Rom-Coms, Reality TV, and Why Women's Stories Deserve to Be Told with Romance Author Shelly Thorne
For years, Shelly Thorne had a book living in her head, a story she always knew she'd write, just never knew when. And then one day, she decided it was time to start drafting.
She finished the whole novel in SIX WEEKS!
Shelly is a former TV and communications pro, and someone I actually used to work with — who just published her debut novel, Cruising, a rom-com set in the world of reality TV production on a cruise ship, and it is exactly as fun as it sounds.
But beyond the book itself, we talked about what self-publishing costs (emotionally and financially), what it looks like to squeeze creativity into the pockets of a very full life, and why the romance genre is doing something way more important than people give it credit for.
In this episode, we’re talking about:
The difference between traditional publishing and self-publishing
Finding an editor, designing a cover, and building a street team when you're doing it all yourself
The "coming of self" moment, and why we need more stories that follow women through it
Rom-coms and reality TV are doing something culturally important
The "shitty first draft" (and why getting something imperfect onto the page is the only way to start)
AI in publishing and what it means for writers who are putting their whole selves into their work
Balancing writing, a career, and kids (Shelly says having children actually made her a more efficient writer)
Follow Shelly on Instagram and Threads
Buy and read her novel, Cruising!
Links from the episode:
Old episode with the last author I spoke to: The Journey To Self-Publishing Your First Novel With Elizabeth Monier-Williams
Save the Cat! Writes a Novel: The Last Book On Novel Writing You’ll Ever Need
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