Not Another Freaking Podcast with the Ladies of Rise Literary
If you put the NYT Book Review and Taylor Swift between two slices of Bernie Sanders with a solid smear of Call Her Daddy, you would have a ridiculously tasty, genre bending sandwich called Write the Good Fight.
Part writing tipsters and publishing industry tricksters/part pop culture revolutionaries, the hosts of Write the Good Fight - and team from Rise Literary - are here to light a fire under your creativity, dig deep into what drives people to want to create, and share the behind the scenes truths of book publishing and entertainment.
Write the Good Fight will feature writers, authors, creatives, and book publishing professionals who all believe that books are the revolution – and that writing is the ultimate act of resistance.
On this weekly podcast, the staff of Rise Literary, including LA Times bestselling author and CEO Kristen McGuiness, author and CMO Lauren Porte Schwarzfeld, author and CFO Elena Azzoni, and Content Director and aspiring author Raya Whittington, will rotate to chat with guests about why they write and create, what their process and craft look like, how they have gone from emerging creative to self-realized one, and in our recurring final segment, their one tip for burgeoning writers (just the tip!).
Educational, insightful, and always hilarious, Write the Good Fight is for anyone who dreams of being a creative - or who is already one. Because we’re all here to Write the Good Fight!
Automatically Transcribed Transcript
Hello, and welcome to Write the Good Fight, a new podcast about creative resistance and celebration. This original podcast will feature writers, authors, creatives, and book publishing professionals who all believe that books are the revolution and that writing is the ultimate act of resistance. On this weekly podcast, the staff of Rise Literary, including Moa, LA Times bestselling author and CEO, Kristen McGuiness, writer and chief marketing officer, Lauren Porte Schwarzfeld, writer and CFO aka Moneybags, Elena Azzoni, publishing manager and aspiring author, Raya Whittington, we'll rotate to chat with guests about why they write and create, what their processing craft looks like, how they have gone from emerging creative to self-realized one, and our recurring final segment, their one tip for burgeoning writers.
Hit the jingle, Raya!
So, on this intro episode, which we have chosen to keep short and sweet for you because we get this is the episode you listen to and you decide, hmm, do I like these people? We're gonna make sure that we keep you wanting more. And also, we really want our episodes to focus on all the incredible artists and creatives that we are going to be interviewing through the series.
So, I figured a great place to start would be on this concept of Writing the Good Fight. I know for me, I've always seen books and entertainment as a Trojan horse, that on the outside, it's telling an interesting story or it's teaching you a lesson. But on the inside, it's really a deeper conversation around the systems that gird so much of our life and our choices and sadly, our oppression too.
So, I really love the idea that there's always a fight hiding in our writing and and how that ultimately gets explored through literature and art and entertainment and all the ways in which we write the good fight. So I don't know anyone else, Raya?
Oh my goodness. What does it mean to write the good fight? I think for me personally, anything to do with writing, whether it be poetry, a book, television or film, I always want to create a space for people who don't feel like they are represented.
I think the art that imitates life is so beautiful and so vital, and that can't happen if only certain walks of life are portrayed through art. So to me, to write the good fight is to platform those whose voices are underrepresented and need and deserve to be heard.
I love that so much, Raya. And I think it speaks to this idea of how, you know, we really work to take emerging writers and turn them into published authors. We're not just podcasters here.
We actually run a company called Rise Literary. Our work really is to find unplatform voices, you know, whether it's systemic gatekeeping, whether it's just, you know, trying to get your story out there, whether it's you don't have a platform and you don't even know how to begin. At whatever stage someone is in their writing journey, our goal is to help them to find the path to publishing and ultimately to become a celebrated author.
And not only do we help people through book coaching and group courses, we also have an incredible publishing house. We are on our fifth published book right now as we launch this episode. And I can't wait to see how that grows through the series.
But for us, it really is building people into not just being a writer, not just being a published author, but being a celebrated one and all the ways in which that shows up.
Yeah, I mean, I love this idea of being a celebrated author because I think it really gives the opportunity to start this conversation where you're redefining what success with your book means. A lot of times people will ask, particularly right after your book comes out, like, how's your book doing? And what they're asking for is numbers.
They're asking how the sales are, if it's on a list, if it's on a chart. But they're not asking about your experience. They're not asking what the things are that you're doing.
When we switch it from the product that's gone out into the world into more about the process, we get to talk about it in terms of how the author feels about their experience, what they've created afterwards. They've worked really hard to write this book. A lot of times it is very, very vulnerable.
