But first, I had to overcome a serious bout of Impostor Syndrome.

Share

I have worked thirty years in the medical device industry as a biomedical engineer. In that job, going to work-related conferences was the norm. I wore my name tag with pride and kept my LinkedIn information handy.

But now, I was going in as a debut author, a newbie really, to a book conference with established writers and authors. I was intimidated, but I thought of my kids and their sports journey and how the coaches would push them to be uncomfortable in practice and games to improve. If my kids could handle being uncomfortable, I could too.

The night before the conference, I created a name tag with two QR codes: one with my LinkedIn information and one linking to my upcoming novel, LEAF, releasing with Manhattan Book Group. At the conference the next day, other writers noticed my name tag and said it was very techy. My name tag did the trick. It was a conversation starter.

I sat in seminars and opened up about my craft of writing and my current situation with my novels. I learned everyone has their own backstories. They had day jobs that paid the bills while they also had visions of their writing going somewhere, and some had succeeded. They also used similar terms I heard while I went through the process at book inc and Project Write Now. From crafting a novel with Save the Cat models to developing tension and what is at stake, or developing a secondary character, to hearing people describe the frustration of getting an agent and hitting that 100-query mark of gatekeepers denying them. In the end, we may have had different journeys, but each journey involved similar aspects of writing, revising, and publishing.

Then I heard success stories. Riley Scott, the keynote author speaker, shared his story of 111 queries before landing an agent, at a point when he no longer believed it would happen. I also heard from author Eva Lesko Natiello, who spoke on the self-publishing panel about taking that route to selling over 200K copies of The Memory Box and landing on The New York Times bestseller list.

Hearing their stories of publishing struggles and success made me realize I am part of the writing community, and that I can speak to others about their struggles and this book-publishing industry. I got comfortable in what felt like a very uncomfortable situation for me, letting my years of real-life experience carry me from a spark to seeing one of my novels get hybrid published.

It was refreshing to be asked about my process by new writers who had just started with a spark and were joining the event to get a feel for whether their hopes and dreams were possible. I was honored that even one person wanted me to take a picture with him, as he said, “You did it, you’re going to be one day on that stage, I better get a picture before you become something.” Sure, we both got a laugh, but it reinforced that you’ve got to try, as you never know what is possible. You don’t know if you don’t try the uncomfortable. Your body can push beyond the uncomfortable moments to be extraordinary. Lastly, I learned about networking in this special book community, and I saw how conversations can lead to other connections that further stamp your novel into this world.

So, goodbye to imposter syndrome. I gained confidence as a writer/author through this wonderful experience and look forward to my next book conference.

About the Author

Jamie Yieh’s debut novel LEAF publishes in 2026 under Manhattan Book Group. A first-generation child of immigrant parents with 20+ years in medical devices, Jamie writes fiction exploring immigration’s effects on multi-generational families, woven with medical device innovation. He is currently revising his second novel, C^2. Jamie holds a BS in Biomedical Engineering from Boston University and an MBA from Rutgers. He lives in New Jersey with his family, where he enjoys tennis, travel, and his children’s activities.

About book inc

book inc is a writing collective dedicated to helping writers draft, revise, and publish memoirs and novels. Our book incubators and revision workshops help writers realize their artistic and commercial potential.

Your column arrived at just the right time. My first book was recently accepted for publication—thanks in part to book inc and Project Write Now’s excellent classes—and I’m unsure how to describe its genre. At first, I told the publisher it was creative nonfiction. Then I reconsidered and called it autofiction, or autobiographical fiction. Now I’m wondering whether “fiction based on life experience” is more accurate. I’m not sure how the book will ultimately be categorized, and as a new writer, I’m hesitant to keep asking the publisher questions that might reveal my uncertainty. Still, I don’t know what to call it.

The project began as a memoir. It was long, but the section I found most compelling focused on my decade as an exhibition designer at The New York Public Library in the 1980s and 1990s. In memoir form, though, the story felt weighed down by facts. Rewriting it as fiction gave me more freedom, while still allowing me to stay true to the exhibitions and the behind-the-scenes situations surrounding them. I kept many of the real staff members, though I changed their names, and I allowed myself more flexibility with the timeline. In the end, the fictional version felt closer to the emotional truth of the experience.

Even so, I still stumble when asked about the genre. Do you have any suggestions?

Signed,

Genre Challenged

Share

Dear Genre Challenged,

Congratulations on your upcoming publication!

While reading about your book, I couldn’t help but think of All the Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley as a basis for comparison. The author, a former guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, weaves a decade of work experience and art history into his story of love and loss.

I would imagine the author faced some of the same struggles you did in writing about your time with the library – or maybe that any writer faces: so many facts and people and chronology…what to keep, what to weed out. When I look up his book, I find it tagged under a number of categories, such as “Adult Nonfiction, Biography, Autobiography, Personal Memoir.”

Those categories are relevant, but I’m not sure they point to a clear genre. Maybe the real reason genre is so important is marketing: to direct potential readers to the place they want to go. For that reason, I suspect your publicist has already arrived at a genre, but it’s an interesting question, so let’s do a deeper dive.

You are clear about fictionalizing your story, so there’s no mistaking it for a memoir at least. The bending of facts disqualifies it for the creative nonfiction category, too. The rest of the debate seems a bit semantical to me. I think it clearly falls into autofiction (autobiographical fiction), which seems like a more succinct way of saying “fiction based on life experience.” I suppose you might be wrestling with the genre because you (and only you) know how much of the book is fact and how much is fiction. That balance seems like the crux of the question. It’s safe to say that most fiction is either based on or has aspects of an author’s lived experience; yet, you set out to write a memoir first, so perhaps the ratio of fact to fiction puts it firmly in the autofiction camp.

But alas, autofiction is not an official genre. Who knew?

According to Brooke Warner’s post in Publisher’s Weekly, the term autofiction might be a helpful descriptor, but it “is not and has never been a genre.” She offers the Book Industry Study Group as a good place to seek guidance, so you may want to visit the BISAC website. Perhaps your book might be classified generally as fiction…although that doesn’t seem to do it justice.

Maybe there’s a compromise: for conversation with others, feel free to label your book whatever you want and let the publisher figure out which official genre it officially belongs to.

And remember, readers don’t necessarily care about genre once we’re hooked. For example, I’m late to the Ocean Vuong party and just started reading On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, a poetry-memoir hybrid. It is so engrossing and beautifully written I could give a hoot what genre it falls into.

Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful, Genre Challenged, but I think your question highlights a modern conundrum of trying to fit an ever-changing landscape of written expression into the confines of a one-size fits all genre.

However your book gets classified, I look forward to reading it! Thanks for the shout-out to Project Write Now’s writing classes and programs. Please keep us updated with release dates and purchase options for your upcoming book.

Do you have a writing-related dilemma? Send your questions to asktina@projectwritenow.org. Selected questions will be featured in upcoming columns, and Tina will ensure her answers offer valuable insights for writers facing similar challenges.

About the Author

Tina Goodyear is a board member of Project Write Now and a book inc Peer Artist Leader. She recently completed a draft of her memoir, FROM THE NECK DOWN. When not writing or teaching the art of writing, she helps adult students earn college credit for their work and life experiences.

About book inc

book inc is a writing collective dedicated to helping writers draft, revise, and publish memoirs and novels. Our book incubators and revision workshops help writers realize their artistic and commercial potential.

In our book inc Memoir Incubator messaging channel, one of my classmates mentioned that she was in a slump. She was feeling that her memoir writing “had no flair.” I would be lying if I said that I haven’t felt like that at multiple points this year, and I am sure there are similar moments in my future. For my classmate, the only thing that got her out of her slump was reading East of Eden by John Steinbeck, and after that, her writing felt a bit more alive.

Share

Many researchers have studied the reading-writing connection. Does reading actually have a positive effect on our ability to write, or is it the placebo effect? How can one piece inspire us so much that the fog in our brains is miraculously lifted, and we suddenly feel like we can write again?

For some of us, it’s structural: we notice writing styles that move us and recognize sections of work that we admire, which encourages us to sit down and test it out. Some of us even analyze structure while we read, preferring a different format or way of addressing the audience.

But reading also feeds our subconscious. When we read, our brain is making connections that we may not even notice. This is called implicit learning, where we subconsciously link past experiences to what we read. In fact, studies have demonstrated that reading a novel significantly increases the communication, or connectivity, between brain regions while in a resting state (Berns et al., 2013). You aren’t imagining that your brain works better when you read more often; it really does!

This research may help explain why many writers find it helpful to read the genre they are writing. I have been partaking in this method, and lately, since I am in the process of writing a memoir about grief and trauma, I have read the following to enhance my writing skills and experience. I have mentioned many of the below in previous journals, but I wanted to include a comprehensive list here with how they have helped me in my writing. I hope you enjoy!

Memoirs

• The Year Of Magical Thinking, Joan Didion

  • Tone: This is my favorite memoir of all time. I never felt that someone could accurately describe what it felt like to be in a fog of grief until I read this book. She writes in a calm and composed tone, although the reader can tell that her life is falling apart. I realized that the tone of this book was what I wanted to achieve in my memoir.

• Know My Name, Chanel Miller

  • Importance of small moments: Although this memoir does not revolve around the same trauma I endured, I still learned a great deal from this book. Miller laid out a clear timeline for the reader, and I was never confused about when something was occurring. She demonstrated the emotional toll that her trauma had on her by emphasizing small, quiet moments that she endured. This inspired me to make use of scenes that could easily be skipped over, but can actually be used to show more about the author’s experience.

• Angela’s Ashes, Frank McCourt

  • Naive narrator: This memoir changed the way I think about the author’s point of view. At first, I thought that I would look back at childhood memories and include information that I have gathered up until now. However, McCourt tells his story from a child’s perspective, paying close attention to what he would have known or understood at the time. This caused me to empathize with him even more, and inspired me to rewrite some of my childhood memories.

• Everything I Know About Love, Dolly Alderton

  • Memoir topics: I thought about this book for months after I read it. Alderton demonstrated new ways to portray platonic and romantic relationships, and encouraged me to write about important friendships in my life. She was not afraid of the audience viewing her as flawed, which makes the reader trust her. She also incorporated many different formats in her memoir, including lists, emails, and receipts.

