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.
In this episode:
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The challenges of writing across genres—and how to stay organized [4:13]
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Time-blocking strategies that actually work [5:18]
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How to track your writing progress and momentum [7:57]
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Why voice matters more than ever in building a platform [11:51]
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Ways to shape reported stories into personal, memorable pieces [16:02]
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How to reframe a book project through the lens of support and meaning [22:24]
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What to consider before sharing personal work on Substack [25:00]
Want to be featured in a future coaching episode?
Email Estelle at freelancewritingdirect@gmail.com with “Coaching Episode” in the subject line.
Lanier mentioned she listened to Episode #77: “Writing Personal Stories with HuffPost Personal’s Noah Michelson”before our conversation.
If you’re interested in that conversation, you can watch it on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uxPjSoptD8
or listen on Apple Podcasts:
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/tn_RMFnmGh4
About Lanier
A former educator, publicist and editor, Lanier Isom is an author and journalist living in her hometown, Birmingham, Alabama. She wrote, Grace and Grit, the life story of Alabama native and fair pay advocate, Lilly Ledbetter. The film LILLY, based on the book, was released by Blue Harbor Entertainment in select theaters this May. Isom’s articles, editorials, and essays have been featured in Al Jazeera, LA Times, Huffington Post, Salvation South and The Bitter Southerner. She's a frequent contributor to Inside Climate News and al.com. She’s also the recipient of the Alabama Library Association Nonfiction Award and a 2023 Fellowship from the Alabama State Council on the Arts. This year, Alabama Media Professionals awarded her first place for her longform article on McIntosh, Alabama, a small town being poisoned by two chemical plants. She recently finished a memoir, which examines the personal and collective cost for a generation of silenced women confronting a southern school’s buried truths. You can find her on Substack, Instagram and Facebook @lanierisom.
Connect with Lanier
Substack
https://lanierisom.substack.com
https://instagram.com/lanierisom
https://www.facebook.com/lanier.isom/
If you haven’t yet—watch my TEDx Talk:
How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond
In this bold, funny, and widely shared talk, I blend personal storytelling with the real-world writing strategies I’ve developed as a longtime magazine editor, NYU professor, and writing coach. It all starts with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine—and builds into a powerful message about how to stand out in a crowded, noisy world, no matter the medium.
📺 Watch, comment, and share: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpcWmjpzSIQ
About Estelle:
Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a “Best Book for Writers” by Poets & Writers), and host of Freelance Writing Direct—2025 Podcast of the Year (Education), American Writing Awards. A Contributing Editor for Writ
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