Shows
Thriving Writers PodcastEpisode 47: Courtney Maum, Author & Writing CoachThrilled to be joined by author and publishing expert Courtney Maum! She gives us insight behind her terrific book, Before and After the Book Deal, and talks about the highs and lows of the publishing business. Tune in for her knowledgable tidbits about marketing, building an online platform, self-publishing, memoir, and more!Courtney MaumWebsite: https://www.courtneymaum.com/Substack: https://courtneymaum.substack.com/p/welcomeSocial: @cbmaumGood Story Company: If you have a story in your head, we’re here to help you get it out into the world. We he...2025-04-1652 min
My Rejection StoryBook Deal Veteran: The Long Game—Secrets To Thriving Before And AFTER The Book DealCourtney Maum is an accomplished author, writing coach, and publishing industry insider who’s been through it all—devastating rejections, canceled book deals, and the highs and lows of a 15-year career. She’s the author of Before and After the Book Deal: A Writer’s Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting, and Surviving Your First Book and a champion for writers navigating the tricky waters of the publishing world.
For anyone listening, you can order a copy of "Before And After The Book Deal" here: https://books.catapult.co/books/before-and-after-the-book-deal/
Subscribe to Courtney’s Substack: B...2025-01-221h 08
Author's Edge: the Go-to Marketing Podcast in PublishingHow Authors Can Navigate Publishing Trends in 2025 with Courtney Maum | Ep. 30Send me a text!Welcome to The Author’s Edge! In this episode, host Allison Lane talks bestselling author and literary advocate Courtney Maum about the art and strategy of author marketing. Known for her groundbreaking guide Before and After the Book Deal, Courtney shares insights on navigating the publishing world, building a brand without burnout, and creating visibility for your work. Whether you’re a debut author or a seasoned writer, this episode offers actionable advice to connect your words with readers and build a sustainable writing career.What You’ll Learn:Why...2024-12-3155 min
Literary ProspectsInterview with Author and Book Coach Courtney MaumAuthor and educator Courtney Maum talks with Kelley Vick about creating the indispensable publishing guide, Before and After the Book Deal, what authors should look out for when signing book contracts, the biggest mistake she sees in query letters, her own writing process and road to publication, preserving the joy in making art, and much, much more.*For literary shirts, totes and gifts, and other tools for writers, check out our new Literary Prospects Shop.*For books featured on the podcast and other curated booklists, check out our online store at Bookshop.org, Literary P...2024-11-121h 01
The Book I HAD to WriteTwo reasons you're not landing a memoir book deal in 2024, with Courtney MaumIn today’s episode I talk with author and creativity coach Courtney Maum of Before and After the Book Deal about what it means to write and publish memoir in 2024. She describes her own unconventional route into publishing, highlighting the importance of hard work and persistence over connections. She also shares insights into the craft of memoir, including the benefits of using a "dual timeline” structure, plus the need for writers to turn personal stories into universally relatable books. We also talk about the importance of publishing “off the book” pieces to gain attention, and the evolving landscape of self-pub...2024-10-0142 min
The Academic LifeBefore and After the Book DealEverything you’ve ever wanted to know about publishing but were too afraid to ask.Before and After the Book Deal: A Writer’s Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting, and Surviving Your First Book (Catapult, 2020) by Courtney Maum is a funny, candid guide about breaking into the marketplace. Cutting through the noise, dispelling rumors and remaining positive, Before and After the Book Deal answers questions like: are MFA programs worth the time and money, and how do people actually sit down and finish a novel? Should you expect a good advance, and why aren’t your friends saying anyth...2024-09-121h 02
