You, Me, and the Writing Journey Podcast

Ep. 36 Refilling the Writer and Editor Well

The possibilities of our creativity are endless, but our creativewell is not endless. In this episode, Sophie Schmidt (Harper Collins Editor/Author) talks about what it means to honor our creative capacities—and care for ourselves in the process. You, Me, and the Writing Journey (X, Instagram, and BlueSky): @YMWJPodcast Podcast Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm/you-me-the-writing-journey-podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm/you-me-the-writing-journey-podcast] Sophie Schmidt (Harper Collins Editor/Author) Sophie got her start curating (read: making up) newsarticles for her neighborhood and selling them to said neighbors at a premium. She never stopped writing (or editing for that matter), which led her to a degree in Professional Writing, a publishing internship in Dublin, Ireland, and now a job at a Big 5 publisher. She is also the author of the forthcoming 96 FACTS ABOUT ROLE MODEL. When not playing with imagination (hers and other creators’), she can be found petting her cats, playing D&D, and hunting for the best boba in NYC. IG: @mindofabookdragon Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD (Host/Author/Therapist): Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD, is a kidlit author(represented by Amy Nielsen with The Purcell Agency), trauma therapist, published academic author, Expert Blog Author for Psychology Today, experienced professor, international presenter/speaker, Critique Coach for the Picture BookAuthor Academy, Mighty Kidlit Published Author Coordinator, host of the You, Me & the Writing Journey podcast, and host of several kidlit events/contests. Danielle’s picture book, THESE BOOTS WERE MADE FOR MARCHING, is slated for publication in 2029 with Familius.  X, BlueSky, and Instagram: @Drenderturmaud Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm]

Ep. 35 Being Energized by the Passes

Passes are abundant in the publishing journey. But what if they could be energizing instead of defeating? In this episode, Kate McKean (Author/Agent) discusses what it means to be energized by the passes instead of defeated by them, and how she does this in her own journey. You, Me, and the Writing Journey (X, Instagram, and BlueSky): @YMWJPodcast Podcast Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm/you-me-the-writing-journey-podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm/you-me-the-writing-journey-podcast] Kate McKean (Agent/Author) Kate McKean is a literary agent at the Howard MorhaimLiterary Agency in Brooklyn, New York. She earned her MA in fiction writing at the University of Southern Mississippi. Her work has appeared in Poets & Writers, Electric Literature, Catapult, and her first book, Write Through It: An Insider’s Guide to Publishing and the Creative Life is available from Simon Element. Sourcebooks will publish her picture book Pay Attention to Me in May, 2026. She writes the Agents & Books newsletter at agentsandbooks.com [http://agentsandbooks.com/]. You can find her at all the places online as well as katemckean.com [http://katemckean.com/]. Kate’s newsletter can be found at agentsandbooks.com [http://agentsandbooks.com/]. Listeners can find me there or at katemckean.com [http://katemckean.com/] and @kate_mckean on various platforms Interview On Feeling Energized by Rejection: https://thecreativeindependent.com/people/author-and-literary-agent-kate-mckean-on-feeling-energized-by-rejection/ [https://thecreativeindependent.com/people/author-and-literary-agent-kate-mckean-on-feeling-energized-by-rejection/] Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD (Host/Author/Therapist): Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD, is a kidlit author (represented by Amy Nielsen with The Purcell Agency), trauma therapist,published academic author, Expert Blog Author for Psychology Today, experienced professor, international presenter/speaker, Critique Coach for the Picture BookAuthor Academy, Mighty Kidlit Published Author Coordinator, host of the You, Me & the Writing Journey podcast, and host of several kidlit events/contests. Danielle’s picture book, THESE BOOTS WERE MADE FOR MARCHING, is slated for publication in 2029 with Familius.  X, BlueSky, and Instagram: @Drenderturmaud Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm]

Ep. 34 Living Life, Not Just Living Publishing (Season 4 Early Release Episode)

