Nina Badzin is the host of the top 1% charted podcast Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship. As an essayist and freelance writer, she's had numerous pieces published on a wide variety of topics, but she started focusing on friendship in 2014. Nina moved to writing solely about friendship in 2021. Her Substack, "Conversations About Friendship" is a go-to newsletter for friendship advice, and her private Facebook group, "Dear Nina: The Group," has become a community where people help each other solve friendship problems and talk about books, shows, and more.
In this episode:
How Nina Badzin transitioned from parenting essays to writing exclusively about friendship [5:39]
Why Nina started Dear Nina, Conversations About Friendship and how the podcast has evolved [9:45]
The challenges of pitching to podcasts and what makes a great pitch [11:13]
The importance of pivoting and adapting as a writer and creator [15:09]
How Nina monetizes her writing and podcast through paid Substack subscriptions [19:54]
How friendships evolve over time and why letting go of expectations can improve relationships [31:57]
Connect with Nina
Website
Substack
The Podcast
https://ninabadzin.com/podcasts/
TikTok
https://www.tiktok.com/@dearninafriendship
Facebook: Dear Nina: The Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/855246118403712
Estelle’s episode on Nina’s Podcast
#97 Disclosing my Invisible Disability Increased the Intimacy in My Friendships
Estelle Erasmus: an award-winning journalist, is the author of WRITING THAT GETS NOTICED (named a "Best Book for Writers" by Poets & Writers Magazine), a Contributing Editor for Writer's Digest, and host of the podcast Freelance Writing Direct. She is an adjunct instructor for NYU’s School of Professional Studies/Center for Publishing and Applied Liberal Arts, has written for over 150 publications, including The New York Times, Next Avenue/PBS, WIRED, The Independent,The Washington Post, and AARP: The Magazine, and was the editor-in-chief of five national publications. Find out more at estelleserasmus.com
Sign up for her Substack (with craft advice and writing opportunities). Paid subscribers receive opportunities for pitch reviews, plus bonus clips from Freelance Writing Direct guests https://estelleserasmus.substack.com
Mentioned in the episode: Estelle’s substack post Why Taping My Podcast Reminds Me of Working in Magazines
https://estelleserasmus.substack.com/p/why-taping-my-podcast-reminds-me
Read Estelle’s latest post on Substack (and an editing offer for paid subscribers): 5 Hard Truths about Essay Writing
https://estelleserasmus.substack.com/p/5-hard-truths-about-essay-writing
Apply to be on Freelance Writing Direct in a coaching episode: email freelancewritingdirect@gmail.com and state three of the issues you are dealing with that you would like Estelle’s help with.
Sign up for Estelle’s NYU Classes
https://www.sps.nyu.edu/professional-pathways/faculty/e/1068-estelle-erasmus.html
Get Her Book
Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: https://rb.gy/5ihwp0
Order Her Audiobook:
Follow Estelle:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@EstelleSErasmus
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EstelleSerasmus
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/estelleserasmus.bsky.social
Freelance Writing Direct has been named a 2025 Podcast of the Year Winner in the Education category by the American Writing Awards. For a list of winners go here https://americanwritingawards.com/
