How to Get Published in Midlife with Literary Agent Jackie Ashton

Let’s face it: once we hit midlife, many of us have a book inside us that’s dying to get out! But how do you know if your book idea is good? And what must you do to get your book in front of an agent or publisher? Should you self-publish? How do you get started? Luckily, this week’s guest, literary agent Jackie Ashton, will answer those questions and more!

So much goes into the beginning phase of drafting your book, but it doesn’t necessarily start with putting pen to paper. Jackie shares the top industry tips and resources you can use to begin your book-writing journey today.

Jackie Ashton is the Founder and Chief Literary Agent at Bookmark—a boutique literary agency—where she represents thought leaders, emerging authors, and change-makers whose books will leave a lasting positive impact on the world and how we live in it. Previously, she was an agent at Lucinda Literary, where she negotiated major publishing deals with big five publishers for her clients, such as Dave Pell (author of PLEASE SCREAM INSIDE YOUR HEART, Hachette), The AstroTwins (authors of THE ASTROLOGY ADVANTAGE, Simon & Schuster) and Scott Shigeoka (author of SEEK: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World, Hachette). Before becoming a literary agent, Jackie worked for over a decade providing editorial direction and copywriting for brands like Athleta and Airbnb. She is also an accomplished journalist, essayist, and author. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Salon, among other outlets.

Jackie and I discuss:

• Jackie’s journey to becoming a literary agent.
• Traditional publishing vs. independent publishing vs. hybrid publishing.
• The process of writing a book.
• Questions you need to ask yourself before you start to write.
• What makes a book a success and what doesn’t.
• The importance of having a solid audience.
• How to make your book stand out to a publisher.

Finally, Jackie and I want you to know that You’re Not Too F***ing Old! to write a book!

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me on Instagram @jenmarples!  And don’t forget to follow, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

Learn more about Jen Marples at https://www.jenmarples.com/ 

Unedited AI Transcript Here

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LINKS MENTIONED:

My Monticello by Jocelyn Nicole Johnson (Amazon)

The Op Ed Project

Author Accelerator

Book Bound Co

From Strength to Strength by Arthur Brooks (

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