Fiction & Historical Fiction

• Burial Rites, Hannah Kent

  • Incorporating history & a clear setting: In this book, the facts intertwined with the plot really changed the game. It made me really think about the setting of my writing, and make sure that the reader always knows where they are in space and time.

• The Nightingale, Kristin Hannah

  • Multi-point-of-view: This is one of my favorite works of historical fiction, told from the perspective of different characters. This format worked perfectly for the story, and made me ponder how I could do something similar in my work.

• The Great Alone, Kristin Hannah

  • Author writing style: Can you tell I like Kristin Hannah? Although this book was fiction, the writing style was fantastic and inspired me to do new things with my work.

These books inspire me to keep writing. Even when it feels like I have no gas left in the tank, I can sit down and try rewriting a memory from a child’s perspective like Frank McCourt, or dissect a small moment from my journey like Chanel Miller. And even if I don’t feel like writing, taking a minute to regroup and pick up a book is helping me make these connections, even if I don’t even know it yet!

About the Author

Emma Moriarty graduated from Lehigh University in May 2025 with a BS in Psychology and a minor in Creative Writing. Her work appears in Brevity Blog, HerStry literary magazine, and the 2023 & 2025 editions of Lehigh’s Amaranth Magazine. She has been awarded the 2024 & 2025 Williams Prize in Creative Writing (Non-Fiction), the 2024 Williams Prize in Creative Writing (Poetry), and the 2024 & 2025 Kachel Prize. She is the book inc Marketing & Communications Intern and writes a Substack newsletter.

About book inc

book inc is a writing collective dedicated to helping writers draft, revise, and publish memoirs and novels. Our book incubators and revision workshops help writers realize their artistic and commercial potential.

Berns, G. S., Blaine, K., Prietula, M. J., & Pye, B. E. (2013). Short-and long-term effects of a novel on connectivity in the brain. Brain connectivity, 3(6), 590-600. https://doi.org/10.1089/brain.2013.01

What I don’t love is waking up early.

Share

When my schedule allows, I do join the morning writing accountability group. Starting my day with fellow writers is a joy. But I don’t often produce quality work during these sessions. My mind isn’t awake enough, and I haven’t had a day full of experiences to inspire me.

Instead, I do my best work when I write before bed, free from the looming daily grind because I have done everything I have needed to do. Around 9 or 10 p.m., after dinner has been cleared away and I’ve done the rounds of making sure the doors are locked and all the lights have been turned off, I settle down into my office. I can hear the quiet snoring of my husband and French Bulldog in the next room (damn the people who can fall asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow!). The world outside my window is dark. I turn on the soft yellow lamp, light a candle (my current favorite is The Historical Fiction candle from Indigo), and play a musical score from a movie. My Go To’s are The English Patient, Brideshead Revisited, and You’ve Got Mail. Musical scores play a part in conveying emotional resonance in films, and that’s a helpful tool to put your own mind in an emotional state.

I sit at my desk, open a notebook, take a deep breath, and write. I write about the conversations I had that day, inspiration that sparked from movies I watched or books I read, and the world around me. The anxieties of the day filter out, and all that’s left are the quiet hum of ideas that have been brewing during daylight, only now able to be written into existence. When I type away at night, I feel like a kid again, hiding under my blanket with a flashlight to sneak in extra reading time. I’m sure my parents knew what I was doing, just as my husband does now when I steal away to scribble late into the night. It’s a secret only I think I’m getting away with, but nonetheless it feels invigorating.

Next time you set aside time to write, consider an evening session. Romanticize your writing routine! In my adolescence, I was inspired by Jo March writing late into the night in her attic in Little Women wearing her “writing cap.” Perhaps you have your own cozy items to add to your writing routine, such as a fluffy blanket, a spritz of a perfume, or a cup of your preferred tea. Set the scene, immerse yourself, and invite the muses to have a seat at your table.

Here are a few prompts that have sparked great evening pages for me:

• What does your ideal artistic or creative process look like if there were no expectations, pressures, or external opinions involved?

• What feedback about your work has stayed with you the longest?

• What moments from today do I want to remember that I hope “future me” will reread and remember?

If you are new to a nightly writing routine or already accustomed to it, I invite you to join me and other night owls next month at Project Write Now’s Evening Pages. We will meet on Zoom from 9 to 10 p.m. ET / 6 to 7 p.m. PT, Monday through Friday, for two weeks, August 10 – 21. I hope to see you there!

About the Author

Zoë A. Gulliksen is a former movie journalist from the Upper West Side of New York City and was featured in reality TV shows, including “Comic Store Heroes” for National Geographic. After graduating from Rutgers University with a BA in Creative Writing, she worked at Gotham News, The New York Public Library, MoviePass, and Midtown Comics. Zoë has interviewed filmmakers such as Steven Spielberg, Winona Ryder, and Leonardo DiCaprio. Now she is currently at work on a gaslamp fantasy novel. She lives in Asbury Park, NJ, with her husband and her French Bulldog, Bug.

About book inc

book inc is a writing collective dedicated to helping writers draft, revise, and publish memoirs and novels. Our book incubators and revision workshops help writers realize their artistic and commercial potential.

“And like, can she stop sniffing coffee?” Jen texted.

Share

I reacted with a laughing emoji, but in the spirit of solidarity, I offered some grace: “I repeat things in my memoir too. (Sober Mom, out July 21.) I’m constantly pouring a cup of coffee and gazing out the window.” Writers and coffee—it’s a thing.

Jen responded: “We all do it. In my novel, my protagonist is constantly taking deep breaths.”

Her comment sent me back to my reading past. Like most writers, I was a voracious reader as a kid. Between my early Hobbit days and my later Clan of the Cave Bear phase, I was a Danielle Steel fanatic. I was way too young for those books, but what can I say? I’m a Gen Xer—we weren’t closely supervised.

I learned a lot from Steel (one might say too much!), including the fact that if a woman were pregnant, she would faint. Because that’s how Steel signaled a character’s pregnancy.

Every. Single. Time.

And then the father-to-be (not always the husband!) would gift her a tennis bracelet. Steel led me to believe there would be a lot more tennis bracelets in my future.

Back in our text thread, Jen and I started to realize that repetition isn’t always a flaw. Sometimes it’s a feature.

“Did you ever read The Mysterious Benedict Society with your kids?” she asked. “One of the characters constantly cleans his glasses when he’s nervous.”

I hadn’t read those, but I knew exactly what she meant: “That’s like Elizabeth in Lessons in Chemistry.” In that novel, the main character always tucks a sharp pencil in her hair when she gets serious about her work. And later in the book, that same pencil becomes something the character uses to defend herself. The author turned a character tic into a plot device.

As we texted back and forth, we landed on a mini craft lesson:

Repetition is fine—if it’s intentional. If it reveals character. Cleaning your glasses when you’re anxious. Tucking a pencil in your bun before you get to work. But repetition that serves no purpose? That should be tweaked.

I do drink a lot of coffee, so those scenes in my memoir aren’t inaccurate. But I didn’t need to reach for the same gesture over and over. In hindsight, I could have varied it—wiping down the counter, sweeping the floor, folding laundry—different actions that still carry the same reflective quality without becoming a tic the reader notices.

The goal is for your character’s habits to feel lived-in, not worn out. With that, Jen and I came up with three craft tips regarding character repetition.

1. Ask what the gesture is doing. Every repeated action should earn its place. Is it revealing personality? Signaling an emotion, habit, or desire? If you can’t answer what the repetition does for the reader’s understanding of the character, it may just be an authorial habit—something you reach for when you don’t know where else to put your character’s hands.

2. Vary the container; keep the meaning. If your character always needs something to do with her hands, she doesn’t always have to reach for coffee. The underlying impulse—restlessness, comfort-seeking, the need to stay busy—can manifest in different gestures. Varying the action keeps the scene fresh while preserving the character truth underneath.

3. Read your manuscript with a highlighter. Go through a draft and mark every time a character makes the same gesture or reaches for the same object. Seeing them clustered on the page is clarifying. Some will feel earned; others will reveal themselves as defaults. That’s your revision roadmap.

The best character tics are the ones readers don’t consciously notice—until they do, and by then they’ve already fallen a little in love. The glasses-cleaning, the pencil in the bun, the deep breath before the hard conversation. These are the gestures that make a character feel like someone you know.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to pour myself a cup of coffee and gaze out the window.

About the Writers

Jennifer Gallo Gaites is a writing instructor at Project Write Now, a nonprofit writing organization. She’s working on a novel and writes essays about identity and motherhood, with work published in Riverteeth's “Beautiful Things,” WOW Women on Writing, Hippocampus, and Literary Mama. Her Substack, Mast Years, explores the shifting terrain of raising kids through changing seasons of life.

Elizabeth Jannuzzi is the author of Sober Mom: A Memoir (July 2026). Her work explores themes of loss, motherhood, and recovery from alcoholism, and has appeared in HuffPost, Under the Gum Tree, The Rumpus, Memoir Monday, WOW! Women On Writing, The Brevity Blog, and more. Elizabeth earned a Best of the Net nomination in 2023. She is the program director at Project Write Now, a nonprofit writing organization. She resides in New Jersey and engages with her audience through a weekly Substack newsletter.

About book inc

book inc is a writing collective dedicated to helping writers draft, revise, and publish memoirs and novels. Our book incubators and revision workshops help writers realize their artistic and commercial potential.

I exhaled in relief at his words, as even the most confident among us did while workshopping our pieces in McDevitt’s Personal Essay class.

Then I heard the rest of the feedback.

“. . . but the story and timeline are confusing,” Mark continued.

Share

The all-too-familiar and seemingly contradictory feedback (which I’d already heard from readers in the Memoir Incubator) stung and triggered that looming sense I carry that maybe I can’t write this book after all.

My memoir’s intergenerational timeline and back-and-forth between countries, families, languages, and social classes can get unwieldy. The impacts and insights gleaned from living between so many worlds are the story, or at least a key part of it, but it can be challenging to retell in an artful manner. And even harder to read.

