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Write the Damn Book Already
Want to write, publish, and market your book, but feel overwhelmed by where to start?
Write the Damn Book Already breaks down the writing process, self-publishing, and traditional publishing so you can move from idea to finished book with clarity and confidence.
Hosted by Elizabeth Lyons—author, book writing coach, book editor, and self-publishing expert—this show untangles the often-confusing world of writing and publishing. From first draft to finished manuscript, indie publishing to traditional publishing, Amazon strategy to long-term book visibility, you’ll get practical guidance and honest conversations about what it really takes to get a book into the world.
Through solo episodes and interviews with both traditionally published and indie authors—across fiction and nonfiction—Elizabeth brings a well-rounded, no-hype perspective to the publishing industry. Whether you’re working on memoir, nonfiction, or a novel, you’ll walk away with clearer next steps and fewer mental roadblocks.
Write the Damn Book Already
Ep 168: How Reality TV Inspired a Debut Novel (with Amy Mass)
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If you've ever thought "I could write a book about this" while watching a reality TV show at 10pm, you're going to love this episode!
Amy Mass spent years writing for TV (you might recognize "The Goldbergs" and "Last Man Standing" from her credits), and after relocating from LA to a charming small town outside Atlanta during COVID, she channeled all of that storytelling experience into her debut novel, Reality Bites, out May 12, 2026 from Harper Perennial.
In this episode, Amy and I talk about what it actually looked like to make the leap from TV writer to novelist, including writing three books and two movies in four years, going out on submission, shelving her first manuscript, and finally landing a deal with a major publishing house.
We also get into her writing process (she's both a pantser and a plotter), why she writes dialogue first, and how she keeps a running collection of joke scraps and character notes scattered across her phone, her laptop, and random Post-its around the house.
We also talk about what it was like getting notes from her agent and her editor, and how to push back on notes without being precious about it. Her phrase "find the note behind the note" is one to hold onto!
And then we get into the part that surprises most authors: how much marketing is still on you. Amy was genuinely caught off guard by how much time, energy, and social media hustle a book launch requires—even with a publicity team in your corner.
🧭 BACK COVER BLUEPRINT
Get back cover templates for nonfiction, memoir, and fiction; real-world examples; a polishing checklist; and a guide for turning it into an optimized online description that attracts the right readers.
🔗 https://www.publishaprofitablebook.com/blueprint
🔑 BOOK FORMATTING SOFTWARE FOR SELF-PUBLISHED AUTHORS
This episode is sponsored by Atticus, the all-in-one writing and book formatting software for self-publishing authors. From drafting to professional ebook and print layout, Atticus makes it easy to format your manuscript for KDP, IngramSpark, and beyond. Learn more at Atticus.io.
✍️ 33-DAY BOOK WRITING BOOTCAMP
You've Been Thinking About This Book Forever. So let's get it written (for real this time).
👉 https://www.publishaprofitablebook/writethebook
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Write the Damn Book Already is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with authors as well as updates and insights on writing craft and the publishing industry.
Available wherever podcasts are available:
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Email the show: elizabeth [at] elizabethlyons [dot] com
The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores.
To see all the ways we can work together to get your book written and published, visit publishaprofitablebook.com/work-with-elizabeth
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