Ep 141: From Fantasy to Memoir with Betsy Cornwell

24/09/2025 40 min
Ep 141: From Fantasy to Memoir with Betsy Cornwell

Listen "Ep 141: From Fantasy to Memoir with Betsy Cornwell"

Episode Synopsis

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!Maid meets Under the Tuscan Sun!Betsy Cornwell built her career writing young adult fantasy, but her newest book tells an entirely different story. In this episode, Betsy opens up about her memoir, Ring of Salt, which chronicles her escape from an abusive marriage and her creation of a sanctuary for single-parent artists.At the center is the Old Knitting Factory in western Ireland, a historic building she transformed into a childcare-inclusive residency. What began as a crowdfunded dream became both a physical refuge and a symbol of resilience, reshaping her creative life.Betsy also shares wisdom about the writing process itself. Teaching creative writing at the University of Galway, she knows firsthand how perfectionism derails authors and offers that waiting to write or release a book until it’s guaranteed “good” is like refusing to give birth unless you know the baby will be perfect.This is an episode for anyone wrestling with the voice that says “not good enough.” Ring of Salt releases September 30th.READY TO FINALLY BE IN THAT "CAN'T STOP WRITING" FLOW?Grab the free nonfiction or memoir kickstart that's helped hundreds of authors get out of their heads and into the flow: 👉 PublishAProfitableBook.com/chapterone WANT TO SELL MORE BOOKS (WITHOUT THE SELF-PROMO CRINGE)?The Author Visibility Bundle gives you 200+ done-for-you email templates, social media graphics, and other book promo tools designed to help authors build buzz and drive sales, without feeling pushy. 👉  PublishAProfitableBook.com/bookvisibility WONDERING EXACTLY HOW TO SELF-PUBLISH SO YOU CAN STOP GUESSING?Grab the action plan and finally feel confident you’re doing this the right way.👉 PublishAProfitableBook.com/actionplan CURIOUS ABOUT AMAZON ADS AS AN INDIE AUTHOR?Snag the small but mighty tweaks that help your book actually sell before you ever spend a dime on Amazon ads.👉  PublishAProfitableBook.com/trialSupport the show****** Write the Damn Book Already is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with authors as well as updates and insights on writing craft and the publishing industry. Available wherever podcasts are available: Apple PodcastsSpotify YouTube Let's Connect! InstagramWebsite Email the show: elizabeth [at] elizabethlyons [dot] comThe podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores.To see all the ways we can work together to get your book written and published, visit publishaprofitablebook.com/work-with-elizabeth