Read the Acknowledgments

Author and Temple University Assistant Professor of English Laura McGrath and Alia Hanna Habib, Vice President and Literary Agent at The Gernert Company join Randy to discuss what debut book sales say about the ever-changing landscape of book publishing, the agent-writer-editor relationship, and query letters. Subscribe to the podcast via Apple, Spotify,  and Substack. Highlights include building an audience beyond social media, the volume of queries agents receive, books to buy right now, and much more.

Storehouse Voices' Associate Publisher Porscha Burke and Yahdon Israel, Senior Editor at Simon & Schuster join Randy to discuss the how books are acquired, the author-editor relationship, how books are sold, and the acquisition to publication timeline. Subscribe to the podcast via Substack and Spotify. Highlights include how editors rest, books editors read for leisure, the power of stories and much more.

Founders Matt Trinetti and Parul Bavishi are on a mission to build the world’s most encouraging and engaging writing community, and help every human to realize their creative potential through writing; they discuss how with Randy Winston. Subscribe to the podcast via  Substack and Spotify. Highlights include how to support a growing community, How the London Writers' Salon works, writing advice for writers, and much more. Books mentioned in the episode: COSTANZA by Rachel Blackmore ASK ME HOW IT WORKS by Deepa Paul THE NOTORIOUS VIRTUES by Alwyn Hamilton THE GOLDEN HOUR by Kate Lord Brown

Award-winning novelist Nicole Dennis-Benn and Leslie Shipman, Founder of The Shipman Agency, join Randy to discuss the author-speaking agent relationship, how The Shipman Agency works, professional boundaries, and the importance of a strong writing community. Subscribe to the podcast via Substack and Spotify. Highlights include the difference between a book agent and a speaking agent, what an author learns from book one to book three, negotiating terms and much more. Books mentioned in the episode:

Riverhead Books' Publicity Director Ashley Garland and Assistant Director of Publicity Glory Anne Plata join Randy to discuss the author-publicist relationship, book tours, the role of a publicist, and the importance of author websites. Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify and Substack. Highlights include book jacket decision-makers, keys to publicity campaigns, the never-ending book publicity cycle and much more. Books mentioned in the episode: Mỹ Documents by Kevin Nguyen Audition by Katie Kitamura

Best selling author Zakiya Dalila Harris and writing professor Sincere Brooks join Randy to discuss advocating for writers, writing pain points, and book-adjacent writing inspiration. Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify and Substack. Highlights include how to protect your craft, writing scenes, empathy in story and much more. Books mentioned in the episode: THE OTHER BLACK GIRL by Zakiya Dalila Harris

Best selling and critically acclaimed authors Maura Cheeks and Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, and Summit Books Associate Publisher Josefine Kals join Randy, live at Liz's Book Bar in Brooklyn, NY to discuss the importance of craft, relationships in and outside of the book world, and how to navigate the business of publishing. Subscribe to the podcast via  Spotify and Substack. Highlights include the value of indie booksellers and librarians, book advances, publicity strategies and much more.   Books mentioned in the episode: FRIDAY BLACK by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah CHAIN GANG ALL-STARS by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah ACTS OF FORGIVENESS by Maura Cheeks

Spotify’s Henna Silvennoinen, Casey Acierno, & JED’s Courtney Knowles join Randy to discuss how fiction writers can participate in the Spotify x JED Impact Award: A Mental Health in Fiction initiative.  Spotify x JED Impact Award Submission Page Spotify’s Mental Health Resource Hub for Writers Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify and Substack. Highlights include what makes an unpublished manuscript eligible, how many projects will be selected for $50K in grants, helpful mental health resources for writers, mental health misconceptions, Spotify and JED’s history of work in the mental health space, and much more.  News on this initiative Variety Spotify For The Record JED: News and Views

Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify and Substack. Highlights include the origin of Unicorn Authors Club, the importance of writers supporting writers, how to pitch your project, and much more. Books mentioned in the episode: Bountiful Instructions for Enlightenment by Minal Hajratwala Leaving India: My Family’s Journey From Five Villages to Five Continents by Minal Hajratwala The Art of Living by Thich Nhat Hanh More from The Black List: Check out our opportunities for fiction writers! 2025 Unpublished Novel Award: a $10k Grant opportunity Spotify x JED Impact Award: A Mental Health in Fiction Initiative The Genre Films Manuscript Partnership ONYX Collective Manuscript Initiative

