430: A People Pleaser Learns to Write the Book She Wants to Write

Essay collections—readers love them, but publishers and editors are often unconvinced. Jennie and KJ talk to Amy Wilson about getting that contract, finding the through line and writing a book about pleasing people while also remembering to please yourself. 

Links from the pod

Mary Karr The Art of Memoir

Wendi Aarons

Listen to Your Mother (Essay performances for Mother’s Day)

Amy’s first book: When Did I Get Like This?

Zibby Owens, Zibby Books

Ina Garten

What Fresh Hell (Amy’s podcast)

Happy to Help: Adventures of a People Pleaser, Amy Wilson

#AmReading

Jennie: Be Ready when the Luck Happens, Ina Garten

KJ: Meditations for Mortals, Oliver Burkeman

Reasons Not to Worry, Brigid Delaney

Amy: Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent, Judi Dench


Last Call: Join the Winter 2025 Blueprint Challenge 

If you have big goals for 2025 that include writing, finishing or revising a book, you’ll want to join us for the Winter 2025 Blueprint Challenge.

We started January 5, but it’s JUST not too late to jump in. We’ll be walking Blueprinters through the 14 steps of the Blueprint over 10 weeks. Some of the steps are very short and we combined them into one episode—and the first step is indeed on the shorter side, so you still have time to catch up if you subscribe now.

Every episode speaks to fiction writers, memoir writers, and nonfiction writers. There are workbooks, and you will get a link to the digital download of the Blueprint book of your choice.

We’ll also be hosting weekly AMAs (ask me anything), write-alongs, and Zoom meet-ups with coaches—and KJ will be writing her own Blueprint, and Jennie will be coaching her through it in weekly episodes. For more about the challenge, check out these past posts:

If you finish your Blueprint during the Challenge, you will be eligible to win a review from either Jennie or KJ. (If you missed the #AmWriting Success Story about the writer who won the Blueprint Sprint grand prize in 2022, give it a listen. It’s very inspiring! It’s right HERE.)

It’s going to be such a good time and we’d love to have you join us!

The Blueprint Challenge is for Supporters only—10 weeks to plan the book you want to write instead of 90K words figuring it out. You in?

Subscribe now