So much so that, in my doubt spiral, I nearly glossed over Mark’s initial compliment.

Wrestling my multi-country, multi-generational, annoying-as-hell-to-write story into something readable has made me, according to him and my workshop peers, a “clear and believable” writer.

Because of the challenging story, not in spite of it, I am now more skilled at communicating timeline, place, and movement. Not perfectly yet, but with real skill that can only grow if I continue to pour myself into it.

“Clarity is the baseline of good writing,” my partner reminded me when I recounted the feedback, “it’s worth noting.”

Becoming a clear writer may not be the most romantic part of the craft, but it is essential and will serve me well as I revise my manuscript. Clarity might even be part of my writing voice, and this compliment is tangible progress I can celebrate and double down on as I improve my craft.

As I processed this with Liz Jannuzzi, Project Write Now’s Program Director, she advised me to start keeping a list of such positive feedback and to refer back to it whenever I need a boost. I would also now advise any workshopping writer to try journaling about the feedback they receive to ensure they are not letting the critique eat the compliment. Who knows? It might even lead to a piece of writing like this one.

Holding on to the compliments may be just as important as accepting constructive criticism. And just as challenging. It requires confidence, gratitude, and the humility to listen to your readers, even when they have good things to say.

Ready to Write Your Own Family Story?

This fall, Michele’s teaching two family history courses that dig into the same questions of memory, voice, and belonging she writes about above.

Writing Family Histories An in-person, six-week memoir class at PWN’s Maple Ave office in Red Bank, exploring the family stories, cultural memory, and lived experience that shape who we are. Wednesdays, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. ET, September 16 through October 28 (no class October 21).

Historias de Familia A Spanish-language version of the course, held virtually over Zoom. Mondays, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. PT, September 14 through October 19.

Register Now

About the Author

Michele Cantos Garcia is a writer and editor whose work has appeared in Hispanic Executive, Next Gen Collective, and The Brevity Blog. She has profiled former US VP Kamala Harris and other leading figures in business, politics, and culture. Michele is currently revising a memoir manuscript, drafting a novel, and teaching at Project Write Now and book inc. Michele is teaching two classes for PWN Writers in the fall. Register at PWN’s course catalog.

About book inc

book inc is a writing collective dedicated to helping writers draft, revise, and publish memoirs and novels. Our book incubators and revision workshops help writers realize their artistic and commercial potential.

I write a weekly Substack, and right now I’m promoting my forthcoming book. Pretty often, a friend or colleague will send me a private email or text about something in my newsletter that touched them. I’m genuinely grateful for these notes. They keep me writing.

Here’s my dilemma. Those same kind words would help me so much more if they landed publicly. A like, a comment, a restack, a quick review. Engagement feeds the algorithm, builds visibility, and signals to strangers that the work is worth their time. A private text, lovely as it is, does none of that.

So how do I ask the people who already love what I do to show it where it counts, without sounding ungrateful for the gesture they already made or like I’m running a one-woman pledge drive? I don’t want to turn every heartfelt message into a transaction. But I also can’t pretend the public support wouldn’t make a real difference, especially with a book on the way.

How do I make the ask without making it weird?

Signed, Grateful but Greedy for Engagement

Dear Grateful,

Congratulations on your book! I’ll assume it took quite a bit of grit, determination and self-promotion to get it into the hands of a publisher. Those same traits apply to this situation, too.

I have this theory that if we hang around with people who have a trait we admire but don’t possess, that trait will magically rub off on us. So is the case with one of my dear friends. Among her many admirable traits, her consistent ability to be direct in her communication fascinates me. There is no “I hate to ask this” or “it may be silly but” prefacing her sentences. I try hard to emulate her and find that directness always wins. Not only will you feel better by being direct, but the recipient also will, because there is no innuendo to dance around.

So, I will pass this trait along to you: just ask them! I would like to think most people WANT to be helpful to you. By asking them to make their comments public, you may find they are quite happy to have a concrete way to support you. If they are uncomfortable doing so—and that is valid in an age where online comments are often met with vitriol—then that is their job to tell you (or just not do it). If you don’t ask, how will they know?

Remember, while you are becoming well-schooled in the social media promotion business of writing, your readers, friends, supporters may not be—especially if they are … ahem … of a certain age. By letting them know how much you value online comments and sharing, you are helping them navigate the digital age.

And speaking of comments that may be met with vitriol, here goes: try to think like a man. The fear of coming across as “greedy” or a “one-woman pledge drive” may be a conditioned response to socialization as a woman. There, I said it, sexist as it may be. Based on my 59 years of completely unscientific and highly selective, anecdotal evidence, I’d say more men than women feel comfortable with self-promotion. If not, maybe they are better at acting “as if.”

Lastly, I have a ceramic sign hanging on my wall that sums it up. It reads: Desire, Ask, Believe, Receive. I love it so much, I might run back into the house to save it during a fire. I suspect you’ve lived by that credo, and it has obviously panned out for you. Keep at it, especially the “ask” part! You are already living proof that it works.

Do you have a writing-related dilemma? Send your questions to asktina@projectwritenow.org. Selected questions will be featured in upcoming columns, and Tina will ensure her answers offer valuable insights for writers facing similar challenges.

About the Author

Tina Goodyear is a board member of Project Write Now and a book inc Peer Artist Leader. She recently completed a draft of her memoir, FROM THE NECK DOWN. When not writing or teaching the art of writing, she helps adult students earn college credit for their work and life experiences.

About book inc

book inc is a writing collective dedicated to helping writers draft, revise, and publish memoirs and novels. Our book incubators and revision workshops help writers realize their artistic and commercial potential.

Then, somewhere during the last days of school, teachers would hand out a summer reading list (before the internet, of course).

I usually received this list with dread. The required reading selection always felt a little dismal–books I’d have never picked up by choice. Animal Farm, A Separate Peace, 1984, The Sound and the Fury. To be fair, I didn’t hate all of them. But I never went into the reading with much enthusiasm. I bristled at books being chosen for me, and waited until the end of August to start (then immediately regretted that choice).

Fast forward a few decades and, to be honest, I still don’t love being told what to read. However, now, when I hear the words "summer reading," I think of one of the great joys of the season—choosing books to bring on vacation, to the pool, or into the backyard on warm nights. For me, summer reading selections meet a specific mix of needs: good writing, a compelling story, well-developed characters. I want strong forward movement. A page-turner. A little romance is a bonus.

And this year, browsing the shelves at my local bookstore, there is no shortage of books I am excited to pick up. There are a few titles that I am ridiculously psyched about—authors that I’ve loved in the past with new books out. There are a few that I keep hearing about and am eager to read. And a few that I’ve already read, loved, and recommend.

Here’s the deal: I won’t tell you what to read if you don’t tell me, because nothing kills a summer vibe faster than an obligatory assignment. But, with the giddiness of a kid about to start summer vacation, I will gladly tell you what I hope to read this summer (or recommend).

Share

If you read and loved The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (which I hope you did), then try:

• Buckeye by Patrick Ryan: beautiful, intricate, juicy story that spans several generations.

• Things We Never Say is Elizabeth Strout at the top of her game; I’d love a poolside discussion about this book. Seriously, if you see me, come sit down so we can discuss.

• And if you liked any of these, try Beyond That, The Sea by Laura Spence-Ash. It’s not new, but it was recommended to me years ago by a friend, and I’ve yet to meet someone who doesn’t love it.

Authors I’ve loved in the past who have new books out:

• Land: I gasped when I saw that Maggie O’Farrell has a new book out. Cannot wait.

• I also gasped when I saw Go Gentle by Maria Semple, because Where’d You Go, Bernadette is one of my faves.

• Did you like the funny and charming (and Pulitzer-winning!) Less? Andrew Sean Greer’s new book Villa Coco looks perfect for a summer getaway.

New-to-me books or authors that I’m excited to dive into:

• Canon by Paige Lewis is not my normal kind of read, but if John Green recommends it, I’m in. A few years ago, he recommended Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow (another that I wouldn’t have picked up on my own) and, oof, it was spectacular.

• I recently attended an author talk with Courtney Maum, and if her new book, Alan Opts Out, is as charming and funny as she is, it’s going to be a perfect summer read.

• Take What You Can by Naima Coster: a story of long-term friendship? Yessss. Wholeheartedly in.

• Can you imagine a more perfect summer reading book cover than this one? Pool House by Mary H.K. Choi looks beautiful (Yes, I judge books by their cover. You do too.) and it sounds delicious.

What I want to listen to:

• Summer is a great time for long walks, and what better walking partner than David Sedaris? His new book, The Land and Its People, is definitely on my must-listen list. I love his voice on the page and in real-life.

How about you? What’s on your summer reading list?

About the Author

Jennifer Gallo Gaites is a writing instructor at Project Write Now, a nonprofit writing organization. She is working on a novel and writes essays about identity and motherhood. Her work has been published in Riverteeth’s “Beautiful Things,” WOW Women on Writing, Hippocampus, and Literary Mama. When she’s not reading or writing, she’s either asking her college-aged kids too many questions or trying to understand her middle-schooler’s obsession with YouTube.

About book inc

book inc is a writing collective dedicated to helping writers draft, revise, and publish memoirs and novels. Our book incubators and revision workshops help writers realize their artistic and commercial potential.

“Too Young to Write a Memoir?”

by Emma Moriarty

Published in the Brevity Blog on June 17

As a 23-year-old writer, there have certainly been times when I have doubted my place in the memoir space. I had been juggling my fear of being “too young” before enrolling in Memoir Incubator, so this comment from the silver-haired lady hit a nerve. Maybe I AM too young to write a memoir? Will people just think I am young and naive? Will readers overlook my book as soon as they flip to the back and learn how old I am?

READ MORE

About the Author

Emma Moriarty is a recent Lehigh University graduate and award-winning writer from Shrewsbury, NJ, who works as a book inc intern while pursuing her passion for creative nonfiction.

About book inc

book inc is a writing collective dedicated to helping writers draft, revise, and publish memoirs and novels. Our book incubators and revision workshops help writers realize their artistic and commercial potential.

