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  • Antonia Crane on Her Sex Work Memoir "Spent" & the Stories Writers Keep Retelling

    Antonia Crane on Her Sex Work Memoir "Spent" & the Stories Writers Keep Retelling
    2025/06/16
    Welcome, writers and book lovers. The Bleeders is a podcast about book writing and publishing. Make sure you subscribe to the companion Substack: https://thebleeders.substack.com/welcome

    Today’s guest is Antonia Crane, author of Spent. Follow Antonia on Instagram @antoniacrane.

    The Bleeders is hosted by Courtney Kocak. Follow her on Instagram @courtneykocak and Bluesky @courtneykocak.bsky.social. For more, check out her website courtneykocak.com.

    Courtney is teaching some upcoming workshops you might be interested in:
    • Start a Newsletter to Supercharge Your Platform, Network and Business: https://writingworkshops.com/products/start-a-newsletter-to-supercharge-your-platform-network-business-zoom-seminar
    • Land Big Bylines by Writing for Columns: https://writingworkshops.com/products/land-big-bylines-by-writing-for-columns-zoom-seminar
    • The Multi-Passionate Writer's Life: https://writingworkshops.com/products/the-multi-passionate-writers-life-zoom-seminar-with-courtney-kocak
    • How to Build a “Platform” for Writers Who Shudder at the Thought: https://writingworkshops.com/products/how-to-build-a-platform-for-writers-who-shudder-at-the-thought-zoom-seminar
    • Creating Your Podcast: https://www.roadmapwriters.com/products/creating-your-podcast-0
    • Podcasting for Writers: How to Start, Sustain & Grow Your Podcast: https://writingworkshops.com/products/podcasting-for-writers-how-to-start-sustain-grow-your-podcast-4-week-zoom-workshop
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    6 分
  • What to Expect When You're on Submission: Hannah Howard

    What to Expect When You're on Submission: Hannah Howard
    2025/06/09
    Welcome, writers and book lovers. The Bleeders is a podcast about book writing and publishing. Make sure you subscribe to the companion Substack: https://thebleeders.substack.com/welcome

    Today’s guest is Hannah Howard, author of the memoirs Feast and Plenty. In this episode, Hannah returns to the pod to share her insights on surviving the publishing rollercoaster, aka what it's like when you’re on submission and you get your happy ending twice. She opens up about navigating rejection, the lessons she’s learned along the way, and offers a generous dose of encouragement for writers in the thick of it. This episode is part explainer, part pep talk, and not to be missed by anyone trying to publish a book. Follow Hannah on Instagram @hannahmhoward.

    The Bleeders is hosted by Courtney Kocak. Follow her on Instagram @courtneykocak and Bluesky @courtneykocak.bsky.social. For more, check out her website courtneykocak.com.

    Courtney is teaching some upcoming workshops you might be interested in:
    • Start a Newsletter to Supercharge Your Platform, Network and Business: https://writingworkshops.com/products/start-a-newsletter-to-supercharge-your-platform-network-business-zoom-seminar
    • Land Big Bylines by Writing for Columns: https://writingworkshops.com/products/land-big-bylines-by-writing-for-columns-zoom-seminar
    • The Multi-Passionate Writer's Life: https://writingworkshops.com/products/the-multi-passionate-writers-life-zoom-seminar-with-courtney-kocak
    • How to Build a “Platform” for Writers Who Shudder at the Thought: https://writingworkshops.com/products/how-to-build-a-platform-for-writers-who-shudder-at-the-thought-zoom-seminar
    • Creating Your Podcast: https://www.roadmapwriters.com/products/creating-your-podcast-0
    • Podcasting for Writers: How to Start, Sustain & Grow Your Podcast: https://writingworkshops.com/products/podcasting-for-writers-how-to-start-sustain-grow-your-podcast-4-week-zoom-workshop
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    18 分
  • Sarah Fay on Her Fast Track to Publication with "Pathological" & Why Substack Might Be Better Than an MFA

