Listen:
I met Paula through our mutual agent, Rita Rosenkranz, who said, “you two have to meet. You’ll both be speaking at the Writer’s Digest Conference this summer.” So we met and shared a table where we signed our books and figured out that we also belong to the Women’s Media Group. I was impressed with her knowledge and presentation skills and asked her to be on the program. I’m so glad I did.
My Havanese Rose also makes an appearance in this episode.
In This Episode
What authors don’t know about media [2:26]
How to be media ready [3:33]
Timing on preparing for media interviews [5:27]
Advice for authors on getting comfortable on camera [5:45]
Paula’s accordion method for sharing information [10:20]
Advice on speaking good sound bites to break through the noise [16:29]
How to pitch media and where to find contacts [20:25]
Lists and using them to stay productive [26:53]
Watch on YouTube
About Paula
Paula Rizzo is an Emmy Award-winning television producer, best-selling author of Listful Thinking & Listful Living, a media-training coach, speaker, LinkedIn Learning Instructor, host of the live-stream show Inside Scoop, and creator of the popular online training Media-Ready Author. She media trains fiction and nonfiction authors who are both traditionally and self-published. Harper Collins, Workman Publishing and Time Inchave all hired Paula to prepare their authors for book launches. She’s also media trained executives from The New York Times, Dow Jones, Fortune 200 companies and privately-owned organizations. Paula served on the advisory board of Books for Kids, is a member of The Authors Guild and Women’s Media Group, as well as a founding member of Chief in New York City. She’s currently working on a novel and several children’s books.
Connect with Paula
10 Media Questions That Every Author Needs to Answer
LinkedIn
Instagram
Twitter
Connect with Estelle
Her website: (sign up for her newsletter and receive her pitching guide).
Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: Available wherever books are sold and now a class at NYU, towards the journalism certificate
Adjunct Instructor, NYU (Sign up for her latest classes)
Substack (craft tips, editor information, writing opportunities, early announcements and for paid subscribers special Freelance Writing Direct extended videos).
Instagram
X (formerly Twitter)
Threads
Blue Sky
New Interviews
- I’m very excited to be speaking with Judy Librach of Finding Your Bliss this Saturday on Zoomer Radio. Take a look at the preview here.
- Here is a preview of Podfest 2024!
- I was beyond the moon to speak with Bianca Marais, host of amazing podcast The Shit No One Tells You About Writing and also the author of the captivating book The Witches of Moonshyne Manor and other fabulous books. Listen here.
- Speaking with master interviewer Ronit Plank for Let’s Talk Memoir was a pleasure in this episode: Writing That Gets Noticed Featuring Estelle Erasmus
- Know Your True Self Podcast: Writing That Gets Noticed with Estelle Erasmus
- I loved speaking about my experiences working in publishing, and sharing craft advice with Bill Kenower for Author2Author.
- I also liked the video interview with Bill Kenower here for Author Magazine.
Writing
- I was thrilled (and scared) to write about my invisible disability and how it affects my parenting in I’m Learning to Listen in New Ways for Shondaland.
- I was excited to have an excerpt from Writing That Gets Noticed on Finding and Honing Your Voice in Author Magazine
- Here is my 2023 year end wrap-up.
- Don’t miss my latest substack issue called Step Right Up for a Pitch Analysis for paid subscribers. If you aren’t a paid subscriber, you will be able to see my review of select submitted pitches in an upcoming Freelance Writing Direct, but why not take the plunge? I’m worth it, and so are you.