Scholarly CommunicationBefore and After the Book DealEverything you’ve ever wanted to know about publishing but were too afraid to ask.Before and After the Book Deal: A Writer’s Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting, and Surviving Your First Book (Catapult, 2020) by Courtney Maum is a funny, candid guide about breaking into the marketplace. Cutting through the noise, dispelling rumors and remaining positive, Before and After the Book Deal answers questions like: are MFA programs worth the time and money, and how do people actually sit down and finish a novel? Should you expect a good advance, and why aren’t your friends saying anyth...2024-09-121h 02
New Books in Literary StudiesBefore and After the Book DealEverything you’ve ever wanted to know about publishing but were too afraid to ask.Before and After the Book Deal: A Writer’s Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting, and Surviving Your First Book (Catapult, 2020) by Courtney Maum is a funny, candid guide about breaking into the marketplace. Cutting through the noise, dispelling rumors and remaining positive, Before and After the Book Deal answers questions like: are MFA programs worth the time and money, and how do people actually sit down and finish a novel? Should you expect a good advance, and why aren’t your friends saying anyth...2024-09-121h 02
New Books in Higher EducationBefore and After the Book DealEverything you’ve ever wanted to know about publishing but were too afraid to ask.Before and After the Book Deal: A Writer’s Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting, and Surviving Your First Book (Catapult, 2020) by Courtney Maum is a funny, candid guide about breaking into the marketplace. Cutting through the noise, dispelling rumors and remaining positive, Before and After the Book Deal answers questions like: are MFA programs worth the time and money, and how do people actually sit down and finish a novel? Should you expect a good advance, and why aren’t your friends saying anyth...2024-09-121h 02
New Books in LiteratureBefore and After the Book DealEverything you’ve ever wanted to know about publishing but were too afraid to ask.Before and After the Book Deal: A Writer’s Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting, and Surviving Your First Book (Catapult, 2020) by Courtney Maum is a funny, candid guide about breaking into the marketplace. Cutting through the noise, dispelling rumors and remaining positive, Before and After the Book Deal answers questions like: are MFA programs worth the time and money, and how do people actually sit down and finish a novel? Should you expect a good advance, and why aren’t your friends saying anyth...2024-09-121h 02
Writing Your Resilience: Building Resilience, Embracing Trauma and Healing Through WritingThe True Meaning of Success and The Multiple Paths to Publishing Your Book with Courtney MaumSend us a textWhat does it take to become a professional writer with a published book? More importantly, what does it take to become a happy writer? Join multi-genre writer and book coach Courtney Maum and me as we discuss writer mental health, the key ingredients in an author brand, what success really means and how you can achieve it, as well as the number one skill all authors need to cultivate. Courtney’s Bio: Courtney is the author of five books, including the groundbreaking publishing guide that Vanity Fair recently nam...2024-09-051h 10
Some Things Considered with Sean MurphyEp. 4: Courtney Maum on The Continuing Story of Literary CitizenshipCourtney Maum, to invoke Whitman, truly contains multitudes: she is a widely published and successful writer (fiction, non-fiction, essays, criticism, etc.) and a one woman ambassador for literary apprentices. Her deep knowledge, gained from years of experience, of all-things publishing is nicely captured in her indispensable book Before and After the Book Deal (2020), and is alive and well via her super popular newsletter of the same name. Courtney has assisted countless writers, and deeply believes in Community (with a capital C). We delve into how one becomes part of this world, how one can aspire to do meaningful work...2024-07-301h 04
The Perks Of Being A Book Lover PodcastS10:Ep224 - Mental Health Awareness Month : A Book Rec Episode- 5/29/24
Our website - www.perksofbeingabooklover.com.
Instagram - @perksofbeingabookloverpod
Facebook - Perks of Being a Book Lover.
To send us a message go to our website and click the contact button.
We will be on a much needed hiatus for the entire month of June and a smidge into July. You will get replays of some of our book recommendation episodes from last year, but toward the end of June, we may have a remix episode where we catch up with a former guest.
