DiscoverWriting It!Episode 54: What to do when the book editor says, ‘This won’t sell’ with J.E. Smyth
Episode 54: What to do when the book editor says, ‘This won’t sell’ with J.E. Smyth

Episode 54: What to do when the book editor says, ‘This won’t sell’ with J.E. Smyth

Update: 2025-07-14
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We talk with historian and film critic J.E. Smyth about her most recent book, Mary C. McCall Jr.: The Rise and Fall of Hollywood's Most Powerful Screenwriter. We talk about writing the kinds of books called “recovery projects,” and how commitment to the subject helps us get beyond discouragement from the publishing world. In speaking about writing biography, we talking about finding your writing voice; the challenges of subjects who are political moderates; weighing the advantages of trade press v. academic press; at what stage of your project to approach an editor/agent about your project (and the advantages of holding the ms. book until it’s done; and how best to approach the children/family members of your subject.



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Episode 54: What to do when the book editor says, ‘This won’t sell’ with J.E. Smyth

Episode 54: What to do when the book editor says, ‘This won’t sell’ with J.E. Smyth

The Center for Jewish Studies at the University of Florida