Freelance Writing Direct with Estelle: Conversations with authors, journalists, agents, novelists, memoirists, niche writers, publishers, writing teachers, assigning editors and media experts.
Want to get published or land a book deal? Join TEDx speaker and author Estelle Erasmus for smart writing tips, publishing insights, and behind-the-scenes advice for fiction writers, memoirists, and authors at every stage. Winner of the 2025 Podcast of the Year (Education) from the American Writing Awards, Freelance Writing Direct is your go-to podcast for writing tips, publishing advice, and insider strategies to help you get published—whether in essays, memoir, fiction, books, or journalism. Hosted by Estelle Erasmus—award-winning journalist, TEDx speaker, NYU writing professor, and author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a “Best Book for Writers” by Poets & Writers)—this show blends writing craft, career strategy, and behind-the-scenes publishing insight. Each week, Estelle shares short, practical episodes full of: Writing tips for essays, memoir, and books Pitch strategies that get editors' attention Publishing advice from agents and bestselling authors Solo episodes, coaching episodes and candid conversations with industry insiders Whether you're just starting your freelance writing journey or aiming for your next book deal, you’ll find actionable tools, story prompts, and the momentum you need to grow your writing career. Listeners often ask: *How do I get published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, or WIRED? *What writing tips will make my voice stand out? *How do I find an agent or land a book deal? *What do editors actually want? *How do I shape my personal story for publication? You're in the right place. It’s time to elevate your writing—with Freelance Writing Direct. 🎙️ About Estelle Erasmus Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, TEDx speaker, and author of Writing That Gets Noticed. She’s a Contributing Editor for Writer’s Digest, an adjunct writing professor at NYU, and the former editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Estelle’s work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, AARP, Next Avenue, and The Independent, among 150+ other outlets. She is also the host of Freelance Writing Direct, named the 2025 Podcast of the Year in the Education category by the American Writing Awards. Learn more: estelleserasmus.com Newsletter: estelleserasmus.substack.com Social: @EstelleSErasmus on Instagram, X, Threads, and LinkedIn
Episodes
Can nonfiction writers reinvent themselves as novelists? NIksen author Olga Mecking proves it’s possible—with a new series that blends Dutch folklore, female power, and the freedom of self-publishing.
Estelle Erasmus is joined by Olga Mecking, a writer, journalist and occasional translator. Originally from Poland, she now lives with her German husband and three multilingual children in the Netherlands. She...
What if the truest story of your life lives in a single image, like a photo-booth strip, a tarnished bracelet, a goldfish bowl?
In this episode of Freelance Writing Direct, Estelle Erasmus talks with award-winning author Sue William Silverman about her new collection, Selected Misdemeanors: Essays at the Mercy of the Reader. We unpack how flash nonfiction works, why metaphor is your most powerful craft too...
What if the story of your life wasn’t told chronologically, but mapped through your very body—your heart, your hands, even your nose?
That’s exactly what Nina B. Lichtenstein does in her new memoir-in-essays, Body: My Life in Parts(Vine Leaves Press, 2025). By using sixteen body parts as the framework for memory, metaphor, and meaning, Nina shows how our physical selves carry the imprints of identity, hi...
What does it mean to be fetishized—and how do you turn that gaze back on the culture that created it? Estelle Erasmus chats with Kaila Yu, a freelance writer whose work has appeared in The Los Angeles Times, Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Business Insider, Condé Nast Traveler, and more. Before turning to journalism, Kaila was a model and the lead singer of the all-Asian American female rock band Nylon Pink. Her debut memo...
Estelle Erasmus sits down with Sam Hiyate, President and CEO of The Rights Factory, a global literary agency that has represented hundreds of titles across genres, including multiple bestsellers like This One Summer by Jillian and Mariko Tamaki, Healthy AF by Oonagh Duncan, and More by Molly Rodin Winter.
In this episode:
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The trends shapin...
Estelle Erasmus is joined by editor Sari Botton, a memoirist featured in Poets & Writers’ “5 Over 50.” In this episode, Sari shares why the most powerful memoirs often illuminate the ordinary, how she found the right container to structure her story, and the lessons she’s learned about balancing honesty with protecting others on the page. She also discusses the challenges of people-pleasing, the persistence of “mean gi...
Estelle Erasmus sits down with legendary editor and publishing pioneer Jane Pratt, the founder of Sassy, Jane, and XOJane, and now the voice behind the hit Substack Another Jane Pratt Thing.