This last episode of Season 10 is about a v...2024-05-2959 min
Authors Talking BookishEditing & Revision: The Advice You Didn’t Know You Needed, Episode 021You’ve heard it said that a first draft anyone writes is a story they tell themselves. Seldom, if ever, is the first draft ready for any reader’s eyes, especially not an agent or publisher. So, how do you get a draft ready to be read by anyone besides the writer? This is where editing and revision comes in. This episode addresses various stages and techniques for piecing your manuscript into a cohesive whole.SHOW NOTES:“The difference between a published writer and an unpublished one might be their ability to revise.” Courtney MaumSta...2024-04-3025 min
Hungry Authors47. The Etiquette of Being a Writer with Courtney MaumWhen you become an author, you don’t get a handbook to guide you through the intricacies of how to do this job well. There’s not even a comprehensive job description! Many first-time authors feel totally mystified at what to expect and stumble their way through the process. Courtney Maum has written the book that should be your handbook, though: Before and After the Book Deal. In this conversation, we chat about what authors don’t know about publishing and how to think about your career as a writer. Courtney shares about her unique background and experience in publis...2024-03-0400 min
The Pawsitive Post in Conversation by Companion Animal PsychologyAnimal minds and our favourite fables with Dr. Jo WimpennySend us a textZazie and Kristi are joined by zoologist Dr. Jo Wimpenny to talk about her book, Aesop’s Animals: The Science Behind the Fables, which is out now in paperback.In this episode of The Pawsitive Post in Conversation, Zazie and Kristi are joined by zoologist and writer Dr. Jo Wimpenny to talk about her book Aesop’s Animals: The Science Behind the Fables. We talk about the history of Aesop’s fables and the role they still play in society today, before moving on to wonder whether there is a grain of tru...2024-02-2934 minWriting Your Resilience: Building Resilience, Embracing Trauma and Healing Through WritingWriting About Abandonment without Abandoning Yourself with Ronit PlankSend us a textLet’s Talk Memoir host Ronit Plank joins the Writing Your Resilience Podcast to discuss writing about abandonment, the importance of understanding the context of your story, the challenges around writing about family, publishing with small presses and much more. Here are a few questions to ponder as you listen to this episode: Have you ever written about someone who's abandoned you? What kind of feedback did you get? Do you wonder how to do this without making them a monster or abandoning yourself? Ever wonder what it might be like to...2024-02-011h 03
The 7am NovelistDefining and Accessing Interiority with Dawn Tripp and Christopher BoucherThe idea of “interiority” is all the talk these days, but what actually is it? How is it different from exposition and simply telling a reader about a character’s thoughts and feelings? How do you access that deeper level of character development and voice from which great interiority comes? We’ve got two master writers and teachers today to help us out: Dawn Tripp and Christopher BoucherWatch a recording of our live webinar here. The audio/video version is available for one week. Missed it? Check out the podcast version above or on your favorite podcast pl...2024-01-2439 min
Changing Lives With A Horse, (Of Course)!Episode 114: OFFER ALERT with Guest Speaker Courtney Maum - Author of The Year Of The Horses
Courtney is the author of five books, including the groundbreaking publishing guide that Vanity Fair named one of the ten best books for writers, BEFORE AND AFTER THE BOOK DEAL and the memoir THE YEAR OF THE HORSES, chosen by The Today Show as the best read for mental health awareness. Courtney's mission is to help people hold on to the joy of art-making in a culture obsessed with turning artists into brands.
The Year of the Horses
At nearly forty years of age, writer Courtney Maum has tried just about everything to cure her chronic insomnia and the...2023-12-0851 min
Let’s Talk Memoir59. Marketing Your Memoir, Preparing for Book Launch, & Going Viral featuring Laura CarneyLaura Carney joins Let’s Talk Memoir for a conversation about pluck, endurance, and being the biggest advocate for your book, writing about unresolved grief, what to do to reclaim memory, the truth about marketing your memoir including pitching early, befriending reporters, and building community, how to engage on social media, preparing for your book launch, and her new memoir My Father’s List.
