Talent agent turned memoirist Priyanka Mattoo shares her best tips for debuting and explains why she thinks that authors should be tacky...or at least, tackier than they currently are.
Very helpful interview, Courtney—especially the part about “3 months before publication is a nightmare and 3 weeks before publication is a mental breakdown.” I need to figure out how to communicate that to my job 🤯
Enjoyed this interview. "The song makes me feel like the main character in my own life — not, as I often do, some harried back-office engineer trying to keep a bunch of bumper cars on a train track."
Courtney, I had subscribed initially for the session you were holding tonight, but have not received an invitation or link to that. Perhaps my application failed your approval. Disappointed.
Did you enroll in the class, Randall? Submitting an answer to my "open call for material" is not the same thing as enrolling in the class. What is your email? The link for tonight's class went out to everyone enrolled on Monday night and again at 4pm. You have to actually enroll in the class- it isn't offered through my Substack. If you did in fact enroll, DM me your email and I can send you the link again. If you didn't enroll but want to, you enroll for the September 18th class directly through my website: https://www.courtneymaum.com/courses As a paid subscriber, you can use the discount code THANKYOU24 at checkout.
I just tried to enroll for both courses, i.e. Making Memoir Work and Query Letters. After filling the fields I clicked to register and nothing happened on either one. Responded to earlier reply of yours as well. Pardon the glitches on text and hassle on this. Did I understand correctly that the courses were available with the subscription, viewing them after the original event?
The classes are not free with the subscription to my Substack, no. But as a paid subscriber you get a discount code you can use. What has happened is you haven’t actually checked out yet. You need to go to the top right of the screen where your “cart” is and “checkout.” At checkout, you’ll be asked for discount codes— enter THANKYOU24 and that will apply your subscriber discount. Thanks Randall!
Something is not working here. On the screen to register after choosing the course, I do not see a cart, only the x to close the box, so never getting to the checkout to enter code. This may be a moot point as I am only checking this out to see how much the discount applies to the posted $75 per course, which I somehow thought was included in subscription to your blog. My budget is limited and not up to maxing out credit on this, as much as I would like to sample the course. Is it because I am trying to enroll after the date originally scheduled? I think the courses would be helpful at this point, but unsure how to proceed, and now whether I can. Sorry for the hassle, Courtney. Being an old-timer with technology applications, I keep thinking of picking up a phone and calling the support line. ;} Maybe you can clarify how to arrive at checkout some other way and what kind of discount is involved. Thanks!
The discount is a 15% discount but from your last message it sounds like you are going to unsubscribe and move on in any case— I wish you all the best and thank you for joining us for a while!
Courtney, I have gone back to see if I missed something several times and I honestly do not find this user-friendly process to checkout with a cart appearing, e.g. Amazon, etc.. Even with reservations on cost, I only unsubscribed before next charge on the 2nd because I was not getting anywhere. I'm interested in what you have to say and will hope I can still review your posts, not as a subscriber, as I do with other writers. The subscription was for the courses you offered which seemed timely and beneficial for me, which I have not ruled out if I can find the means and the process to do so. Thanks!
Loved this Craft from the Couch like always—my favorite way to spend my lunch break! I appreciated the piece of advice to just throw the party for yourself. Feels fitting for life more broadly, to make happen what you want to happen.
“The song makes me feel like the main character in my own life, not (as I often do) some harried back-office engineer trying to keep a bunch of bumper cars on a train track.”
“The song makes me feel like the main character in my own life—not, as I often do, some harried back office engineer trying to keep a bunch of bumper cars on a train track.”
I LOVED this book! I listened to her read it last month while gardening and love how deftly and interestingly Priyanka interwove her stories, a really intriguing take on memoir. Highly recommended!
Really appreciated this conversation, Courtney, especially Priyanka’s emphasis on taking charge of the post-pub experience.
I agree! So empowering.
