscribeSubstack: NEW post: A Recap of the Editor-on-Call Event with Susan Dabbar of PROVOKEDmagazine. My next Editor-on-Call event is September 16. Sign up for my substack to get notified early. WatchEstelle's TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond BookWriting That Gets Noticed — named a Poets & Writers "Best Book for Writers." Listen/WatchFreelance Writing Direct Podcast — 2026 Podcast of the Year, Business (American Writing Awards) https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast About Estelle Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, TEDx speaker, and author of Writing That Gets Noticed. She is the host, founder, and executive producer of Freelance Writing Direct and an adjunct professor at NYU. Her work has appeared in more than 150 publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP The Magazine. She has served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Follow Estelle Instagram: @EstelleSErasmus TikTok: @EstelleSErasmus Twitter/X: @EstelleSErasmus Bluesky: @estelleserasmus.bsky.social If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review Freelance Writing Direct, and share it with the writers in your life.

May 28, 202632 min

#193 Restorative Writing with Carolyn Roy-Bornstein

In this episode of Freelance Writing Direct, Estelle Erasmus speaks with Carolyn Roy-Bornstein about restorative writing, burnout, and healing through storytelling. Carolyn shares how writing became a lifeline after her son survived a devastating car accident that left him with a traumatic brain injury. She explains how journaling and narrative writing helped her process ambiguous grief, anger, and emotional isolation, ultimately inspiring her new book, A Prescription for Burnout: Restorative Writing for Healthcare Professionals. The book offers practical advice for anyone struggling with burnout or emotional exhaustion, whether they work in medicine or simply feel overwhelmed by modern life. Together, Estelle and Carolyn discuss: • Why expressive writing has been linked to improved emotional and physical health • How writing can help healthcare professionals manage burnout and secondary trauma • The science behind writing and stress reduction • Narrative medicine and the importance of bearing witness • Using prompts to unlock scene, dialogue, and emotional truth • The role of writing in building resilience, self-awareness, and professional identity • Why even 15 minutes of writing can make a difference • How to structure a prescriptive nonfiction book around reader transformation • Carolyn's experience publishing with Johns Hopkins University Press and navigating peer review Watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6I360StNGvQ About Carolyn Roy-Bornstein Carolyn Roy-Bornstein is a board-certified pediatrician, former registered nurse, and writer-in-residence at the Lawrence Family Medicine Residency, where she teaches narrative medicine. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, JAMA, Poets & Writers, and many other publications. She lives and writes in Maine and Massachusetts. LinksCarolyn's website: www.carolynroybornstein.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carolyn.roybornstein LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyn-roy-bornstein-8a329636/ Follow Estelle Website: https://estelleserasmus.com Watch Estelle's TEDx Talk How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpcWmjpzSIQ Find her on Instagram/TikTok/X/BlueSky/Threads: @estelleserasmus NEW Substack post: A Recap of the Editor-on-Call Event with Susan Dabbar of PROVOKEDmagazine. https://estelleserasmus.substack.com/p/how-to-pitch-provokedmagazine-inside Subscribe for exclusive info and podcast clips: https://estelleserasmus.substack.com About Estelle Erasmus Estelle Erasmus is an NYU writing professor, former magazine editor-in-chief, TEDx speaker, and the author of Writing That Gets Noticed, named a Best Book for Writers by Poets & Writers. She is also the host of the award-winning podcast Freelance Writing Direct, where she shares insider strategies on craft, publishing, and building a writing career. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review Freelance Writing Direct, and share it with the writers in your life.

