Explore every episode of the podcast Read the Acknowledgments
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laura McGrath & Alia Hanna Habib on Debut Book Data and the Role of the Book Agent | 15 May 2026 | 01:12:09 | |
Author and Temple University Assistant Professor of English Laura McGrath and Alia Hanna Habib, Vice President and Literary Agent at The Gernert Company join Randy to discuss what debut book sales say about the ever-changing landscape of book publishing, the agent-writer-editor relationship, and query letters. Subscribe to the podcast via Apple, Spotify, and Substack. Highlights include building an audience beyond social media, the volume of queries agents receive, books to buy right now, and much more. | |||
| Porscha Burke & Yahdon Israel on the Work of Being An Editor | 21 Jan 2026 | 01:07:43 | |
Storehouse Voices' Associate Publisher Porscha Burke and Yahdon Israel, Senior Editor at Simon & Schuster join Randy to discuss the how books are acquired, the author-editor relationship, how books are sold, and the acquisition to publication timeline. Subscribe to the podcast via Substack and Spotify. Highlights include how editors rest, books editors read for leisure, the power of stories and much more. | |||
| Episode 8: Thomas Gebremedhin and Jackson Howard Discuss How Editors Find What They Want | 16 Apr 2025 | 01:17:28 | |
Thomas Gebremedhin, Vice President and Executive Editor at Doubleday, and Jackson Howard, Senior Editor at Farrar, Straus and Giroux and its imprints MCD and AUWA, join Randy to discuss all things discovery and editing. Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify and Substack. Highlights include what editors look for in authors and manuscripts, how editors find their next book, and much more. Books mentioned in the episode: | |||
| Episode 7: Our Inaugural Adaptation List w/ Traci Thomas and Franklin Leonard | 14 Jan 2025 | 01:03:51 | |
Traci Thomas, Creator and Host of The Stacks, and Franklin Leonard, Founder and CEO of The Black List, join Randy to discuss The Black List's Inaugural Adaptation List. Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify and Substack. Highlights include surprise titles on the list, titles that should have made the list, what makes for a great adaptation, and much more. Books mentioned in the episode: Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon See Now Then by Jamaica Kincaid The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw Frederick Douglas: Prophet of Freedom by David W. Blight The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton | |||
| Episode 6: Book Scouting and Foreign Rights 101 w/ Erin Edmison and Szilvia Molnar | 14 Jan 2025 | 01:15:09 | |
Book Scout Erin Edmison and Sterling Lord Literistic Foreign Rights Director and Author Szilvia Molnar. Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify and Substack. Highlights include why book scouting is important for writers, things writers should know about foreign rights, what book scouts are looking for in a book, foreign rights advances and royalties, and much more. Books mentioned in the episode: | |||
| Episode 5: Authors A.E. Osworth and Denne Michele Norris on Education, Writing Groups, and Staying True to Who You Are | 14 Jan 2025 | 01:26:41 | |
Author A.E Osworth and author and Electric Literature Editor-in-Chief Denne Michele Norris join Randy to discuss education, writing groups, and staying true to who you are. Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify and Substack. Highlights include the importance of writers advocating for writers, how writing instruction impacts writing, and much more. Books mentioned in the episode: When the Harvest Comes by Denne Michele Norris Aggregated Discontent: Confessions of the Last Normal Woman by Harron Walker Craft in the Real World: Rethinking Fiction Writing and Workshopping by Matthew Salesses | |||
| Episode 4: How Discovery Happens w/ Trellis Literary Agents Stephanie Delman and Allison Hunter | 14 Jan 2025 | 01:13:59 | |
Trellis Literary agents Stephanie Delman and Allison Hunter join Randy to discuss how discovery happens. Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify and Substack. Highlights include why agents do what they do, the relationship between writers and agents, how agents find their writers, important questions writers should ask, and much more. Books mentioned in the episode: Killer Potential by Hannah Deitch A Promise to Arlette by Serena Burdick | |||
| Episode 3: Robert Jones Jr. and Mateo Askaripour Discuss Community, Love, and Purpose | 13 Jan 2025 | 01:35:09 | |
NY Times Bestselling authors Robert Jones Jr. and Mateo Askaripour join Randy to discuss community, love, and purpose. Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify and Substack. Highlights include why Robert and Mateo write, how both guests found their purpose in writing, writing consistently, how Mateo and Robert dealt with the discovery of their debut novels, and much more. Books mentioned in the episode: The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr. | |||
| Episode 2: What Writers Should Know About Book Editors | 13 Jan 2025 | 01:12:04 | |
Dutton Senior Editor at Dutton Pilar Garcia-Brown and Atria Books and Washington Square Press Senior Editor Jenny Xu join Randy to discuss what writers should know about book editors. Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify and Substack. Highlights include the relationship editors have with agents, how editors find the stories they want to publish, how acquiring a book works, book advances and much more. | |||
| Episode 1: How Fiction Works on The Black List Platform | 13 Jan 2025 | 01:37:37 | |
Randy Winston, Read the Acknowledgments Host and Creative Director of Fiction, is joined by Franklin Leonard, The Black List Founder and CEO, to talk Fiction on The Black List website. Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify and Substack. Highlights from this episode include a brief history of The Black List, fiction writer profiles and benefits, how to host a project, fiction evaluations (how they work), fiction readers on The Black List website, and benefits for book industry members. | |||
| Parul Bavishi & Matt Trinetti of the London Writers’ Salon | 15 Jan 2026 | 01:12:53 | |