The book has been called “extraordinary and extraordinarily courageous” by Deesha Philyaw and “one of the most beautiful and engaging books I’ve read in a long time” by National Book Award winner Jacqueline Woodson.

Subscribe to receive weekly tips on process and craft for memoir and novel writers. A paid subscription supports book inc scholarships.

On June 24, Shanda joins us at The Columbus Club in Fair Haven for an intimate evening of reading, conversation, and community. (Learn more here.) Ahead of that night, we sat down with her to talk about form, grief, permission, and what it means to finally tell the story you’ve been carrying for thirty years.

A conversation with Shanda McManus, author of Brother Epistles: A Sister’s Memoir

book inc: Brother Epistles is structured as a series of letters to your brother Monir. When did you know that the epistolary form was the right container for this story—and was there a moment when you almost chose something else?

SHANDA: When I started what would become Brother Epistles, I was just writing my brother. I wanted so badly to talk with him after I drafted my first manuscript about our shared and chaotic childhood. The form found the material. Letters created an intimate, vulnerable space that was liminal, meaning it crossed time, memory, and death. There was never a moment I considered anything else.

book inc: Deesha Philyaw describes Brother Epistles as “leavened with humor, family love, and unconquerable Black joy.” How did you hold joy and grief on the same page?

SHANDA: I think when you revisit people in an honest and open way, many feelings exist in the same space. For me, once I was able to sit and feel the grief, it opened up a portal to the joy and love I had for my brother that had been blocked out by his murder.

book inc: What is one thing you know now—about writing, about memory, about yourself—that you didn’t know when you started Brother Epistles?

SHANDA: I think the biggest revelation or epiphany was the hidden forces that funnel so many young Black murder toward urban gun violence became clear. Before this book, my scope had been limited to the individual choices, but that has very little to do with the homicide epidemic in young Black men.

book inc: What do you hope readers—and writers—carry with them after reading Brother Epistles?

SHANDA: I hope that readers will see the humanity of my brother and our family. I want them to feel something when they read my book because I believe if people feel they can be move to act. I hope writers are empowered and encouraged to tell hard stories because they are the ones that matter the most.

book inc Project Write Now and book inc have been part of so many writers’ paths to publication. What role did this community play in your journey with Brother Epistles—and what does it mean to be bringing this book home to Fair Haven?

SHANDA: Even though I have lived in Fair Haven/Monmouth County for almost twenty years, Philly will always be home. But this community has been fundamental to my development as an artist. I took an essay class with Project Write Now in 2018. I was supported by the welcoming community. I benefited from top-notch teachers who instructed and made me feel safe enough to venture into the world of creativity. I would not have a book today if I had not been a part of the book inc’s Incubator. It was there that I drafted and revised Brother Epistles and had my first enthusiastic readers that kept me going.

Thank you, Shanda, for sharing your insights with us. We are honored to have played a part in the birth of this extraordinary book, and we can’t wait to celebrate it with you. If you’re in the Monmouth County area, we hope you’ll join us for this special evening of reading, conversation, and community on June 24 at The Columbus Club in Fair Haven. Reserve your spot here.Not in the area? Pick up your copy of “Brother Epistles” here.

About book inc

book inc is a writing collective dedicated to helping writers draft, revise, and publish memoirs and novels. Our book incubators and revision workshops help writers realize their artistic and commercial potential.

I have been contemplating enrolling in an MFA program but have heard such mixed reviews. I want to further my writing career, but I worry about the time and expense. Are MFA programs really worth it?

Signed,

Tentative

Share book inc Journal

Dear Tentative,

Like most answers to life’s important questions, this one can only be answered one way: it depends.

I see three compelling reasons that top the “yes, it’s worth it” column: an MFA offers community, motivation, and industry connections. You will be guided and mentored by published authors and be offered some insider access to agents and publishers. More importantly, an MFA is a practice-based degree; therefore, you will be part of a writing community and commit to a daily writing habit fueled by deadlines and requirements. For many writers, this dedicated practice proves the “action begets motivation” theory. If you’ve been dawdling around your desk pretending to write, an MFA program will get your pen or keyboard hopping.

Moreover, if you want to teach at the college/university level, an MFA is considered to be a terminal degree, meaning it qualifies you to serve as an adjunct instructor or tenure-track faculty member sans a PhD. While you may have no interest in teaching right now, it can augment a writing career and is a sure-fire way to improve your own craft. (Trust me, when you have to face a room full of people who think you’re an expert, you tend to step up your game).

Remember, though, while an MFA may be a requirement to teach, it is not a requirement for becoming a published author, nor is it a guarantee of future publication.

Which leads to the no less significant “it-might-not-be-worth-it” column: an MFA costs a lot of money without any assurance of a financial return on investment. Unless you happen to be accepted into a fully funded program, you will likely have to take out student loans. When you graduate, well, it ain’t medical or law school, that’s for sure. Still, not all ROI has to be financial, right? Any degree is ultimately an investment in yourself, in your craft and in your future.

Besides cost, the most common lament I’ve heard from MFA graduates is that they did not receive constructive feedback, and/or the feedback via workshopping sessions was pointed and slanted toward other writers’ stylistic vibes. In short, they feel like they paid a lot of money to hear biased opinions and then walked away disappointed.

To be fair, I’ve heard similar complaints from graduate degree holders in other fields. Perhaps we tend to start any educational program filled with optimism and high expectations. The journey can be much more fun than the destination. Once we see how the sausage is really made, the letdown can be real. We may leave a master’s degree program feeling a lack of mastery over anything and may only realize the full value of the program after our framed diploma has gathered a good layer of dust.

Overall, it’s a tough decision, Tentative; I know, because I’ve been tossing it around for…oh, just about 35 years myself. As you decide, consider some lower-cost alternatives to the MFA. Though they don’t lead to a degree, such programs may either whet or satiate your appetite for an MFA entirely.

For example, a few years ago I participated in one of Project Write Now’s year-long Memoir and Novel incubators offered through its book inc program. I served as a Peer Artist Leader and joined fellow writers—beginners and veterans alike—via bimonthly Zoom sessions to discuss craft and process. Through a supportive community, achievable word count deadlines, and structured reading rounds, we each completed a 50,000-word manuscript in less than a year! book inc also offers a six-month Book Revision Lab and a Book Submission Bootcamp for those who want to continue the process.

At the end of such a program, you will have a solid first draft and a well-connected writing community for support. You’ll also either have ample material to submit with your MFA application or the motivation to bypass the MFA altogether. There are many Project Write Now writers who have done just that, with and without an MFA. Read some recent success stories here.

Finally, here are some resources to help guide your decision-making process. Best wishes to you and Happy Writing!

• The Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) Guide to Academic Writing Programs

• Poets & Writers How to Pick an MFA Program and MFA Database

• ProFellow’s list of Fully Funded MFA Programs

Do you have a writing-related dilemma? Send your questions to asktina@projectwritenow.org. Selected questions will be featured in upcoming columns, and Tina will ensure her answers offer valuable insights for writers facing similar challenges.

About Tina

Tina Goodyear is a board member of Project Write Now and a book inc Peer Artist Leader. She recently completed a draft of her memoir, FROM THE NECK DOWN. When not writing or teaching the art of writing, she helps adult students earn college credit for their work and life experiences.

About book inc

book inc is a writing collective dedicated to helping writers draft, revise, and publish memoirs and novels. Our book incubators and revision workshops help writers realize their artistic and commercial potential.

My chest heaved, and my calves burned as I trudged up a rocky slope in the Wind River Mountain Range, the wind cool against my skin. I was the “designated leader,” or DL, on a day of hiking during my first semester at Lehigh University. My group of seven hikers followed close behind me. Being the leader was exciting, and I felt confident I was doing a good job, constantly checking if the pace was okay and overexplaining the route.

Share

Peer review was part of this program, and I was excited to see what my companions would say. After a long day of hiking, we gathered around to discuss my skills. Typically, people said things like “I have no comments. You did great.” A few people murmured similar comments about me, and I thanked them. Suddenly, Redfern, the class comedian with long red hair and fair skin, said with a nonchalant shrug, “I just don’t think you have the qualities that make a good leader.”

The air was knocked out of my lungs. What do you mean, I just don’t have the right qualities? When Redfern was further probed by our instructors, he could not identify any exact qualities. He just had a “sense” about me.

This is what I would call terrible feedback, and only partly because I was extremely offended by this comment. (It was hard not to take it personally.) This was terrible feedback because Redfern provided no tangible way for me to improve based on his criticism. Clearly, this was more a dig at my character than my skills. It hurt my feelings because it was unfounded–and when asked for proof, Redfern couldn’t provide any.

Constructive Criticism In Writing

In my writing, I have received feedback that has really helped me, and feedback that has not helped me in the slightest. Of course, receiving positive feedback from strong writers is always appreciated, because it can help the author see where things are coming together. But feedback with only positive comments isn’t the full picture. What I find most helpful is a mix of constructive feedback and encouragement.

When it comes to giving constructive criticism, the book inc’s Memoir Incubator offers specific guidelines for providing feedback during its Reading Rounds. (Reading Rounds occur in the fall when writers have completed a first draft of their manuscript and are ready to exchange drafts with their podmates for feedback.) The guidelines clearly say to “be mindful and avoid negative remarks,” and remind everyone to convey comments in a “sensitive way.” To follow these guidelines, I think a good ol’ compliment sandwich comes in handy. For example, when giving a hike’s DL feedback, helpful feedback could consist of:

Bread (positive): You consistently asked us how the pace was while hiking, which was helpful!

Peanut Butter & Jelly (what you are trying to get at because it’s the most important part): In the future, it would be appreciated if you could let us know when we are approaching an elevation gain, so we can prepare.

Bread (positive): Other than that, you were a confident leader, and I felt safe hiking with your group!

In writing, this could include the following:

Bread (positive): I think that this memory is a really strong part of your essay and is important to what you are trying to get across here.

Peanut Butter & Jelly (what you are trying to get at because it’s the most important part): I think it could be beneficial to use more sensory details so that the reader can stay here a beat longer and soak up the moment …

Bread (positive): so that it comes together as a key point in your story! Can’t wait to hear more about this experience!

