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First, an announcement:
My first Substack Live in my new series Musings on Magazines: The Story Behind the Story was with former Chatelaine Editor-in-Chief Rona Maynard. Here is the link to the video of our fun and fearless discussion:of our lives in magazines in the 90s and early aughts. https://estelleserasmus.substack.com/p/live-with-estelle-erasmus-and-rona
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Now for today’s episode
What does it take to turn a messy, complicated life into a memoir readers can’t put down?
Courtney Kocak joins me on Freelance Writing Direct to discuss her debut memoir in essays, Girl Gone Wild, and the creative decisions behind telling stories about Hollywood, ambition, addiction, difficult relationships, and finding her voice. We talk about writing with radical honesty, experimenting with poetry and other hybrid forms, deciding what belongs in a memoir, and why some of the hardest cuts made the book stronger.
Courtney also shares the surprising publishing journey that led her to the perfect independent press after an early rejection, proving that sometimes the right “no” is exactly what your book needs.
In this episode:
- How personal essays evolved into a cohesive memoir
- Why hybrid storytelling can deepen emotional impact
- How to decide what belongs in your book and what doesn’t
- What rejection taught Courtney about finding the right publisher
- Why building your own platform gives writers more opportunities
Watch on YouTube
About Courtney Kocak
Courtney Kocak is a writer, podcaster, and comedian who splits time between Austin and Los Angeles. She wrote for Amazon’s Emmy-winning animated series Danger & Eggs and Netflix’s Know It All. She’s produced a slew of highly-ranked podcasts and currently hosts three of her own with over two million downloads to date. Her bylines include The New York Times, The Cut, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, Cosmopolitan, Slate, Business Insider, and more. Her debut memoir, Girl Gone Wild, with Trio House Press, is out now.
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Get More From Estelle Erasmus
I will be doing an Instagram Live with Diana Daniele on Friday at 2 pm EST. Join us for a lively discussion about publishing.
My next Editor-on-Call event with NYU is on Wednesday, September 16, with Electric Literature Executive Editor and Publisher Denne Michele Norris. Sign up here: https://events.nyu.edu/event/400238-light-up-your-literary-life-with-electric-literatures
Private Small-Group Memoir/Essay Class
My next six-week session beginning in September 2026 is sold out. Please email me to be added to the waiting list for the next session. Contact freelancewritingdirect@gmail.com for details.
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Estelle’s TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond
Book
Writing That Gets Noticed — named a Poets & Writers “Best Book for Writers.”
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Freelance Writing Direct Podcast — 2026 Podcast of the Year, Business (American Writing Awards) https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast
About Estelle
Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, TEDx speaker, and author of Writing That Gets Noticed. She is the host, founder, and executive producer of Freelance Writing Direct, an adjunct professor at NYU, and the former editor-in-chief of five national magazines with a combined reach of 10 million readers.
Her work has appeared in more than 150 publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP The Magazine.
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