Updates, Stories, Screw-ups, & Pleasant Surprises
A glimpse into my world...equal parts recap, rambling, and reflections on my literary life of late.
Hey, there! Thanks for being here. How the heck are you? How’s your summer wrapping up?
What follows is a glimpse into my world of late: the updates, the stories, the screw-ups, and the pleasant surprises. You’ll also find a bunch of resources and links. I hope this newsletter provides you with at least a couple nuggets of support and inspiration. I’m sharing everything from
What I’m listening to…
What I’m watching…
What I’m studying…
Why I’ve been celebrating…
What hosting a writing workspace looks like…
What I’m reading (and/or wanting to read)…
Why I love workshopping…
News about my coaching business (spoiler: I’ve added “Literary Agent” to my resume)…
My latest teaching gigs…
My excitement about the launch of my forthcoming book…
Making dumb-ass choices, and
Finding balance in my life.
I hope you enjoy today’s newsletter — one that’s equal parts recap, rambling, and reflections on my literary life of late.
Listening
Some of my favorite podcasts these days include:
A Slight Change of Plans with Maya Shankar
#AmWriting
Let’s Talk Memoir
Family Secrets with Dani Shapiro
DNA Suprises with Alexis Hourselt
Women & Money with Suze Orman
The Moth
Dysfunctional Family Storytime
Smartless
Dear Sugars (I know, I know, it’s no longer running, but the old episodes are still awesome)
Heart of the Story with Nadine Kenney Johnstone
Watching
What I’m definitely NOT watching is the news.
I haven’t had Cable TV for years, and I don’t ingest news on my phone beyond sparing doses of very limited, trustworthy sources. My nervous system can’t handle the barrage of images and insanity in the news these days, so I actively work to control my exposure to the news cycles. As a result, I think I’m a much steadier, happier, calmer person, and I have more time to focus on positivity and productivity.
I’d rather spend time watching impactful, meaningful TV that explores unvarnished perspectives on real life experiences, like:
PainKiller (Netflix)
After Life (Netflix)
The Bear (Hulu)
And, when I totally NEED to tune out, I sometimes turn to…
Bad Sisters (Apple TV)
Only Murders in The Building (Hulu)
Bridesmaids (Netflix)
Diplomat (Netflix)
Harry & Meghan (Netflix)
Crazy as it sounds, I’ve been falling asleep listening to any one of the 5 episodes in Harry & Meghan. No matter what you think of the young royals, Prince Harry’s voice is calming and lovely. Not a bad way to drift off at night.
Studying
I’ve been spending a lot of time studying structure in memoir. Structure is what connects the events in our books. Without structure, we’d have random scenes floating throughout the pages. Structure is what holds a story together.
I’ve been reading a ton, taking courses, and analyzing various forms of structure. I’m especially keen to learn how other writers approach structure, and I find it rewarding to interview them about their processes.
If there’s a writer you’re interested in learning more about, let me know in the comments, and I’ll do my best to set up an interview with them.
Not long ago, as part of this Substack, I launched a series called Writers On Writing. It’s still in its infancy, and I have a ton of interviews to post in the coming months. If you’re a writer and you’d like to be featured in the series (or if there’s a writer you’d like me to interview), please let me know!
Celebrating
On May 16, 2017, the American Writers Museum opened in Chicago. It was a long journey to open those doors, and I’m sorry to say the place wasn’t even on my radar until I had the recent good fortune of meeting one of the museum’s founding board members, Roberta Rubin. She’s an 80+ year old wonder who swims most mornings in Lake Michigan and spent 40 years as a bookseller and 32 years as the owner of The Bookstall at Chestnut Court in Winnetka.
Named one of the top 10 bookstores in America by USA Today (and Bookstore of the Year by Publishers Weekly), The Bookstall was one of the first places I visited in 2008 after I’d decided to pursue a full-time career as a writer. Everything about the place felt like home.
And so, meeting Roberta Rubin in person was an absolute joy. When I told her how much her bookstore has meant to me, she offered to take me on a tour through the American Writers Museum very soon. I can’t wait!
Hosting
As Chicago-area weather cools down, reservations are increasing at Writers’ Haven Evanston, my cooperative co-working space for women writers. If you’d like to book time here for your own writing — or for your book group, critique group, or writing circle — please get in touch. I love working with individuals and groups to make their experiences at Writers’ Haven relaxing, productive, and stress-free.
Here are some recent photos from Writers’ Haven:
Reading (and/or Wanting to Read)
I read waaaaaaaaaay too many things all at once, and by now, I know this will not change. lol. Should I blame my attention deficit challenges, or my insatiable desire to learn and grow — or both? Regardless, I’m loving these three titles right now: Unearthing by Kyo Maclear, On Our Best Behavior by Elise Loehnen, and Wintering by Katherine May. I’m also excited to dive into Yellowface, Why It Can’t Work, and many others.