Kate McKean, literary agent at the Howard Morhaim Literary Agency, and Maris Kreizman, author and columnist for Lit Hub, join Randy to discuss the importance of newsletters and what agents and authors learn from each other.  Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify and Substack. Highlights include how to craft newsletters, recommended books, writing groups, and much more.  Books mentioned in the episode: Write Through It: An Insider’s Guide to Publishing and the Creative Life by Kate McKean I Want to Burn This Place Down: Essays by Maris Kreizman Slaughter House 90210 by Maris Kreizman The Bestseller by Olivia Goldsmith Anagrams by Lorrie Moore

Thomas Gebremedhin, Vice President and Executive Editor at Doubleday, and Jackson Howard, Senior Editor at Farrar, Straus and Giroux and its imprints MCD and AUWA, join Randy to discuss all things discovery and editing. Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify and Substack. Highlights include what editors look for in authors and manuscripts, how editors find their next book, and much more. Books mentioned in the episode: STAY TRUE by Hua Hsu DARK LABORATORY: ON COLUMBUS, THE CARIBBEAN, AND THE ORIGINS OF THE CLIMATE CRISIS by Tao Leigh Goffe BEAUTIFUL DAYS by Zach Williams

Traci Thomas, Creator and Host of The Stacks, and Franklin Leonard, Founder and CEO of The Black List, join Randy to discuss The Black List's Inaugural Adaptation List.  Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify and Substack.  Highlights include surprise titles on the list, titles that should have made the list, what makes for a great adaptation, and much more.  Books mentioned in the episode:  Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe  Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon  New People by Danzy Senna  Jesus’ Son by Denis Johnson  See Now Then by Jamaica Kincaid  The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw  Frederick Douglas: Prophet of Freedom by David W. Blight  The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton  Yolk by Mary H. K. Choi  Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah  Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi  Come & Get It by Kiley Reid

Book Scout Erin Edmison and Sterling Lord Literistic Foreign Rights Director and Author Szilvia Molnar.  Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify and Substack.  Highlights include why book scouting is important for writers, things writers should know about foreign rights, what book scouts are looking for in a book, foreign rights advances and royalties, and much more.  Books mentioned in the episode:  The Nursery by Szilvia Molnar  Middlemarch by George Eliot  The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin  I Don’t Care by Ágota Kristóf

Author A.E Osworth and author and Electric Literature Editor-in-Chief Denne Michele Norris join Randy to discuss education, writing groups, and staying true to who you are.  Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify and Substack.  Highlights include the importance of writers advocating for writers, how writing instruction impacts writing, and much more. Books mentioned in the episode:  Awakened by A.E. Osworth  When the Harvest Comes by Denne Michele Norris  skin & bones by Renée Watson  Aggregated Discontent: Confessions of the Last Normal Woman by Harron Walker  Stag Dance by Torrey Peters  The Favorites by Layne Fargo  Craft in the Real World: Rethinking Fiction Writing and Workshopping by Matthew Salesses

Trellis Literary agents Stephanie Delman and Allison Hunter join Randy to discuss how discovery happens.  Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify and Substack.  Highlights include why agents do what they do, the relationship between writers and agents, how agents find their writers, important questions writers should ask, and much more.  Books mentioned in the episode: Killer Potential by Hannah Deitch A Promise to Arlette by Serena Burdick Jamaica Road by Lisa Smith Maine Characters by Hannah Orenstein Storybook Ending by Moira Macdonald

NY Times Bestselling authors Robert Jones Jr. and Mateo Askaripour join Randy to discuss community, love, and purpose.  Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify and Substack.  Highlights include why Robert and Mateo write, how both guests found their purpose in writing, writing consistently, how Mateo and Robert dealt with the discovery of their debut novels, and much more.  Books mentioned in the episode: The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr. Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour This Great Hemisphere by Mateo Askaripour

Dutton Senior Editor at Dutton Pilar Garcia-Brown and Atria Books and Washington Square Press Senior Editor Jenny Xu join Randy to discuss what writers should know about book editors. Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify and Substack. Highlights include the relationship editors have with agents, how editors find the stories they want to publish, how acquiring a book works, book advances and much more.

Randy Winston, Read the Acknowledgments Host and Creative Director of Fiction, is joined by Franklin Leonard, The Black List Founder and CEO, to talk Fiction on The Black List website. Subscribe to the podcast via ⁠Spotify⁠ and ⁠Substack⁠. Highlights from this episode include a brief history of The Black List, fiction writer profiles and benefits, how to host a project, fiction evaluations (how they work), fiction readers on The Black List website, and benefits for book industry members.