Couverture de 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.

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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Welcome to the award-winning Freelance Writing Direct podcast—named the 2025 Podcast of the Year in the Education category by the American Writing Awards. Freelance Writing Direct is your go-to resource if you're a writer who wants to break through the noise and get published—whether in essays, memoir, books, or journalism. Hosted by Estelle Erasmus—an award-winning journalist, author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a “Best Book for Writers” by Poets & Writers), NYU writing professor, and seasoned editor-in-chief—the show blends craft, industry insight, and career strategy to help writers get noticed and published. Each week, Estelle shares short, sound bite-filled episodes packed with actionable tips and candid conversations with bestselling authors, top editors, and publishing insiders. You'll get a behind-the-scenes look at how the writing world really works—plus smart, strategic advice to move your writing forward. From breaking into top publications and crafting irresistible pitches to navigating the path to book deals, Estelle pulls back the curtain on the writing life. She shares how the “sauce is made,” with writing prompts, publishing tips, and guidance from her 30+ years of experience across over 150 publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, AARP, and The Independent. Whether you're a creative writer, freelance writer, or aspiring author, you'll find community, mentorship, and momentum here. And as the show evolves, so will Estelle—listening to her guests, responding to her audience, and always staying one step ahead of the industry curve. If you've ever asked: How do I get started writing? What are assigning editors really looking for? How do I find an agent? What do publishers want? What writing tips can I use today to improve my craft? How do I get my pitches noticed? What do bestselling authors and writing teachers recommend? You're in the right place. It’s time to elevate your writing—with Freelance Writing Direct. Estelle can’t wait to read what you’ll be writing. Learn more at estelleserasmus.com, follow Estelle on Substack at estelleserasmus.substack.com, and connect with her on social media @EstelleSErasmus. About Estelle Erasmus: Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, 2025 TEDx Speaker, and the author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a "Best Book for Writers" by Poets & Writers Magazine). She is a Contributing Editor for Writer's Digest and the host of the Freelance Writing Direct podcast, which was named the 2025 Podcast of the Year (education) from The American Writing Awards. Estelle is also an adjunct instructor for NYU’s School of Professional Studies/Center for Publishing and Applied Liberal Arts. Her work has appeared in over 150 publications including The New York Times, Next Avenue/PBS, WIRED, The Independent, The Washington Post, and AARP: The Magazine. She has served as the editor-in-chief of five national publications. Find out more at estelleserasmus.com, follow her newsletter on Substack, and connect on social media @EstelleSErasmus.2022 Direction Développement personnel Economie Management et direction Réussite personnelle
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    Épisodes
    • #144 Coaching Episode: Elevate Your Voice, Expand Your Reach
      Jun 19 2025
      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 momentum [7:57] Why voice matters more than ever in building a platform [11:51] Ways to shape reported stories into personal, memorable pieces [16:02] How to reframe a book project through the lens of support and meaning [22:24] What to consider before sharing personal work on Substack [25:00] Want to be featured in a future coaching episode? Email Estelle at freelancewritingdirect@gmail.com with “Coaching Episode” in the subject line. Lanier mentioned she listened to Episode #77: “Writing Personal Stories with HuffPost Personal’s Noah Michelson”before our conversation. If you’re interested in that conversation, you can watch it on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uxPjSoptD8 or listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/freelance-writing-direct-with-estelle-conversations/id1647429472?i=1000649151668 Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/tn_RMFnmGh4 About Lanier A former educator, publicist and editor, Lanier Isom is an author and journalist living in her hometown, Birmingham, Alabama. She wrote, Grace and Grit, the life story of Alabama native and fair pay advocate, Lilly Ledbetter. The film LILLY, based on the book, was released by Blue Harbor Entertainment in select theaters this May. Isom’s articles, editorials, and essays have been featured in Al Jazeera, LA Times, Huffington Post, Salvation South and The Bitter Southerner. She's a frequent contributor to Inside Climate News and al.com. She’s also the recipient of the Alabama Library Association Nonfiction Award and a 2023 Fellowship from the Alabama State Council on the Arts. This year, Alabama Media Professionals awarded her first place for her longform article on McIntosh, Alabama, a small town being poisoned by two chemical plants. She recently finished a memoir, which examines the personal and collective cost for a generation of silenced women confronting a southern school’s buried truths. You can find her on Substack, Instagram and Facebook @lanierisom. Connect with Lanier Substack https://lanierisom.substack.com Instagram https://instagram.com/lanierisom Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lanier.isom/ X: https://x.com/lanierisom If you haven’t yet—watch my TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond In this bold, funny, and widely shared talk, I blend personal storytelling with the real-world writing strategies I’ve developed as a longtime magazine editor, NYU professor, and writing coach. It all starts with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine—and builds into a powerful message about how to stand out in a crowded, noisy world, no matter the medium. 📺 Watch, comment, and share: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpcWmjpzSIQ 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 instructor at NYU, she’s written for over 150 outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine, and has served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Explore More: Writing That Gets Noticed – Buy the book: https://rb.gy/0dpdcs Audiobook version: https://tinyurl.com/yskfj2zv Subscribe on Substack for craft tips, pitch advice, and podcast extras: https://estelleserasmus.substack.com Latest posts: “Stop Counting Your Words. Start Shaping Your Story—And a Bonus for Paid Subscribers.” and “How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen” Listen to more episodes of Freelance Writing Direct: https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast Follow Estelle: Instagram: https://instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@EstelleSErasmus Twitter: https://twitter.com/EstelleSErasmus BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/estelleserasmus.bsky.social
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      27 min
    • #143 What We Don’t Talk About: Michele Filgate on Family, Loss, Love, and the Art of Editing Anthologies
      Jun 12 2025

