Write the Damn Book Already

Ep 162: From Academic to Fiction Author with Jennifer Brown

Elizabeth Lyons / Jennifer Brown

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0:00 | 37:21

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Ever wonder what happens when an academic specializing in medieval women’s visions suddenly writes her first novel? 

In this episode, Jennifer Brown shares her unexpected leap from dusty manuscripts to publishing with St. Martin’s Press and how a canceled conference sparked her fiction journey—without a soul telling her she should.

In this episode:

  • How Jennifer’s fascination with medieval women and their visions inspired her novel, The Lost Book of Elizabeth Barton
  • The serendipitous week in London that kickstarted her writing process
  • Scrapping outlines and embracing the messy, fun process of discovery
  • The unexpected ease of her path to publication
  • Insights into marketing a traditionally published book when the house does some of the heavy lifting (emphases on "some")
  • Her thoughts on the complexity of writing multiple timelines and switching points of view
  • The importance of embracing revision as part of the creative process

🧭 BACK COVER BLUEPRINT

Your back cover isn't just your back cover. It's your Amazon description. It's what a stranger reads at 11pm deciding whether to buy your book or go to sleep. The Back Cover Blueprint gives you 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

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.

✍️ 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. 

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