-Visit the Let's Talk Memoir Merch store: https://www.zazzle.com/store/letstalkmemoir
Also in this episode:
-transforming trauma
-making a person’s death part of our st...2023-11-2154 min
The Substack Success PodcastNeed to Know: An Interview with Author and Book Coach Courtney MaumTo upgrade to listen on Apple, go to www.writersatwork.net/subscribe. Happy Tuesday!Please read the intro as I forgot to record one!This interview is a concise rundown of the realities of being an author in a publicity-driven world. Courtney Maum is quite possibly the only person who could bring it to us.You might think of there being two eras: BCM (before ) and ACM (after Courtney Maum). Before Courtney and her game-changing publishing guide, Before and After the Book Deal, authors and writers were pretty much left in...2023-07-1123 min
PWN's Debut ReviewThe Courtneys with Courtney Zoffness and Courtney MaumFor the final episode of Season Five, Courtney Harler speaks with two Courtneys, Courtney Zoffness and Courtney Maum. Maum is, of course, a returning guest, and Zoffness is new to the podcast.Courtney Zoffness is the author of the debut memoir in essays called Spilt Milk, out in 2021 from McSweeney’s. As a fiction writer, Zoffness was the second-ever woman to win the Sunday Times Short Story Award in 2018, the world’s richest prize for a single short story. She’s taught for many institutions and currently directs the creative writing program at Drew University.Courtn...2023-04-2548 min
Don't Make It WeirdThe One With Daniel's Length IssueIn this week's episode of DMIW, we get to catch up with the fam! Dinasaurus lets us in on the latest TikTok conspiracies! We get a special message in our voicemail from the bard Arnold from @CritStupid! Sean tells us about some real life stories of when people made it weird from reddit, in THEY MADE IT WEIRD! We have a discussion about the length of your ... book. Dinasaurus fills us in on the ultimate guide to revenge on a cheating ex in STORYTIME! and then she reads us a very intimate excerpt from Touch by Courtney Maum in...2023-04-251h 15
Page Array – Hey, It Could Be Worse…Courtney’s Secret Garden
Courtney Maum is having a midlife crisis. Parenting is taking so much of her time. Her writing career is going well, but that means she’s overwhelmed by deadlines and book deals. Her marriage is in a rough patch, and when she starts asking herself “should I have an affair?” and “should I become an alcoholic?” she recognizes she needs a change in her life.
She dreams of finding an escape that brings her back to her childhood passion of being outside for hours, lost in her thoughts.
In this episode, we follow Courtney as she tries t...2023-04-1800 min
Thanks For AskingCourtney's Secret GardenIn case you didn't know, we're still making episodes that are available exclusively on Nora's Substack! -Courtney Maum is having a midlife crisis. Parenting is taking so much of her time. Her writing career is going well, but that means she’s overwhelmed by deadlines and book deals. Her marriage is in a rough patch, and when she starts asking herself “should I have an affair?” and “should I become an alcoholic?” she recognizes she needs a change in her life. She dreams of finding an escape that brings her back to...2023-04-1848 min
Productivity AlchemyEpisode 288 - Going on Vacation, Tove Danovich Hi folks! This is our last episode before taking a two week vacation! It has been YEARS since we did an ACTUAL vacation, and so we'll talk about where we are on our various projects and where we hope to be before we leave. After that, we have a lovely chat with the author Tove K. Danovich! Links for this episode: Charity Spotlight: The Livestock Conservancy T. K. Danovich Tove on Twitter 2023-02-161h 02
DIY MFA Radio449: Genre Hopping, Process, and Time Management: The Life of a Working Writer — InterviewToday, Lori is interviewing Courtney Maum. They’ll be talking about honesty in memoir and her book The Year of the Horses. Author of five books, including the game changing publishing guide Before and After the Book Deal and the memoir, The Year of the Horses, (chosen by The Today Show as the best read for mental health awareness), Courtney is a writer and book coach hellbent on preserving the joy of art-making in a culture obsessed with turning artists into brands. A nominee for the Joyce Carol Oates prize and the host of the mon...2023-02-151h 03
Otherppl with Brad ListiHow to Write a Book ProposalIn today's "Craftwork" episode, a conversation with Courtney Maum about how to write a good book proposal.Courtney is the author of five books, including the groundbreaking publishing guide that Vanity Fair recently named one of the ten best books for writers, Before and After the Book Deal and the memoir The Year of the Horses, chosen by The Today Show as the best read for mental health awareness. The paperback edition publishes this week!A writing coach, executive director of the nonprofit learning collaborative “The Cabins,” and educator, Courtney's mission is to help people hold...2023-02-121h 40
Just the Right Book with Roxanne CoadyCourtney Maum on Exploring Depression and Forgiveness Through Horseback RidingIn this episode of Just the Right Book, Courtney Maum talks about her exploration with depression and forgiveness in her memoir, The Year of the Horses, by revisiting her past and finding an old love in horseback riding.
