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Have you ever wondered what a book editor does? How they make the decisions about whether or not to buy and publish the books they do? What they actually think of your book proposal? Why — especially if you're a writer — the publishing industry seems so inherently f*cked? My guest this week is the powerhouse editor Kate Napolitano. Kate is the editorial director of nonfiction books at Atria Books (an imprint of Simon & Schuster) where she's edited nearly a dozen New York Times bestsellers. She also happens to be the best editor I've ever worked with, a person who is not only amazing at her job, but also smart and insightful about the business at large. We're talking the business of publishing, diversity in books, rookie mistakes in book proposals, how we can help save an industry in trouble and a whole lot more.Kate's book recs:No Sense In Wishing: Essays — Lawrence BurneyFinding My Way: A Memoir — Malala YousafzaiScream with Me: Horror Films and the Rise of American Feminism (1968-1980) — Eleanor Johnson The People's Project: Poems, Essays, and Art for Looking ForwardThe Dream Songs The BreakBeat Poets: New American Poetry in the Age of Hip-HopTo support the production of the show, listen to ad-free episodes and read more of my writing, you can subscribe to jennromolini.substack.com.The Extended Scenes theme song is by the band Maiden Names. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I'm talking to Karen Walrond. Karen is an award-winning author, a leadership and activism coach, a speaker a former high-level lawyer and all around brilliant/wise/inspiring/cool person to know. Her latest book, which comes out this week, IN DEFENSE OF DABBLING and is all about "intentional amateurism" and discovering a sense of devotion, purpose and even joy through what interests you outside of making money, including everyday hobbies. To support the production of the show, listen to ad-free episodes and read more of my writing, you can subscribe to jennromolini.substack.com.The Extended Scenes theme song is by the band Maiden Names. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week is Amanda Litman. Amanda is the co-founder and president of Run for Something, an organization which recruits and supports young, diverse progressive leaders running for down-ballot office. Since launching in 2017, Run for Something has elected more than 1500 leaders across nearly all 50 states, mostly women and people of color. Amanda is also a writer who runs a popular Substack and whose most recent book When We’re In Charge: The Next Generation’s Guide to Leadership came out earlier this year.To support the production of the show, listen to ad-free episodes and read more of my writing, you can subscribe to jennromolini.substack.com.The Extended Scenes theme song is by the band Maiden Names. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I;m joined today by the always delightful Emily Flake! Emily is a cartoonist for The New Yorker, where she started publishing her work in 2008. She’s also a comic and a teacher and a writer and an illustrator and she runs the artist residency program St.Nell's. We're discussing the grief of aging, navigating generational shifts, the perceived end of fuckability, financial survival when you don’t have generational wealth, learning to embrace rejection and the never-ending professional climb!You can find Emily @ emilyflake.comTo support the production of the show, listen to ad-free episodes and read more of my writing, you can subscribe to jennromolini.substack.com.The Extended Scenes theme song is by the band Maiden Names. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I'm talking with thinker, leader, coach and mindfulness teacher Kristen Lisanti about how to have healthy conflict at this moment, invitations vs accusations, the price of community, resilience in relationships and how to be present for this moment, even when it's hard.If you want to find more of Kristen's work, head to: kristenlisanti.com.To support the show, listen to ad-free episodes and read more of my writing, you can subscribe to jennromolini.substack.com.The Extended Scenes theme song is by the band Maiden Names. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, I’m talking to Ashley C. Ford. Ashley is the author of the New York Times bestselling memoir, SOMEBODY’S DAUGHTER. She’s also an essayist, a podcast host, a speaker and an educator. This conversation touches on some of my favorite topics, including the "idea" of success vs. what it really feels like on the inside, following a path that's right for you and not what others expect of you, how it’s OK to not feel OK (especially right now) and tons more.The Extended Scenes theme song is by the band Maiden Names.To support the show, listen to ad-free episodes and read more of my writing, you can subscribe to jennromolini.substack.