Even harsher edits can be utilized in the complement sandwich:

Bread (positive): This memory is really interesting and includes many details that draw the reader in.

Peanut Butter & Jelly (what you are trying to get at because it’s the most important part): I think the timeline of this paragraph may confuse the reader because it jumps around in time. It could be helpful to rearrange this section chronologically, or if not, to include more details about the time and place so the reader can follow along!

Bread (positive): All in all, these are great memories and I think they really add to the essay! Great stuff!

It is important to remember that these edits are what you think, not an absolute fact. The Incubator’s Reading Round guidelines state that you should make it “clear they are not recommendations, but just possibilities” that the writer can take into consideration. But know that if your reader took the time to point these things out, it stuck out to them, and it may be worth playing around with!

There is a reason they call it constructive criticism. It is criticism that is helpful instead of just critical! It is crucial that constructive criticism includes suggestions for how to improve the piece, and not just negative notes.

Later this year, I will receive strength-based feedback from my Memoir Incubator podmates. I am excited to have others who understand this concept read my work. If you don’t have a supportive writing community, I encourage you to find one. (Learn more about book inc’s community!) If only Redfern had used a compliment sandwich or provided specific examples for his claim, I would have been more open to his feedback and learned something valuable about my leadership skills for future hikes!

About the Author

Emma Moriarty is a recent Lehigh University graduate and award-winning writer from Shrewsbury, NJ, who works as a book inc intern while pursuing her passion for creative nonfiction.

About book inc

book inc is a writing collective dedicated to helping writers draft, revise, and publish memoirs and novels. Our book incubators and revision workshops help writers realize their artistic and commercial potential.

“Don’t Hide Behind the Cake: Bake Your Memoir With Real Ingredients”

by Elizabeth Jannuzzi

Published in the Brevity Blog on April 16

Share

“As she spoke, I nodded along. She was smart. She had long-term sobriety. Her talk felt inspirational. But I left the meeting still hungry for recovery. The cake metaphor was missing an ingredient. Or rather, the cake metaphor was a substitute for her experience. She didn’t explain what baking a cake with only sugar or flour actually looked like in her day-to-day recovery life. … That’s the trap we memoir writers should avoid. A well-constructed metaphor is like decorative insight. But without the raw ingredients underneath, the insight falls flat. The reader nods, recognizes the shape of the thing, and walks away empty.”

READ MORE

About the Author

Elizabeth Jannuzzi’s debut memoir, SOBER MOM, will be published by She Writes Press in July 2026. Her work explores themes of loss, motherhood, and recovery from alcoholism. Her essays have been featured in HuffPost, Under the Gum Tree, The Rumpus, and more. Elizabeth earned a Best of the Net nomination in 2023. She is the program director at Project Write Now, a nonprofit writing organization. She engages with her audience through a weekly Substack newsletter.

About book inc

book inc is a writing collective dedicated to helping writers draft, revise, and publish memoirs and novels. Our book incubators and revision workshops help writers realize their artistic and commercial potential.

But first—what exactly is a Peer Artist Leader?

Peer Artist Leaders (PALs) are experienced writers who co-facilitate book inc’s programs. They work on their own book projects alongside participants, creating a supportive, collaborative environment where writers at every stage of their journey can do their best work.

Olivia Kenney is a book inc writer and novelist whose short fiction explores courage in the face of change. Kaecey McCormick is a Bay Area writer, past Cupertino Poet Laureate, and author of two chapbooks whose work spans poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction.

We sat down with Olivia and Kaecey to talk revision, reading habits, getting unstuck, and what they’re most looking forward to bringing to this next cohort of book writers.

Share

book inc: How did each of your journeys into writing begin, and where have they taken you today?

Olivia: I’ve kept a journal since I was a little kid, and come from a family of writers, so I’ve always had an interest. But in school and work, I pursued something else entirely (public health research). In 2023, I decided to invest time and energy in writing as a hobby, and I joined book inc’s Novel Incubator program. Through book inc, I completed my first novel and met a wonderful cohort of other writers who showed me that there are many ways to make space for writing in your life. I’ve since taken classes with book inc and other writing programs, and even attended a fiction writing conference in Italy a few years ago.

Kaecey: I started telling stories before I could actually write them down, so storytelling has always been part of my life. But for a long time, I didn’t really believe creative writing was something I could seriously pursue. I worked in content and marketing writing, but even then, I kept finding my way to journaling, poetry, and short fiction. Eventually, I decided to dive in. In 2016, I earned my MFA in writing, and since then, I’ve focused on building a sustainable writing practice. Over the years, I’ve published regularly, won a few awards, attended residencies, and served as poet laureate in my city.

With four daughters, short forms fit more naturally into my life. But finishing a novel was always a dream, and in 2025, I joined book inc’s Novel Incubator. The structure, accountability, and community helped me complete a full draft of my first novel.

book inc: You’ve both worked across different forms—Kaecey, you’ve written poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, and Olivia, you’ve written short stories, and now you’re deep into novel writing. How has working in multiple forms shaped the way you approach a longer project like a novel?

Olivia: I love this question! I wrote about a dozen or so short stories as an adult before attempting a novel. I can be a little pedantic, and writing short stories helped me learn to trust the reader. Readers are so smart and curious. For me, writing short stories has been a great way to practice avoiding things like spoonfeeding information or hiding the ball in annoying ways. I’m still learning how to write in a way that readers will love, but short stories are, for me, a great testing ground for larger works, like a novel. I also use short stories as a place to test out different plot ideas before committing to a novel– my first novel was a longer version of a “cli-fi” short story I wrote in 2020 and wanted to explore in more depth.

Kaecey: I truly believe writers can learn so much by reading and writing across genres. Each one teaches a different kind of attention. Poetry has trained me to think deeply about language, image, rhythm, and white space. About what’s on the page, but also what’s left unsaid. Short fiction and flash fiction have helped me with compression, story shape, and scene. Creative nonfiction has taught me to pay attention to emotional truth, which is also essential in fiction. This has shaped the way I approach a novel because a longer project asks for all of those skills at different times. Sometimes I need poetry’s attention to language or image. Sometimes I need short fiction’s sense of momentum. Sometimes I need nonfiction’s willingness to get at the emotional center of the material. It’s also made me more willing to experiment and remember that drafts are just that: drafts. The early work is about getting the story out, discovering what’s there, and trusting that revision will help shape it.

book inc: What’s your relationship with revision? What feels tough, and what comes more naturally?

Olivia: I will admit, I am someone who naturally gravitates towards writing more than revision. The messiness of a first draft feels open and forgiving, whereas revision intimidates me a little. I have taken a couple of swings at revising my first novel, including participating in Book Revision Lab in 2024, and I found that it really helped to have a community of writers revising their work alongside me, being open about their revision wins and struggles. It also helped to have the structure of a class to follow, because I could lean on revision advice and techniques, rather than making up my own process or spinning too deep in uncertainty.

Kaecey: “It’s complicated” is probably the most honest answer I can give! I’m absolutely someone who LOVES the generative part of the process. Getting words out and onto the page is rarely the hard part for me. But revision takes a different kind of energy, especially with something as large as a full-length manuscript. What feels toughest for me is figuring out where to begin, how to approach big structural changes, and how to think about the cascading effects one change might have on the rest of the book.

What comes more naturally is the smaller, more concrete work: line edits, tightening language, fixing typos, cutting unnecessary words. I actually enjoy that stage because I can see and feel the improvement happening. The bigger challenge is staying patient with the larger, messier questions before I get to the polish. That’s where I found the structure, outside feedback, and community of Book Revision Lab to be really helpful.

book inc: Olivia, you wrote about returning to your novel with fresh eyes after stepping away for six months. Kaecey, your poetry background means you’re used to working at a very precise, compressed level. How do those experiences inform how you approach revising a novel-length work?

Olivia: I found it very refreshing to pause for a while after finishing my first novel, before I tried to revise it. It gave me some distance from the work– so much, in fact, that when I came back to reread the novel in full, there were entire sections I’d forgotten about. I found myself asking, “Did I write that?” Getting some distance from my own work actually helped me be more objective during my reread. I wasn’t so attached to every word. I was more comfortable with the idea of scrapping entire sections, or making big changes to characters, if that seemed best for the book overall. Revising a novel-length work is a big lift, in my opinion, but when I can be a little more objective about my own work, and remember that the whole novel is more than any one sentence or scene, it’s easier to make those tough revision calls.

Kaecey: Great question! I think poetry has shaped the way I revise by making me very aware of impact: where a line ends, where a silence falls, what image lingers, what gets withheld. In suspense (my genre), that kind of attention is incredibly useful. It helps me think about where to end a chapter, where to break a paragraph, when to reveal information, and when to let the reader sit in uncertainty a little longer. It’s also helped me think about revision in steps. Even with a poem, I don’t usually start at the word level. I start by asking what the poem is really about, where its energy is, and what needs to change around that. Revising a novel is similar, just on a MUCH larger and more complex scale. But the idea is the same: look at the big structural questions first, and then return to the page-level changes.

book inc: While you’re in revision mode, what do you find yourself drawn to reading, watching, or listening to — and what do you steer clear of?

Olivia: I’m a very slow reader, so this is a short but intentional list! I always try to have one novel going, during revision periods or otherwise. Reading good writing helps me feel inspired. I am hopelessly addicted to anything by Barbara Kingsolver, Margaret Atwood, and Frederick Bakman, although I’m trying to expand my palette. I also like to listen to podcasts that talk about writing craft and writing as a vocation or lifestyle. A few favorites are Writers on Writing and, recently, Brandon Sanderson’s writing lectures. I try not to consume the podcasts too quickly, though, because I know myself– listening to them on loop is a way I procrastinate when I don’t feel like revising 🙂

Kaecey: I’m a huge reader and usually read a few books a week across different genres. During revision, I never really stop reading for pleasure. But one thing I find myself steering clear of is reading too much in the exact genre of the book I’m working on. I can be hard on myself, and if I read a brilliant suspense novel while I’m deep in revision, I start comparing instead of working. So I try to give myself a little space from books that make me overly self-conscious about my own. I find it really helpful to listen to podcasts, read interviews, and engage in conversations where writers talk honestly about process. I learned that when I’m drafting, I get inspired by hearing about other people’s drafting practices, so I look for the same thing during revision. What encourages me the most is hearing how different everyone’s process is, while also noticing some common threads, things like taking separate passes for different elements, making reverse outlines, breaking the book down scene by scene. I also find myself returning to craft books on story structure, as it’s so useful during revision.

book inc: Everyone has their tricks: when you hit a wall in revision, what’s your go-to move for getting unstuck?