Very helpful interview, Courtney—especially the part about “3 months before publication is a nightmare and 3 weeks before publication is a mental breakdown.” I need to figure out how to communicate that to my job 🤯
May I suggest making novelty shirts, posters, and pillows with this sentence on them and spreading them around the office?
Enjoyed this interview. "The song makes me feel like the main character in my own life — not, as I often do, some harried back-office engineer trying to keep a bunch of bumper cars on a train track."
Courtney, I had subscribed initially for the session you were holding tonight, but have not received an invitation or link to that. Perhaps my application failed your approval. Disappointed.
Did you enroll in the class, Randall? Submitting an answer to my "open call for material" is not the same thing as enrolling in the class. What is your email? The link for tonight's class went out to everyone enrolled on Monday night and again at 4pm. You have to actually enroll in the class- it isn't offered through my Substack. If you did in fact enroll, DM me your email and I can send you the link again. If you didn't enroll but want to, you enroll for the September 18th class directly through my website: https://www.courtneymaum.com/courses As a paid subscriber, you can use the discount code THANKYOU24 at checkout.
I just tried to enroll for both courses, i.e. Making Memoir Work and Query Letters. After filling the fields I clicked to register and nothing happened on either one. Responded to earlier reply of yours as well. Pardon the glitches on text and hassle on this. Did I understand correctly that the courses were available with the subscription, viewing them after the original event?
The classes are not free with the subscription to my Substack, no. But as a paid subscriber you get a discount code you can use. What has happened is you haven’t actually checked out yet. You need to go to the top right of the screen where your “cart” is and “checkout.” At checkout, you’ll be asked for discount codes— enter THANKYOU24 and that will apply your subscriber discount. Thanks Randall!
Something is not working here. On the screen to register after choosing the course, I do not see a cart, only the x to close the box, so never getting to the checkout to enter code. This may be a moot point as I am only checking this out to see how much the discount applies to the posted $75 per course, which I somehow thought was included in subscription to your blog. My budget is limited and not up to maxing out credit on this, as much as I would like to sample the course. Is it because I am trying to enroll after the date originally scheduled? I think the courses would be helpful at this point, but unsure how to proceed, and now whether I can. Sorry for the hassle, Courtney. Being an old-timer with technology applications, I keep thinking of picking up a phone and calling the support line. ;} Maybe you can clarify how to arrive at checkout some other way and what kind of discount is involved. Thanks!
The discount is a 15% discount but from your last message it sounds like you are going to unsubscribe and move on in any case— I wish you all the best and thank you for joining us for a while!
Courtney, I have gone back to see if I missed something several times and I honestly do not find this user-friendly process to checkout with a cart appearing, e.g. Amazon, etc.. Even with reservations on cost, I only unsubscribed before next charge on the 2nd because I was not getting anywhere. I'm interested in what you have to say and will hope I can still review your posts, not as a subscriber, as I do with other writers. The subscription was for the courses you offered which seemed timely and beneficial for me, which I have not ruled out if I can find the means and the process to do so. Thanks!
Loved this Craft from the Couch like always—my favorite way to spend my lunch break! I appreciated the piece of advice to just throw the party for yourself. Feels fitting for life more broadly, to make happen what you want to happen.
I loved that advice, too! So glad that you had lunch with us ;)
“The song makes me feel like the main character in my own life, not (as I often do) some harried back-office engineer trying to keep a bunch of bumper cars on a train track.”
Great interview!
“The song makes me feel like the main character in my own life—not, as I often do, some harried back office engineer trying to keep a bunch of bumper cars on a train track.”
Kate, you won the giveaway! I'll write you for your address. Congrats!
I LOVED this book! I listened to her read it last month while gardening and love how deftly and interestingly Priyanka interwove her stories, a really intriguing take on memoir. Highly recommended!
Listening to it while gardening sounds like the absolutely perfect way to experience it!
It was, Courtney, and I now think of those gardens as my 'gardens of Kashmir'
– even though they are actually in Portugal 💕