by Jenn Bouchard
It is estimated there are between 3 and 4 million podcasts (ListenNotes). Hundreds of podcasters have carved out their niche in the literary listening landscape by interviewing authors, talking about craft and publishing realities, and dishing about the latest reads. With so many podcasts to sift through, it is impossible to listen to everything. That said, the Eleventh Chapter is excited to share some of our favorites with you. Download a few episodes in advance of your holiday travels!
Books, Beach, & Beyond is hosted by good friends Elin Hilderbrand and Tim Ehrenberg. We know Elin as the queen of the beach read, and Tim is the Marketing Director for Nantucket Book Partners, as well as the Nantucket Book Festival. As Tim shared, their podcast is about “sitting down and talking with your favorite writers you have been reading for years…We get to know our guests from their origin stories, writing routines and superstitions, their favorite books and authors, information about their beloved characters or themes, as well as some insider looks at the literary world, publishing, and book world gossip.” Highlights from recent interviews include Taylor Jenkins Reid, Jodi Picoult, and Jenna Bush Hager.
Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books has been going strong since April 2018, created and hosted by acclaimed author, publisher, and bookstore owner Zibby Owens. She designed the podcast as a means for “regular book lovers [to] get to know authors–some of their all-time favorites and some never-heard-of newbies–[and] to help them discover the books for them.” Not only has she helped so many readers learn about new books and authors through the show, but she says that “getting to know more than 1,600 authors has been life-changing! In the process, I’ve sold five of my own books!!”
Charlotte Readers Podcast “fosters a community of readers and writers: a place where readers can hear from their favorite authors and discover new ones, where authors can share their work, and where writers can gather insights into the craft and business of writing,” according to host, author, and screenwriter Sarah Archer. She works alongside recovering trial lawyer Landis Wade and literary publicist Hannah Larrew. Sarah adds that “every author interview is different and through the show, we’ve been able to read incredible books and have in-depth conversations with some of the best writers working today.”
You Should Write a Book is hosted by bestselling author Camille Pagán. “I created it because I believe in paying it forward and I personally had so many authors help me early in my career.” Her show includes both career and mindset advice to everyone from aspiring to established authors. She adds that “there’s so much negativity around publishing, and while some of it is warranted, a lot of it is really discouraging and unhelpful. I think of myself as an author cheerleader who happens to be armed with a ton of research.”
The Writing Table aims “to provide a glimpse into what goes into the writing profession.” Hosted by author Kris Clink, she wants listeners to have “an opportunity to know what it’s really like on the other side of the publishing contract, all while promoting the fascinating work of fellow writers.” A major highlight for Clink has been speaking with authors she probably wouldn’t have met otherwise, such as Jennifer Weiner, Jacquelyn Mitchard, Zibby Owens, and Philippa Gregory. She also cherishes seeing many of the authors she has interviewed become friends with others who are in a similar writing stage.
The Eleventh Chapter’s own Sayword B. Eller hosted About This Writing Thing for four seasons, initially starting it as an experiment while she was studying for her MFA in Creative Writing. As she learned more about the business side of publishing, she explains that “I wanted to give new writers an idea of what they were getting themselves into with choosing the writing life, and I wanted to teach them the thing I have learned and was learning along the way. After two years, I decided it was time to begin interviewing other authors…I’ve had the privilege to speak to traditional, self-published, and hybrid authors about their processes, their careers, and publishing as a whole. It’s been incredible.”
As with anything, there have been challenges for all of the podcast hosts. There is tremendous time involved with preparing for and producing these podcast episodes. Zibby Owens releases seven episodes a week, which means juggling schedules, book release dates, and timing of the interviews. Kris Clink says that author Kristan Higgins–who hosts her own podcast–warned of how much time goes into it, especially when it comes to research and editing. Tim Ehrenberg wants to keep things efficient for both Elin and him as well as their guests, and agrees that podcasting “is a lot of work.” Sarah Archer emphasizes the importance of time management in order to not only professionally produce a podcast, but also to attend supporting events and publish her own books. Ultimately, Sayword B. Eller has decided to move on from her podcast to devote more time to writing. Camille Pagán acknowledges how demanding it can be to do both, as she juggles her podcast with writing 1-2 books a year and running a full coaching business.
We hope you enjoy getting to know these literary podcasts!
Books, Beach, and Beyond:
IG: @booksbeachandbeyond
Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books:
momsdonthavetimetoreadbooks.com
IG: @momsdonthavetimetoreadbooks
Charlotte Readers Podcast:
IG: @charlottereaderspodcast
You Should Write a Book:
podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/youshouldwrite
IG: @camilliepagan
The Writing Table:
IG: @writingtablepodcast
About This Writing Thing:
IG: @aboutthiswritingthing