They're doing all of this work. And then on publication day, people want to ask them about numbers and if they're on a list, if they're on a chart, those are the things that we have no control over. But what we can control is the experience, is how we're feeling about it, is how we can sort of rally around this person and make the success of their book so much more about who they are and what they actually want to be putting out into the world, not just this product, but the process.
Yeah. And I think it's really about the adventure. You know, I think the toughest, not the toughest, well, the toughest and one of the saddest things about not writing is that you're missing out on the adventure of writing.
And I always share this when I was working on my last book, Live Through This, published by Rise Literary. When I was working on my last book, I had written it, I had taken it out to agents, I had been rejected widely, everybody's favorite book writing experience. And then I went back to do a big rewrite and I was sad, I had been forlorn through that process and I ended up in this like writers workshop in LA.
And I remember one day, I was sitting at this table at my book coach's house and she lived in Echo Park in what was like a tree house. And she would always serve us tea and oranges. And suddenly I'm sitting there and this beautiful breeze like floats through the window as we're drinking our herbal tea.
And I had this real moment of like, you know what, even if nothing happens with this book, I got to have this. And I think that's the tough thing when people see their book is a product, when people see writing as a chore, they actually miss out on this idea that it's actually one big amazing adventure. And being a celebrated author is actually part of the adventure.
It's about, yeah, it's hard. And like all adventures, right? It's hard.
It's tough. There's moments of self-doubt, obviously. But there's also these real moments of celebration that you need to like enjoy.
And I used to I used to always say about my first book with my mom was like, I celebrate the small victories because I never know if the big one's going to come. And like, I think that's like really like that idea of celebrated author is like, we are here to celebrate all the small victories. And the fact is, is that if you really are in deep celebration, the big one will come, you know?
So the beautiful thing about all of us, including Raya that we like to call her an aspiring author, she's a published writer. But Lauren and Elena are also published authors. I love that you introduced yourselves as writers.
I was like, you ladies have published books. Excuse me. Your name is on the spine of a book.
So I'd love to hear, you know, what's the one thing people might be surprised to learn about y'all's writing process?
Hmm. Well, I've learned the hard way over time that I do not write alone. And I feel like there's this idea of this lone wolf, old white man up in the attic with his long beard growing out, holding himself away for six months, writing the book.
In the attic.
He's in the attic, always, with one little candle lit. And if I have free time, I'm drinking matcha and snuggling with my dog. I am not holding up in my attic, growing out my beard.
So I have learned along the way that I need to sign up for workshops, sign up for year-long manuscript writing programs. By the way, we offer many at riseliterary.com. Check it out.
We have many offerings for you. And to your point, Kristen, earlier, my favorite moments of writing, even as a published author, having gone on a book tour, having my book optioned and sitting at fancy tables in LA at Networks, my favorite moments of writing are actually in those rooms during workshops with fellow writers. Like you said, the breeze coming through the window.
We all always have tea, of course. And those are really the moments, I think also as I've gotten older that I realize, oh, it's actually about the experiences we're creating. Also drawing on what Lauren was saying, like, who do you want to be in rooms with and in conversation with?
So it ties into actually the celebrated author piece as well. What experience do you really want to seek out?
I think the community of writing ends up being the thing that people most connect to and most take away from their experience. I always think of writing as being this, you know, speaking of adventure, I think of it as like, you're going for a walk alone in the woods at night, you know? And like the first time you hear a leaf crunch, you're going to be like, what the fuck?
And you're going to like run out of there. Oh, I just made it explicit.
We're pretty sure we were heading that way anyway.
Already planned on slapping a big old E on this, so I wasn't too worried about it.
If I see a podcast and it says clean, I'm like, not so interested.
Not my people.
Not my people.
You have sidled up to the wrong dive bar. But you know, I mean, that's the thing is like, you hear that first no will send you running and you might not ever go back into the woods, you know, but if you're out there with a flashlight and with a group of friends, like you can actually, it doesn't mean it's not scary, but you can actually get to where you want to go. And that where you want to go, I think changes for everybody.
So, and I love Elena that you brought up sitting around the table in LA and, you know, having the network meetings. I too have had that experience. So the one thing that I think is always so much fun is to play the game of who would you want to play?
Ray Yu is the main character in the movie version of your life. That's my own jingle, Raya.
Well, loop it. We'll add some guitar and we'll loop it.