    Sarah Fay on Her Fast Track to Publication with "Pathological" & Why Substack Might Be Better Than an MFA
    2025/06/02
    Welcome, writers and book lovers. The Bleeders is a podcast about book writing and publishing. Make sure you subscribe to the companion Substack: https://thebleeders.substack.com/welcome

    Today’s guest is Sarah Fay, memoirist, writing coach, and Substack strategist. Her debut memoir, Pathological, chronicles her 25-year journey through the mental health system. In this episode, Sarah shares how she manifested her dream agent, her surprisingly fast path to publication (during the pandemic no less!), how she found the structure for Pathological, why she decided to serialize her second memoir, and more. Plus, she offers tips for thriving on Substack (and why it might be better than an MFA), along with practical advice on book PR. Follow Sarah on Substack @sarahfay.

    The Bleeders is hosted by Courtney Kocak. Follow her on Instagram @courtneykocak and Bluesky @courtneykocak.bsky.social. For more, check out her website courtneykocak.com.

    Courtney is teaching some upcoming workshops you might be interested in:
    • How to Build a “Platform” for Writers Who Shudder at the Thought: https://writingworkshops.com/products/how-to-build-a-platform-for-writers-who-shudder-at-the-thought-zoom-seminar
    • Creating Your Podcast: https://www.roadmapwriters.com/products/creating-your-podcast-0
    • Podcasting for Writers: How to Start, Sustain & Grow Your Podcast: https://writingworkshops.com/products/podcasting-for-writers-how-to-start-sustain-grow-your-podcast-4-week-zoom-workshop
    • Start a Newsletter to Supercharge Your Platform, Network and Business: https://writingworkshops.com/products/start-a-newsletter-to-supercharge-your-platform-network-business-zoom-seminar
    • Land Big Bylines by Writing for Columns: https://writingworkshops.com/products/land-big-bylines-by-writing-for-columns-zoom-seminar
    • The Multi-Passionate Writer's Life: https://writingworkshops.com/products/the-multi-passionate-writers-life-zoom-seminar-with-courtney-kocak
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    1 時間 3 分
  • What to Expect When You're on Submission: Greg Mania

    What to Expect When You're on Submission: Greg Mania
    2025/05/26
    Welcome, writers and book lovers. The Bleeders is a podcast about book writing and publishing. Make sure you subscribe to the companion Substack: https://thebleeders.substack.com/welcome

    Today's guest is Greg Mania, author of the memoir Born to Be Public. In this episode, Greg shares his winding path to publication—from losing an agent, to finding the right publisher with the indie press Clash Books, to signing with a new agent, and what he’s learned through the highs and lows of going on submission multiple times. He offers practical advice for staying sane during the process, building a creative support system, and the marketing strategies that helped make his debut a success. Follow Greg on Instagram @gregmania.

    The Bleeders is hosted by Courtney Kocak. Follow her on Instagram @courtneykocak and Bluesky @courtneykocak.bsky.social. For more, check out her website courtneykocak.com.

    Courtney is teaching some upcoming workshops you might be interested in:
    • How to Build a “Platform” for Writers Who Shudder at the Thought: https://writingworkshops.com/products/how-to-build-a-platform-for-writers-who-shudder-at-the-thought-zoom-seminar
    • Creating Your Podcast: https://www.roadmapwriters.com/products/creating-your-podcast-0
    • Podcasting for Writers: How to Start, Sustain & Grow Your Podcast: https://writingworkshops.com/products/podcasting-for-writers-how-to-start-sustain-grow-your-podcast-4-week-zoom-workshop
    • Start a Newsletter to Supercharge Your Platform, Network and Business: https://writingworkshops.com/products/start-a-newsletter-to-supercharge-your-platform-network-business-zoom-seminar
    • Land Big Bylines by Writing for Columns: https://writingworkshops.com/products/land-big-bylines-by-writing-for-columns-zoom-seminar
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    26 分
  • An Anarchist’s Guide to Writing & Publishing with "The Sapling Cage" Author Margaret Killjoy