Founders Matt Trinetti and Parul Bavishi are on a mission to build the world’s most encouraging and engaging writing community, and help every human to realize their creative potential through writing; they discuss how with Randy Winston. Subscribe to the podcast via Substack and Spotify. Highlights include how to support a growing community, How the London Writers' Salon works, writing advice for writers, and much more. Books mentioned in the episode: ASK ME HOW IT WORKS by Deepa Paul | |||
| Nicole Dennis-Benn and Leslie Shipman on the author-speaking agent relationship | 15 Dec 2025 | 01:11:57 | |
Award-winning novelist Nicole Dennis-Benn and Leslie Shipman, Founder of The Shipman Agency, join Randy to discuss the author-speaking agent relationship, how The Shipman Agency works, professional boundaries, and the importance of a strong writing community. Subscribe to the podcast via Substack and Spotify. Highlights include the difference between a book agent and a speaking agent, what an author learns from book one to book three, negotiating terms and much more. Books mentioned in the episode: | |||
| Ashley Garland and Glory Anne Plata on the value of book publicists | 27 Aug 2025 | 01:09:03 | |
Riverhead Books' Publicity Director Ashley Garland and Assistant Director of Publicity Glory Anne Plata join Randy to discuss the author-publicist relationship, book tours, the role of a publicist, and the importance of author websites. Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify and Substack. Highlights include book jacket decision-makers, keys to publicity campaigns, the never-ending book publicity cycle and much more. Books mentioned in the episode: | |||
| Zakiya Dalila Harris and Sincere Brooks on voice in writing, finding inspiration, and advocating for emerging writers | 11 Aug 2025 | 01:13:15 | |
Best selling author Zakiya Dalila Harris and writing professor Sincere Brooks join Randy to discuss advocating for writers, writing pain points, and book-adjacent writing inspiration. Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify and Substack. Highlights include how to protect your craft, writing scenes, empathy in story and much more. Books mentioned in the episode: | |||
| Episode 12: Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, Maura Cheeks, Josefine Kals on the importance of craft, community, and knowing the publishing business | 06 Aug 2025 | 01:12:13 | |
Best selling and critically acclaimed authors Maura Cheeks and Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, and Summit Books Associate Publisher Josefine Kals join Randy, live at Liz's Book Bar in Brooklyn, NY to discuss the importance of craft, relationships in and outside of the book world, and how to navigate the business of publishing. Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify and Substack. Highlights include the value of indie booksellers and librarians, book advances, publicity strategies and much more.
Books mentioned in the episode: FRIDAY BLACK by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah CHAIN GANG ALL-STARS by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah ACTS OF FORGIVENESS by Maura Cheeks | |||
| Episode 11: Spotify's Casey Acierno, Henna Silvennoinen, and JED’s Courtney Knowles discuss the Spotify x JED Impact Award | 22 Apr 2025 | 01:01:28 | |
Spotify’s Henna Silvennoinen, Casey Acierno, & JED’s Courtney Knowles join Randy to discuss how fiction writers can participate in the Spotify x JED Impact Award: A Mental Health in Fiction initiative. Spotify x JED Impact Award Submission Page Spotify’s Mental Health Resource Hub for Writers Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify and Substack. Highlights include what makes an unpublished manuscript eligible, how many projects will be selected for $50K in grants, helpful mental health resources for writers, mental health misconceptions, Spotify and JED’s history of work in the mental health space, and much more. News on this initiative | |||
| Episode 10: Minal Hajratwala and Raychelle Heath on the Unicorn Authors Club and The Importance of Writers Supporting Writers | 21 Apr 2025 | 01:08:46 | |
Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify and Substack. Highlights include the origin of Unicorn Authors Club, the importance of writers supporting writers, how to pitch your project, and much more. Books mentioned in the episode: Bountiful Instructions for Enlightenment by Minal Hajratwala Leaving India: My Family’s Journey From Five Villages to Five Continents by Minal Hajratwala The Art of Living by Thich Nhat Hanh More from The Black List: Check out our opportunities for fiction writers! 2025 Unpublished Novel Award: a $10k Grant opportunity Spotify x JED Impact Award: A Mental Health in Fiction Initiative | |||
| Episode 9: Kate McKean & Maris Kreizman on the Importance of Newsletters and What Authors and Agents Learn from Each Other | 17 Apr 2025 | 01:00:14 | |
Kate McKean, literary agent at the Howard Morhaim Literary Agency, and Maris Kreizman, author and columnist for Lit Hub, join Randy to discuss the importance of newsletters and what agents and authors learn from each other. Subscribe to the podcast via Spotify and Substack. Highlights include how to craft newsletters, recommended books, writing groups, and much more. Books mentioned in the episode: Write Through It: An Insider’s Guide to Publishing and the Creative Life by Kate McKean I Want to Burn This Place Down: Essays by Maris Kreizman Slaughter House 90210 by Maris Kreizman | |||
| Dhonielle Clayton & Caroline Richmond on Writing, Community, and Life in Between | 11 Jun 2026 | 01:09:53 | |
New York Times bestselling author, and President and founder of Cake Creative and Electric Postcard Entertainment, Dhonielle Clayton and Caroline Richmond, award-winning author and Executive Director of We Need Diverse Books, join Randy to discuss the intersection of YA and children's books x literacy in America, what emerging writers should consider when looking for an agent, community building, and life for writers beyond the page. Subscribe to the podcast via Apple, Spotify, and Substack. Highlights include how the nonprofit We Need Diverse Books is shifting the landscape for marginalized writers and readers, why Children's books are essential, authors and their agents, how trends affect the writing process, and much more. | |||