Ep 142: Writing, Endings & Publishing Myths with Novelist Turner Gable Kahn

Write the Damn Book Already

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What happens when a traditionally published debut novel suddenly appears on Kindle Unlimited while still showing wide? That unexpected twist opens into a bigger conversation about publishing decisions (and what’s actually within an author’s control).

In this episode, Turner Gable Kahn, author of The Dirty Version (Harper Perennial), shares how she honored her grandmothers with a pen name, threaded #MeToo-era questions into a contemporary romance, and wrestled with multiple endings before landing on the one that aligned with her feminist lens.

We also dig into her writing process. And, the publishing side. A sharp agent and editor helped shape her manuscript, but much to many authors' chagrin, even with a major publishing house, you’re still the one creating assets, posting, and doing the lion's share of marketing.

If you’re weighing traditional vs. indie, fighting the mid-book slump, or simply trying to finish without losing your mind, this conversation offers both clarity and solidarity.

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챕터

1. Ep 142: Writing, Endings & Publishing Myths with Novelist Turner Gable Kahn (00:00:00)

2. Kindle Unlimited Mystery (00:01:58)

3. Time Zones, Coffee, and Set Design (00:03:36)

4. Indie vs Traditional Distribution (00:04:46)

5. Choosing a Pen Name with Meaning (00:05:19)

6. Origins of The Book’s Idea (00:07:03)

7. From Dystopia Threads to Romance (00:08:22)

8. Process Shift: Coach, Outlines, Drafts (00:09:52)

9. Structure Changes and Endings (00:12:05)

10. Picking the Most Feminist Ending (00:13:08)

11. Discipline Over Inspiration (00:13:55)

12. Procrastination, Practice, and Running (00:15:40)

13. Reviews, Headspace, and Creativity (00:17:44)

14. Trunk Novels and Recurring Themes (00:18:40)

15. Staying Fresh: New POVs and Projects (00:19:50)

16. Comparisons, Reception, and Freedom (00:21:52)

17. Why Traditional: Editing and Community (00:23:13)

18. Reality Check: You Still Market (00:24:52)

19. Social Media: Workload and Learning Curve (00:26:41)

20. Essays, Bookstores, and Time Costs (00:28:56)

21. Does Social Media Even Move Books? (00:30:58)

22. How We Really Find What to Read (00:32:59)

23. Current Reads and Recommendations (00:35:24)

24. Watching Authors’ Craft Evolve (00:37:56)

25. Backlists, Family Book Clubs, Zevin (00:39:44)