Olivia: When I get stuck, it’s usually because I’m thinking narrowly, trying to force one idea (plot point, character trait, etc.) to work. So it helps me to find ways to loosen up and think more broadly. Getting outside for a long walk is my go-to– I live in Colorado, so I’m super lucky with beautiful walking trails! Being in nature, spending time in the vicinity of other walkers, joggers, and bikers, and sometimes playing with my kids at the playground– all of these things help me think more broadly and can generate new ways of thinking about my writing.

Kaecey: I often hit a wall when I try to think about too much at once. With a full-length book, one change can feel like it’s going to ripple across everything, and if I start imagining every consequence before I’ve begun, I can get pretty paralyzed. When that happens, I often need to get outside and move my body. I love hiking, but even a quick walk around the block can help get me out of my head. It doesn’t always solve the problem immediately, but it usually helps me come back to the work in a better frame of mind. My other go-to move is to remind myself that time and again, doing the revision task is never as bad as I thought it would be. Once I actually sit down and start working, the problem becomes more concrete. It’s no longer this huge abstract thing that will snowball: it’s a scene, a chapter, something specific. I break it down into small, actionable steps, and that really helps me get going. Another thing that really helps me is to think in terms of time rather than task. I learned while drafting that I do better thinking in terms of “minutes per day” instead of “words per day,” so I’ve brought that into revision, too. Some days that might be two hours, some days it might be thirty minutes. But thinking like this has helped me keep going because I always have at least five minutes to “touch the book” every day.

book inc: What’s something about the Book Revision Lab you wish every writer knew before they joined?

Olivia: Book Revision Lab is more than instruction. It not only gives writers tools to help manage the daunting process of revising a book– it also gives you a community of writers dealing with a lot of the same questions and struggles. When I joined book inc, I tapped into a community of motivated, caring writers who celebrate each other’s wins. BRL is also a beautiful source of accountability. By posting regularly in Slack and joining class every other week, it gives us a chance to stay accountable to ourselves for doing the thing we’re, truly, so excited to do: revise our book.

Kaecey: I think it’s helpful for writers to know that revision really does require a different kind of energy than drafting, and it can take your mind/body a little while to sink into that. It helps to come in with a discovery mindset. You’re not just trying to “fix” the book. You’re trying to understand where the deeper revisions need to happen so the manuscript can resonate more fully with you and with readers. The reading round is useful here, because it helps your peers, but it also helps you think more clearly about your own story and how readers experience it. I’d also want them to know that revision is not a fast process, especially with a full-length book. BRL gives you structure, support, and deadlines, but I don’t think the goal here can be to leave with a fully finished manuscript. That might happen for some people, of course, but the bigger goal is to leave with a clearer understanding of what the book needs and a realistic plan for how to keep going.

book inc: And finally, what’s one thing you’re especially excited to bring to the July 2026 cohort?

Olivia: Honestly, a learning mindset. So far in my writing journey, I’ve revised one novel and a handful of short stories. I’ve also written two novels (currently working on a third!). So while I have some experience with revision, there is still so much I can learn. I’m looking forward to doing that alongside the other BRL writers, and supporting the cohort in any ways I can.

Kaecey: I love community, and I’m very excited to bring that sense of togetherness and encouragement to the July cohort! I enjoy connecting with other writers, hearing about their projects, learning from everyone, and cheering people on when things are going well or when there’s a roadblock. Writing a book is a messy process, and being in it alongside other writers really does help. I’ll be going through revisions on novel #2, and I’m excited to be part of the shared experience as we learn together through the revision process.

Thank you, Olivia and Kaecey, for talking with us! We can’t wait to read your books after you’ve revised them in the 2026 Book Revision Lab.

About book inc

book inc is a writing collective dedicated to helping writers draft, revise, and publish memoirs and novels. Our book incubators and revision workshops help writers realize their artistic and commercial potential.

Help! I need some firm rules for writing my memoir. I like structure in all facets of my life, and lately, the lack of rules seems to be keeping me stuck in a rut. I try to stick to a format, but I seem to go on long tangents that aren’t really related to what I’m trying to write about. What are some of the golden rules of memoir writing?

Signed,

Rule Follower

Share

Dear Rule Follower,

I will resist the urge to say “Rules Schmools!” After all, the intentional breaking of rules might just be what puts the creative in creative writing. But I do understand that structure, and some tried-and-true guidelines might help provide a space for your creativity to flourish, so here goes.

In terms of structure, book inc espouses the Save the Cat method, credited to Blake Snyder. By dividing any genre (screenplay, memoir, novel) into three acts, each mapped out with “beats,” Snyder’s model provides a good foundation for a story arc. Most popular novels and movies follow this structure – think damsel in distress finally saves herself, but along the way she has lots of ups and downs and adventures. There are many Save the Cat books and workbooks on the market, as well as downloadable charts and graphs that will surely delight those who like to follow the rules.

There are also some helpful memoir guidelines derived from the hard-won wisdom of successful authors, such as my favorites, Mary Karr, Marion Roach-Smith, and Dani Shapiro, to name a few. Here are some for the taking.

1. While journaling during a difficult period of your life may be fruitful, avoid writing about significant events until a year or more has passed. Some insist on a seven-year wait! The theory is that time gives perspective and insight. Writing in the heat of the moment may not yield your best work.

2. Remember that while memoir may be excruciatingly personal, you must appeal to the universal. Though you may think your divorce was the worst on the planet, for example, the gritty details of who-did-what-to-whom of your particular story is less important to the reader than the overall theme of divorce. Focus less on chronology of events and more on the transformation, the survival aspect. Readers need to relate.

3. Focus on one small thread of your life, not your whole life story. Think snippet, not autobiography. And then go deep into that snippet, really deep. This snippet idea may be the most difficult since our lives are messy and our issues seem impossibly interconnected. Keep culling.

4. Accept accountability. Don’t make yourself out to be an angel, and try not to suggest your transformation is a one-and-done. Admit that you are complicated and that life is a roller coaster. For more about truth-telling in memoir, see an earlier Ask Tina: How Much Truth Should You Tell in Memoir.

5. And of course, time permitting, read memoirs, specifically those that touch upon your universal theme. Doing so can be inspirational and instructional.

Of course, Rule Follower, there are myriad rules about writing and many different methods for structure to explore, but I think you’d do better to glean them directly from the masters than from me. When I’m stuck, I read and reread the following three books:

• Karr, M. (2015). The Art of Memoir. HarperCollins.

• Roach Smith, M. (2011). The Memoir Project: A Thoroughly Non-Standardized Text for Writing & Life. Grand Central Publishing.

• Shapiro, D. (2013). Still Writing: The Perils and Pleasures of a Creative Life. Grove/Atlantic, Inc.

I can also personally recommend at least one memoir program which will offer hands-on help with structure, book inc’s year-long Memoir Incubator. Not only does it provide structure for your memoir, but it also provides a structure for the writing process itself. There’s a program for novel writers as well.

My last two cents for writing (and maybe for life): follow the important rules … but figure out which ones are meant to be broken and have some fun!

About Tina

Tina Goodyear is a board member of Project Write Now and a book inc Peer Artist Leader. She recently completed a draft of her memoir, FROM THE NECK DOWN. When not writing or teaching the art of writing, she helps adult students earn college credit for their work and life experiences.

About book inc

book inc is a writing collective dedicated to helping writers draft, revise, and publish memoirs and novels. Our book incubators and revision workshops help writers realize their artistic and commercial potential.

Vickie Hardin Woods spent more than three decades as a city planner—someone who takes chaos and turns it into something manageable. It turns out that’s also a pretty good description of what memoirists do.

After retiring as the director of a 100-employee local government department in Salem, Oregon, Vickie channeled her planner’s instincts into two unlikely projects: baking and giving away a pie every single day for a year, and hiking with the same circle of women friends across 35 years. Both became books. And both found their footing, in part, right here in the book inc community, where Vickie worked through the Book Revision Lab and the Memoir Incubator before continuing her writing life with Project Write Now classes.

Earlier this year, The Guardian featured Vickie’s year of pie baking—and that coverage helped her land a literary agent for her pie memoir. We sat down with Vickie to talk about writing, reinvention, and what it means to finally decide your story is worth telling.

Share

You came to memoir writing after a full career as a city planner—and with not one but two compelling stories to tell: Six Women Alone, about 35 years of hiking with a group of women friends, and Pie by Pie, a memoir about your year of baking and giving away pies. What made you realize these experiences were books worth writing?

VICKIE: I started Six Women Alone because I wanted a record of our adventures, and I couldn’t convince anyone else in our group to write it. I wrote up one experience. And then another. Then another. Eventually, it was apparent there was a bigger picture: one about friendship and endurance over time. It was supposed to be just for us, but as I wrote and thought about what it meant to have such good friends, I realized what a gift it was. It was a story worth sharing.

Pie by Pie was always in the back of my head. Baking a pie every day and giving it away was such an adventure, and it seemed to catch the imagination of others. I knew from the beginning it would be more marketable. I just wondered if I had the skill to write it well.

You worked through book inc’s Book Revision Lab and then the Memoir Incubator. What did those programs give you that you couldn’t have gotten working on your own?

VICKIE: It is hard… HARD, HARD, HARD to write a whole book. There were many times I wondered how I ever thought I could do it. Of course, there’s the skill of putting just the right words together, but more than that, there’s the organization, the research, and the work of creating a cohesive storyline. I had a huge whiteboard covered with colored Post-it notes as I tried to figure out where everything went. And it’s lonely, all in your own head. I went to a one-day seminar on memoir at my local library and learned so many helpful tips; it was obvious that some education would be valuable. I took an online class from a writer in Ireland. It was helpful, but the feedback was minimal. When I heard about Memoir Intensive at Project Write Now, I worried that I wouldn’t be good enough, but I really needed feedback and support. I submitted pieces of Six Women Alone and received such positive support and useful suggestions that I kept signing up. I finally finished the first draft (it took about three years). Jennifer Chauhan, the teacher, suggested I check out the Book Revision Lab. It was exactly what I needed. A group of people who all had a first- or second-draft.

