Small Enough to Matter: Pitching, Persistence, and the Professional Writing Life with NYT Freelancer Ericka Andersen (Episode 17)
building a writing life on conviction rather than permission
Welcome to The Soul and Science of Great Writing, where the mastery of craft meets the mystery of creation—a weekly podcast that explores the transformative power of words, with equal parts awe and analysis.
I’m Mara Eller, a freelance editor, book coach, and writing teacher with over 16 years of experience. Each week I share a new episode here on One True Sentence, along with links to listen, key takeaways, and transcripts or clips to go deeper.
I’m so glad you’re here!
Subscribe to One True Sentence to get future episodes delivered straight to your inbox.
Being a successful freelance writer is less glamorous than people imagine, but more attainable than you might think.
In this episode, I’m joined by Ericka Andersen—author of three traditionally published books with bylines in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post, to name a few.
We talk honestly about the realities of professional writing: pitching editors, handling rejection, building relationships, marketing books, and learning how to keep going when the process gets hard.
We discuss:
how Ericka landed major bylines and book deals
why specificity is one of the most important writing strategies
how to pitch editors effectively and stand out in crowded inboxes
the emotional reality of rejection, killed stories, and creative disappointment
the challenge of protecting your creative energy in a productivity-driven world
One theme emerges: a professional writing career is built less on brilliance and more on persistence, specificity, and conviction that your work matters—even when nobody is validating it yet.
Listen below or on your favorite podcast app.
I’ve also included a couple video clips for your viewing pleasure.
Listen on Spotify:
Or click here to listen on Apple Podcasts
Mentioned in this episode:
Ericka’s newest book: Freely Sober
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg
Dear Writer by Maggie Smith
Perennial Seller by Ryan Holiday
Hungry Authors by Liz Morrow and Ariel Curry
Write a Must-Read by A.J. Harper
A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders
The Book of Alchemy by Suleika Jaouad
Becoming by Beholding: the Power of Imagination in Spiritual Formation by Lanta Davis
About Ericka
Ericka Andersen is a the author of three books, including the January 2026 release, Freely Sober: Rethinking Alcohol Through the Lens of Faith (Intervarsity Press). She’s written for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, and more. She is a regular contributor to Christianity Today and columnist for WORLD Magazine opinions. She lives in Indianapolis, Indiana, with her husband and two children.
Connect with Ericka on Instagram
The hard truth every writer has to face (and tips for overcoming it):
You have to tend to your creative brain:
I’d love to hear from you!
What stood out to you from Ericka’s story? How do you prioritize creative “tending” in our productivity-obsessed world?
And if you enjoyed this post/episode, please consider sharing it with a writer friend.
Thank you for your support!
I really enjoyed this conversation! My biggest takeaway: Believe in what you're offering because your words could change somebody's life. So it's not about YOU anymore. It’s about trying to get your message out to the reader who needs it. So good!!
Listened to this one on my run today and I LOVED all of the practical wisdom Ericka had to share!