In the publishing industry, it can be easy for creators and industry professionals alike to struggle with life balance. Instead of publishing being a part of our life, we can get pulled into it become our life. In this special pre-season episode, Ivan Taurisano (Macmillan – First Second Editor) and DanielleRender Turmaud (YMWJ Host) discuss ways to allow publishing to be a part of our life, instead of consuming it. You, Me, and the Writing Journey (X, Instagram, and BlueSky): @YMWJPodcast Podcast Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm/you-me-the-writing-journey-podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm/you-me-the-writing-journey-podcast] Ivan Taurisano (Macmillan- First Second Editor) Ivan Taurisano is an Associate Editor at First Second Books, where he’s on the lookout for commercial, laugh-out-loud stories with quirky characters that make kids fall in love with reading. He holds an MA in Children’s Literature and an MFA in Writing for Children, and worked across every corner of children’s publishing—from board books and picture books to middle grade and graphic novels. Originally from Rome, Ivan moved to the United States to chase his dream of becoming achildren’s book editor. Along the way, he’s had the joy of collaborating with beloved brands and series, including How to Catch, Sesame Street, Disney, Marvel, tokidoki, and Pokémon. Ivan believes that a child whose life is changed by a book will grow up to be an adult who will change the world. IG: @ivantaurisano LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivan-taurisano-61b5641a8/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivan-taurisano-61b5641a8/] MSWL: https://manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/ivan-taurisano/ [https://manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/ivan-taurisano/]   Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD (Host/Author/Therapist): Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD is an agented kidlitauthor, trauma therapist, experienced professor, internationalpresenter/speaker, Critique Coach with the Picture Book Author Academy, Mighty Kidlit Leader, co-host for several kidlit contests/events, and the host of You, Me, and the Writing Journey, Take Your Kid to Publishing Day kidlit event, and the #YouDeservepIt Pitch event. X, BlueSky, and Instagram: @Drenderturmaud Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm]

Ep. 33 Publishing is Hard for Publishers Too (Season 4 Early Release Episode)

The past few months in the publishing industry have been ROUGH. From imprint and publisher closures, to dozens of editors being let go, agents resigning, longer wait times and silence for creators who are querying/on submission, and more, many in the writing community are feeling discouraged. Because of this, we are releasing two very special Season 4 episodes early (before the full Season 4 release) in hopes that they will encourage you! In this first pre-release episode, Jon Seymour (Publisher with Tielmour Press) and Host Danielle Render Turmaud, discuss the realities and challenges that publishers face. You, Me, and the Writing Journey (X, Instagram, and BlueSky): @YMWJPodcast Podcast Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm/you-me-the-writing-journey-podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm/you-me-the-writing-journey-podcast] Jon Seymour (Publisher of Tielmour Press) Instagram and BlueSky: @TielmourPress Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TielmourPress Website: ⁠https://www.tielmourpress.com/ [https://www.tielmourpress.com/]   Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD (Host/Author/Therapist): Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD is an agented kidlit author, trauma therapist, experienced professor, international presenter/speaker, Critique Coach with the Picture Book Author Academy, Mighty Kidlit Leader, co-host for several kidlit contests/events, and the host of You, Me, and the Writing Journey, Take Your Kid to Publishing Day kidlit event, and the #YouDeservepIt Pitch event. X, BlueSky, and Instagram: @Drenderturmaud Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm]

Ep. 32 It's Time to Change the Language of "Rejection" to "Pass"--And Here's Why

“Rejection,” a word that often is heard/said throughout the writing community. But what if we changed the language of “rejection” to “pass”? And moved towards a cultural understanding of what the passes truly are, a “not now" or a “not for me,” instead of a personal rejection of ourselves/our work? In this episode, Vicky Weber (Agent/Author) and Danielle Render Turmaud (Author/Therapist/Host) explore the benefits of creators and industry professionals shifting the language we use around passes. You, Me, and the Writing Journey (X, Instagram, and BlueSky): @YMWJPodcast Podcast Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm/you-me-the-writing-journey-podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm/you-me-the-writing-journey-podcast] Vicky Weber (Agent/Author) Vicky Weber is a literary agent, bestselling children’s bookauthor, and publishing industry expert with years of experience helping authors navigate both traditional and self-publishing. As the founder of At Home Author, she has guided countless writers through the process of crafting, publishing, and marketing successful books. With a background in education, Vicky is passionate about breaking down complex industry concepts into actionable steps. Whether securing book deals for her clients or sharing insights on the ever-evolving publishing market, she is dedicated to helping authors turn their creative dreams into reality. My MSWL: https://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/vicky-weber/ [https://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/vicky-weber/] Follow me on social media: @vickyweberbooks My blog: www.athomeauthor.com [http://www.athomeauthor.com/]  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AtHomeAuthor [https://www.youtube.com/c/AtHomeAuthor] Try my PB coaching program free for 7 days: https://www.allthingspicturebooks.com/free-trial-ppb [https://www.allthingspicturebooks.com/free-trial-ppb]    Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD (Host/Author/Therapist): Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD is an agented kidlit author,trauma therapist, experienced professor, international presenter/speaker, Critique Coach with the Picture Book Author Academy, Mighty Kidlit Leader, and the host of You, Me, and the Writing Journey, Take Your Kid to Publishing Day kidlit event, and the #YouDeservepIt Pitch event. X, BlueSky, and Instagram: @Drenderturmaud Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm]