This week! Books!

I’m on the road this weekend, so links only without commentary, but there are lots of good ones!

Canadian Poet Anne Carson Is Awarded Nobel Prize in Literature (gift link) – Alex Marshall, New York Times

Here Are the Finalists for the 2026 National Book Awards (gift link) – Ash Wu, New York Times

No, the National Book Awards are not ‘the literary world’s D.E.I. checklist.’ – Kate Tuttle, Boston Globe

The NHL Is Releasing Its Own ‘Hot’ Fanfic. Romance Lovers Hate It – Kate Taylor, Wired

From the ‘Halo’ Mastermind, an A.I. Apocalypse – Alexandra Alter, New York Times

MacKenzie Scott Can’t Escape the Amazon Juggernaut – Rhoda Feng, The New Yorker

Who Does Pangram Really Benefit? – Kathleen Schmidt, Publishing Confidential

Cheikh Hamidou Kane, Author of Seminal Anticolonial Novel, Dies at 98 (gift link) – Adam Nossiter, New York Times

Dispelling the Myth of Cormac McCarthy as Cowboy-Artist (gift link) – Wyatt Mason, New York Times

Leigh Bardugo on 50 Years of Interview with the Vampire and the Immortality of Anne Rice’s Lestat – Leigh Bardugo, Lit Hub

Are You Doing It for the ‘Gram? – Kate McKean, Agents + Books

The Transition to the Middle – Donald Maass, Writer Unboxed

This week in bestsellers

Here are the top five NY Times bestsellers in a few key categories. (All links are affiliate links):

Adult print and e-book fiction:

1. Threshing Day by Rebecca Yarros
2. The French Illusion by John Grisham
3. Verity by Colleen Hoover
4. Theo of Golden by Allen Levi
5. The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett

Adult print and e-book nonfiction:

1. The Steps by Sylvester Stallone
2. Swan Song by Charles Spencer
3. The American Way of Killing by Malcolm Gladwell
4. The Cauldron by Simon Sebag Montefiore
5. What Could Possibly Go Right? by Danny Meyer

Young adult hardcover:

1. Trust Fall by Lynn Painter
2. Barbie: Dreamscape by Alex Aster
3. The Siren by Tomi Adeyemi
4. Our Strange Duet by Erin A. Craig
5. Wings of Reverie by Anna Bright

Middle grade hardcover:

1. The Wild Zone by Rick Riordan and Annabelle Oh
2. Building 903 by Lois Lowry
3. Wonder by R.J. Palacio
4. Game of Pets: The Boy Who Knew Too Much by Aaron Blabey
5. We Really Like Cooking Slop! by Mo Willems and Cher Willems

This week on the blog

In case you missed them, here are this week’s posts:

• How to find editing when you can’t afford editing

And keep up with the discussion in all the places!

• Follow me on Threads, Facebook, Bluesky, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter

And finally:

‘Take These Pictures and Run’ – Why Deana Lawson, one of photography’s greatest contemporary portraitists, suddenly found herself drawn to the “wall of shame.” (gift link) – Susan Dominus, New York Times Style Magazine

Have a great weekend!

Need help with your book? I’m available for manuscript edits, query critiques, and coaching!

For my best advice, check out my online classes, my guide to writing a novel, and my guide to publishing a book.

And if you like this post: subscribe to my newsletter!

Photo: The Huntington, San Marino, CA

Every writer needs editing prior to seeking publication. Full stop.

It’s difficult to avoid projecting things onto the page, and these days it pays for a project to be as polished as possible before you send your first query. You can’t count on an agent or a publisher to polish your diamond in the rough. Yes, some agents engage in pre-submission editing, but these edits are usually final polishes, not rehabilitation.

If you can swing the funds, a paid edit from an experienced former publishing professional can do wonders to elevate your craft. The problem? Most editors with previous bona fide experience are in high demand and very expensive, stretching well into five figures or more for a full manuscript edit.

If you can’t swing those funds? You still need editing, but you may need to be a little creative.

