Write the Damn Book Already
Writing and publishing a phenomenal book doesn’t have to be ridiculously complicated or mind-numbingly overwhelming. From myths and misconceptions to practical tips and sound strategies, Elizabeth Lyons (author, book writing coach, book editor, and founder of Finn-Phyllis Press), helps writers feel more in control of and comfortable with the business of book publishing.
Her interviews with fellow authors discussing their writing processes and publishing journeys aim to help you untangle YOUR process so you can finally get your story into the world.
Episodes
145 episodes
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Ep 144: What I'd Tell You About Book Writing (If I Wasn't Afraid You'd Block Me)
Ever felt like everyone else has the secret playbook for publishing while you’re just winging it? Same.In this episode, I spill everything I'd tell you as the author of six books (and having published 50+ for others) if I wasn't afraid y...
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29:51
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Ep 143: From Starbucks Barista to Thriller Novelist with Julie Doar
A single question on a cold Hudson Valley walk: What if there’s a body in that hunter’s tent? sparked the debut thriller The Gallagher Place by Julie Doar. In this episode, we chat about how she wrote the first dra...
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36:10
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Ep 142: Writing, Endings & Publishing Myths with Novelist Turner Gable Kahn
What happens when a traditionally published debut novel suddenly appears on Kindle Unlimited while still showing wide? That unexpected twist opens into a bigger conversation about publishing decisions (and what’s actually within an author’s con...
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39:58
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Ep 141: From Fantasy to Memoir with Betsy Cornwell
Maid meets Under the Tuscan Sun!Betsy Cornwell built her career writing young adult fantasy, but her newest book tells an entirely different story. In this episode, Betsy opens up about her m...
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40:45
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Ep 140: Writing Tips from Bestselling Author Jane Hamilton
Most authors have as big a stack (if not bigger) of abandoned drafts as they do books that actually make it into the world. Jane Hamilton—bestselling author of The Book of Ruth and A Map of the World and two-time Oprah Book Cl...
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43:15
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Ep 139: How Indie Authors Can Shield Their Book from Copyright Infringement
Copyright. Piracy. LibGen. AI scraping. If just reading that list makes you want to hide under your desk with a bottle of...something...you’re not alone. Indie authors are being forced to navigate a landscape that feels murkier by the day, and ...
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28:09
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Ep 138: How to Choose Best Kindle Keywords for Your Book (Guide for Indie Authors) (2025)
There are more than 42 million books on Amazon right now. So how in the world do you help your book stand out? One word: keywords.Think of keywords as Amazon’s GPS. They tell the algorithm exactly where your book belongs ...
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31:55
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Ep 137: Amazon Ads for Authors Made Simple - FAQs
Amazon ads don’t have to be complicated (or eat up your entire marketing budget) to actually sell books. In this episode, I’m sharing my approach to making Amazon ads simple(r) without endless spreadsheets, confusing dashboards, or the kind of ...
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36:05
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Ep 136: Writing a Novel While Raising Kids with Jill Beissel
Writers dream of the day they’ll hold their finished book, but few warn you about how intense the editing phase can be. In this episode, debut novelist Jill Beissel gets real about the messy, magical process of turning a rough draft in...
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30:31
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Ep 135: Q&A: Kirkus Reviews, Writing with AI, and Bestseller Status
Ever feel like everyone has some secret book marketing hack? Most of those “shortcuts” are just expensive detours.In this episode, I’m calling out three distractions that keep indie authors spinning their wheels. First up: Kirku...
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23:23
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Ep 134: Crafting Complex Narratives with Lauren Oliver
If you’re the kind of person who devours psychological thrillers but also wants to be emotionally sucker-punched (in the best way), Lauren Oliver’s What Happened to Lucy Vale needs to be on your radar. In this episode, Laur...
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30:05
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Ep 133: Living Proof with Tiffany Graham Charkosky
In this episode, I sit down with Tiffany Graham Charkosky to talk about her forthcoming memoir, Living Proof (October 21, Little A), a book written and shaped over years of writing and rewriting.At just 11 years old, Tiffany los...
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36:06
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Ep 132: What Nobody Tells You About Making Your Book "Take Off"
If you’ve been chasing the magical marketing strategy that will finally make your book “take off,” welcome to the club. In this episode, I’m addressing the question nearly every author eventually asks: What does it actually take to make a b...
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23:10
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Ep 131: The Paper Palace and Beyond with Miranda Cowley Heller
Miranda Cowley Heller's father was a book editor; her grandfather edited Jack Kerouac and was friends with Hemingway. That legacy, while inspiring, left her frozen when it came to pursuing her own writing. Instead, she built a thriv...
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55:37
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Ep 130: When Fiction Meets AI with Lori Gold
Author Lori Gold is pulling back the curtain on publishing, in both this interview and her newest novel, Romantic Friction. INSIDE THE EPISODE• Yet another reason bestseller lists aren’t what you think (I di...
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46:13
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Ep 129: From LinkedIn to Penguin Random House with Gigi Robinson
What started as sharing her story online about living with chronic illness turned into a book deal with Penguin Random House. In this episode, Gigi Robinson shares how she leveraged consistency, relationships, and a clear vision to go from cont...
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36:51
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Ep 128: Book Publicity with Emily Florence
This week, I’m joined by publicist Emily Florence, and we’re talking about how to set publicity goals before you start chasing them, why a Today Show appearance might not sell nearly as many books as you think, and how to make your mar...
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1:02:32
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Ep 127: On Writing...Everything, with Melissa de la Cruz
Bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz has published nearly 80 books (yes, 80), and in this episode, she shares what it really takes to build and sustain a long-term writing career. From surviving the shifting tides of publishing to pro...
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42:48
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Ep 126: Murder on the Page with N.L. Blandford
Thriller author N.L. Blandford isn't afraid to go dark—like, murder scene dark—and she absolutely loves it.In this episode, she talks about writing gritty thrillers with complex villai...
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43:57
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Ep 125: The Business of Being a Writer with Jane Friedman
In this no-fluff episode, publishing powerhouse Jane Friedman speaks to the aspects of writing and publishing that every aspiring author needs to hear about. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT: The myth of the full...
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56:10
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Ep 124: From Attorney to Romance Author with Audrey Ingram
In this episode, author Audrey Ingram spills the tea on what inspired her newest novel, The Summer We Ran (coming June 3, 2025). Think: teenage love, political ambition, and a dual-timeline structure that spans 25 years and ma...
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45:58
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Ep 123: Reality TV and Romance with Neely Tubati-Alexander
She’s back! One of my all-time favorite guests, Neely Tubati-Alexander, returns to talk about her third novel, Courtroom Drama. As always, she brings a refreshing, no-nonsense take on staying creative and productive in the unpredictabl...
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44:53
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Ep 122: From Nanny Diaries to The Best We Could Hope For, A Conversation with Nicola Kraus
What happens when your first novel becomes a global sensation, and your next one takes nearly a decade?In this episode, bestselling author Nicola Kraus (of The Nanny Diaries fame) gets delightfully honest about what it
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50:30
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Ep 121: Lights, Camera, Book Launch with Noël Stark
This week, I sat down with debut author Noël Stark, who went from wrangling chaos behind the scenes in the TV and film world to wrangling words on the page, often in 15-minute bursts. Her novel, Love Camera Action, flips the script on ...
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48:05
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Ep 120: Writing a Novel (While Your House Falls Apart) with A. Morini
What do a flooded house, a nine-month (and still going) renovation, and a debut novel have in common? Angelika Morini.In this episode, Angelika shares what it actually looked like to finish her first novel, Do You See...
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50:03