Freelance Writing Direct with Estelle: Conversations with authors, journalists, agents, novelists, memoirists, niche writers, publishers, writing teachers, assigning editors and media experts.

#155 Breaking the Rules of Publishing with Jane Pratt: From Sassy to Substack

04 Sep 2025 • 40 min • EN

Estelle Erasmus sits down with legendary editor and publishing pioneer Jane Pratt, the founder of Sassy, Jane, and XOJane, and now the voice behind the hit Substack Another Jane Pratt Thing. Jane has built a career on breaking rules, centering women’s voices, and creating space for personal, confessional storytelling long before it was mainstream. From her groundbreaking “It Happened to Me” column to her current Substack community, Jane has always put authenticity and conversation at the heart of her work. In this episode: How Jane started Sassy and why it resonated with an entire generation [5:47] How she builds community by jumping into the comments and encouraging readers to turn feedback into full stories [5:06] The challenges she faced publishing taboo topics like abortion, birth control, and sexuality in teen magazines [7:48] The evolution from print to online media to Substack and why Substack feels like the most authentic home for her writing yet [13:02] Her new Controversial Books Only Book Club and what makes it so different [29:50] Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/kydZntdbJhw Connect with Jane: Another Jane Pratt Thing: https://www.anotherjaneprattthing.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janepratt/ Substack: https://substack.com/@janebutthathandleistaken Threads: https://www.threads.com/@janepratt Get More from Estelle: Webinar: Sign up for Estelle’s webinar on October 9th in collaboration with Writer’s Digest Mapping Your Memoir: How to Find the Heart and Shape of Your Story https://writersdigestuniversity.mykajabi.com/mapping-your-memoir 🎤 TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond Estelle blends personal storytelling with actionable strategies for standing out—starting with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine. 📺 Watch, comment, and share 📬 Newsletter + FREE Pitching Guide Find out more about this episode and get Estelle’s free pitching guide when you sign up for her newsletter: https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast About Estelle: Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a “Best Book for Writers” by Poets & Writers), and host of Freelance Writing Direct—2025 Podcast of the Year (Education), American Writing Awards. A Contributing Editor for Writer’s Digest and adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine. She’s served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines. Explore More: 📘 Writing That Gets Noticed – Buy the book | Audiobook 📰 Subscribe on Substack: https://estelleserasmus.substack.com Latest posts: “When Writers Are the Ones Blocking the Page: 6 Ways to Move Forward (and An Offer); Stop Counting Your Words. Start Shaping Your Story” and “How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen” 🎧 More episodes: Freelance Writing Direct Podcast Read Estelle’s latest article How to Use the Internet to Become Your Own Private Investigator (Next Avenue/PBS) Follow Estelle: Instagram: @EstelleSErasmus TikTok: @EstelleSErasmus Twitter: @EstelleSErasmus BlueSky: @estelleserasmus.bsky.social

From "Freelance Writing Direct with Estelle: Conversations with authors, journalists, agents, novelists, memoirists, niche writers, publishers, writing teachers, assigning editors and media experts."