Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books: An Interview with Zibby Owens

Zibby Owens is a writer, author and podcast host. She started her award-winning podcast Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books to share her interest in books with people like her. She has interviewed many well known authors, making her show a top literary podcast. Today, we talk to her about her passion for books, her podcast, tips to increase productivity and how she uses Mailbutler for email planning.

Zibby, it’s great having you here today!  We’re looking forward to learning more about you and your daily work. Let’s start with some easy questions. Would you fill in the blanks for us, please?

The first thing I do in the morning before I start working is…  

... take my dog out and hug my kids! 

The best thing about my job is…

... the amazing people I get to meet every day. 

If I wasn’t a writer, I would probably have become… 

... a psychologist.

The most flattering thing a reader has ever said to me was…

... that I make them feel less alone. 

What I like the most about working in New York is…

... the energy. 

It's a pleasure to interview you and get to know more about your job. You're a writer and also the host of a literature podcast. How did your passion for books and literature start?

With Charlotte’s Web and realizing that books had the power to make me really feel and cry.

What inspired you to start your podcast Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books?

An author friend, Sarah Mlynowski, suggested I start one! I’d been considering trying to sell a book of essays and she said, “You should really start a podcast.” I was like, “What’s a podcast?”

You were named “NYC’s Most Powerful Book-fluencer” by New York magazine Vulture. What's the key to your success?

Oh boy. I don’t try to be anything other than myself. I just speak from the heart. And I’m not afraid to try things and then regroup if it fails. And I do everything pretty quickly!

You work to connect readers and writers, but with the pandemic, this has become more difficult. You solved this by creating a virtual book club. Can you tell us more about that?

Yes! My virtual book club meets every other Tuesday from 2 pm - 3 pm EST and for the second half an hour, the author joins for author Q&A! Anna Quindlen and Anne Lamott are coming up!

What’s the best advice you could give to other women and mothers who want to start their own professional projects (have their own podcast, write a book, start their own business, etc.)  but don’t think they'll find the time for it?

There really isn’t the time for it. They have to just carve it out at odd times throughout the day. It won’t necessarily look like they think it will. And start small! I started with one 30-minute episode a week. Do you have 30 minutes? Most people can find that.

You host two podcasts, you are an editor and a writer. Time management is something you have surely mastered by now! What's your advice to increase productivity?

Don’t wait. As soon as something comes in, do it. I feel like I’m at the net in tennis with my racket up, ready for whatever comes my way.

I’m sure you receive a lot of emails from authors, fans, brands, and publishing companies. How do you organize communication with them? How does Mailbutler help you with that?

I use tons of folders. Mailbutler helps when I’m busy on the weekends replying to emails late at night, early in the morning, even in the middle of the night, and don’t want people to know how crazy my work habits are!

Which Mailbutler features do you use the most?

The timed email response (Send Later). Love that!