Memoir that Blends Research and Reporting
Something I’m especially STOKED about is memoir that blends research and reporting. Check out this list of 40-ish beloved titles, but be warned: you’ll need to find more hours in the day to read them all.
Workshopping
I don’t know what I’d do without my three critique groups. They provide much-needed deadlines, give me motivation to keep writing, keep me connected to other literary folks, and help me be a better reader. Are you involved in any workshops? Are you looking for one? I’m considering hosting workshops at Writers’ Haven, including a storytelling workshop and a memoir workshop. Do either of these sound like something you or someone you know might enjoy?
Coaching and Agenting
“Hi. I’m Christine Wolf. I’m a Memoir Coach & Literary Agent.”
Yes. Literary Agent.
I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve been working on behalf of my established clients as their literary agent. In the past two weeks, I’ve helped two more clients achieve and sign book deals for their memoirs. Both of these particular clients opted to forego traditional publishing and, instead, get to market faster — and keep more creative control and more of their royalties — by signing with hybrid publishers.
It’s been a delight watching this process unfold for my clients, who’ve both indicated that they never imagined the publishing process being this accessible, efficient, or enjoyable.
What Is Hybrid Publishing?
Many writers don’t yet understand what hybrid publishing is, and that’s understandable. Between traditional publishing (the “Big Five” houses are Penguin/Random House, Hachette Book Group, Harper Collins, Simon & Schuster, and Macmillan) and self-publishing, you’ll find hybrid publishing, often considered a *relatively* new publishing option. However, hybrid’s actually been around for quite some time. As Jane Friedman so perfectly writes here, “Hybrid publishers combine aspects of traditional publishing and self-publishing.”
To be sure, there are many predatory entities out there “posing” as hybrid publishers, but if you know who and what to look for (as well as who and what to avoid), hybrid publishing can be a perfect choice, particularly if you want to get to market faster, maintain more creative control, and keep more of your book’s royalties. For helpful perspective on hybrid publishing, check out Jane Friedman’s Nuanced Look at Hybrid Publishers.
Helping authors find homes for their manuscripts has turned out to be one of the greatest joys of my literary career. Just as I hadn’t set out to becomee a memoir coach, I never imagined I’d become a literary agent, but the universe clearly had other plans. In the coming months, I’ll fill you in on news about my clients’ books and launch dates!
And, if anyone tells you that you can’t sell memoir these days, they’re flat out wrong. It can — and does — happen! Yes, your manuscript needs to be ready, and your proposal has to be tight, and you need to know how to find the right publishers. If you’re curious about how to get a literary agent — or feel ready to take that step — please get in touch. I’d love to help you.
Teaching
FREE Legal Webinar for Authors
I hosted a FREE Legal Webinar for Writers (on 9/9/23) with publishing attorney Joe Perry of Perry Law and Perry Literary. Click here to see a recording of the 2-hour webinar and q&a.
Live Storytelling
I recently taught a 3-hour storytelling class at Story Jam Studio’s Writing Room on 9/15/23. I love being a storytelling instructor! My presentation, “Freeing Your Writing & Engaging Your Audience,” draws on my 2023 interview with Dr. James Pennebaker (the pioneer of expressive writing) and my experience performing as a Moth StorySLAM champ. I’m preparing to teach that same course at SheHive and The Infinity Foundation.
Expressive Writing for Emotional Healing
On 12/9/23, I’ll teach a class (in person and via Zoom) at the Infinity Foundation in Highland Park, Illinois, “Expressive Writing for Emotional Healing”. Open to the public. Continuing education learners earn 3 CEUs. Details and registration here.
Book Launching
My first book, Politics, Partnerships, & Power: The Lives of Ralph E. and Marguerite Stitt Church, will be released by Master Wings Publishing on December 19, 2023.
It’s no secret that the lion’s share of book marketing and promotion falls to an author. I run a writing coaching business and a cooperative workspace for women writers, so with my book coming out 92 days from now, I need to be strategic and efficient about spreading the word.
While I’ve considered hiring a publicist to help manage the launch logistics, I’ve been leaning more and more toward doing this on my own. If you’re a published author already, does that sound crazy?
While I’d LOVE for someone else to create social media posts and handle inquiries on my behalf, I actually look forward to experiencing every step of this process. After all, it’s my FIRST published book. I want to track how much time it takes to put a press kit/media kit together, to contact booksellers, and to manage outreach. I look forward to planning my launch party (ies??) and scheduling Zoom sessions to discuss things like the book’s themes, including power couples in Congress, midcentury politics, gender equality, women in government, political pioneers, trailblazing leaders, foreign policy, economic freedom, and political history in both Illinois and Washington, D.C.