First, here’s what not to do…

DON’T use AI as your editor

AI may someday be good at editing.

Right now? It’s not good.

Yes, AI can currently point out some low-hanging fruit, but AI feedback is generic, impossible to contextualize, will push you away from elements that make your voice and story unique, and is bereft of genuine human insight.

And if you think the AI is giving you good feedback, you need to back even further away from AI than those who are more skeptical. Above all, absolutely do not listen to its praise. The models are designed to be people pleasers and are likely telling you your project is in better shape than it really is.

Still don’t believe me? Well, publishers are increasingly using AI detectors prior to making offers on book projects. If you use AI as an editor and incorporate its feedback, you may well run afoul of an AI detector and jeopardize a potential book deal.

Do not use AI to edit your book. Don’t do it.

DON’T pay for a bargain-basement edit

There are countless editors out there on Reedsy and Fiverr who will offer you a bargain-basement edit for less than a thousand dollars. As with most things in life, you usually get what you pay for.

Scams abound, and I’ve heard of quite a few authors who either got little more than a cursory read or the “editor” simply ran their book through a chatbot, which the author could have just done on their own (though, again, don’t).

Unless you can verify an editor’s credentials, it’s better to save your money for a writers conference or marketing down the line, rather than wasting $500 on a poor edit.

DO connect with local writers

The company of writers is golden, and not just for feedback.

If there are stranger industries than publishing and more quixotic pursuits than finding successful publication in this day and age, I’m unfamiliar with them. Your fellow travelers on the road to publishing will understand and commiserate with your travails along the way because they’ve been there too.

Find the local writers in your community for friendship and also for help with your manuscript. Many communities have programs through libraries and arts councils, and check to see if you have a chapter of local writing groups like SCBWI, Shut Up & Write, Mystery Writers of America, and more.

This may entail a “give/get” situation, where you need to invest time in giving feedback before you get feedback, but the whole experience will be meaningful. And giving feedback is a tremendous way to train your eye and improve your own self-editing.

DO attend a writers conference

If you live in the middle of nowhere, or even if you’re in a big city, investing in attending a writers conference can be a fantastic way to meet fellow writers. I have made some lifelong friends at writers conferences.

I personally think writers conferences are overrated when it comes to meeting publishing professionals. Even if the writing conference you’re hoping to attend has pitch sessions with literary agents, you’re not very likely to find an agent that way. Don’t let meeting agents be your whole reason for going.

But! Writers conferences are wildly underrated as a way of meeting people and connecting with fellow writers. And they’re usually a blast.

DO look for organizations that award mentorships

There are some organizations that recognize the uphill battle for authors who can’t afford editing, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds who may be dealing with separate challenges.

I work with one of these, We Need Diverse Books, which offers grants and a mentorship program for children’s book authors and illustrators, and even connects finalists who don’t win the full mentorship with editing and art professionals to help the creators elevate their craft.

AWP also offers a Writer to Writer mentorship program, GrubStreet has an Ask a Writer mentorship program, and SCBWI has all sorts of grants and programs.

Lots of great stuff happening here.

DO invest in fellow writers online

Even if your mobility is limited and you need to connect with other writers from home, well, thank goodness for the internet.

There are fantastic writing communities out there, whether on Reddit, in the comments section of your favorite writing and publishing blogs, on social media, and more. You can also search for platforms that connect critique partners and/or beta readers.

It may take some trial and error reaching out and connecting with people, but if you invest the time and energy, particularly in a positive direction, chances are you’ll find it reflected back.

DO rely on friends and family in a pinch

An edit doesn’t have to come from a publishing professional, and even non-writing “civilians” can give astute feedback.

The only danger here is 1) they may want to spare your feelings, and 2) people who aren’t used to giving creative feedback may struggle to put a finger on why something isn’t working for them, and you may wind up with a few harebrained suggestions.

Still, even inexperienced readers can reflect helpful ideas back to you. You may just need to do a bit more work sorting out what it is that they’re really picking up on.