May 21, 202627 min

#192 How to Get Published inThe Persistent with Features Editor Paula Derrow

How to Get Published in The Persistent with Features Editor Paula Derrow What makes a pitch stand out in today's crowded publishing landscape? And what exactly are editors looking for from writers right now? In this episode of Freelance Writing Direct, Estelle Erasmus speaks with writer and editor Paula Derrow, Features Editor at The Persistent, the feminist publication known for publishing voice-driven, intellectually sharp stories centered on women's experiences. Paula shares how The Persistent was founded by former New York Times editor Francesca Donner to create a space where women's stories could take center stage without compromise. She also opens up about why working there feels like a "dream job" after decades in glossy magazines. In this episode: • The kinds of pitches that grab Paula's attention • Why feminist, funny, counterintuitive, and intellectually ambitious ideas rise to the top • The difference between riffs, essays, Q&As, and reported features • Why editors are increasingly asking for essay pitches instead of completed drafts • What "intellectual heft" means in practice • How The Persistent works collaboratively with writers through deep editorial relationships • What writers can expect in terms of rates, rights, and editing process • How to get in touch with Paula Paula also reflects on the evolution of women's media, the realities of publishing after the magazine boom years, and why she believes strong editor-writer relationships still matter deeply. Whether you're pitching essays, reported features, or cultural criticism, this conversation offers an inside look at what editors want and how writers can better position their ideas in today's media landscape. Watch on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9a1SDzE_lLY Read and sign up for The Persistent https://www.thepersistent.com Follow Paula LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paula-derrow-52814014/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/romawriter/ Follow Estelle Website: https://estelleserasmus.com Watch Estelle's TEDx Talk How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpcWmjpzSIQ Instagram/TikTok/X/BlueSky/Threads: @estelleserasmus NEW Substack post: A Recap of the Editor-on-Call Event with Susan Dabbar of PROVOKEDmagazine. All the intel you need to get published there including a free pitching guide and portal link. https://estelleserasmus.substack.com/p/how-to-pitch-provokedmagazine-inside Subscribe for exclusive info and podcast clips: https://estelleserasmus.substack.com About Estelle Erasmus Estelle Erasmus is an NYU writing professor, former magazine editor-in-chief, TEDx speaker, and the author of Writing That Gets Noticed, named a Best Book for Writers by Poets & Writers. She is also the host of the award-winning podcast Freelance Writing Direct, where she shares insider strategies on craft, publishing, and building a writing career. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review Freelance Writing Direct, and share it with the writers in your life.

May 14, 202625 min

#191 Writing Characters Who Make Questionable Decisions with Vanessa Hua

What makes readers care about flawed characters making questionable decisions? In this episode of Freelance Writing Direct, Estelle Erasmus talks with bestselling author Vanessa Hua about her new novel Coyoteland and the craft behind creating emotionally layered fiction filled with tension, community, family dynamics, and difficult choices. They discuss: • Writing omniscient and multiple point-of-view narration • Why flawed characters create compelling stories • Building escalating stakes in fiction • Using setting as an active force in storytelling • How journalism shaped Vanessa's fiction writing • Reverse-engineering stories to improve craft • The importance of empathy in storytelling • Writing family, community, and social tension • Balancing multiple writing projects at once • Why movement and listening to your manuscript aloud can strengthen revision Vanessa also shares insights into writing morally complex characters while exploring the hidden pressures shaping modern communities and relationships. Watch on YouTube https://youtu.be/KP9W2VZT5Nk About Vanessa Hua Vanessa Hua is the author of the national bestsellers A River of Stars and Forbidden City, as well as the story collection Deceit and Other Possibilities, a New York Times Editors' Pick. A National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellow, she has also received a Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers' Award, the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature, a California Arts Council Fellowship, and a Steinbeck Fellowship in Creative Writing, as well as honors from the de Groot Foundation, the Society of Professional Journalists, and the Asian American Journalists Association, among others. Previously, she was an award-winning columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle. She teaches at the Warren Wilson MFA Program, Sewanee Writers Conference, and elsewhere. Her book of narrative nonfiction, Uprooted, is forthcoming. Links & Resources: Vanessa: Website: http://www.vanessahua.com Instagram: @mononoke97 Facebook: @vanessahuawriter Bluesky: r@vanessahua.bsky.social Estelle Website: https://estelleserasmus.com Watch Estelle's TEDx Talk How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpcWmjpzSIQ Instagram/X/TikTok/BlueSky: @EstelleSErasmus NEW Substack post: A Recap of the Editor-on-Call Event with Susan Dabbar of PROVOKEDmagazine. All the intel you need to get published there including a free pitching guide and portal link. https://estelleserasmus.substack.com/p/how-to-pitch-provokedmagazine-inside Subscribe for exclusive info and podcast clips: https://estelleserasmus.substack.com About Estelle Erasmus Estelle Erasmus is an NYU writing professor, former magazine editor-in-chief, TEDx speaker, and the author of Writing That Gets Noticed, named a Best Book for Writers by Poets & Writers. She is also the host of the award-winning podcast Freelance Writing Direct, where she shares insider strategies on craft, publishing, and building a writing career. Enjoying the show Follow, rate, and review Freelance Writing Direct on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and watch full episodes on YouTube.