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, I’m talking to Glynnis MacNicol, a longtime New York City journalist, author of the memoir "No One Tells You This" and the creator and host of the podcast Wilder. You probably know Glynnis from widely-acclaimed memoir "I’m Mostly Hear to Enjoy Myself" which came out last year.In her work, Glynnis explores freedom and making unconventional choices, the pleasure of knowing and accepting yourself as you are and living an independent life and we're discussing what it is to have a healthy relationship with ambition and success even as we're both aging and the publishing industry seems on the brink of collapse.You can find Glynnis @ glynnismacnicol.substack.comThe Extended Scenes theme song is by the band Maiden Names.To support the show, listen to ad-free episodes and read more of my writing, you can subscribe to jennromolini.substack.com.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week is Wynter Mitchell-Rohrbaugh. Wynter is a sought-after independent digital media strategist who’s responsible for the social media campaigns of many famous people you know. She's also an extremely online Gen Xer who's finding a lot of joy and contentment in what she does. This episode is about breaking rules, getting comfortable with precarity, knowing and accepting what you're good at and what you can't do at all, Charlie Sheen, the Democrats, and how Wynter is possibly, improbably surviving (and thriving) on social media right now.You can find Wynter across social media @wynterThe Extended Scenes theme song is by the band Maiden Names.To support the show, listen to ad-free episodes and read more of my writing, you can subscribe to jennromolini.substack.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I'm talking to popular Substack writer and novelist Emma Gannon about life on the other side of debilitating burnout, confronting who you actually are outside the performance of an ambitious persona, learning to feel more connected to yourself and make more authentic-to-you career and persoanl decisions and the "magical" right-sized success that often comes from all of it. You can find Emma at thehyphen.substack.com.The Extended Scenes theme song is by the band Maiden Names.To support the show, listen to ad-free episodes and read more of my writing, you can subscribe to jennromolini.substack.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, I'm joined by writer A. J. Daulerio. A. J. is the former editor of websites like Gawker and Deadspin and he founded and now runs The Small Bow, a newsletter and podcast about addiction and recovery. We're talking all about perfectionism, validation seeking, shame, self diminishment, f*cked up ego math surrounding success and trying (and failing) to find balance with our work. You can find A.J. at thesmallbow.comThe Extended Scenes theme song is by the band Maiden Names.To support the show, listen to ad-free episodes and read more of my writing, you can subscribe to jennromolini.substack.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week is the brilliant writer, podcaster and culture critic Anne Helen Petersen. You probably know Anne from her wildly successful newsletter "Culture Study." Or from one of her many books, including "Can’t Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation." Anne also has a Ph.D. in media studies and was a senior culture writer at BuzzFeed News. In this conversation, we're going deep on redefining our own success, the life-altering impact of failure and what we're ambitious for now.The Extended Scenes theme song is by the band Maiden Names.To support the show, listen to ad-free episodes and read more of my writing, you can subscribe to jennromolini.substack.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's guest is the inimitable essayist and television writer Samantha Irby! Sam and I are exploring right-sizing success, setting realistic expectations for your career, coming to terms with professional failure and disappointment and the moments when you really feel like you've made it.You can find Samantha Irby at: bitchesgottaeat.substack.comTo support the show, listen to ad-free episodes and read more of my writing, you can subscribe to jennromolini.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My first (!) guest is the writer and thinker Angela Garbes and we're exploring what it is to be a lifelong GenX hater living in opposition to the world, the evolution of ambition and redefining success for yourself over time, slowing down and finally feeling like you have enough, healing that 'bad kid' identity and (at last!) learning to live, connect and be seen as our authentic selves.You can find Angela at: angelagarbes.comBooks we discussed today:Conflict Is Not Abuse by Sarah SchulmanLove In a Fucked Up World byTo support the show, listen to ad-free episodes and read more of my writing, you can subscribe to jennromolini.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.