Courtney Maum is the author of the novels Costalegre, Touch, and I Am Having So Much Fun Here Without You, and an award-winning guide for writers, Before and After the Book Deal. A writing coach and educator, Courtney's mission is to help people hold on to the joy of art-making in a culture obsessed with turning artists into brands. Courtney's essays and artic...2023-02-091h 00
Freelance Writing Direct with Estelle: Conversations with authors, journalists, agents, novelists, memoirists, niche writers, publishers, writing teachers, assigning editors and media experts.#16 The Year of the Horses and Books with Courtney MaumIn this episode, Estelle Erasmus and Sherry Paprocki speak with Courtney Maum. Courtney is the author of five books, including the groundbreaking publishing guide that Vanity Fair recently named one of the ten best books for writers, BEFORE AND AFTER THE BOOK DEAL and the memoir THE YEAR OF THE HORSES, chosen by The Today Show as the best read for mental health awareness. A writing coach, executive director of the nonprofit learning collaborative “The Cabins,” and educator, Courtney's mission is to help people hold on to the joy of art-making in a culture obsessed with turning artis...2023-01-1236 min
What You Didn't Expect in Fertility, Pregnancy & Birth: Real Stories & Expert InsightsWhat Happens when you are Ambivalent about Stepping into Pregnancy? Courtney's Birth Story, Part IIIn today's episode we hear the second half of my conversation with Courtney Maum. She shares the motivation for her second pregnancy and the challenging end of that pregnancy. We'll pick up where we left off last week: with wise words from the French gynecologist that Courtney saw for the very first pregnancy appointment for her first pregnancy.for more extended show notes, see: http://warstoriesfromthewomb.com/This is a weekly show that highlights real pregnancy, birth & postpartum stories.2022-12-2333 min
Barn Banter by Horse IllustratedEpisode 2: Meet an author and small business ownerCo-hosts Raquel Lynn and Susan Friedland chat with author Courtney Maum and small business owner Rebecca Yuhasz Smith of Rebecca Ray Designs. Plus, hear about our ASPCA Right Horse adoptable horse of the month, Nomad. Special thanks to our title sponsor, Straight Arrow Products.2022-12-201h 05
Your Big Creative Life056: 3 Books to Read About WritingThere are tons of books on writing, but in this episode, I discuss three that have had a big impact on my personally and as a writer. ----- - Click here for ways to work with me + a free character profile template: www.thekatiewolf.com/info - The last Tuesday of the month is a Q&A episode! Submit your questions for me HERE. - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@katiewolfwrites - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katiewolfwrites ----- Mentioned in this episode: Stephen King - On Writi...2022-11-2211 minPWN's Debut ReviewMuch Ado About a Chipmunk with Courtney MaumWe continue Season Four with Courtney Maum, a writer and book coach. Maum’s debut memoir, The Year of the Horses, was released in May from Tin House. Maum has also previously published three novels and a very handy craft guide called Before and After the Book Deal.In this second episode, Maum chats with us about parenting creative children, playing polo, recording audiobooks during the pandemic, favorite podcasts, home improvement shows, and horses horses horses. Maum also teases her current project, a new novel-in-progress.PWN's Debut Review is hosted by Project Write Now, a no...2022-10-1857 min
The 7am NovelistDay 11: Courtney Maum & Margot Livesey Talk AttitudeOne of the best ways to develop your characters is to figure out their attitude to others and the world, from the way they enter a room to how they cut their steak (or refuse steak altogether). Listen in to our discussion about what informs our characters’ sense of themselves and others from writers Margot Livesey and Courtney Maum.Margot Livesey grew up on the edge of the Scottish Highlands. She is the author of nine novels, a collection of stories and a book of essays about the craft of fiction. She teaches at the Iowa Writers’ Works...2022-10-1432 min
The Perks Of Being A Book Lover PodcastS. 7 Ep. 149 - Manhattan, Myths, and Mom with Guest Erin Keane 9-28-22This week’s show gave us an opportunity to speak to Erin Keane, who is the editor in chief of Salon.com but also a well-known Louisville writer who has recently published a book that defies classification a bit—it is a family memoir, but it is also an examination of history and culture.