How have you gotten inexpensive, quality feedback in the past? Let me know in the comments!

Need help with your book? I’m available for manuscript edits, query critiques, and coaching!

For my best advice, check out my online classes, my guide to writing a novel, and my guide to publishing a book.

And if you like this post: subscribe to my newsletter!

Art: Still Life with Dutch Jar and Bust of Dante by William Harnett

This week! Books!

As Supply Chain Problems Increase, Some Books Miss On-Sale Dates – Katy Hershberger, Publishers Lunch – Tariffs, higher fuel prices, and the closure of a major printing facility in New York is throwing publishing calendars out of whack. Easy to forget publishers are logistical marvels (most of the time) as much as they’re literary gatekeepers.

AALA Resignation Statement – Dystel, Goderich & Bourret – In the wake of canon of ethics changes by the American Association of Literary Agents (AALA) that blur the lines around the services agents can charge authors for, major literary agency Dystel, Goderich & Bourret announced that they are withdrawing from the organization.

Literature Is Becoming More Like a Video Game (gift link) – Sophia Nguyen, The Atlantic – Sophia Nguyen profiles the rise of LitRPG, and especially the wildly popular Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman.

Librarians on Libraries (gift link) – Elisabeth Egan and John Maher, New York Times – Quotes from librarians around the country, who could scarcely have imagined they would be manning the front lines of the culture wars.

Do You Need to Meet an Agent in Person to Get Published? – Kate McKean, Agents + Books – Is it actually helpful to meet with agents in person? Yes! But getting representation from them isn’t always the point.

Author John Grisham on “The French Illusion” – CBS Mornings – A fun interview with author John Grisham, who now has fifty consecutive #1 NY Times bestsellers to his name.

The More Specific Your Characters, The More Universal They Become – Tiffany Yates Martin, Jane Friedman – A great reminder that so much of good storytelling flows from specificity.

This week in bestsellers

Here are the top five NY Times bestsellers in a few key categories. (All links are affiliate links):

Adult print and e-book fiction:

1. Hollywood, Ending by John Green
2. Theo of Golden by Allen Levi
3. Vince Flynn: Double Tap by Don Bentley
4. Hollow Bones by Jodi Picoult
5. The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett

Adult print and e-book nonfiction:

1. Swan Song by Charles Spencer
2. Roll the Calls by Ari Emanuel
3. Actually, Nevermind by Taylor Tomlinson
4. An Unexpected Life by Gloria Steinem
5. Pay Attention by David Pakman

Young adult hardcover:

1. Empire by Sabaa Tahir
2. Barbie: Dreamscape by Alex Aster
3. Our Strange Duet by Erin A. Craig
4. Wings of Reverie by Anna Bright
5. Styx by Nikita Gill

Middle grade hardcover:

1. Wonder by R.J. Palacio
2. The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs by America’s Test Kitchen Kids
3. Kiki’s Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono
4. Match Day Mayhem by Dude Perfect with Allan Woodrow
5. Kiki and the New Magic by Eiko Kadono

This week on the blog

In case you missed them, here are this week’s posts:

• How to interpret rejection letters

And keep up with the discussion in all the places!

• Follow me on Threads, Facebook, Bluesky, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter

And finally:

Why are AI agents lying, cheating and coordinating? – Yoshua Bengio – A clear explanation of why AI agents have been very bizarrely lying, cheating, and coordinating amongst themselves, leading to the major AI companies tapping the brakes on releases (supposedly anyway).

Have a great weekend!

Need help with your book? I’m available for manuscript edits, query critiques, and coaching!

For my best advice, check out my online classes, my guide to writing a novel, and my guide to publishing a book.

And if you like this post: subscribe to my newsletter!

Photo: The Huntington, San Marino, CA. 中秋节快乐！ Follow me on Instagram!

If you’re pursuing traditional publication, brace yourself, because you’re gonna get rejection letters.

Even when a project ends up finding a literary agent and eventually a publisher, the “nos” almost always arrive before the “yeses.” Every single bestselling author you’ve ever heard of has received rejection letters at some point, and some received a mountain’s worth.

