Looking to Interview Men for My Book!
Things have been unusually quiet over here at The Book I Want to Write over the past year, as I’ve been hard at work on my own book, as well as moving across the country, among other big life transitions.
The Book I Want to Write
Excavating how we tell our stories — in writing and in life. Back in 2026 with new essays, conversations, and a focus on writing, patriarchy, and the work of being honest. Home of The Book I Had to Write podcast.
Latest episodes
Two reasons you're not landing a memoir book deal in 2024, with Courtney Maum
If you enjoy listening, leave me a comment below telling me what you connected with most.
From a rejected memoir to a 6-figure book deal with Melissa Petro
Today’s Episode
Book coach Joelle Hann: There's a big gap between the dream and the published book (Re-release)
Book coach Joelle Hann—aka “The Brooklyn Book Doctor”—joins me to discuss the journey from book idea to finished product. Joelle delves into common obstacles for first-time authors, the transformative nature of writing, and the importance of mindset and resilience.
Joan Leegant:"I have no clue what I'm going to do when I sit down to write stories"
In today’s episode, I’m joined by Joan Leegant to discuss her new short story collection, Displaced Persons. Joan shares insights into her writing process, including how she often begins stories with no preset idea and allows stories to emerge from a first sentence.
Matthew Specktor on hybrid memoir, Hollywood failure & that time Marlon Brando left a voicemail
In this episode, I talk with author and novelist Matthew Specktor about his recent hybrid memoir and cultural exploration, Always Crashing in the Same Car. We discuss his fascination with figures who faced creative crises in Hollywood, explore the realities of growing up in LA, and talk about the death of the middle-class creative in Hollywood.
Evan Dalton Smith:"'You can make a career out of writing weird, little books'"
Today’s guest is the writer and poet Evan Dalton Smith. His first book—part personal story and part cultural study—is called Looking for Andy Griffith: A Father’s Journey.
How Jennifer Lang turned a "boring" 90K-word book into a 14K-word gem...& got her groove back
Listen now (30 mins) | Today’s episode features my interview with Jennifer Lang. Her memoir, Places We Left Behind, is a marvel of brevity and form. It’s the story of how one woman, a hybrid of American-French-Israeli identities, navigates cultural and religious differences with her husband over the course of three decades, as her family searches for what it means to find a sense of home.
Guest Post: Thinking about victims and perpetrators by way of X-Men's Magneto
Here’s a guest post from journalist and author Leah Eichler, originally published on her Leah Eichler's Esoterica Substack.
My 5 favorite stories -- April 2024 edition
Here are some of the stories I found most compelling over the past couple of months…
The Confessional Essay Returns
A new wave of confessional essays may be on the horizon...can its critics be far behind?
That's a wrap & back next week!
The Book I Want to Write is on break this week…I had a post in mind, but honestly I’ve just run out of steam, between my job, coaching clients, parenting, the podcast, etc.
What do you need to know about marketing your book in 2024? with Kathleen Schmidt
Last year, I came across an essay called “Book Publishing is Broken” by today’s podcast guest, Kathleen Schmidt. Using her decades of experience in book PR & strategy, Kathleen laid out several reasons why traditional publishing fails writers. (If you haven’t already read that post, you’ll get to hear Kathleen’s reasons in our interview).
The past is every bit as unpredictable as the future, with Abigail Thomas
In this converation with memoirist Abigail Thomas, we discuss the backstory of writing Safekeeping, and that now-classic memoir was initially turned down by all the editors the book was sent, except for one.
From Pet-Sitting to Publishing, with Chérie Newman
The publishing landscape has undergone transformative changes in recent years, and authors are consistently exploring new paths to share their stories with the world. The recent conversation with Chérie Newman, a debut author with deep roots in audio production and a passionate pet sitter, sheds light on the intricacies of writing, publishing, and the nuanced personal experiences that drive the…
Mystic vs. Mainstream, with Jay Michaelson
In this episode, I talk with author, professor, journalist, and rabbi Jay Michaelson. After publishing nine other books of nonfiction and poetry, and hundreds of stories for publications like Rolling Stone, The Daily Beast, and New York magazine, he’s just come out with his first work of fiction...
What is the future of literary journals? with Travis Kurowski
Listen now | Last fall, administrators at Gettysburg College announced the shuttering of the prestigious Gettysburg Review. This just seemed like the latest in a long string of magazines and journals that have closed the past few years...
How to Jumpstart Your Memoir the Low-Stakes Way, with Amity Reed & Paul Zakrzewski
Listen now (23 mins) | Why would anyone want to jumpstart their memoir? For one thing, you’re tasked with plumbing your memory for sometimes difficult material. Added to that is the burden of turning out writing that often feels underwhelming—so much less than we know we can do. For recovering perfectionists, the combination can be daunting.
Brutalities: Crafting truth thru braided essays with Margo Steines
In this week’s episode of The Book I Had to Write, I talk with Margo Steines, the author of Brutalities: A Love Story. This memoir-in-essays documents her journey through a series of extreme experiences including her time as a pro dom, a welder on a high-rise crew, her addictions to exercise, her interest in MMA fighting, and more.
An urgent & possibly helpful conversation with Jeannine Ouellette
In the first episode of Season 3, Jeannine Ouellette, author of the memoir The Part That Burns and creator of the Writing in the Dark newsletter, shares insights into her writing process, her extraordinary year on Substack, and the unique blend of craft, wisdom, and kindness that makes her a beloved teacher of creative writing.