For today’s guest, Ellen Byron, writing frequently and on a deadline is not a challenge. She began her career as a playwright before moving to LA and transitioning to sitcom writing. As she says in this interview, there was no time to be precious with words or to not be inspired. If you weren’t contributing to the team, there was a line of writers waiting to take your seat.
Now, as a multi-published author of three cozy mystery series, Ellen is putting her writing skills to use to reach new readers, specifically through blogs and newsletters. Today, she shares how she approaches what she calls “shameless shilling”, how by approaching her newsletter differently she actually grew to love it, and how blogging has not only helped her connect with new readers, but a community of writers as well.
About Ellen Byron
Ellen Byron is the Agatha Award-winning author of the Cajun Country Mysteries. The USA Today bestselling series has also won multiple Best Humorous Mystery Lefty awards from the Left Coast Crime conference. She also writes The Catering Hall Mysteries (under the pen name Maria DiRico), which launched with Here Comes the Body.
Ellen’s TV credits include Wings, Just Shoot Me, and Fairly OddParents. She’s written over 200 national magazine articles, and her published plays include the award-winning Graceland. She also worked as a cater-waiter for the legendary Martha Stewart, a credit she never tires of sharing. A native New Yorker who attended Tulane University, Ellen lives in Los Angeles with her husband, daughter, and rescue chi mix, Pogo. She still misses her hometown – and still drives like a New York cabbie.
Resources Mentioned
- Ellen’s website and newsletter: https://www.ellenbyron.com
- Ellen’s workshops: https://www.ellenbyron.com/workshops
- Chicks on the Case blog: https://chicksonthecase.com/
- Canva: http://canva.com