    An Anarchist’s Guide to Writing & Publishing with "The Sapling Cage" Author Margaret Killjoy
    2025/05/19
    Welcome, writers and book lovers. The Bleeders is a podcast about book writing and publishing. Make sure you subscribe to the companion Substack: https://thebleeders.substack.com/welcome

    Today's guest is Margaret Killjoy, a prolific author and podcaster whose latest book, The Sapling Cage, kicks off a fantasy trilogy featuring a trans protagonist. In this episode, Margaret joins us to talk about her evolving writing process, navigating indie and traditional publishing (and the pros and cons of each), and how her activism and anarchist politics shape not just her writing, but her approach to publishing, as well. Follow Margaret on Instagram @margaretkilljoy.

    The Bleeders is hosted by Courtney Kocak. Follow her on Instagram @courtneykocak and Bluesky @courtneykocak.bsky.social. For more, check out her website courtneykocak.com.

    Courtney is teaching some upcoming workshops you might be interested in:
    • The Multi-Passionate Writer's Life: https://writingworkshops.com/products/the-multi-passionate-writers-life-zoom-seminar-with-courtney-kocak
    • How to Build a “Platform” for Writers Who Shudder at the Thought: https://writingworkshops.com/products/how-to-build-a-platform-for-writers-who-shudder-at-the-thought-zoom-seminar
    • Creating Your Podcast: https://www.roadmapwriters.com/products/creating-your-podcast-0
    • Podcasting for Writers: How to Start, Sustain & Grow Your Podcast: https://writingworkshops.com/products/podcasting-for-writers-how-to-start-sustain-grow-your-podcast-4-week-zoom-workshop
    • Start a Newsletter to Supercharge Your Platform, Network and Business: https://writingworkshops.com/products/start-a-newsletter-to-supercharge-your-platform-network-business-zoom-seminar
    • Land Big Bylines by Writing for Columns: https://writingworkshops.com/products/land-big-bylines-by-writing-for-columns-zoom-seminar
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    47 分
  • Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah on Writing "The Sex Lives of African Women" from Blog to Book

    Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah on Writing "The Sex Lives of African Women" from Blog to Book
    2025/05/12
    Welcome, writers and book lovers. The Bleeders is a podcast about book writing and publishing. Make sure you subscribe to the companion Substack: https://thebleeders.substack.com/welcome

    Today’s guest comes all the way from Africa! Ghanaian author Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah has such a cool story about how she used her blog as a launch pad for publishing her first book, The Sex Lives of African Women. Nana shares the whole process, including conducting the interviews, writing a book proposal, how she landed her agent, and more. Plus, her best tip for writers trying to get published and how listening back to her interviews and transcribing them actually helped her craft each narrative. Follow Nana on Instagram @dfordarkoa.

    The Bleeders is hosted by Courtney Kocak. Follow her on Instagram @courtneykocak and Bluesky @courtneykocak.bsky.social. For more, check out her website courtneykocak.com.

    Courtney is teaching some upcoming workshops you might be interested in:
    • The Multi-Passionate Writer's Life: https://writingworkshops.com/products/the-multi-passionate-writers-life-zoom-seminar-with-courtney-kocak
    • How to Build a “Platform” for Writers Who Shudder at the Thought: https://writingworkshops.com/products/how-to-build-a-platform-for-writers-who-shudder-at-the-thought-zoom-seminar
    • Creating Your Podcast: https://www.roadmapwriters.com/products/creating-your-podcast-0
    • Podcasting for Writers: How to Start, Sustain & Grow Your Podcast: https://writingworkshops.com/products/podcasting-for-writers-how-to-start-sustain-grow-your-podcast-4-week-zoom-workshop
    • Start a Newsletter to Supercharge Your Platform, Network and Business: https://writingworkshops.com/products/start-a-newsletter-to-supercharge-your-platform-network-business-zoom-seminar
    • Land Big Bylines by Writing for Columns: https://writingworkshops.com/products/land-big-bylines-by-writing-for-columns-zoom-seminar
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    37 分
  • How Deborah Derrickson Kossmann Won Her Way to Publication

