Welcome, writers and book lovers. The Bleeders is a podcast about book writing and publishing. https://thebleeders.substack.com/welcome: https://thebleeders.substack.com/welcome Today’s guest is Brad Listi, author of https://bookshop.org/a/85623/9781632461360, host of the long-running https://www.otherppl.com/ podcast, and founder of the new literary learning platform Deep Dive. After decades in the business, Brad has a delightfully candid perspective on what it takes to build a writing career these days—and why talent and hard work are only part of the equation. In this episode, Brad takes us through his publishing journey, from his MFA and selling his debut novel in his twenties to launching the influential literary community The Nervous Breakdown, building an audience through podcasting, and writing his latest book, Be Brief and Tell Them Everything. We get into rejection, the myth that platform automatically translates into book sales, and the financial realities of being a writer. Plus, Brad shares what 1,000 author interviews have taught him, why reading should be part of the job, and his unfiltered advice for writers trying to get published. Subscribe to https://bradlisti.substack.com/welcome and listen to the https://www.otherppl.com/ podcast. Follow him on https://www.instagram.com/otherppl.podcast/ @otherppl.podcast, and buy your copy of Be Brief and Tell Them Everything on https://bookshop.org/a/85623/9781632461360, https://amzn.to/4dIUFsz, or wherever books are sold! Get your copy of Courtney's debut memoir Girl Gone Wild from https://bookshop.org/a/85623/9781949487541 or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3M7EYR5. The Bleeders is hosted by Courtney Kocak. Follow her on https://www.instagram.com/courtneykocak/ and https://bsky.app/profile/courtneykocak.bsky.social. For more, check out her website https://courtneykocak.com/links. Courtney is teaching some upcoming classes you might be interested in: - https://writingworkshops.com/products/how-to-build-a-platform-for-writers-who-shudder-at-the-thought-zoom-seminar: https://writingworkshops.com/products/how-to-build-a-platform-for-writers-who-shudder-at-the-thought-zoom-seminar - https://writingworkshops.com/products/start-a-newsletter-to-supercharge-your-platform-network-business-zoom-seminar: https://writingworkshops.com/products/start-a-newsletter-to-supercharge-your-platform-network-business-zoom-seminar - https://writingworkshops.com/products/land-big-bylines-by-writing-for-columns-zoom-seminar: https://writingworkshops.com/products/land-big-bylines-by-writing-for-columns-zoom-seminar - https://writingworkshops.com/products/how-to-make-2027-your-best-writing-year-yet-manifest-your-writing-goals-zoom-seminar-with-courtney-kocak: https://writingworkshops.com/products/how-to-make-2027-your-best-writing-year-yet-manifest-your-writing-goals-zoom-seminar-with-courtney-kocak - https://writingworkshops.com/products/start-podcast-workshop-courtney-kocak: https://writingworkshops.com/products/start-podcast-workshop-courtney-kocak - https://writingworkshops.com/products/edit-elevate-revision-intensive-zoom-seminar-with-courtney-kocak: https://writingworkshops.com/products/edit-elevate-revision-intensive-zoom-seminar-with-courtney-kocak

Welcome, writers and book lovers. The Bleeders is a podcast about book writing and publishing. https://thebleeders.substack.com/welcome: https://thebleeders.substack.com/welcome Today’s guest is novelist and essayist Emily J. Smith, author of the debut novel https://amzn.to/4fQRBw4. After years of writing, rewriting, and more than 100 agent rejections across two novels, Emily finally found the agent who understood her vision—and sold her debut to a Big Five publisher within weeks. In this episode, Emily pulls back the curtain on her long road to publication, including why she abandoned her first novel, what she learned from agent feedback, and how embracing plot and suspense helped her break into publishing without sacrificing her literary ambitions. We get into working with a developmental editor, landing a Big Five deal, advances and rights, the emotional minefield of cover design, and what publishers actually do—and don’t do—for debut authors. Emily also shares the realities of funding your own book tour and publicity, building a platform when you hate social media, growing her Substack, and the personalized outreach that helped generate press and word of mouth. Plus, Emily reflects on the widening gap between blockbuster books and smaller deals, why getting a traditional book deal can feel more like a foot in the door than a guarantee of support, and the publishing lesson she wishes she’d learned sooner. Subscribe to Emily's Substack https://emjsmith.substack.com/welcome. Follow her on https://www.instagram.com/emjsmith/ @emjsmith, and buy your copy of Nothing Serious on https://bookshop.org/a/85623/9780063385849, https://amzn.to/4x0V7Kq, or wherever books are sold! Get your copy of Courtney's debut memoir Girl Gone Wild from https://bookshop.org/a/85623/9781949487541 or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3M7EYR5. The Bleeders is hosted by Courtney Kocak. Follow her on https://www.instagram.com/courtneykocak/ and https://bsky.app/profile/courtneykocak.bsky.social. For more, check out her website https://courtneykocak.com/links. Courtney is teaching some upcoming classes you might be interested in: - https://writingworkshops.com/products/the-multi-passionate-writers-life-zoom-seminar-with-courtney-kocak: https://writingworkshops.com/products/the-multi-passionate-writers-life-zoom-seminar-with-courtney-kocak - https://writingworkshops.com/products/memoir-in-essays-incubator-nonfiction-writing-workshop-online-june-2026: https://writingworkshops.com/products/memoir-in-essays-incubator-nonfiction-writing-workshop-online-june-2026 - https://writingworkshops.com/products/how-to-build-a-platform-for-writers-who-shudder-at-the-thought-zoom-seminar: https://writingworkshops.com/products/how-to-build-a-platform-for-writers-who-shudder-at-the-thought-zoom-seminar - https://writingworkshops.com/products/start-a-newsletter-to-supercharge-your-platform-network-business-zoom-seminar: https://writingworkshops.com/products/start-a-newsletter-to-supercharge-your-platform-network-business-zoom-seminar - https://writingworkshops.com/products/land-big-bylines-by-writing-for-columns-zoom-seminar: https://writingworkshops.com/products/land-big-bylines-by-writing-for-columns-zoom-seminar - https://writingworkshops.com/products/how-to-make-2027-your-best-writing-year-yet-manifest-your-writing-goals-zoom-seminar-with-courtney-kocak: https://writingworkshops.com/products/how-to-make-2027-your-best-writing-year-yet-manifest-your-writing-goals-zoom-seminar-with-courtney-kocak - https://writingworkshops.com/products/start-podcast-workshop-courtney-kocak: https://writingworkshops.com/products/start-podcast-workshop-courtney-kocak - https://writingworkshops.com/products/edit-elevate-revision-intensive-zoom-seminar-with-courtney-kocak: https://writingworkshops.com/products/edit-elevate-revision-intensive-zoom-seminar-with-courtney-kocak

Welcome, writers and book lovers. The Bleeders is a podcast about book writing and publishing. https://thebleeders.substack.com/welcome: https://thebleeders.substack.com/welcome Today’s guest is author, writing coach, and sobriety expert Tawny Lara, the author of https://bookshop.org/a/85623/9781683693635. In this episode, Tawny pulls back the curtain on her publishing journey—from blogging and viral essays to finding an agent, switching from memoir to more journalistic nonfiction, completely rewriting her proposal, and ultimately selling her book. We get into querying, indie publishing vs. the Big Five, advances, audiobooks, and DIY book publicity. She also shares why every writer needs a newsletter, how she built an effective Substack strategy, the publicity tactics that landed her major media coverage, and why tapping into your existing network is often more powerful than chasing social media algorithms. Plus, Tawny explains how she sold a sobriety card deck to Penguin Random House, why rejection is an essential part of every publishing career, and the simple writing advice that transformed her creative practice. Subscribe to Tawny's Substack https://tawnylara.substack.com/welcome. Follow her on https://www.instagram.com/tawnymlara/ @tawnymlara, and buy your copy of Dry Humping on https://bookshop.org/a/85623/9781683693635, https://amzn.to/3RonUcc, or wherever books are sold! Get your copy of Courtney's debut memoir Girl Gone Wild from https://bookshop.org/a/85623/9781949487541 or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3M7EYR5. The Bleeders is hosted by Courtney Kocak. Follow her on https://www.instagram.com/courtneykocak/ and https://bsky.app/profile/courtneykocak.bsky.social. For more, check out her website https://courtneykocak.com/links. Courtney is teaching some upcoming classes you might be interested in: - https://www.courtneykocak.com/store/midsummerpitchparty: https://www.courtneykocak.com/store/midsummerpitchparty - https://writingworkshops.com/products/start-podcast-workshop-courtney-kocak: https://writingworkshops.com/products/start-podcast-workshop-courtney-kocak - https://writingworkshops.com/products/edit-elevate-revision-intensive-zoom-seminar-with-courtney-kocak: https://writingworkshops.com/products/edit-elevate-revision-intensive-zoom-seminar-with-courtney-kocak - https://writingworkshops.com/products/the-multi-passionate-writers-life-zoom-seminar-with-courtney-kocak: https://writingworkshops.com/products/the-multi-passionate-writers-life-zoom-seminar-with-courtney-kocak - https://writingworkshops.com/products/memoir-in-essays-incubator-nonfiction-writing-workshop-online-june-2026: https://writingworkshops.com/products/memoir-in-essays-incubator-nonfiction-writing-workshop-online-june-2026 - https://writingworkshops.com/products/how-to-build-a-platform-for-writers-who-shudder-at-the-thought-zoom-seminar: https://writingworkshops.com/products/how-to-build-a-platform-for-writers-who-shudder-at-the-thought-zoom-seminar - https://writingworkshops.com/products/start-a-newsletter-to-supercharge-your-platform-network-business-zoom-seminar: https://writingworkshops.com/products/start-a-newsletter-to-supercharge-your-platform-network-business-zoom-seminar - https://writingworkshops.com/products/land-big-bylines-by-writing-for-columns-zoom-seminar: https://writingworkshops.com/products/land-big-bylines-by-writing-for-columns-zoom-seminar