Aside from making great wallpaper, kindling, and kitty litter, believe it or not: rejection letters do serve a purpose. You can make yourself a better and more successful writer if you analyze them properly. 

(I also offer online classes with exclusive resources about finding literary agents that you can take at your leisure where I talk more about deciphering rejection letters. And if you need personalized help, I can help edit your query letter or you can book a consultation to ask questions.)

But for today, allow me to dive into everyone’s least favorite part of the publishing process: the dreaded rejection letter.

In this post I’ll cover:

• Why rejection letters are so difficult to decipher
• What rejection letters look like from an agent’s perspective
• Individual rejection letters are rarely helpful
• Pay attention to the trends
• The two scenarios where individual rejection letters are helpful

Why rejection letters are so difficult to decipher

Here’s the big problem with rejection letters: it’s practically impossible to make sense of a form letter that maybe includes one little teensy tiny bit of individualized advice.

Plus, they can be completely contradictory. One rejection letter could say “needs more monkeys” (probably came from me back when I was an agent) and the other letter could say “too many monkeys” (some lesser agent).

And that’s if you’re lucky enough to receive a personalized response, let alone a response at all. Many agents now have a “no response means no” policy, which means you have little way of knowing whether the silence is really a rejection or if your query was swallowed into an electronic black hole.

What’s a writer to do?

Well, as a former literary agent, first let me tackle this question from the other side of the computer screen so you have a sense of what’s happening over in literary agent land.

What rejection letters look like from an agent’s perspective

Literary agents receive thousands upon thousands of submissions every year. That translates to dozens every single day, 365 days a year. Staying on top of slush is like being responsible for mowing the world’s fastest-growing grass.

Out of that deluge, an agent will take on maybe a small handful of clients every year. And because agents work on commission, every moment spent responding to non-clients is a moment they’re not making money.

Because of that, literary agents usually either 1) don’t respond to query letters unless they’re interested, or 2) rely on generic form rejections.

It used to be typical for agents who requested an author’s manuscript to send a personalized reply giving some reasons for passing if it’s a “no,” but that too is going by the wayside.

And I’m going to be totally honest with you: When I was a literary agent, my rejection letters were not usually very helpful.

My rejections tended to be vague, formulaic, and brief. But polite!

Why? I didn’t want to lead anyone astray.

When a manuscript or proposal was a “pass” for me, chances are it was simply because I wasn’t feeling that zing I felt whenever I wanted to take an author on. But I wasn’t always able to articulate precisely why that was the case, and oftentimes I hadn’t read enough to be able to provide a particularly insightful critique.

If I was able to put my finger on the reason for the lack of zing, I would absolutely tell the writer. But most times? I said enough to show the author I really read it, but not enough that my response would actually be all that helpful.

It’s crucial to bear in mind that when you’re getting a rejection letter from an agent, they’re probably just finding something to say to soften the “no.” They’re not spending their entire day racking their brain to give you the best feedback imaginable.

Individual rejection letters are rarely helpful

Here’s the secret to understanding these maddening missives:

Rejection letters are almost always worthless by themselves.

Unless a rejection letter happens to be incredibly detailed and the feedback resonates with you on a gut level (more on these holy grails of rejection in a bit), you’re probably not going to learn too much from any rejection letter. And you’re going to learn even less if you analyze a rejection letter for hidden meaning (you’re also going to rack up the psychiatry bills). 

Yes, I know, it’s so tempting to take encouragement from a personalized, detailed rejection letter with fulsome praise and an agonized pass that’s ultimately still a no. And you have to collect the hope wherever you can get it in this process.

But at the end of the day, a beautifully written, encouraging “no” and a form rejection “no” and a super mean “no” are functionally the same. They’re all just different flavors of “not for me.”

It’s more helpful to pay attention to what agents do, not what they say.

And that’s why one letter by itself usually isn’t much help, no matter how positive or negative it is. BUT. When you start accumulating rejections, you can start to make more sense of them by analyzing the trends.