When I mailed my first draft to my pod, it was the first time I’d shared it. It felt like I’d sent my firstborn off to college. I was on vacation in Alaska when my turn for review came up. I remember sitting on an unfamiliar hotel bed, tears streaming down my cheeks, listening to their comments and realizing they got it, that they truly understood what I was trying to say. After that, I was hooked. I took another Book Revision Lab to gather more reader response. When I started Pie by Pie, there was no question I would sign up for the Incubator.

Earlier this year, The Guardian ran a feature about your pie-baking year, and it led to a literary agent. Can you walk us through what happened? What was it like to see your story in a publication like that, and then to have an agent come calling?

VICKIE: Like so many of these stories, it was a long and involved process. The agent didn’t really come calling out of the blue. Almost three years ago, just as I finished Six Women Alone, I attended a Writer’s Conference in Portland, Oregon, only an hour from my home. It was the first one I’d ever been to. I felt like such an imposter; I hardly spoke to a soul, but I signed up (and paid a small fee) for eight minutes with three agents. One of them told me outright that there was no market for memoirs, but the two others were very kind, and one of them, Anjanette Barr, said she’d like to read Six Women Alone. I sent it to her right away. She got back to me about a month later with a very kind rejection. I wrote her back, thanked her, and told her I was working on another project, and sent her a link to a TEDx talk I had given on my year of pie baking. About two months later, she sent me a note saying she and her daughter had watched the talk and that she would be interested in the manuscript when I finished it.

Both the TEDx talk and The Guardian prompted me to respond to a call for applications to participate. The Guardian writes a twice-monthly column about people in retirement, and they were looking for stories, so I responded. A year later, I’d forgotten all about it when the reporter called. I waited anxiously for the story to come out. I knew what it was going to say because the reporter had asked me for comments and corrections. I scrambled to finish the third draft of Half Baked Retirement, even though I didn’t feel ready, because I wanted to send it as a query to agents when I had that publicity behind me. I notified Anjanette right away and sent her the link to the story. I got an immediate response from her. She read the manuscript within a week and said she was interested in representing me.

After The Guardian article, I got a call from an agent/producer in England who had read it and was interested in the rights to a film version. I checked her out carefully and found she was legitimate. It was fun to talk with her about how she might approach selling a film version, but I decided to stick with the literary agent first and then deal with any further offers. More than the money, more than the notice, what I really want is a printed copy of my manuscript in my hands. Isn’t that what we all want?

What does it feel like to be pursuing publication at this stage of life? Is there anything about coming to this work later that feels like an advantage?

VICKIE: It is a definite advantage to have so much perspective at this stage of life. I have the time, inclination, and patience with myself to write. As you age, understanding what has influenced you, what you have done, and what it means becomes increasingly important.

What advice would you give to another book inc writer who is sitting with a big life experience and wondering whether it’s “enough” to become a memoir?

VICKIE: Everyone has a story, and it’s yours to tell. I’ve heard so many compelling stories in the memoir classes I’ve taken. Life experiences are all we have. They have to be enough. With my story, whether it is ever published or not, it was important for me to tell it. Writing a memoir requires a depth of examination that brings understanding in a way I had experienced before.

What’s next for you?

VICKIE: There are many more steps to publication and a lot more work to do, so I’ll be spending time on that.

Just as I was starting to write Six Women Alone, my family bought me a Storyworth subscription. It asks a question about your life every week. You respond in writing, and they compile a book at the end. I got sidetracked by my two memoirs, but now I feel I owe it to the family to finish it.

And I’ll keep up my weekly PWN Writers class, Memoir Intensive, because there’s always a story to tell.

About the Author

Vickie Hardin Woods is a retired director of a 100-employee local government department, an avid hiker, and a dedicated baker of pies. As an adjustment to retirement, Vickie baked and gave away a pie every day for one year, blogging along the way, winning Best of Show at the state fair, and delivering a TEDx speech. She has now turned her attention to writing, starting with SIX WOMEN ALONE, a memoir about hiking and friendship over 35 years. Her next project is a memoir about her year of pie baking. Vickie lives in Salem, Oregon, with her husband, Bob, and Rosie, the labradoodle.

About book inc

book inc is a writing collective dedicated to helping writers draft, revise, and publish memoirs and novels. Our book incubators and revision workshops help writers realize their artistic and commercial potential.

Bilateral Movement & Nature

In 2024, I was struggling due to a death in the family, some very lonely time in Germany over the summer, and an agonizing breakup. The only thing that got me through this time was to get outside and move.

Bilateral movement (or stimulation) occurs when the left and right sides of the body are used simultaneously or sequentially. This is key in connecting the left and right hemispheres of the brain, and not just for motor purposes. There is recent evidence that bilateral movement is also helpful in connecting the dots in other areas of life, such as emotional processing. (For more on this, read “Bilateral Stimulation 101: What It Is and How It Helps” on Live Mindfully Psychotherapy, or, if you are looking for a research study, read Amano & Toich, 2016).

During this difficult time in my life, I was taking a writing class, and whenever I would be stuck while writing an essay, I would go for a walk or run to mull it over. With the leaves crunching beneath me with every step, I could feel my left and right hemispheres joining forces, and I was able to figure out what I was missing. But it wasn’t just running that helped me—it was running in nature, with Mother Earth.

Walking, running, or other forms of this movement in nature can help you think clearly and make connections. So if you are ever stuck in a writing slump, this can be a larger help than you think. Take a break from your laptop and get out there!

So Much To Write About!

Mother Earth is filled with beautiful things to write about, especially at this time of year, and each of these things can become a writing prompt!

On a beautiful day during my Introduction to Poetry 001* class, my professor brought us outside into the blossoming spring weather. It was still chilly enough to need a heavier long-sleeved top on, and I pulled my sweatshirt tighter around me as I wiped down a dew-covered chair to sit in. We gathered under tons of small pink and white flowers that had just started to bloom and smelled like a can of stale tuna. My professor told us to draw a chart with the five senses, and for feel, we were also allowed to include how we felt emotionally.

During this activity, I was forced to ground myself in the scene: I felt the damp metal chair beneath me, the rungs pressing into my legs. I saw the white spring-blossom trees, the petals pasted around me with the glue of a spring rain shower. I smelled—well, the trees, but it also smelled like dying fish. I could have written that I tasted leftover pieces of a granola bar from breakfast, but instead I wrote that I tasted the approaching warmer weather, and more poetic things like that. By pushing myself to describe the scene until I ran out of words, my imagery reached new limits.

All in all, getting outside for a walk as spring blooms can help you with your writing in more ways than one. Happy Earth Day, and remember to thank Mother Earth for all she gives us and to treat her with respect. Sometimes, it really does take getting out of your head and into the nature around you to achieve a breakthrough in your writing!

*For more on what I gained from this class, see my piece in Project Write Now’s The Imprint, Four Rules That Changed How I Write Poetry

Citations:

• Amano, T., & Toichi, M. (2016). The role of alternating bilateral stimulation in establishing positive cognition in EMDR therapy: A multi-channel near-infrared spectroscopy study. PloS one, 11(10). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0162735

• Live Mindfully Psychotherapy Blog Staff. (2025, May 2). Live Mindfully Psychotherapy. Live Mindfully Psychotherapy. https://www.livemindfullypsychotherapy.com/blog/bilateral-stimulation

About the Author

Emma Moriarty is a recent Lehigh University graduate and award-winning writer from Shrewsbury, NJ, who works as a book inc intern while pursuing her passion for creative nonfiction.

About book inc

book inc is a writing collective dedicated to helping writers draft, revise, and publish memoirs and novels. Our book incubators and revision workshops help writers realize their artistic and commercial potential.

Courtney Zeni is a scientist by day and a fiction writer by night—or somewhere in between, if you ask her. She has built her writing life around the Project Write Now and book inc communities, working through the Book Revision Lab and Book Submission Bootcamp while also studying craft at The Highlights Foundation. Along the way, she finished a novel and a children’s book.

Then, earlier this year, she landed a literary agent for her novel LIMINAL through a Virtual Pitch Fest—a format she’d never heard of before and now is a huge fan. She writes about her journey as a debut author on her Substack, “Courtney Zeni Writes,” where she goes deep on the craft, the business, and the beautiful chaos of writing while living a full life. We asked her to tell us how it all happened.

For readers who don’t know you, tell us a little about yourself and your writing. What drew you to fiction and to this particular story?

COURTNEY: I’ve always been someone who has loved both science and art, and have spent my life trying to find ways to pursue both (and still have fun while doing it). The most exciting concept to me is the overlap between art and science, often a space where the “in betweens” live. I love to examine the infinite gray space between black and white.

I’m a scientist by training and have my PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. I work at a pharmaceutical company where my role is to communicate highly complex scientific concepts to different audiences. I do a ton of non-fiction writing for work, but it was only recently that I started focusing on fiction and writing down the stories that have been brewing in my brain for years.

Writing LIMINAL has been deeply personal for me. The main character’s journey is one of reckoning with those “in betweens,” not only acknowledging the discomfort but also the potential for transformation in those areas. After the loss of loved ones and my own near-death experience, I started asking questions about life and death that I felt could not be answered, which, as a scientist, really unsettled me. Writing about this gray area has helped me process loss and convince myself that our loved ones live on through legacy, and that not everything can be explained by science, or at least by what we know today.

You found your agent through something called a Virtual Pitch Fest, which most writers haven’t heard of. Can you explain what it is and how you stumbled onto it?

COURTNEY: I heard about the Virtual Pitch Fest through a comment on a Slack message board where friends from past Project Write Now classes posted upcoming events. What attracted me even more to this Virtual Pitch Fest was that it was born in Philadelphia—a city I lived in and loved for nearly 10 years. I got excited right away about the prospect of landing an agent who lived and worked in my old hood.