Stay tuned for Rise, the jingle company.
But no, seriously, who, so who's everybody's top pick here?
I mean, I think for me, I would go with Sophia Wiley. She's like this young Hollywood actress. She was in High School Musical, the musical, the series.
And I don't know, she's a dancer, she's a singer, she's young. I feel like she could play Manipula really well, but she also plays nice. And you gotta be both if you're gonna play me.
So yeah, I would say Sophia Wiley.
I just have to note that we have some side note scripts in here and that Raya actually put Sophia Wiley, she was in HSMTMTS.
As if anybody over the age of 25 would, we're in our 40s, who the fuck knows what that means?
You want me to write the whole thing out?
That was so funny. When you actually just spelled it out, I finally understood what that meant. I was so confused.
Yeah, I was, I was like, what is that code? What is the Gen Z code for that? Elena, who's going to play you?
So I really love Maisie Stella. Have you guys seen Mild Ass?
Still no.
She plays the lead.
Still no. Still no.
Not okay.
How many times do we have to talk about this, ladies?
I know.
How many times?
And how many times is Lauren gonna say she's gonna watch it on the plane and we warn her that you're going to ugly cry?
I'm not gonna watch it on the plane. I'll watch it before the plane. I don't like to cry.
I mean, I know. I guess I won't watch it on the plane.
I think that's how we've all ended up watching it, though, is on the plane, not knowing what we are walking into. And then you're just like snot crying on the plane.
Should I experiment and watch it on a plane? Should I fly somewhere and see how well I can hold it together?
Raya books a trip just to watch My Old Ass. I am going to say this for those listening. If you have not seen My Old Ass, that is the homework assignment from today's episode, because it is truly such a masterpiece and has the best Kardashian reference drop that I've ever heard.
It's amazing. Okay, I'll watch it.
I promise.
Lauren, who's Lauren Porte Schwarzfeld in the movie?
So I think Anne Hathaway.
Yes.
Although when we were talking about this before we started recording, somebody said Aubrey Plaza, and I kind of think her too, because she's got a little bit of snark.
It's true.
Anne Hathaway is sometimes like, Anne Hathaway is sometimes very like buttoned up and polished, which.
You're polished.
You're polished. I would say you're polished. My favorite thing to tell people about my job, they'll be like, how are your coworkers?
And I was like, I always think of them as different levels of mama bear. And if I am scared and someone's being mean to me, I call Lauren.
I say, Lauren, Lauren save me.
Well, also she has bobby pins everywhere she goes.
I have, I'm a reluctant dance mom. I have bobby pins and fashion tape and little scissors in my purse at all times. If something needs fixing, I can typically fix it with the things that are in my purse.
Anne Hathaway Circa Devil Wears product is perfect for you.
Well, I haven't seen, how is she in the Harry fanfic movie? Is she doing good?
Oh, Lord. She's very lucky.
Oh, don't even get me started.
Maybe we edit out what I just said.
No, so Lauren and I were talking about this the other day. So the idea of you. The idea of you, yes.
And Raya had brought up this thing the other day about the fact that Justin Bieber and Harry Styles are the same age. And Lauren and I, first of all, I was.
OK, first of all, that literally makes my head want to explode.
Because one of them is a man and the other one is a boy.
And Justin Bieber feels like he needs a babysitter still.
He's also still a bowl haired boy in our eyes, I feel.
I mean, if I saw him, I mean.
They are a month apart. A month apart.
It's weird that you know that.
That is illegal.
I just looked it up.
She googled it. It's OK. She didn't know it by heart.
Harry Styles. I have feelings about Harry Styles. Justin Bieber, I feel like, needs.
He needs adult supervision.
He's also has a little cameo in My Old Ass. Justin Bieber. Yeah.
There's a Justin Bieber moment.
Like a legit cameo?
I'm not going to tell you. You have to watch it on your trip. Yeah, you have to watch it.
I gotta watch it on the trip.
I'm coming to New York, guys.
My old ass JetBlueVacation.
Kristen, who's going to play you?
So, I mean, you know, it changes over time because, you know, I keep getting older and they just stay the same age.
Okay, Matthew McConaughey.
It's true.
You're like, who's going to play me? Well, 25 years ago, that person is now also my age and for some reason, I always think they need to be in their 20s, right? Isn't that?
Well, look at you. You chose an age-appropriate person, Lauren, but here I am. So, I feel like Sydney Sweeney, that if I was picking a newbie, I'd say her.
