Podcasting has grown tremendously over the past decade through innovations in audio like Dynamic Insertion, forays into video as a medium, and explorations on how to best monetize your content. The podcasting industry as a whole has learned so much over the years and isn’t shy about sharing!
There are numerous ways to grow your podcast and increase the revenue for your craft. Some opportunities might seem difficult to achieve or unlikely to happen, but if you keep an open mind (and open pair of ears!), you can embark on new journeys you never thought possible before.
One such opportunity appeared before our friends over at Dateable. They were approached by Simon & Schuster to publish a book based on their podcast. We spoke with Julie Krafchick & Yue Xu all about this process and what it entailed. They were thrilled to share what they learned with fellow podcasters and hope to encourage others to pursue different avenues of monetization and growth. You can check out their newly published book, How To Be Dateable, at a variety of retailers including local bookstores! Check out their website for direct links to purchase. Copies are available in hardcover, kindle e-book, and even audiobook!
RedCircle: What inspired you to write this book?
Dateable: We always knew there was a larger vision that could be pieced together from all our podcast interviews! We’ve been doing our podcast Dateable since 2016 and have interviewed thousands of people in the last decade from our 500+ episodes, our courses, and online communities. We call ourselves “active daters turned dating insiders” because we became experts in our field due to the 10,000+ hours of research done for the podcast.
We really wanted to give back to our listeners by sharing all of our learnings that helped the two of us (and other past guests and listeners) break out of the grind of modern dating to ultimately find the right relationship for them.
Fun fact: According to Malcolm Gladwell, it takes roughly 10,000 hours to master a skill. We would say these ladies have exceeded here!
RedCircle: Walk us through the project, how did you secure a publishing deal? Did you search for a publisher or were you approached?
Dateable: Our publisher (Simon & Schuster) actually found us through our podcast! Our editor, Ronnie Alvarado of Simon Element, was a fan of Dateable for a while. Her friend recommended our podcast and she became an avid listener. She believed our voices needed to be translated into book form.
It just shows you that you never know who is listening! Hopefully, this gives you ammunition to keep going and put content out there consistently.
This is why it’s so important to put effort into your podcast, and not just through technical ability but through consistency and care. As Julie & Yue said, you never know who could be tuning in to your show!
RedCircle: What was the most difficult part of translating your show into a book? What about the easiest?
Dateable: Having so much content to pull from was probably the hardest and easiest part! It was great that we could refer to past podcast episodes and cite experts we’ve spoken to as well. It was challenging to determine what to cut and how to leverage stories from the podcast without being too repetitive. It was less about taking the podcast verbatim and more about finding the overarching themes and learnings from the episodes.
It took us zooming out a bit to see the larger picture and then using the podcast and what we learned to support that narrative. But having all the research and transcriptions from the podcast gave us so much to work with and iterate on further.
RedCircle: What do you wish you knew before starting this process?
Dateable: How fun the audiobook part would be! We had heard how difficult that part would be, but all our podcasting definitely helped make that part a lot less daunting.
Also, one thing we wish we had done better before we started: start organizing and tagging your episodes with keywords. Maybe there are specific themes or categories that you could build playlists around. The more you can organize your episodes, the easier it will be when it comes time to use them for future projects.
RedCircle: What surprised you the most during this process?
Dateable: The end-to-end length of the process, which took close to 4 years (we got the email in December 2021 and the book was published in January 2025). There were many steps including finding an agent, writing a book proposal, pitching that proposal, selling it, and of course writing the book!
The proposal was actually the second longest part of the process (outside of writing the actual book) for us but it was so instrumental in organizing our thoughts and finding that larger vision for the book.
Wow! That’s quite a long process! But one that seems entirely worth it in the end – much like podcasting itself.
RedCircle: Did you use any tools or resources when crafting your book? If yes, what would you recommend to others?
Dateable: We did use Grammarly to help with grammar and punctuation. We also used Riverside transcription services from some podcast episodes to search for a specific area if needed.
RedCircle: Did writing this book impact how you crafted your podcast episodes?
Dateable: Yes, it definitely helped us expand our vision. For instance, our podcast started about navigating modern dating, and from writing this book we were actually able to conclude: stop trying to navigate dating in its current state. Instead, rise above the BS and the way we have been doing things that aren’t working. It has allowed us to challenge more assumptions we’ve had and create a stronger voice.
RedCircle: After going through this whole process, would you recommend others publish their own books? Why or why not?
Dateable: Absolutely. Even if you self-publish, writing is the best way to flush out your ideas. Regardless if your book becomes a NY Times Bestseller or not, it will sharpen your perspective and give you a stronger voice for your podcast.
Some incredible advice from Julie & Yue! The opportunity to write something different from a podcast script can help you to improve your podcast as a whole.
RedCircle: Do you think you’ll publish another book in the future?
Dateable: Yes, we would love to! We have more to say!
We’re eagerly awaiting your second book! Thanks again to Julie & Yue from Dateable for taking the time to speak with us about their new book and everything they learned along the way!
You can also check out a recent episode all about their book publishing! Check it out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, RedCircle, or wherever you get your podcasts!
Want to know your dating archetype? Take Dateable’s Archetype Quiz to find out which dating style you are and how you can be successful by leaning in to your core strengths!
About the Authors
Julie Krafchick & Yue Xu are active daters turned dating insiders, and top influential voices of modern dating, relationships, and connection in the digital world. They’re the authors of How To Be Dateable: The Essential Guide to Finding Your Person and Falling in Love and the co-hosts of the hit podcast Dateable, which has been named one of the top podcasts about modern dating and relationships by the New York Times, The Huffington Post, Oprah Daily, and more. They’re also the hosts and executive producers of the dating experiment show Exit Interview. Julie brings her background in human-centered design and research, while Yue shares her experience as a dating coach. Together you can find them @dateablepodcast or at dateablepodcast.com.
There are so many different ways you can expand your podcast, from video to hosting live shows, to even writing a book! Never forget to keep your mind open to new opportunities, you never know what might come your way!
Interested in taking your podcast to new, impossible heights? Check out RedCircle for a free 7-day trial and see what RedCircle can do for you!