Though I’ve been writing my whole life and teaching for, gosh, 20 years now, there’s always something new to learn, so I’m excited (and a bit nervous) about this very first book launch. And if there’s anything I’m sure of, it’s that I can’t possibly do it ALL. I’ll have to pick and choose how to manage my time and efforts. The juggle, then, of launching a book while maintaining a business, will certainly be interesting.
I plan to take the advice of a LOT of wise people, including Jane Friedman’s community, and I’m already devouring these books on my nightstand, Before and After the Book Deal: A Writer’s Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting, and Surviving Your First Book by Courtney Maum and Green-Light Your Book: How Writers Can Succeed in the New Era of Publishing by Brooke Warner:
Have you (or has someone that you know) launched a book? I’d LOVE to hear about your experience in the comments.
Making Dumb-Ass Choices
When I saw the ad on Instagram for a cute pair of shoes for just $33.49, I was naturally skeptical. Why so cheap??? I ordered them anyway (because I like to save), knowing they’d be, if nothing else, poor quality, and possibly worse (like some sort of marketing scam). At checkout, the final price was discounted by another $17. WHAT? The total cost, including shipping and taxes, was a whopping $18.17 for what seemed like the cutest little shoes on earth. And they were. At least at first.
Within an hour of wearing the shoes, an unmistakeable cigarette odor filled the room, making me gag. I’d bought them from a company called Temu, which, to put it kindly, has some pretty mixed reviews that I never bothered to notice until I was wearing their product. Lesson learned. I mean, I knew what I was getting into buying something so cheap, but I’m sorry I let my curiosity hijack common sense and thoughtful consideration. Kicking myself with those stinky shoes, I thought, God. I knew better.
I plan to donate them to Goodwill and hope that someone knows some better odor elimination techniques than me, since my efforts with vinegar and baking soda didn’t change a thing. Sigh.
I got what I paid for. And, don’t even get me started on how companies like this can literally take down the American economy…
Finding Balance
I love taking advantage of Chicago’s live music scene in the summer months. Though I didn’t see Taylor Swift (wish I had!), I’ve been lucky to see a ton of music, including my favorite cover band, Rod Tuffcurls & The Bench Press, as well as Duran Duran, Culture Club, Berlin, Howard Jones, Chic, Guster, The Ocean Blue, and a bunch of local acts. I’d never been interested in live music until my son and his friends formed a band of their own, Manwolves. Now I’m hooked on seeing live music, especially the bands I grew up listening to…
Writing My Own Story
My memoir
I’ve been hard at work on my own memoir, a journey of sisterhood lost and found. I steal time whenever I can, mapping out scenes, capturing memories that address backstory, documenting reflections, and identifying the plot twists. I’m constantly workshopping, rethinking, doubting, and reworking. In other words, I’m doing the work of a memoirist.
During a recent Zoom call (see photo photo below), someone pointed out that I’ve mapped my book out as a screenwriter might — and I took that as a massive compliment. I’ve tried outlining this story so many, MANY times, and the sticky-note approach has proven to be THE METHOD that works for me, at least for this project. I didn’t know I even had a process. I just knew I needed a way to SEE all my storylines and scenes in one place. So far, so good.
If you’re interested in learning more about my memoir writing process, consider upgrading to a paid subscription to this newsletter. I give paid subscribers behind-the-scenes updates on my book writing process, as well as sneak peaks of the work-in-progress. And, as a paid subscriber (either monthly or annual, and you can cancel anytime), your name will be featured on the Supporters Page of my published memoir.
Resources for Writers!
Check out these fantastic resources, many of which (but not all!) are based in or focused on the Midwest U.S.:
Midwest Book Review’s Writer Resources
The Society of Midland Authors: A membership-based organization dedicated to supporting Midwestern Authors. Founded in 1915 as the Society of Midland Authors, its goal is to create a closer association among Midwestern authors.
Focus on Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Here’s a great page with FAQs.Midwest Writers’ Workshop: The mission of MWW is to nurture aspiring and accomplished writers to improve their craft and achieve their publishing goals in a welcoming community.
Chicago Literary Hall of Fame: Chicago Writing Conferences, Retreats, and Writing Groups
And….whew! That’s a WRAP! Thanks for scrolling through all these recaps, ramblings, and reflections on my literary life of late. Hope you found a useful little nugget or two!
I’d love to hear how your writing’s going!
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Oh I know you can relate! Loved your latest post about the hot air balloons!
Wow right back atcha, Michelle. Thanks so much for reading. And yes, please c’mon by. We’d love to have you here in the space.