I mean, she's like a cold blonde with a lot more going on, but I don't know, maybe she's too polished. Is she too polished? Like, she might be too polished.
I'm kind of a mess.
If you saw Euphoria, you would know that she could kill that.
I feel like Sidney Sweeney in Anyone But You.
That's true. She's very messy.
She says, yeah, I don't want to use a negative adjective, but she has moments that resemble moments you could have.
She is as unpredictable as you.
The Venn diagram of messiness does indeed align between Kristen and Sidney.
As it turns out, it just might be a circled.
All right, folks, hilarity is ensuing, and we're going to bring it back to something very serious. A segment that we plan to end every episode with, where we ask our guests their one tip for writing, and we have lovingly called it...
All right, all right, all right.
I'm from Texas. I can channel and enter McConaughey when I need to. Yeah, so I'd love to hear everybody's tip.
What's your one tip for writers out there?
So I would say if it comes up, let it out. I think it's really important when thoughts pop into our head to make sure we're getting them out. there's so many things that I look back on.
I have notes everywhere in my phone, in, like, random Google Docs, in drafts of e-mails on my phone. It's all very messy and disorganized, typically. but there's so many things that are just, like, the start of thoughts and fragments that I don't even know what was happening when I started writing them, but they were these thoughts that I have, and they very often turn into some of, like, the best writing that I do.
And I'm certain that if I had let those thoughts, I don't know, sit for longer than they did, they probably would have just disappeared. So if it pops into your head, make sure you get it out in some form or another. And then take time to, like, organize those things.
So I tend to have, like, really weird energy on planes, for whatever reason. And so when I am flying, which I do a decent amount these days, that's the time that I, like, go through all of these places. My phone, my notes app, my drafts of emails, Google Docs, and I just kind of, like, organize it.
And if there's something that, like, stands out to me, I'll see where it goes.
I love that. It's so important to track and also be able to, like, keep yourself in the moment of your writing. Elena, what's yours?
So my thing, as you know, is don't go it alone. I think whether it's a workshop or a writing group or hiring a writing coach, or even just getting together with a friend, even if you're just co-working, doing your own thing, either at someone's house or a cafe or over Zoom, it is so helpful to be accountable to someone or something other than yourself, I have found.
I'm going to change up my tip a little bit because I had one that's very similar to Lauren's. So I'm going to switch it up to a tip that I got in college from a professor. Find the piece of art that is successful, but so bad that it gives you the confidence to create.
I think that we often feel like we're not good enough when we sit down to write, or maybe I shouldn't be doing this because I don't have the skills, or I don't have a degree, or whatever your excuse is about you not being good enough. I think that there is always going to be a piece of art out there that you watch, or you read, or you look at, and you're like, oh, that's so bad. How did that get green lit?
But it does because it resonates with someone. And so know that something that you do will resonate with someone. And so just trust that whatever you're choosing to say is worth being said.
Love that.
I always look at it that like half of writing is doubting yourself, and the other half is overcoming that doubt. There's a great book from Pacific University that has a fantastic low-res program. And in it, one of the authors talks about all the times he's been rejected.
And it's like, I wrote this book, and it took 10 years, was rejected. I wrote that book and it took two years, rejected. I wrote this book, it took five years, was rejected.
Like, this book is still out, you know? And then there's a lot of accepted, accepted, accepted. But like, it's just the reminder that, like, you know, as writers, we are consistently facing no's.
And it isn't about that. It's about that we write because we love to write and that ultimately we find the people that love what we're writing. So every time we begin to think, oh, you know, who am I to write this?
You know, who is anybody to write anything? You know, being human and having a human experience and wanting to share it through your words is what makes you a writer. All right, folks.
Well, thanks for joining us for today's first inaugural episode of Write the Good Fight. We are so excited for our upcoming episodes with Maisha T. Hill, founder of Check Your Privilege, Stacey Glick, vice president and literary agent at Distal, Godric and Barrett, and Janelle Brown, New York Times bestselling author of Pretty Things and her upcoming novel What Kind of Paradise.
Also, we're going to be having a number of amazing live podcasts coming out of our Ojai Playhouse event, including Rise Literary author Dr. Gertrude Lyons, New York Times bestselling author Rob Bell, and Emmy Award winning actor John Bernthal. We can't wait to share more with you, and remember, it's your time to Write the Good Fight.
From Write the Good Fight: Not Another Freaking Podcast, May 26, 2025
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