When your first manuscript doesn’t land with publishers, how do you transform that draft into the foundation for a book that does?

In this episode of Bookbound, Fran Hauser and Bethany Saltman sit down with Cecily Mak, attorney, co-founder of Wisdom Ventures, and author of Undimmed: The Eight Awarenesses for Freedom from Unwanted Habits. Cecily talks about the long, non-linear path to her debut, revealing how she spent years writing a 300-page memoir that will likely never be published, but became the essential groundwork for Undimmed. She shares how a breast cancer diagnosis just as she left her tech executive career reshaped both her timeline and her clarity of purpose.

Cecily also deconstructs the nuts and bolts of the publishing process: finding the right agent, rewriting her proposal around a prescriptive framework, and selling her book at auction. She opens up about the role rituals played in sustaining her writing practice, why feedback from agents was invaluable, and how building community through Substack and Instagram fed both her process and her book’s message.

Connect with Cecily on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clearlifejourney/

Connect with Cecily on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cecilymak/

Check out Cecily’s book Undimmed: The Eight Awarenesses for Freedom from Unwanted Habits: https://www.amazon.com/Undimmed-Awarenesses-Freedom-Unwanted-Habits/dp/1250385180

Check out the ClearLife Substack: https://cecilymak.substack.com/

Join Bethany & Fran for their Read Like a Writer Book Club here: https://www.bookboundpodcast.com/club
Download Bethany & Fran's e-book on how to craft a standout book proposal here: https://www.bookboundpodcast.com/e-book

Produced by Share Your Genius: https://shareyourgenius.com/

What does it take to turn a podcast into a book?

In this episode of Bookbound, Fran Hauser and Bethany Saltman sit down with Jill Sirianni, licensed clinical social worker, podcaster, and co-author of Buy What You Love Without Going Broke, to talk about the journey from podcast host to traditionally published author.

Jill shares how six years of podcasting laid the foundation for her book, what she learned from shaping a proposal, and how she and her co-author landed an agent and ultimately went to auction with multiple publishers. She reveals the challenges of finding a cohesive throughline, why opposing forces make the strongest titles, and how she and her team navigated everything from cover design to editorial input. Jill also opens up about the marketing side: launching a podcast tour, building a street team, and leveraging her platform to get her book on airport shelves across the country.

Resources:

Connect with Jill on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilliansirianni/?hl=en

Connect with Jill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jilliansirianni/

Check out Buy What You Love Without Going Broke: https://www.frugalfriendspodcast.com/order-buy-what-you-love-without-going-broke/

Listen to the Frugal Friends Podcast: https://www.frugalfriendspodcast.com/
Join Bethany & Fran for their Read Like a Writer Book Club here: https://www.bookboundpodcast.com/club
Download Bethany & Fran's e-book on how to craft a standout book proposal here: https://www.bookboundpodcast.com/e-book

Produced by Share Your Genius: https://shareyourgenius.com/

What really happens when a literary agent becomes an author?

In this episode of Bookbound, Fran Hauser and Bethany Saltman sit down with Kate McKean, literary agent, Substack writer, and author of Write Through It, to talk about the long road from aspiring novelist to publishing her first nonfiction book.

Kate opens up about the seven years it took to land her book deal, what she’s learned from failed projects, and why persistence often matters more than perfection. She shares the insider truths about query letters, proposals, and finding an agent, while also revealing how her newsletter, Agents and Books, helped her discover the audience she was meant to serve. Along the way, Kate offers advice on editing smarter, managing expectations, and keeping your passion alive in the often slow and messy process of publishing.

Resources:

Connect with Kate on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katemckean/
Connect with Kate on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kate_mckean/

Follow Kate on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/katemckean.bsky.social

Check out Kate’s website: https://www.katemckean.com/

Subscribe to Kate’s newsletter Agents and Books: https://www.agentsandbooks.com/

Check out Kate’s book Write Through It: An Insider's Guide to Publishing and the Creative Life: https://bookshop.org/p/books/write-through-it-an-insider-s-guide-to-publishing-and-the-creative-life-kate-mckean/21872839

Check out Publisher’s Marketplace: https://www.publishersmarketplace.com
Join Bethany & Fran for their Read Like a Writer Book Club here: https://www.bookboundpodcast.com/club
Download Bethany & Fran's e-book on how to craft a standout book proposal here: https://www.bookboundpodcast.com/e-book

Produced by Share Your Genius: https://shareyourgenius.com/

• (00:00) - BB-Video-Kate McKean-V2
• (00:00) - Introduction to the Book Bound Podcast
• (01:13) - Meet Kate McKean: Literary Agent and Author
• (02:25) - Kate's Journey to Becoming an Author
• (04:09) - The Writing Process: Fiction vs. Nonfiction
• (07:17) - Finding the Right Literary Agent
• (17:32) - The Importance of a Book Proposal
• (18:19) - The Importance of a Strong Ending in Fiction
• (19:05) - From Proposal to Manuscript: The Writing Journey
• (21:08) - Editing and Revising: Key Strategies
• (22:53) - Marketing the Book: Strategies and Experiences
• (24:23) - Substack: A Platform for Writers
• (29:00) - Advice for Aspiring Authors
• (31:29) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts