48. Braving (and conquering) the traditional publishing route w/ Maria Costanzo Palmer

Erin P.T. Canning
July 18, 2023
10:51 am
0 comments

The traditional publishing route can feel overwhelming. Query letters and manuscript evaluations and book agents—oh, my!

In this episode, you’ll learn how one author entered Dante’s inferno, her words, not mine, and took initiative to get her narrative nonfiction novel published.

You’ll also walk away not only better understanding the twists and turns of the traditional publishing route but also learn 5 tried and true tips for shopping your manuscript with book agents.

So stay tuned to find out how this author never gave up and finally published her book after 17 years!

Topics discussed in this episode

17 years of drafting / shopping a narrative nonfiction book
How Maria kept going and found her co-author
Making tough revision decisions
Shopping the manuscript and entering Dante’s hell
The challenge of not being famous
Query letters, manuscripts, and book proposals
Exiting Dante’s hell with positive manuscript reviews
5 tips for attending writing workshops
Making dad’s dream come true
Changing the narrative of our own stories

Check out this behind the scenes clip about NJ diners, Bon Jovi, Chubby Checkers, and Broadway.

About Maria

A narrative nonfiction writer, Maria Costanzo Palmer is also a Page Turner Award Finalist for her co-authored book On the Rocks (Koehler Books). Her writing has been published in OC87 Recovery Diaries, and she has made a number of media appearances.

She also serves as the grant writer for St. Paul's Community Development Corporation in Paterson, NJ, where she helps fund programs that support "a hand-up, not a hand-out." She lives in New Jersey with her husband and college sweetheart Joe, their two children, ages 9 and 7, and her two rescue pit bulls, Luna and Stella.

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Tags: memoir, publishing, revision techniques, writing, writing tips

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ABOUT ME

Erin P.T. Canning has worked for 20 years as an editor, encouraging each writer’s individual voice and strengthening their writing goals.

She always planned to write a book, but life had a tendency to distract her. After dedicating six years of her life to motherhood and discovering her ADHD, she started writing again, even though she feared her writing skills had atrophied.

After letting go of her perfectionism, Erin finally finished her own shitty first draft and released her fantasy romance novel, Ruins and Redemption, in 2023. Her current role as a podcaster and book coach enables her to help writers pursue their author dreams.