Join us from 6 - 7:30 pm at The Troubadour Wine Bar in Minneapolis for a reading by Courtney Kocak, author of Girl Gone Wild (Trio House Press); Mary Lucia, author of What Doesn't Kill Me Makes Me Wei...

Welcome, writers and book lovers. The Bleeders is a podcast about book writing and publishing. https://thebleeders.substack.com/welcome: https://thebleeders.substack.com/welcome Today’s guest is publishing expert, author, and newsletter pioneer Jane Friedman, a 25+ year industry veteran and the author of https://bookshop.org/a/85623/9780226838656. She talks candidly about how the publishing industry has transformed in the creator economy era—and why building a sustainable writing career today requires far more than just landing a book deal. In this episode, Jane breaks down the transformative shifts reshaping publishing, from the rise of Substack, TikTok, and direct-to-reader marketing to the growing legitimacy of self-publishing and hybrid publishing models. We get into why entrepreneurial authors are thriving, how video platforms are driving book sales in surprising ways, and why newsletters and email lists remain one of the most powerful tools for writers. We also talk about platform building, ownership and rights, bestseller lists, audiobook strategy, and how today’s authors are thinking differently about control, distribution, and long-term career sustainability. Plus, Jane shares her nuanced take on AI’s growing role in publishing—from the ethical outrage surrounding copyrighted training data to the practical ways writers are already using AI for research, brainstorming, and marketing support, and why writers who completely ignore AI may eventually put themselves at a disadvantage. Subscribe to Jane's industry newsletter https://janefriedman.com/the-bottom-line-janes-publishing-industry-newsletter/. Follow her on https://www.instagram.com/janefriedman/ @janefriedman, and buy your copy of The Business of Being a Writer on https://bookshop.org/a/85623/9780226838656, https://amzn.to/49zvYwu, or wherever books are sold! Get your copy of Courtney's debut memoir Girl Gone Wild from https://bookshop.org/a/85623/9781949487541 or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3M7EYR5. The Bleeders is hosted by Courtney Kocak. Follow her on https://www.instagram.com/courtneykocak/ and https://bsky.app/profile/courtneykocak.bsky.social. For more, check out her website https://courtneykocak.com/links. Courtney is teaching some upcoming classes you might be interested in: - https://writingworkshops.com/products/how-to-build-a-platform-for-writers-who-shudder-at-the-thought-zoom-seminar: https://writingworkshops.com/products/how-to-build-a-platform-for-writers-who-shudder-at-the-thought-zoom-seminar - https://writingworkshops.com/products/start-a-newsletter-to-supercharge-your-platform-network-business-zoom-seminar: https://writingworkshops.com/products/start-a-newsletter-to-supercharge-your-platform-network-business-zoom-seminar - https://writingworkshops.com/products/memoir-in-essays-incubator-nonfiction-writing-workshop-online-june-2026: https://writingworkshops.com/products/memoir-in-essays-incubator-nonfiction-writing-workshop-online-june-2026 - https://writingworkshops.com/products/land-big-bylines-by-writing-for-columns-zoom-seminar: https://writingworkshops.com/products/land-big-bylines-by-writing-for-columns-zoom-seminar - https://writingworkshops.com/products/start-podcast-workshop-courtney-kocak: https://writingworkshops.com/products/start-podcast-workshop-courtney-kocak - https://writingworkshops.com/products/edit-elevate-revision-intensive-zoom-seminar-with-courtney-kocak: https://writingworkshops.com/products/edit-elevate-revision-intensive-zoom-seminar-with-courtney-kocak - https://writingworkshops.com/products/the-multi-passionate-writers-life-zoom-seminar-with-courtney-kocak: https://writingworkshops.com/products/the-multi-passionate-writers-life-zoom-seminar-with-courtney-kocak