Pay attention to the trends

I highly recommend sending query letters in batches of 7-10 at a time. Receive a rejection or two months of silence go by? Send another one out. Keep 7-10 floating out there at any given time.

If, however, after 15-20 queries you haven’t gotten a single manuscript or proposal request and you received only form letters, something’s wrong.

The most likely scenario is that your query letter isn’t working, and you may need to take a step back for a revision (or get editing). But it could also be your project isn’t marketable, you queried the wrong agents, or, for whatever reason, it’s just not clicking.

Something is preventing you from getting in the door. Struggling to get requests doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a bad writer, but it means that you’re due for a reevaluation of your query, your overall project, and your approach to the process.

If, however, you’re getting requests for partials (hooray for you!) and fulls (even better!), but you’re not getting an agent to bite and offer you representation, it may mean that you’re close to the zone for getting representation, but that something isn’t quite right, and maybe you can make some changes to the manuscript that will make your project better. 

And then there are “revise and resubmit” requests, which means you’re in the ballpark, but maybe not quite all the way to an offer of representation. If an agent is investing time in you or keeping the door open, they’re showing you you’re close.

This is where an accumulation of personalized rejection letters can actually be helpful in gauging how well things are going. Again: for the most part, judge by what agents do, not what they say.

Nothing but rejections and silence? Something’s wrong. Re-evaluate.

Requests for the manuscript/proposal and doors kept ajar? Keep going. You’re in the zone, and may just need a dash of luck for lightning to strike.

The two scenarios where individual rejection letters are helpful

Once you’ve accumulated some personalized rejection letters, spread those bad boys out on the table. Avoid the temptation to set fire to said table. And start to analyze the common threads.

Don’t go nuts with this. You aren’t looking to crack some secret code here. Just see if there are a few common threads that you can pick out from the personalized rejections.

Maybe a few people said they are worried about your pacing. Or maybe a few had similar problems with certain characters or plot lines.

Here’s the next most important step: if you are hearing the same piece of feedback more than once: listen. Don’t say, “Oh, well, my work is what it is, agents are just STUPID.” Agents are not stupid. Most of the time. Consider addressing any piece of feedback you’re hearing from multiple agents.

Or, if a rejection letter speaks to you, and you know in your core the agent is right, definitely take a pause and revise accordingly.

You ultimately have to write the book you want to write and you shouldn’t bend past your comfort level. But don’t overthink a rejection letter that leaves you saying, “Huh?” Again, most individual rejection letters are just a “not for me” and you’d be better off just moving on.

Once more: Focus on the rejection letters that:

1. Resonate with your gut
2. Repeat feedback that you’ve heard before

If you do that, you’ll learn as much as possible from your rejection letters without going crazy.

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: February 22, 2007

Need help with your book? I’m available for manuscript edits, query critiques, and coaching!

For my best advice, check out my online classes, my guide to writing a novel, and my guide to publishing a book.

And if you like this post: subscribe to my newsletter!

Art: Jove decadent by Ramon Casas

This week! Books!

Unsealed Files Show Open AI/Microsoft Knew Copying Was Illegal and Could Hurt Authors – Jim Milliot, Publishers Weekly – Unsealed court documents show OpenAI and Microsoft employees knew their book piracy operations were illegal and could harm authors, which should have plaintiffs’ attorneys salivating over penalties and a potential settlement. Pay up!

The Rise of Parasite Authors (gift link) – Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly, The Atlantic – The latest scam that Amazon and its broken child site Goodreads are seemingly doing little to stop: scammers are uploading fake AI books “by” real authors, duping their fans into buying them.

The World’s Most Reliable AI Detector Has a Human Problem (gift link) – Vauhini Vara, Bloomberg – Novelist Vauhini Vara profiles the rise of controversial AI-writing detection tool Pangram. She put it through the paces and seemingly came away impressed with its lack of false positives, even if it seems possible (even easy) to dupe.