May 7, 202639 min

#190 Building a Memoir Around a Defining Moment with Jacque Gorelick

In this episode of Freelance Writing Direct, Estelle Erasmus speaks with author Jacque Gorelick about her debut memoir Map of a Heart: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Finding the Way Home, a powerful, braided narrative that weaves a present-day medical crisis with a deeply personal exploration of family, identity, estrangement, and belonging. Jacque shares the harrowing inciting incident at the center of her book: her husband collapsing on a trail just weeks after the birth of their child, leading to a life-or-death ICU experience that unfolds in real time over ten days. From there, she unpacks how that crisis triggered a flood of memory and reflection, bringing her past into conversation with her present. Together, Estelle and Jacque dive into the craft behind the memoir, including how to braid timelines effectively, how to balance scene and reflection, and how to write about emotionally charged experiences without losing the reader. Jacque also opens up about the challenges of writing about family estrangement, the visceral experience of reliving trauma on the page, and the importance of honoring truth while maintaining compassion. They also discuss: How to structure a memoir using a real-time framework The shift from alternating timelines to a fully braided narrative Writing epistolary sections to create intimacy and emotional depth The role of memory, research, and fact-checking in memoir Navigating vulnerability when writing about loved ones The realities of the publishing path, including querying, setbacks, and choosing a small press Why giving yourself emotional space while writing difficult material is essential Jacque offers practical advice for writers looking to tell their own stories, including how to access emotional truth, gather sensory memory, and begin shaping raw experience into narrative. Watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0A-RQy7FKo About Jacque Gorelick Jacque Gorelick is a writer and former educator whose work explores the complexities of family, identity, and belonging. Her essays have appeared in The New York Times, Salon, Newsweek, The Washington Post, HuffPost, and more. Map of a Heart is her debut memoir. She lives in California with her husband, two sons, and a menagerie of rescue animals. Links & Resources:Jacque's website: https://www.jacquegorelick.com/ Her instagram/Threads: @Jacgorelick Estelle's website: https://estelleserasmus.com Watch Estelle's TEDx Talk How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpcWmjpzSIQ NEW Substack post: A Recap of the Editor-on-Call Event with Susan Dabbar of PROVOKEDmagazine. All the intel you need to get published there including a free pitching guide and portal link. https://estelleserasmus.substack.com/p/how-to-pitch-provokedmagazine-inside Subscribe for exclusive info and podcast clips: https://estelleserasmus.substack.com About Estelle Erasmus Estelle Erasmus is an NYU writing professor, former magazine editor-in-chief, TEDx speaker, and the author of Writing That Gets Noticed, named a Best Book for Writers by Poets & Writers. She is also the host of the award-winning podcast Freelance Writing Direct, where she shares insider strategies on craft, publishing, and building a writing career. Enjoying the show Follow, rate, and review Freelance Writing Direct on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and watch full episodes on YouTube.

April 30, 202640 min

#189 Turning a Story of Escape Into a Powerful Memoir And Real Impact with Tia Levings

