Write the Damn Book Already
Want to write, publish, and market your book, but feel overwhelmed by where to start?
Write the Damn Book Already breaks down the writing process, self-publishing, and traditional publishing so you can move from idea to finished book with clarity and confidence.
Hosted by Elizabeth Lyons—author, book writing coach, book editor, and self-publishing expert—this show untangles the often-confusing world of writing and publishing. From first draft to finished manuscript, indie publishing to traditional publishing, Amazon strategy to long-term book visibility, you’ll get practical guidance and honest conversations about what it really takes to get a book into the world.
Through solo episodes and interviews with both traditionally published and indie authors—across fiction and nonfiction—Elizabeth brings a well-rounded, no-hype perspective to the publishing industry. Whether you’re working on memoir, nonfiction, or a novel, you’ll walk away with clearer next steps and fewer mental roadblocks.
Write the Damn Book Already
Ep 62: Writing Through Grief with Emma Grey
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Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!
When The Last Love Note by Emma Grey showed up on my doorstep, I knew we had a problem. A book with a cover that good had to have a story even better within its pages. And I wasn't wrong!
I could've talked to Emma for hours (if not days), and in the latest episode of the Write the Damn Book Already podcast, we discussed:
⭐️ The backstory behind the book and how it came to be, a bit unexpectedly.
⭐️ How long it took Emma to write while “wrangling grief.”
⭐️ Where Emma started writing her book and how that moment it came full circle when Zibby Books offered to be her US publisher
⭐️ Emma's writing process, including how long it took to get her skeleton draft (65K words) and how many drafts she went through before sending it to first publisher in Australia.
⭐️ Knowing when chapters don’t propel the story forward (and how to handle it when you're advised to cut 30K words)
⭐️ Her agent's advice on how quickly to write the first draft
⭐️ Emma's perspective on alpha readers, beta readers, prologues, and chasing 100 rejections
**WARNING: The revelation at the 41:40 mark about what happened with the acquisition of her book will shock you!
ABOUT EMMA
Emma Grey is a novelist, feature writer, photographer, professional speaker and accountability coach.
She has been writing fiction since she first fell for Anne of Green Gables at fourteen and is the author of the YA novels Unrequited: Boy band meets girl, Tilly Maguire and the Royal Wedding Mess, the non-fiction title, I Don’t Have Time (co-authored with Audrey Thomas), and the parenting memoir Wits’ End Before Breakfast! Confessions of a Working Mum.
Along with her schoolfriend, dual ARIA-winning composer, Sally Whitwell, Emma co-wrote two musicals, Deadpan Anti-Fan and Fairytale Derail, based on her teen novels.
She wrote her first adult novel, The Last Love Note, in the wake of her husband’s death. It’s a fictional tribute to their love, an attempt to articulate the magnitude of her loss and a life-affirming commitment to hope.
Emma lives just outside Canberra, where her world centres on her two adult daughters, young son, loved step-children and step-grandchildren, writing, photography and endlessly chasing the Aurora Australis.
CONNECT WITH EMMA
Website: emmagrey.com.au
Instagram: instagram.com/emmagreyauthor
Facebook: www.facebook.com/emmagreyauthor
Book: The Last Love Note
WHAT EMMA'S READING
Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder by Kerryn Mayne
Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth
WAYS WE CAN WORK TOGETHER ON YOUR BOOK
To see all the ways we can work together as well as explore my self-paced online programs and free downloads, visit PublishAProfitableBook.com/work-with-elizabeth
🧭 BACK COVER BLUEPRINT
Get back cover templates for nonfiction, memoir, and fiction; real-world examples; a polishing checklist; and a guide for turning it into an optimized online description that attracts the right readers.
🔗 https://www.publishaprofitablebook.com/blueprint
🔑 BOOK FORMATTING SOFTWARE FOR SELF-PUBLISHED AUTHORS
This episode is sponsored by Atticus, the all-in-one writing and book formatting software for self-publishing authors. From drafting to professional ebook and print layout, Atticus makes it easy to format your manuscript for KDP, IngramSpark, and beyond. Learn more at Atticus.io.
WANT TO SELL MORE BOOKS (WITHOUT THE SELF-PROMO CRINGE)?
The Author Visibility Bundle gives you 200+ done-for-you email templates, social media graphics, and other book promo tools designed to help authors build buzz and drive sales, without feeling pushy.
👉 PublishAProfitableBook.com/bookvisibility
✍️ 33-DAY BOOK WRITING BOOTCAMP
You've Been Thinking About This Book Forever. So let's get it written (for real this time).
👉 https://www.publishaprofitablebook/writethebook
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Write the Damn Book Already is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with authors as well as updates and insights on writing craft and the publishing industry.
Available wherever podcasts are available:
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Let's Connect!
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Website
Email the show: elizabeth [at] elizabethlyons [dot] com
The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores.
To see all the ways we can work together to get your book written and published, visit publishaprofitablebook.com/work-with-elizabeth
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