Linda Sivertsen's Blog

Blurry Zoom screenshots aside, this Virtual Retreat group was/is PERFECT. Words rarely escape me—unless I’m trying to capture the magic of a circle of writers who mean the world to me, and to each other. How does life-altering connection grow so strong in just one month? After all these years, it still feels like a […]

The post The Ache to Write Is Reason Enough (Reflections from Our Sept Virtual Retreat) appeared first on Book Mama.

If you’re waiting to hear back from a literary agent—or gearing up to pitch yourself soon—we’ve got more to discuss! Lately, I’ve been talking a lot about querying agents—because it’s one of the most common things writers ask me. Right up there with how to query is how long everything takes. How long for agents to answer a query? […]

The post How long do agents take to read full manuscripts? (& why silence isn’t always bad news) appeared first on Book Mama.

🎉 Today I’m thrilled to showcase three of our brilliant retreat alums who are living the dream—with book launches and media magic that’s worth celebrating. So much has happened since last year’s roundup of 15 releases from 14 authors that I’ve decided to split this update into two parts. If you’ve been following along on […]

The post The Buzz Has Begun: 3 New Retreat Author Releases 🎉 (More Coming!) appeared first on Book Mama.

After nearly thirty years in the trenches of the book world—writing, editing, ghosting, publishing, speaking, coaching, podcasting—I’ve been asked everything. From “How do I land an agent?” to “What the heck do I do when my inner critic won’t shut up?” to “Wait… am I even allowed to say that in a memoir?” (Spoiler: I’m no […]

The post Dear Book Mama: The Q’s always come. Here are my best A’s.  appeared first on Book Mama.

I woke up to a sweet surprise: Beautiful Writers Podcast just landed on SpotFeed’s list of the Top 70 Writing Podcasts for 2025! As someone who lives to connect kindred spirits through stories, this recognition feels like a hug from the literary universe. The pod is my love letter to the writing life—filled with intimate chats with beloved authors and a […]

The post Beautiful News! We Made SpotFeed’s “Top 70 Writing Podcasts of 2025.” 🎧✨ appeared first on Book Mama.

The post My last Carmel Retreat + new testimonials appeared first on Book Mama.

The post Update on my last Carmel Retreat + new testimonials appeared first on Book Mama.

Love bugs! I wanted to share news of a random turn of events. Mama’s taking an indefinite break from hosting writing retreats—online and in person. This Tuesday’s Virtual Retreat and my Feb. 3rd Carmel Retreat at the gorgeous La Playa Hotel will be my last ones for the foreseeable future. I MAY still have a spot open for Tuesday’s […]

The post Yikes! Scared & excited, I’m pulling the plug on my future writing retreats. appeared first on Book Mama.

Did anyone else find yourself triggered last week between hurricanes? Since I was nowhere near the storms, I obsessed about telling a few clients I’d been unable to focus on their manuscripts. Would they see me as unprofessional if I admitted I’d been so worried for friends and clients in N. Carolina and Florida (and […]

The post Hurricanes got you triggered? When the world f*cks with your focus. appeared first on Book Mama.

The world will never make it easier for you to write your masterpiece. You know this. Halloween’s coming in spooky fast. And the year’s end will be here before you’ve digested all that candy corn. Rather than starting 2025 wishing you were further in on your writing project (where did the year go?!) or racing […]

The post 5 Ways My Virtual Writing Retreat Could Rock Your World appeared first on Book Mama.