      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 and second anthology [2:26]

      • The unexpected TikTok virality that reignited interest in her debut [4:20]

      • How grief, marriage, and motherhood shaped her latest work [10:12]

      • What it takes to edit a balanced, emotionally resonant collection [12:24]

      • Advice for writers looking to create and publish anthologies [13:44]

      • Why literary citizenship is crucial to a sustainable writing career [18:01]

      • Michelle’s next chapter: turning inward to publish her own book [23:31]

      Watch on YouTube

      Michele Filgate is the editor of What My Mother and I Don’t Talk About and What My Father and I Don’t Talk About. Her writing has appeared in Longreads, Poets & Writers, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, The Paris Review Daily, Tin House, Gulf Coast, Oprah Daily, and many other publications. She received her MFA in Fiction from NYU, where she was the recipient of the Stein Fellowship. She teaches creative writing at The New School.

      Connect with Michele:

      Website

      Get her book

      Episodes Mentioned

      Kelly McMasters Episode #41

      Joanna Rakoff: Episode #87

      If you haven’t yet—watch my TEDx Talk:

      How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond

      In this bold, funny, and widely shared talk, I blend personal storytelling with the real-world writing strategies I’ve developed as a longtime magazine editor, NYU professor, and writing coach. It all starts with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine—and builds into a powerful message about how to stand out in a crowded, noisy world, no matter the medium.

      📺 Watch, comment, and share: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpcWmjpzSIQ

      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 instructor at NYU, she’s written for over 150 outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine, and has served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines.

      ✨ Explore More:
      📚 Writing That Gets Noticed – Buy the Book | Listen to the Audiobook
      📬 Subscribe on Substack – Craft tips, pitch advice & exclusive podcast extras. Latest post How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen
      🎧 Freelance Writing Direct – Interviews, insights & behind-the-scenes publishing tips

      Follow Estelle:
      📸 Instagram | 🎵 TikTok | 🐦 Twitter | 🌐 BlueSky

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      31 min
    • #142 Giving Motherhood a Microphone: How Listen to Your Mother Became a Movement Featuring Ann Imig
      Jun 5 2025
      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 collide in midlife. Ann Imig is an award-winning founder and speaker with numerous national media and stage appearances. An MSW and certified coach (PQCC), Ann helps burned-out moms regain their mojo, crush their goals, and fuel their joy at home and work. In 2010 she created the storytelling series (and then book) titled LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER. Almost 15 years later, LTYM continues Giving Motherhood A Microphone on stages across North America (70 cities and counting). In this episode: The surprising origin of Listen to Your Mother and how it grew to 70 cities [3:41] Why storytelling (and vulnerability) creates powerful community [7:05] How the blogging era fueled a generation of creative women [10:07] Moving from burnout to brain science: Ann’s shift to coaching midlife women [19:11] Ambition, motherhood, and redefining success in midlife [23:38] The impact of positive intelligence and rewiring your brain for joy [31:46] Connect with Ann Schedule a free breakthrough session with Ann at listenlifecoaching.com. Episodes on Freelance Writing Direct Mentioned Wendi Aarons https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/freelance-writing-direct-with-estelle-conversations/id1647429472?i=1000591556294 Nina Badzin https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/freelance-writing-direct-with-estelle-conversations/id1647429472?i=1000698989926 Amy Wilson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCCmKnX0BRM Listen to Your Mother YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/ltymshow Estelle’s Listen to Your Mother Reading of “And She Danced” on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmV4abTKy8Q Buy Ann’s book Listen To Your Mother on Estelle’s Bookshop https://bookshop.org/p/books/listen-to-your-mother-what-she-said-then-what-we-re-saying-now-ann-imig/11302088?aid=98827&ean=9780399169854&listref=authors-who-have-appeared-on-freelance-writing-direct If you haven’t yet—watch my TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond In this bold, funny, and widely shared talk, I blend personal storytelling with the real-world writing strategies I’ve developed as a longtime magazine editor, NYU professor, and writing coach. It all starts with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine—and builds into a powerful message about how to stand out in a crowded, noisy world, no matter the medium. 📺 Watch, comment, and share: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpcWmjpzSIQ 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 instructor at NYU, she’s written for over 150 outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine, and has served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. ✨ Explore More: 📚 Writing That Gets Noticed – Buy the Book | Listen to the Audiobook📬 Subscribe on Substack – Craft tips, pitch advice & exclusive podcast extras. Latest post How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen🎧 Freelance Writing Direct – Interviews, insights & behind-the-scenes publishing tips Follow Estelle: 📸 Instagram | 🎵 TikTok | 🐦 Twitter | 🌐 BlueSky
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      35 min

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