Freelance Writing Direct chats with Tia Levings about writing a memoir of escape, and how strong scenes, structure, and editorial choices turn personal experience into a powerful narrative. Tia Levings is the New York Times bestselling author of A Well-Trained Wife, a memoir about her escape from Christian patriarchy and high-control religious culture. She writes about religious trauma, evangelical influence, and the cultural forces shaping women's lives today. Her work has appeared in Teen Vogue, Salon, Newsweek, and The Huffington Post, and she was featured in the Shiny Happy People docuseries. Her next book, I Belong to Me, releases May 2026. In this episode, Estelle Erasmus and Tia Levings discuss: How to turn lived experience into a compelling, page-turning memoir Why choosing the right scenes matters more than including everything that happened The difference between situation and story, and how it shapes narrative drive How to weave research and cultural context into memoir without slowing the pace Writing about trauma while maintaining momentum and reader engagement The role of developmental editing in strengthening structure and emotional build How to create a memoir that resonates beyond your personal experience Why memoir is not a "parade of bad things," but a search for meaning and connection Crafting chapter endings that keep readers turning the page Building a platform and expanding your story into broader cultural impact Tia also shares how she broke free from a high-control environment, how visibility became a form of safety, and how storytelling can create both personal healing and collective awareness. Watch on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6kJKMI77Go Links & Resources: Follow Tia Levings on social media: @TiaLevingsWriterEstelle's website: https://estelleserasmus.com Watch Estelle's TEDx Talk How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpcWmjpzSIQ NEW Substack post: A Recap of the Editor-on-Call Event with Susan Dabbar of PROVOKEDmagazine. All the intel you need to get published there. https://estelleserasmus.substack.com/p/how-to-pitch-provokedmagazine-inside Subscribe for exclusive info and podcast clips: https://estelleserasmus.substack.com About Estelle Erasmus Estelle Erasmus is an NYU writing professor, former magazine editor-in-chief, TEDx speaker, and the author of Writing That Gets Noticed, named a Best Book for Writers by Poets & Writers. She is also the host of the award-winning podcast Freelance Writing Direct, where she shares insider strategies on craft, publishing, and building a writing career. Enjoying the show Follow, rate, and review Freelance Writing Direct on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and watch full episodes on YouTube.

April 23, 202632 min

#188 Reclaiming "Selfish": On Craft, Creativity, and Braiding Truth into Memoir With Kerry Docherty

In this episode, Estelle Erasmus talks with Kerry Docherty, author of Selfish: Unlearning, Reclaiming, and Telling the Truth, about what it really takes to write a bold, emotionally honest memoir. They dive into: Why "selfish" is a loaded word for women and how to reclaim it Starting a memoir with rupture to hook the reader Using dreams, spirituality, and what Estelle calls the "echo effect" to deepen narrative impact Writing about marriage, motherhood, desire, and identity without holding back The risks and consequences of telling the truth on the page How to balance scene, reflection, and tension to keep a memoir propulsive What gets cut and why it matters for the arc of the story Kerry also shares how writing this book changed her, and the one piece of advice every aspiring memoirist needs to hear. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHWRP-qjJyA About Kerry Docherty Kerry Docherty cofounded the lifestyle clothing brand Faherty with her husband and his identical twin. A graduate of Yale University and Pepperdine Law School, she is passionate about community building, sustainability, and creativity. Kerry is also the author of the children's book Somewhere, Right Now, featuring art by New York Times bestselling illustrator Suzie Mason. She lives with her husband and two children on the New Jersey shore, where she is constantly looking for sea glass. Selfish: Unlearning, Reclaiming, and Telling the Truth is a memoir by Kerry Docherty, cofounder of the lifestyle clothing brand Faherty. Blending personal narrative and cultural critique, it explores what happens when a woman decides to prioritize her own desires and wellbeing after years of people-pleasing and overgiving. Links & Resources: Order Selfish: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/775631/selfish-by-kerry-docherty/ Estelle's website: https://estelleserasmus.com Watch Estelle's TEDx Talk How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpcWmjpzSIQ Subscribe for exclusive info and podcast clips: https://estelleserasmus.substack.com About Estelle Erasmus Estelle Erasmus is an NYU writing professor, former magazine editor-in-chief, TEDx speaker, and the author of Writing That Gets Noticed, named a Best Book for Writers by Poets & Writers. She is also the host of the award-winning podcast Freelance Writing Direct, where she shares insider strategies on craft, publishing, and building a writing career. Enjoying the show Follow, rate, and review Freelance Writing Direct on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and watch full episodes on YouTube.

April 16, 202634 min

#187 People over Proposals with Literary Agent Sally Ekus

In this episode of Freelance Writing Direct, Estelle Erasmus sits down with literary agent Sally Ekus, senior agent at the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency, where she leads a boutique division specializing in cookbooks, lifestyle, and select nonfiction. With over 350 book deals under her belt and deep roots in the publishing world, Sally shares what truly makes a proposal stand out, how the industry is evolving in real time, and why enthusiasm and voice still matter more than ever. Together, Estelle and Sally explore the shift from traditional publishing models to today's fast-paced, data-driven landscape—and what writers must do now to get noticed. You'll hear a candid, behind-the-scenes look at how agents think, how deals happen, and how writers can position themselves for success. In this episode, we discuss: What literary agents are really looking for in a nonfiction proposal The importance of platform—and what to do if you don't have one How to craft a compelling concept that can drive a book deal What happens when a book goes to auction (and why the highest bid isn't everything) How publishers are using data and trends to shape acquisitions The evolving role of AI in publishing—and where Sally draws the line The financial and creative realities of producing cookbooks today Why enthusiasm, voice, and clarity are your greatest assets as a writer Watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27dK8IRHT-8&t=5s About Sally Ekus Sally Ekus is a senior literary agent at the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency, where she spearheads a boutique division focused on cookbooks, lifestyle, and nonfiction. She represents chefs, food writers, creators, and thought leaders, and has brokered hundreds of deals with major publishers including Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, and Simon & Schuster. She is also the creator of the Not-So-Secret Agent Substack and founder of the How to Be a Cookbook Author community, where she shares insights into the publishing process and supports aspiring authors. Links & Resources: Sally's Substack: Not-So-Secret Agent https://notsosecretagent.substack.com How to Be a Cookbook Author https://www.ekusgroup.com/cookbookacademy Estelle's website: https://estelleserasmus.com Subscribe for exclusive info and podcast clips: https://estelleserasmus.substack.com Sign up for the NYU Editor-on-Call Event on April 22 with the Editor-in-Chief of Provoked Magazine. https://events.nyu.edu/event/384509-editor-on-call-ready-to-pitch-publish-and-g About Estelle Erasmus Estelle Erasmus is an NYU writing professor, former magazine editor-in-chief, TEDx speaker, and the author of Writing That Gets Noticed, named a Best Book for Writers by Poets & Writers. She is also the host of the award-winning podcast Freelance Writing Direct, where she shares insider strategies on craft, publishing, and building a writing career. Enjoying the show Follow, rate, and review Freelance Writing Direct on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and watch full episodes on YouTube.

April 9, 202640 min

#186 Burn the Haystack: Decoding Men's Language, Power Moves, and Red Flags with Jennie Young

The words people use tell you exactly who they are, if you know how to read them. Estelle Erasmus sits down with Jennie Young, a professor of rhetoric whose "Burn the Haystack" method and Facebook group sparked a powerful movement, now captured in her book Burn the Haystack. She flips the traditional dating narrative on its head, showing women how to find their "needle" by torching the men who are duds. As a former magazine editor and longtime writing teacher, Estelle was especially drawn to how Jennie breaks down language, tone, and behavior with precision. This conversation goes far beyond dating. It's about learning how to read what people say and how they say it, whether you're navigating relationships, the workplace, or your own writing. Watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwQ2rvupeXM About Jennie Young Jennie Young is a professor of rhetoric at the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay, specializing in applied rhetoric, humor, and feminism. Her work focuses on helping women detect manipulation and decode power dynamics in dating, work, and everyday life. Her book, Burn the Haystack: Decode Dating, Torch the Duds, and Make Room for Men Who Matter, has inspired a global movement and a rapidly growing online community. Links & Resources: Jennie Young's book: Burn the Haystack Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/9116647515019601 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/word_case_scenario/ Estelle's website: https://estelleserasmus.com Subscribe for exclusive podcast clips: https://estelleserasmus.substack.com Sign up for the NYU Editor-on-Call Event on April 22 with the Editor-in-Chief of Provoked Magazine. https://events.nyu.edu/event/384509-editor-on-call-ready-to-pitch-publish-and-g About Estelle Erasmus: Estelle Erasmus is an NYU writing professor, former magazine editor-in-chief, TEDx speaker, and the author of Writing That Gets Noticed, named a Best Book for Writers by Poets & Writers. She is also the host of the award-winning podcast Freelance Writing Direct, where she shares insider strategies on craft, publishing, and building a writing career. Enjoying the show Follow, rate, and review Freelance Writing Direct on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and watch full episodes on YouTube.