Dive into the complete episode list for Paper Trail. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.
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1–29 of 29
Title
Pub. Date
Duration
Episode 29: Are We There Yet? (Or What Does it Mean to Truly Make it in Publishing)
04 May 2026
00:58:29
The one where we fantasize about financial security and a regulated nervous system, unpack TLA 2026, and celebrate the opening of Charity Alyse's indie bookstore!
Episode 19: Meta Better Have My Money (An Of The Publishing Persuasion Crossover Episode) with Angela Montoya and Melanie Schubert
05 May 2025
01:11:03
The one where we talk about Mark Zuckerberg stealing our books, how the chaos of this current administration is adversely affecting the publishing industry, and embracing the creative pivot.
Episode 18: Pre-Nazi Germany But with Smart Phones with Vincent Tirado
07 Apr 2025
00:58:00
The one where we discuss how we are staying artistically focused given the state of the world, how we manage our book cover reveals, and how to launch a fiction podcast.
Episode 17: Hollywood is Another Planet with Laura Taylor Namey
10 Mar 2025
01:04:06
The one where we lament the current state of the country, discuss the myriad routes to film and television adaptations, and remind ourselves that comparison is the thief of joy.
The one where we discuss how publishers value some awards more than others, the behind-the-scenes manufacturing of a book's success, and what it feels like to finally get a peek behind the veil post-debut.
The one where we lament the mental torture of revisions, rage over the reemergence of Jeanine Cummins, and discuss how to set boundaries with family and friends who don't always consider writing to be a "real job."
Episode 14: Children's Publishing is a White Woman's Game with Dhonielle Clayton
23 Sep 2024
01:09:49
The one where we welcome the indomitable Dhonielle Clayton to talk about the pressure on marginalized authors to perform in public, authorly cliques, and publishing feminism’s failure to be intersectional in combatting sexism (with a shout out to Papa Pope from Scandal).
The one where YA author Hien Nguyen joins the pod! We talk news consumption and how Laekan and Candace are olds (but, whatever, it’s fine), discuss whether there should be a Glassdoor for publishers, and dive deep into whether or not all writing is political.
The one where we discuss the death of DEI initiatives in publishing as well as the industry's infatuation with white female readers, and Laekan reflects on being chased off the internet by the fans of a white male author.
The one where we talk about how to overcome a publisher’s low expectations for your book, how to make money as an author on TikTok, how to recognize when your writing stress is affecting your physical health, and how to determine what type of agent is best for you at different stages of your career.
The one where we calculate how many months we can live off our advance money, discuss the process of having rights reverted back to us on past books, and rejoice in the way finding the right research materials can end writer’s block.
Episode 27: The Dreaded Demotion and the Power of Not Yet
09 Mar 2026
00:59:18
The one where we learn new and disappointing things about the publishing industry, discuss how our writing routines have changed over time, and adopt the mindset of “not yet.”
The one where we ponder what exactly determines "good sales numbers," get comfortable with starting over, and realize that publishing is built on the compost pile of failure.
The one where we discuss the pros and cons of festivals, examine why there are no BIPOC Romantasy phenoms, and critique the worst publishing advice we've ever received.
The one where we talk about balancing writing with full time work and being gentle to ourselves so that we can be kind to our creativity. We also examine burnout and awards season highs and lows.
The one where we reflect on our highs and lows of 2023, our seasons of productivity, and our hopes for 2024. We also introduce a new segment in which we spill the publishing tea regarding a white author who targeted authors of color with one-star reviews.
The one where we talk with literary agent Monica Rodriguez about the agent/author relationship, setting boundaries, and maintaining our mental health as authors.
Episode 25: Nothing is Selling (or What Happened to the Tastemakers?)
03 Nov 2025
01:02:44
The one where we discuss publishers forfeiting their role as tastemakers and creators of culture, brainstorm ways to successfully promote a book these days, and celebrate Hien's upcoming debut novel Twin Tides!
The one where we celebrate the release of The Silenced, discuss book banning efforts in Texas, and question whether the U.S. publishing industry can survive this dystopian hellscape.
Episode 23: How to Be a Publishing Anti with Sami Ellis
08 Sep 2025
00:39:32
The one where we discuss the grief that comes with seeing behind the proverbial publishing curtain, using your day job as a way to stay hungry, and how to be a publishing anti.
Episode 22: What Ever Happened to So-and-So? Or Publishing is a Game of Survivor (A Kidlit Happy Hour Crossover Episode) with Joanna Ho and Caroline Kusin Pritchard
04 Aug 2025
01:09:44
The one where we lament the shift away from lyrical picture books, mourn the synchronicity of writing something that already exists, and discuss the audacity required to actually go the distance as an author.
Episode 21: Publishing is Not a Meritocracy (And Book Clubs Will Save Us All) with Alexandra Villasante
07 Jul 2025
00:50:02
The one where Alex shares what it's like publishing her sophomore novel six years after her debut, the gang discuss the Luke Bateman controversy and how publishing loves a safe bet, and Laekan celebrates her five-year anniversary of being a full-time author by going back to teaching.
Episode 20: Publishing is a Mountain Range with Jonny Garza Villa and Aaron H. Aceves
02 Jun 2025
01:04:39
The one where we talk to authors Jonny Garza Villa and Aaron H. Aceves about strategies to pitch and sell our next projects, author career planning years into the future, and a fundraiser for the Queer Liberation Network.