The criminal extortion group ShinyHunters breached Instructure last week. The hackers, who have also attacked individual universities, demanded the ed-tech giant pay up or face a data leak.

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We created a roundup of some of the funniest new books, all by women comedians. Prepare to howl with laughter and text your friends the best parts.

Welcome, writers and book lovers. The Bleeders is a podcast about book writing and publishing. https://thebleeders.substack.com/welcome: https://thebleeders.substack.com/welcome Today’s guest is Antonia Crane, author, academic, and one of my all-time favorite memoirists. In this special episode, the tables are turned as Antonia interviews me about my debut memoir https://amzn.to/4snxAA8, and we get into what it actually takes to write a book over 15 years and finally share it with the world. We talk about the long, nonlinear road from first essay to finished memoir, including incubators with Chloe Caldwell, revising through many drafts, and why sometimes you have to write an entire version of a book just to figure out what it isn’t. We also get into structure, how trusting your gut can be more important than following industry expectations, the difference between factual accuracy and emotional truth, the challenge of fact-checking your own life, and why writing about the past often means confronting the parts you’ve tried hardest to forget. We discuss “dark teachers,” perfectionism, and the complicated process of making meaning out of tough experiences like addiction, abusive relationships, and sexual trauma. Plus, we get into sex work, feminism, the male gaze, and the cultural forces shaping https://bookshop.org/a/85623/9781949487541—from growing up in small-town Minnesota to chasing Hollywood dreams and encountering its underbelly. Subscribe to Antonia's Substack https://antoniacrane.substack.com/welcome. Follow her on https://www.instagram.com/antoniacrane/ @antoniacrane, and buy your copy of her amazing memoir Spent on https://bookshop.org/a/85623/9781942600862, or wherever books are sold! Get your copy of Courtney's debut memoir Girl Gone Wild from https://bookshop.org/a/85623/9781949487541 or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3M7EYR5. The Bleeders is hosted by Courtney Kocak. Follow her on https://www.instagram.com/courtneykocak/ and https://bsky.app/profile/courtneykocak.bsky.social. For more, check out her website https://courtneykocak.com/links. Courtney is teaching some upcoming workshops you might be interested in: - https://writingworkshops.com/products/the-multi-passionate-writers-life-zoom-seminar-with-courtney-kocak: https://writingworkshops.com/products/the-multi-passionate-writers-life-zoom-seminar-with-courtney-kocak - https://writingworkshops.com/products/how-to-build-a-platform-for-writers-who-shudder-at-the-thought-zoom-seminar: https://writingworkshops.com/products/how-to-build-a-platform-for-writers-who-shudder-at-the-thought-zoom-seminar - https://writingworkshops.com/products/start-a-newsletter-to-supercharge-your-platform-network-business-zoom-seminar: https://writingworkshops.com/products/start-a-newsletter-to-supercharge-your-platform-network-business-zoom-seminar - https://writingworkshops.com/products/memoir-in-essays-incubator-nonfiction-writing-workshop-online-june-2026: https://writingworkshops.com/products/memoir-in-essays-incubator-nonfiction-writing-workshop-online-june-2026 - https://writingworkshops.com/products/land-big-bylines-by-writing-for-columns-zoom-seminar: https://writingworkshops.com/products/land-big-bylines-by-writing-for-columns-zoom-seminar - https://writingworkshops.com/products/start-podcast-workshop-courtney-kocak: https://writingworkshops.com/products/start-podcast-workshop-courtney-kocak

Montana — yes, deep red Montana — has a plan to effectively neuter Citizens United.No Supreme Court ruling or constituti

"The essays in Girl Gone Wild are episodic but very much in conversation with each other. I think of them as crêpes—individually snackable, but collectively filling."

JACKSON— Jackson native Courtney Kocak is sharing her experience of growing up in a small town, chasing aspirations in Hollywood and realizing the importance of your roots in her debut memoir, Girl Go...