Erin’s book, Runaway: Notes on the Myths That Made Me, covers a lot of ground. While it is based on her mother’s runaway experience in her early teens in the 1970s, it is also about how her parents met and married when Eri...2022-09-2859 min
Thoughts from a Page PodcastInterview with Hayley Scrivenor - DIRT CREEKFor this special episode, Carol Ann Tack of Top Shelf at Merrick Library and I interview Hayley Scrivenor together. We talk about her debut novel Dirt Creek, how the different titles and covers came about for the U.S., UK, and Australia, how she didn't set out to write a crime novel, her use of a Greek chorus, and so much more.Hayley’s recommended reads:
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
The Year of the Horses by Courtney Maum
Check out my Summer 2022 Reading List, my August Buzz Reads, and my Most...2022-08-0128 min
The Perks Of Being A Book Lover PodcastS. 6 Ep. 140 - YOLO So Polo with guest Courtney Maum 7-6-22In this last episode of Season 6, we feature a writer who we had the pleasure of meeting in real life at Carmichael’s Bookstore during a leg of her book tour. Courtney Maum is a celebrated author of literary fiction but her latest book is a memoir about how a return to horse riding in her late 30s helped her rediscover herself. It isn’t uncommon at all for women to lose themselves in their roles as mothers or wives or employees and forget what it is that brings them joy and passion and a sense of fun.
2022-07-0658 min
BERKSHIRE EDGE ON-AIRThe Berkshire Edge On-Air Wednesday June 29, 2022
Guided by respected journalistic standards, the principle of fairness, the quest for truth, a commitment to social, economic and environmental justice, and an abiding admiration for the independent spirit of the Berkshires, The Berkshire Edge offers in-depth local news reports and features, perspectives on the arts, wide-ranging commentary, and a comprehensive calendar of events – all written, illustrated, and, in some cases performed, with wit, intelligence, insight and humor.
Here are a few stories from the Edge this week:
1. Great Barrington Selectboard is denying accusations that some members may have violated the op...2022-06-2927 min
Good Moms on Paper#9: Courtney Maum, author of The Year of the HorsesTessa and Annie talk about their own voices, vaccinations, and then have the great pleasure of talking about writing with Courtney Maum, author of five books, most recently The Year of the Horses, a memoir of conquering depression through reclaiming a childhood passionThe Year of the HorsesCostalegreBefore and After the Book Deal Touch I am Having So Much Fun Without You2022-06-2655 min
Shelf LifeCourtney Maum on riding out depression (literally), and the children's party that changed her life.Send us a textCourtney Maum, the author of three novels, including I Am Having So Much Fun Here Without You, Touch, and Costalegre, inspired by the real life figure of Peggy Guggenheim and her daughter. Maum has also just published a memoir, The Year of the Horses, in which she writes about turning to a childhood passion for horses as a response to depression, and is the author of a best-selling guide for budding writers on navigating the travails of publishing. She has said that when she started writing her first book, in 2003, “I wasn’t profe...2022-06-1451 min