Your ears do not deceive—I actually put a man on my show.

Former chemist and Wall Street analyst, Amran brought his insider knowledge of the financial industry's wildest excesses to his satirical thriller Leverage, published by Atria Books in August 2025. It’s a fun, fast, biting read about Ali Jafar (yes, two names from Aladdin), a hedge fund analyst who loses $300 million in a single day and must find increasingly unethical ways to make it back.

In what is my most No BS conversation yet, Amran breaks down the economics of why debut novels fail, how the “1,000 true fans” model is BS, and why we should stop with the false humility and own the arrogance of being a writer.

And he used to lift!

Just some of the juicy tidbits we lay bare:

• Getting ghosted by your publisher happens more than you think

• Why both Amran and I are the Dogecoin of traditional publishing—“to the moon!”

• Amran’s catastrophic BookScan data

• Rich authors buying their own books to hit bestseller lists

• Why traditional publishing is "one big tiger mom"

• The "debut flop" is now the industry norm

• Why Amran still believes in traditional publishing

• The GOOD news we can take from this—and some inspiring words for all writers

Top quotes:

"It would take me 200 years to earn back my advance at the rate the books are selling."

"There's about 100 authors that make a ton of money. And then there's about 25,000 other authors that make no money. You are the 25,000."

"It's good to have realistic expectations and know exactly the business you're in, because otherwise you can psych yourself out and then find yourself asking, ‘Do I even do art at all?’ And that's a really unfortunate place to end up because you should make art because you're an artist at the end of the day."

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Amran, my DEI guest

01:09 Do you even lift, bro?

02:50 The Asian Squat: key to longevity?

03:18 White like Obama

03:59 Was Sophia an investment banker?!

04:46 What illegal activities has Amran seen?

06:09 Cali, the richest country in America

06:58 Naming Ali Jafar after Aladdin

08:39 The High-achieving Losers Club

09:32 Ghosted by your publisher: Impact of Sales on Future Book Deals

16:39 Should we write to market?

19:55 Is Traditional Publishing Still Worth It?

26:33 You are the 25,000

27:57 The arrogance of writing a book, the futility of selling it

30:23 Is 1,000 True Fans BS?

33:58 The False Humility BS

36:51 The Creative Process and Artistic Integrity

Find Amran

• Website & Newsletter: amrangowani.com

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amrangowani/

Buy his book: Leverage

Hardcover https://amzn.to/4nph1kM

Ebook https://amzn.to/4hzLrzE

Audible (you can use your credit) https://amzn.to/43GRPzc

Follow this podcast for more great interviews!

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Sophia’s Website⁠

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(Amazon affiliate links may provide me 10 much-needed cents.)

If your back sounds like bubble wrap when you finish writing, gaming, or working at the computer—this episode is your rescue plan.

Mobility coach and Body Nerd Show host Alex Ellis joins us to talk repetitive strain, and how a few minutes a day can change everything. No yoga mat, gym, or guilt required.

I also introduce a new segment where I ask my guests a very important question…

You’ll learn:

• Quick 1-5 minute fixes

• Why flexibility ≠ mobility (and what to do instead)

• How to hack your dopamine addiction to build habits

• The only hard-and-fast fitness rule you need

Whether you write books or emails all day, this episode will help you move smarter, write longer, and feel human again.

Timestamps:

00:00 — Your Text Neck Is Saved — Alex Is Here!

01:55 — Every Story Starts With Injury

03:55 — “Core Strength”? What Even Is That?

05:11 — Why Yoga Didn’t Fix It

06:17 —What If I Get in the Flow and Can’t Stop?

11:18 — The Whole, Human Writer

12:42 — Live Demo: Do This Right Now

15:41 — Variety Is the Key

17:57 — Hack Your Phone-Addicted Brain for Good

19:30 — Which One of Us Gets Our Electronics Taken Away Like a Toddler?

21:23 — Tiny Habits, Big Results

22:49 — Love Is Blind vs. Sleep: Which One Wins?

24:29 — How Alex Actually Works With Clients (Hint: No Boring Handouts)

27:49 — “Do You Even Lift, Sis?”

31:04 — Fitness Influencers vs. Real-Life Sustainability

Find Alex:

www.aewellness.com

Video Vault: https://www.aewellness.com/vault/

Bodywork Starter Guide: https://www.aewellness.com/op/bodywork-starter-guide/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aewellness

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hollaformala/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/aewellness

Follow this podcast for more great interviews!

⁠Subscribe to my Newsletter:⁠ Get more publishing real talk, writer health tips, and behind-the-scenes content

⁠Sophia’s Website⁠

Like what you saw/heard? Rate 5 stars & Review: Help other book lovers find us!

#WritingLife #MobilityCoach #AlexEllis #SophiaChang #WritersHealth #TextNeck #WriterWrist #BodyNerdShow #CreativeWellness #AuthorLife #WritingPodcast

All right, let’s get the Napoleon jokes out of the way. I’m short, flamboyant, and I love to dictate—my novels, that is.

I first started dictating text messages when I went blind in 2017, and what started as a necessity has turned into the only way I’m able to complete seven novels.

This week I’m chatting with Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer, author of 19 books—and counting, host of The Confident Fiction Author podcast, and the queen of dictation.

One dishwashing session changed her life: she spoke 1,500 words in 20 minutes, and she’s been dictating every first draft since.

For the record—I still mutter one sentence at a time. Yes, I’ll be taking her Dictation Bootcamp next week for the SECOND time, and if you know what’s good for your wrists, I’ll see you there too.

Dictating isn’t just about writing faster. It’s about writing LONGER. Having a sustainable writing career that won’t wreck your body. Whether you’re navigating chronic illness and disability like me, or you just want to dodge the carpal tunnel coming for every writer, dictation might be as vital as your next deadlift.

We cover:

• Why you don’t need fancy equipment or expensive software—the phone in your hand is enough

• Quick tips for getting started and overcoming the awkwardness of speaking fiction aloud

• The huge difference between dictating nonfiction, texts, and full-on story worlds

• How dictation isn’t just faster—it’s a lifeline for writer health and longevity

• What really happens inside Dictation Bootcamp (hint: it’s equal parts training and Hamlet soliloquy)

⁠Sign up HERE for Sarah’s last Dictation Boot Camp of the year⁠—I’ll be there!

Timestamps:

00:00 Dictating…Cuz I Was Blind

02:21 Dictating Was Epic! (Epic Failure…)

05:12 7 Years of False Starts

06:15 Fiction vs. Nonfiction Dictation

07:53 Small Steps to Start Dictation

08:35 Doing Dishes Changed Everything

11:19 Tips for New Dictators (uh, Authors)

13:56 Sophia’s Going Back to Bootcamp

14:56 Dictation: Not Just a Luxury for Writers’ Health

17:41 Low-Tech Ways to Begin

19:55 The Dictation Bootcamp Experience

22:57 Where to Find Sarah

If you’ve ever said “I don’t have time to write” or felt your hands ache after a long session at the keyboard, this episode is your sign to give dictation a try.

SIGN UP for Bootcamp

Note: that's my affiliate link, click to feed a hungry Asian

Sarah's Substack

Sarah's Website

Follow this podcast for more great interviews!

Subscribe to my Newsletter: Get more publishing real talk and behind-the-scenes content

Sophia’s Website

Like what you saw/heard? Rate 5 stars & Review: Help other book lovers find us!