I’m currently obsessed with Print Run podcast.

I won’t bore you with the bio, because come on, this is the internet and you can find that info yourself. But I recently became a top-tier patron for Print Run, and I. Am. Loving it.

This high-roller status gives me access to all of their special episodes, which spans three years’ worth of content. My favorite are the episodes for the Query Show and First Pages.

The Query Show

The Query Show is where the two Print Run literary agents (Erik Hane and Laura Zats) critique a query to help with that difficult task of hooking an agent. Because let’s be honest, all writers hate writing query letters. Write a 75k word manuscript with multiple plot lines, characters, world building, compelling dialogue and a rich storyline? No problem. Ask us to write a 350 word letter summarizing our book, complete with author bio and comparative titles? Impossible!

The First Pages

The First Pages episodes are the same critique style but with the first page of a manuscript since an interested agent will read that first. According to Laura and Erik, if you can’t hook an agent in the first page, they won’t ask for more [insert panic here for every first page I’ve ever written].

I gifted myself this podcast as a pledge to increase my attention on my writing career. It’s one thing to dream of becoming a writer, it’s an entirely other thing to roll up your sleeves and make it happen.

This podcast is my daily reminder to keep this goal directly in front of me. To write every day, no matter what. It reminds me that there are whole people dedicated to reading manuscripts like the one I’m writing. If I do my homework, they’ll definitely want to read mine.

Because publishing is a game. And no matter what my Ego says, I have to play. I have to jump through the hoops, do the things, and perfect my craft as I go.

In a way, this podcast has humanized the entire process. Agents actually want to sign new authors. They relish in discovering new talent that they can mama bird into a strong, confident professional.

Self-publishing is great for some authors. But I need an agent. I need someone to hold my hand and show me how to build a writing career. Sky rocketing into fame with a One-hit Wonder is not the life for me. I want an actual career making a comfortable, consistent living.

I’m still publishing impaired, but thanks to Print Run, the clouds are parting. I’m getting out of my head and down to business.