In a recent episode of my podcast, Read and Write with Natasha, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Tash Doherty, a British-Irish-American writer and author based in Mexico City.
Tash is the creator of Miseducated, a Substack publication and podcast that dives into unlearning and the female experience, with a mission to help the world be "shamelessly sexy."
She’s also the author of These Perfectly Careless Things, a spicy young adult novel that she began writing at the age of 14 and self-published in September 2023. Our conversation was a whirlwind of insights about writing, self-publishing, and embracing creativity.
Here’s a glimpse into Tash’s journey and some gems she shared.
From Teen Dream to Published Author
Tash’s debut novel took 14 years to come to life, a journey she describes as “almost literally half of my life.”
She started writing These Perfectly Careless Things as a teenager, but life got in the way.
At 19, she attended business school, convinced she needed a “big girl job” and a resume filled with prestigious companies. She buried her writing dream for years, working in technology and feeling “disillusioned and depressed.”
A mix of psychedelics, spiritual exploration, and a realization that her life wasn’t working prompted her to quit her job, move to Mexico City, and finish her novel.
The transition from aspiring to actual author was daunting.
Tash admits it felt like “killing an older version of myself” to transform into the writer she is today.
Her advice?
“Don’t give up, no matter how long it takes. It can take absolutely forever,” she says, but persistence pays off.”
Self-Publishing: The Nitty-Gritty
Tash chose to self-publish after a year and a half of querying traditional publishers, facing challenges with her novel’s 2010 setting and spicy teen romance themes. She couldn’t bear the idea of waiting another two years in limbo, so she took matters into her own hands. For aspiring self-publishers, Tash shared her process:
Manuscript Development: Use beta readers to refine your story. Tash did three rounds with her target audience, paying them for feedback to improve the manuscript. She also swears by the Save the Cat methodology, which helps structure plots and ensures characters are relatable from the start (like her protagonist saving a snail in the opening scene).
Editing: Hire professionals. Tash worked with a developmental editor (though she later undid some changes) and a line editor from Reedsy.com to catch plot holes and inconsistencies. A proofreader is crucial for polishing the manuscript.
Formatting: Tash used Vellum, a $400 software that formats manuscripts into professional eBooks, saving time compared to hiring a typesetter. She also used Canva for her book cover and MidJourney for AI-assisted design, though she’s transparent about this choice.
ISBNs: Tash bought ISBNs through Bowker, noting their monopoly in the U.S. market. She recommends buying in bulk (10 for $200) for future projects, like her upcoming sex journal.
Audiobook: Tash recorded her audiobook in a professional studio, editing it herself to catch typos. While time-intensive, it was a learning experience, though she advises against DIY editing unless you’re ready for hundreds of hours of work.
Tash’s biggest takeaway?
Decide how much you’re willing to invest upfront.
She spent thousands on editors to ensure a high-quality manuscript but cut costs with tools like Vellum and MidJourney.
“You learn so much about the publishing process,” she says, even if it means making “hard mistakes.”
Miseducated: Shamelessly Sexy
Beyond her novel, Tash’s passion lies in Miseducated, her Substack where she writes openly about her sex life, tying personal experiences to sex research. Her mission is to help people be “shamelessly sexy” by figuring out what they want, believing they deserve it, and asking for it.
This ethos drives her current project: a series of sex journals with 20-minute writing prompts over 20 days to help readers explore their sexuality. She’s collaborating with a designer in Mexico City to create a beautiful, Moleskine-style journal, aiming to launch by year’s end.
Tash’s Substack strategy focuses on free content to grow her audience, even though she feels guilty about neglecting her 26 paid subscribers. Collaborations, like with sex writer Abigail Melina Burns, and tapping into writing communities like Unmute, have boosted her subscribers.
Her most successful post, a spoof scientific article on dating Mexican men, ranks well on Google, driving inbound traffic. Her tip? Take friends’ questions seriously—they can inspire content that resonates widely.
Marketing and the Long Game
Tash admits book sales are tougher than expected. Amazon and Meta ads haven’t yielded great returns, and platforms like Goodreads and Bookworm offer limited boosts. Podcasts and Instagram, where she involves followers in decisions like book titles, have been more effective for brand awareness.
She sees marketing as a “compound effect,” building her audience over years. Her goal is to sell 1,000 copies of her book someday, but for now, she’s focused on creating and enjoying the process, as Rick Rubin advises.
Why Substack?
Tash is a Substack enthusiast, even investing in their community fundraising round. She loves the platform’s freedom to write authentically, especially about taboo topics like sexuality. While paid subscriptions are a challenge, Substack has strengthened her brand and connected her with readers and writers.
Her advice for Substack writers: interview your readers to understand their habits and create content that aligns with your mission.
Thanks to Tash for an inspiring conversation.
Stay tuned for more Read and Write with Natasha episodes.
This post is based on an interview recorded on June 18, 2025, for Read and Write with Natasha. Subscribe for more writerly insights!
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