I perused the Virtual Pitch Fest website and found three agents who were available and aligned with my interests. I scheduled the three meetings as quickly as I could to lock them in and not lose the opportunity. I was to be traveling for a conference the weekend of the event, so I would take the calls in the privacy of my hotel room between meetings and sessions.

How did you prepare? You mention a “one-sheet.” Can you explain what that is and why it matters?

COURTNEY: I did everything I could to prepare, including making bios for each agent and printing them out to have handy during the call. I also studied the guidance given on the Pitch Fest Website and came across the concept of the “one-sheet,” which I had not heard of before that day.

The one-sheet is designed to be a quick overall summary that you can review with potential agents on the call. Think of it as a combination of a query letter and your synopsis boiled down into a paragraph each. After the call, you can send the agent the one-sheet along with any other materials they request. To prepare the one page, I consulted many articles, which all seemed to have the same basic steps:

1. Write a one-page synopsis of your work. If it does not fit on one page, rewrite it again and again until it does.

2. Take that one-page synopsis and condense it into a single paragraph.

3. Add your author bio, genre, approximate word count, one paragraph summary from above, and market analysis (e.g., similar books, target audience, etc.).

4. Condense your paragraph into one (or two) sentences. This is your elevator pitch/logline to open your discussion. Memorize this if possible.

I then formatted all of this information to fit on one sheet and bolded the key parts, including:

• Genre/Format

• Logline

• One-paragraph

• Market (including comps and themes/hooks)

• Bio (I put this in a separate box with a headshot to make it more personal)

After preparing my one sheet, I wrote a bulleted list of items to discuss with the agents so I could stay on track in the short time I had.

You pitched three agents in one day. What was that experience actually like—nerves, surprises, anything you didn’t expect?

COURTNEY: The sessions were only 10-15 minutes, so I knew I had to be ultra-prepared for the rapid-fire pitches I had ahead of me. I knew I had to be concise but not robotic, and to make the pitch match not only the aim of my book but my personality as well.

I was extremely nervous, but once the ball was rolling, the stress went away and the adrenaline kicked in. For me, the virtual format really worked because I like to be able to read people’s faces when they are talking to me. It helps me to interpret their tone and get a general impression of their interest and personality. It also gave me a better chance to explain anything confusing that might have hung up the agent if they were not able to ask me about it live.

I don’t think anything was a total surprise, but I did enjoy seeing how 3 different agents who could be described similarly on paper approached the call. Each one asked different questions and pictured adapting it to the market in different ways.

I truly think so much of the pitch is about making sure your personalities match, rather than about summarizing the plot and every intricate detail. It is about communicating the story’s core idea, tone, and stakes, and showing the agent that you understand what kind of book you’ve written and where it fits in the market. In other words, they don’t need every twist or detail of every character.

They need to know why they should care about the story you have to tell, and honestly, whether you have more stories in you.

You worked through book inc’s Book Revision Lab and Book Submission Bootcamp. How did those programs prepare you for the pitch — and for everything that came after?

COURTNEY: The first Project Write Now class I took was “Extraordinary Ordinary Stories,” held in person in Red Bank, NJ. This is where I gained some more confidence in sharing my writing, and I found a true home in the community of Project Write Now and book inc. Through this class and its community, I learned about the upcoming classes I took, as well as the Virtual Pitch Fest itself.

In July 2024, I participated in book inc’s Book Submission Bootcamp, where I workshopped my query letter and synopsis. This was extremely helpful to hear from someone who “knew the business.” I rewrote my logline and synopsis more times than I can remember, and ultimately landed with a query letter pretty close to where mine ended up.

I worked on my book on my own for a bit and then decided to take part in Project Write Now’s “Book Revision Lab” – an intensive 6-month writing course where other students and teachers critique your work. I met so many great people during this class and learned so much about crafting the story’s architecture. It was so valuable to be able to bounce ideas off other authors and read their work as well. This was when I was really starting to feel good about my novel and was finally ready to send it out to beta readers and try to pitch it to an agent.

Besides keeping me on schedule and motivating me to finish my book, these classes helped me tremendously in describing my story out loud. In some classes, we broke into groups and had to read chapters out loud to our partners. This is where I got the best feedback. I was always nervous to be exposed as “not a good reader”, and my group gave me confidence that my plot, pacing, and characters were on par with some comps they had read as well. They even recommended some books for me to read that would not have otherwise been on my radar.

What’s the one thing you wish someone had told you before you started trying to find an agent?

COURTNEY: I think everyone should take a submission boot camp class. As much as you think you’re ready for the querying process, you would not believe how much your query letter can improve. One major shift for me was in my comps, and finding comps that more accurately represented the intended audience for my book.

One thing I also struggled with was genre. My novel touches on many themes (sci-fi, thriller, literary, with dashes of romance). I ultimately landed on “speculative thriller” or “literary novel with speculative undercurrents”, but I don’t know if I would have made it further than “sci-fi” without taking this class. While technically science fiction, LIMINAL did not feel as tech and science-heavy as some of the other comps I saw at the time.

What’s next for you?

COURTNEY: I am working on returning final edits to my agent so we can go on submission! He plans to submit to the Big 5 publishers and then to their imprints. This spring and summer I am sure I will be on the edge of my seat waiting for responses, and refraining from tinkering with the manuscript anymore. It never feels done.

In the meantime, I have started up a sequel to LIMINAL, but before saying more about that, I am going to see where LIMINAL goes and try not to get too ahead of myself.

I’ve also enjoyed putting myself out there at writing community events like Firefly: Stores on Stage, where audience members can enter to tell their 5-minute story on stage based on a given prompt. This is something I could never, ever see myself doing even a year ago, but this writing community has given me so much support that it has been a truly fun experience to put myself out there and embarrass myself on stage! Plus, I think it is healthy to keep using this creative part of my brain with these small exercises so I am always tapped into that creativity.

Thank you for sharing your writing journey with us, Courtney. Please keep us posted on your novel’s progress!

About Courtney Zeni

Courtney Zeni is an author and scientist who finds joy in illuminating the often-overlooked overlap between art and science to bring untold stories to life. She has participated in many classes through Project Write Now and The Highlights Foundation, where she found her writing community and finished a novel and a children’s book with their guidance and support. Courtney’s childlike sense of wonder and dark sense of humor draw her to write stories with psychological depth. Courtney lives in Fair Haven, New Jersey, with her husband, two kids, and dog Teddy, whose fatal flaw is “loving too hard.”

About book inc

book inc is a writing collective dedicated to helping writers draft, revise, and publish memoirs and novels. Our book incubators and revision workshops help writers realize their artistic and commercial potential.

Lately, trying to wrangle my novel has been a challenge. After three years of working on it, I still can’t quite organize my thoughts around what I’m trying to say. That feels discouraging…and a little embarrassing.

But there was something really encouraging about being among people who are on similar paths. People who also smile sheepishly when asked about their projects. Something connective about sitting in a conference space wall-to-wall with writers who also want to hear a panel discussion on story endings, or how to debut over 50, or want to listen to authors talk about the amount of time and number of drafts they wrote before finishing.

READ MORE

Jennifer Gallo Gaites is a writing instructor at Project Write Now, a nonprofit writing organization. She is working on a novel and writes essays about identity and motherhood. Her work has been published in Riverteeth’s “Beautiful Things,” WOW Women on Writing, Hippocampus, and Literary Mama. When she’s not reading or writing, she’s either asking her college-aged kids too many questions or trying to understand her middle-schooler’s obsession with YouTube. She lives in Fair Haven, NJ, with her husband, three children, and their poorly-trained dog, Gus.

About book inc

book inc is a writing collective dedicated to helping writers draft, revise, and publish memoirs and novels. Our book incubators and revision workshops help writers realize their artistic and commercial potential.

I finally (after much trying) got a piece published in a lit mag! Now, I’m wondering what I should do to maximize my support of the lit mag? I have already been following them on Facebook/ Instagram and subscribing to their newsletter. What other steps should I take to make the best of this connection?

Signed,

Aspiring Writer

Dear Aspiring Writer,

First, congratulations on your recent publication! May it be the first of many.

I hate to pull the age card, but it used to be a lot more straightforward to be a writer before the digital age. Now, in addition to having writing chops, a writer needs marketing and self-promotion skills. And, as you suggest, we can now add “managing lit mag relationships” to the ever-growing list!

Although relevant and timely, your question is a humbling one for me, because it touches on my biggest writing foible: I am no marketer, and the idea of self-promotion gives me nightmares. So, I’ve consulted the all-knowing internet and asked some smarter folks for insight.

Turns out, of course, you are already doing the right things, but consider beefing up your promotion of the magazine, too. Each time you leverage your recent publication success, you can also include the lit mag in that success. For example, whenever you share your published piece, include a link, a tag, and a mention for the magazine. Don’t forget to include relevant hashtags that might direct traffic to them. Share often and share everywhere. Include a link in your writer’s bio and email signature. If the publication still offers a print version, buy a copy or ten and encourage your friends and family to do the same.

There’s also some tried and true Grandma-type advice: send a thank-you note to the editor. Grandma would have sent a letter or card, but you’ll send a brief email, of course – with the emphasis on brief.

Lastly, try not to submit to the same lit mag too often. Doing so might sour the relationship. The experts suggest waiting a bit—maybe even a year—before submitting again to the same magazine.

It might be snarky to add this, but I do think we writers tend to be a bit too grateful when we get published, perhaps forgetting that publishing is a win-win for both parties. The lit mag recognized your talent. That talent will add value for their current readership and maybe even help them attract new readers. So, yes, maintain the relationship, but view it as an opportunity to support the writing community as a whole. Lit mags need writers just as writers need lit mags.

About Tina

Tina Goodyear is a board member of Project Write Now and a book inc Peer Artist Leader. She recently completed a draft of her memoir, FROM THE NECK DOWN. When not writing or teaching the art of writing, she helps adult students earn college credit for their work and life experiences.

About book inc

book inc is a writing collective dedicated to helping writers draft, revise, and publish memoirs and novels. Our book incubators and revision workshops help writers realize their artistic and commercial potential.