Ukraine’s Publishing Industry Nears Breaking Point Amid War – Ed Nawotka, Publishers Weekly – The Ukrainian publishing industry is struggling under the onslaught of Russian attacks, with over 10 million books destroyed.

He Scammed the Book Business for Years. Is He Back? (gift link) – Miguel Salazar, New York Times – Enigmatic scammer Filippo Bernardini impersonated real publishing employees to purloin more than a thousand unpublished manuscripts for confusing reasons. Someone is at it again. Is it him?

SoCal’s Vroman’s, Book Soup Find New Owner – Sam Spratford, Publishers Weekly – Legendary Pasadena bookstore Vroman’s has new ownership, led by Robert Hoffman, who has worked in public policy.

Where Are All the Young Writers? [2026 Redux] – Sean deLone, Dear Head of Mine – Why do young literary writers seemingly have a less prolific output than comparable peers of yore? Sean deLone digs in.

The Roots of the Novel Are Parody, Pastiche, and Play – Lincoln Michel, Counter Craft – Author Lincoln Michel read Don Quixote and considers a great question: If the book that’s considered a foundational text for the novel in Western culture is a parodic pastiche, what does that say about the roots of novels?

CYOA Unbound – Choose Your Own Adventure – The publishers behind Choose Your Own Adventure announced the launch of CYOA Unbound for adult readers. I, for one, can’t wait to turn to page 158 to find out what happens when I decide to stay at the bar for an ill-advised drink instead of going home.

How do you define success as a writer? – Dan Blank, The Creative Shift – I always appreciate Dan Blank’s take on the creative life, and this week, he encourages writers to move beyond sales as the key metric for success.

Hijacking Your Vision – Kristen Weber, Inside an Editor’s Brain – Editor Kristen Weber tackles a great, nutty question: How do you know when to trust an editor’s feedback, and when do you stay true to your vision?

Maestoso, doloroso – Sophie Newman, Attunement – As the days shorten and the weather chills, some of us have a tendency to fall into the doldrums. Writer Sophie Newman has a lovely post about appreciating the growing darkness, with an assist from Louise Glück.

This week in bestsellers

Here are the top five NY Times bestsellers in a few key categories. (All links are affiliate links):

Adult print and e-book fiction:

1. Hollow Bones by Jodi Picoult
2. Theo of Golden by Allen Levi
3. The Thoroughbreds by Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham
4. The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett
5. Dead Beat by Leigh Bardugo

Adult print and e-book nonfiction:

1. The Perilous Fight by Colin Kaepernick with Nick Chiles
2. End Times Fascism by Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor
3. One Man In by Christian Craighead
4. Confronting America by Bill O’Reilly and Josh Hammer
5. The Nerd Reich by Gil Durán

Young adult hardcover:

1. Styx by Nikita Gill
2. Barbie: Dreamscape by Alex Aster
3. Our Strange Duet by Erin A. Craig
4. Winterveil by Ava Reid
5. Anger is Only a Shadow by Elizabeth Acevedo

Middle grade hardcover:

1. Spooky Rivers by Geo Rutherford
2. Wonder by R.J. Palacio
3. Kiki’s Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono
4. The Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society by Lindsay Currie
5. Kiki and the New Magic by Eiko Kadono

This week on the blog

In case you missed them, here are this week’s posts:

• 10 things that don’t belong in a query letter

And keep up with the discussion in all the places!

• Follow me on Threads, Facebook, Bluesky, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter

And finally:

Season 51, Episode 1: New Beginnings – Alison Coffey, Coconuts & Castaways – Season 51 of Survivor kicked off this week, and if you’re looking for a great recap site to revel in all the fun and games and backstabbing, subscribe to Alison Coffey’s Coconuts & Castaways!

Have a great weekend!

Need help with your book? I’m available for manuscript edits, query critiques, and coaching!

For my best advice, check out my online classes, my guide to writing a novel, and my guide to publishing a book.

And if you like this post: subscribe to my newsletter!

Photo: The Huntington, San Marino, CA. Follow me on Instagram!