Jane has built a career on breaking rules, centering women’s voices, and creating space for personal, confessional storytelling long before it was mainstream. From her groundbreaking “It Happened to Me” column to her c...
Estelle Erasmus talks with author and memoir coach Wendy Dale, creator of The Memoir Engineering System. Wendy shares her practical, seven-step approach to structuring memoirs so writers can skip trial-and-error and finish their books with confidence.
Wendy Dale is the founder of Memoir Writing for Geniuses and has spent 15 years developing a method that helps writers build their memoirs from the ground up...
Estelle Erasmus shares strategies on how to breathe new life into the work you’ve already created. She draws from her 30+ years in publishing to reveal practical, creative ways to transform past essays, blog posts, journal entries, or even pieces from defunct websites into fresh, publishable work.
In this episode:
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Turn older writing into...
Estelle Erasmus walks you through the exhilarating and sometimes overwhelming experience of going viral as a writer. With multiple viral articles under her belt (featured in The New York Times, Washington Post, HuffPost, and more), Estelle shares hard-earned wisdom on how to navigate the emotional rollercoaster, manage the spotlight, and make the most of sudden visibility.
Whether your piece is trending on...
In this solo episode, Estelle Erasmus recaps her experience at the 2025 U.S. Book Show, where over 800 publishing professionals gathered at the New York Academy of Medicine. Drawing on her 30+ years in the industry, Estelle brings her insider lens to the conversations shaping the future of writing.
She shares intel from panels with top executives like Jonathan Karp (CEO of Simon & Schuster) and David Shel...
Have you spent your writing career telling other people’s stories—and now you’re ready to tell your own? In this live coaching session, Estelle Erasmus works with award-winning freelance writer Pamela M. McBride to explore how seasoned journalists and content writers can make the shift into personal essay writing—without losing sight of strategy, clarity, or publishing goals.
Pamela M. McBride is an award...
Estelle Erasmus welcomes podcaster and consultant Adam Schaeuble, host of Podcasting Business School. Adam shares his top strategies for using your podcast as the foundation of a six-figure online business—starting with essentials like your show name, description, and artwork.
Together, they break down how to attract the right listeners and convert them into clients. Adam reveals his three-part formula for...
Estelle Erasmus welcomes back acclaimed author and creator and host of The Shit No One Tells You About Writing podcast, Bianca Marais, to chat about her latest novel, A Most Puzzling Murder—an innovative, genre-blending mystery packed with magic, reader-driven puzzles, royal intrigue, and multiple points of view.
Bianca shares how she crafted this original story: a locked-room murder mystery set in a magi...
Estelle Erasmus sits down with literary agent Maria Whelan of Inkwell Management, recently recognized by Poets & Writers as one of today’s top literary advocates. In this candid conversation, Maria shares what’s capturing her attention in the publishing world right now—from standout nonfiction proposals to magical realism, horror with heart, and even Loch Ness Monster romance.
She discusses her “career age...
In the first of several short, bite-sized solo episodes on TEDx Talks, Estelle Erasmus shares the exact strategy behind her own talk—how she discovered the right idea, built a strong structure, and delivered a message that resonated with thousands. Whether you're applying to give a talk or refining one you’ve already booked, this episode offers practical tools to help your TEDx Talk connect, teach, and stick.
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In this bite-sized solo episode, Estelle Erasmus shares her insider strategies for turning real-life moments into essays that stand out—and sell. From capturing grief or joy to finding the magic in the mundane, Estelle shows you how to shape your story, sharpen your angle, and give your writing the attention it deserves.
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H...
Estelle Erasmus chats with award-winning journalist Lanier Isom in a powerful coaching session about balancing voice, platform, and purpose across a writing life. They explore how to manage time, stay organized across genres, and breathe new meaning into a stalled book project—all while staying true to your voice.
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The chal...
Editor and author Michele Filgate returns with a powerful follow-up to her bestselling anthology What My Mother and I Don’t Talk About—this time turning the lens on fatherhood.
In this episode, Estelle Erasmus chats with Michele about the personal and professional transformations that shaped What My Father and I Don’t Talk About, how TikTok gave her earlier book a second life, and what it really takes to b...
If you’ve ever felt creatively stuck or invisible after becoming a mom, this conversation will speak to you. Nearly 15 years ago, a single storytelling show about motherhood sparked a nationwide movement—and it’s still going strong.
Here, we explore how Listen to Your Mother grew from one stage to 70, how the blogging boom birthed a wave of creative expression, and how vulnerability can turn into community...
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