working writer
Years ago, when I was a moderator of a private online community of tens of thousands of writers, I noticed that the same writers’ names would appear in comment threads, surrounding the controversy du jour. There was nonstop feuding and shit-talking and drama. I have vivid memories of entire holiday weekends I lost in futile attempts to appease angry people on the internet.
Often, I would think: who has time for this?
In an online community of writers, who had the time to participate in text-based, days-long arguments? Why weren’t these hyperarticulate people, um, you know, writing?
Do you want to be known for your internet feuding?
Or do you want to be known for your writing?
When I promote my services as a career coach for writers, I take pride in the results I’ve delivered for my clients, and I also take pride in the fact that I am, to this day, a working writer. I’m not giving my clients and my students advice based on what worked in 2012, when my first book came out. I’ve published four more books since then. As the book publishing and media industries have changed, I’ve pivoted. In 2022, I spent months studying abroad on TikTok when I learned that BookTok was contributing to record book sales. I switched from sending this newsletter on MailChimp to sending it on Substack, and my audience grew 25% in two months.
I like the phrase “working writer” because I see my writing career as my qualification to teach and coach other writers. If I wasn’t continuing to write, and publish my work, I would feel uneasy getting paid to give other people advice on how to write, and publish, their work.
In 2023, I finished writing my sixth book. I published an essay on BookTok in LitHub that went viral. I went viral again for tweeting about Elizabeth Gilbert’s decision to pull her own novel; I was invited to write an opinion piece about this; my op-ed was quoted all over the place, including in the LA Times. I made a video about the difference between influencer culture and the creator economy that blew up, leading to a mention in a piece at The Cut by Ann Friedman, as well as an invitation to talk about TikTok on NPR.
When it comes to my business, 2023 was a banner year:
My clients Gila Pfeffer, Jillian Turecki, and Gaelynn Lea all sold their books.
My client Sarah Vogel’s memoir The Farmer’s Lawyer came out in paperback, with a new foreword by Willie Nelson (and the actor John C. Reilly read it aloud!)
Seeing the paperback for the first time in person! (at Farm Aid with Sarah Vogel) I attended an extremely fancy launch party for my client Andrea Dunlop and got to meet Carly Watters IRL.
I’ve cheered on my client Jessica Saunders as she’s gotten one rave trade review after another for her forthcoming debut novel Love, Me
I taught TikTok to the Whiting Foundation and to the marketing teams of several Big Five imprints; I also spoke at Brooklyn Poets, the Westport Writers Workshop, and the Authors Guild
If 2022 was my year to learn TikTok, 2023 has been my year to seriously study Substack. I’ve had a lot of fun helping my clients launch and grow their Substack newsletters. I must recommend
if you’re looking for less stress and more joy in your downtime; (a 2023 Substack Featured Publication! 🏆) for surprising historical rabbit holes and mouth-watering baked goods; for a serialized longform essay about a juicy media controversy in the 1970s over two pivotal issues of Playboy; and for readers who love pop psychology and psychoanalytic insights into how we work and live.
I also coached clients as they drafted their next books; I counseled writers as they faced disappointing setbacks and dismaying rejections; I strategized next steps; I listened.
I know writers who are going into 2024 feeling confident, validated, successful, and optimistic about the future, and I know writers who are limping across the finish line of December, praying that next year is better than this one. If you’re in the latter camp, believe me—you’re not alone.
Book a career coaching call
If you are a working writer who would like to start 2024 with more clarity and direction about your career, my calendar is now open for booking sessions in January.
Each 1-hour Zoom session is an opportunity to:
Pitch the book you're working on and receive personalized feedback on the concept
Get candid advice about the publishing industry
Find out where your time and energy is best spent if you're trying to build a platform
Figure out the next step to take in your writing career
You will have the ability to record the coaching call; you will also receive written recommendations by email after the call.
You’re a gem, Leigh!
Wish I had better words to say that you're amazing! As an editor (and more) you always have the best ideas/perspectives and an unlimited supply of encouragement. So lucky to be working with you.