    How Deborah Derrickson Kossmann Won Her Way to Publication
    2025/05/05
    Welcome, writers and book lovers. The Bleeders is a podcast about book writing and publishing. Make sure you subscribe to the companion Substack: https://thebleeders.substack.com/welcome

    Today's guest is Deborah Derrickson Kossmann, author of Lost Found Kept: A Memoir. In this episode, we dive into the premise of Deborah's debut memoir, how she landed her publisher, and what she learned from working with a small press. Follow Deborah on Instagram @deb_derrickson_kossmann.

    Submit to Trio House Press's 2025 Aurora Polaris Award in Creative Nonfiction by May 15th: https://triohousepress.submittable.com/submit/319805/2025-aurora-polaris-award-in-creative-nonfiction

    The Bleeders is hosted by Courtney Kocak. Follow her on Instagram @courtneykocak and Bluesky @courtneykocak.bsky.social. For more, check out her website courtneykocak.com.

    Courtney is teaching some upcoming workshops you might be interested in:
    • The Multi-Passionate Writer's Life: https://writingworkshops.com/products/the-multi-passionate-writers-life-zoom-seminar-with-courtney-kocak
    • How to Build a “Platform” for Writers Who Shudder at the Thought: https://writingworkshops.com/products/how-to-build-a-platform-for-writers-who-shudder-at-the-thought-zoom-seminar
    • Creating Your Podcast: https://www.roadmapwriters.com/products/creating-your-podcast-0
    • Podcasting for Writers: How to Start, Sustain & Grow Your Podcast: https://writingworkshops.com/products/podcasting-for-writers-how-to-start-sustain-grow-your-podcast-4-week-zoom-workshop
    • Start a Newsletter to Supercharge Your Platform, Network and Business: https://writingworkshops.com/products/start-a-newsletter-to-supercharge-your-platform-network-business-zoom-seminar
    • Land Big Bylines by Writing for Columns: https://writingworkshops.com/products/land-big-bylines-by-writing-for-columns-zoom-seminar
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    7 分
  • Elle Nash on the North Star of Writing to Her Taste

    Elle Nash on the North Star of Writing to Her Taste
    2025/04/28
    Welcome, writers and book lovers. The Bleeders is a podcast about book writing and publishing. Make sure you subscribe to the companion Substack: https://thebleeders.substack.com/welcome

    Today's guest is Elle Nash, author of Animals Eat Each Other, Nudes, Gag Reflex, and Deliver Me. This episode is an interesting peek into Elle's creative process as we talk through her body of work, the North star of writing to your taste, developing her voice alongside her editing chops, how she landed the coolest agent ever, and more. Follow Elle on Instagram @saderotic.

    The Bleeders is hosted by Courtney Kocak. Follow her on Instagram @courtneykocak and Bluesky @courtneykocak.bsky.social. For more, check out her website courtneykocak.com.

    Courtney is teaching some upcoming workshops you might be interested in:
    • Land Big Bylines by Writing for Columns: https://writingworkshops.com/products/land-big-bylines-by-writing-for-columns-zoom-seminar
    • The Multi-Passionate Writer's Life: https://writingworkshops.com/products/the-multi-passionate-writers-life-zoom-seminar-with-courtney-kocak
    • How to Build a “Platform” for Writers Who Shudder at the Thought: https://writingworkshops.com/products/how-to-build-a-platform-for-writers-who-shudder-at-the-thought-zoom-seminar
    • Creating Your Podcast: https://www.roadmapwriters.com/products/creating-your-podcast-0
    • Podcasting for Writers: How to Start, Sustain & Grow Your Podcast: https://writingworkshops.com/products/podcasting-for-writers-how-to-start-sustain-grow-your-podcast-4-week-zoom-workshop
    • Start a Newsletter to Supercharge Your Platform, Network and Business: https://writingworkshops.com/products/start-a-newsletter-to-supercharge-your-platform-network-business-zoom-seminar
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    42 分