The older I become, the more I know this to be true: generosity is one of the most important traits for a writer (or person, for that matter) to have. Generosity serves a writer in many ways that spill over into other areas of life, but I’ll focus on three in this space that are the most impactful to one’s writing career.

A good writer is generous to readers

Have you ever read a nonfiction book that felt as though the author just wanted to talk about their own story, and never how it applies to the reader? When this happens a reader begins to pull back from the story and wonder, “What’s in this for me?”  Or, have you ever been four pages into a novel, and thought, “Why is this author so focused on the exact shade of green this grass is? I just need some dialogue!” A generous writer actively considers the reader experience every step of the way while writing. They ask themselves, “If I were reading this book, what would I want to experience? How would I want to be engaged, surprised, or inspired?” They know that even though they’re writing the book, it isn’t about them at all. When an author can keep the reader front and center mentally as they write a book, the end result is a happy reader. And happy readers buy, recommend, and share books- which makes writers happy. It’s a lovely cycle, all built on the original generosity of a writer.

A good writer is generous to other writers

Authors never forget those writers who supported them through the best and worst of times.  We remember how they spoke well of us in rooms we were not in. We remember the ones who shared about the book, who cared enough to ask how we were after the chaos of release week died down, and those who commiserated with us through the inevitable valleys along the road to publishing. And those who are further along the path, who answer the call to give an endorsement or share our work with their own established audience? We never forget them, or our gratitude for their generosity of spirit. When writers are generous to other writers, it becomes an inspiration for all involved. We recognize and honor the creative light in one another. No matter where you are on the path to publishing, you have something to offer to the writer behind you. And, rest assured, they won’t forget that you offered it.

A good writer is generous to themselves

As much as writers love writing (or the idea of writing, let’s be honest) it isn’t a relaxing activity. While movies and books may glamorize the experience, with writers escaping to a cabin in the woods to pen the next great novel, we know this couldn’t be farther from the truth. We second guess ourselves, pull our hair out during edits, skip lunch to make it to the next word count goal while we’re on a roll. It’s definitely not as relaxing as reading a book, that’s for sure. This is why a good writer will be generous to themselves. They know their limits. They know when they’ve pushed too hard, and when to give themselves a snack, a break, or when to press “Buy Now” on their entire Amazon cart. Okay, that last one may have been a bit overboard. The point is, generous writers don’t exclude themselves from their own generosity. They know that in order to give to others, they must give to themselves also.

How about you? What does generosity look like in your own writing life? Tell us in the comments!

And, don’t forget, we have a monthly podcast and an upcoming Writing Intensive!

Some authors choose to write discussion questions that will appear at the back of a book or be available on the writer’s website. Having written a slew of such questions and having been trained in writing curriculum, I have a few thoughts to offer that will enable you to write great discussion questions that actually result in good conversations.

Why Write Discussion Questions

A couple of motivations occur to me that make writing questions a good choice.

• The author wants to communicate that this book would make a great book club selection. Some books lend themselves well to being a book club choice. Most novels, for example, give club members plenty of fodder for discussion. Not all nonfiction would rank as viable for a book club–a denser, heavily footnoted title, for example. Or a humorous book on growing old. Ask yourself: What material exists in the book that would lead to a good conversation?
• As a way to drive readers to the author’s website. By offering discussion questions on a website rather than at the back of the book, the writer offers the questions as an added benefit. Bonus material is viewed as more valuable than material at the back of a book–but not as many readers will make the extra effort of traveling to a website. The benefit to the author is that the reader might discover more ways to connect with the writer–listen to a podcast; follow on social media; ask the writer to speak at a gathering; find out about other books by the author; sign up for the author’s newsletter.

Discussion Questions for Fiction

• Avoid questions that can be answered yes or no. Such questions don’t lead the responder anywhere but to a one-word answer. Ask expansive questions that the reader must ponder before answering.

For example, don’t remind the reader of the challenges the protagonist faced in the novel and then ask, “Did you sympathize with the character’s response to these conflicts?”

Instead, turn the question into requiring more than a yes or no: “Which of the character’s responses were you most sympathetic with and why? Which were you most unsympathetic with and why?”

• Be careful to phrase your questions in such a way that the reader is forced back into the story to provide an answer.

If, say, your book includes an exploration of a mother abandoning her children, don’t ask a question that focuses solely on the issue: “Have you ever felt abandoned in some way by your mother?” This query doesn’t push the reader back into the story; you want the reader to interact with the issue as told in the story.

A better way to phrase the question would be, “When Jerusha left her children, which child handled the situation in the healthiest way possible? Which one made choices that were most damaging?”

• Ask open-ended questions that invite readers to express their overall impressions of the story. Lori Benton, in her discussion questions for Many Sparrows, asks such a question: “The struggle over land between settlers and natives is a long one….What was the most interesting thing you learned about this pre-Revolutionary War period?”

Discussion Questions for Nonfiction

The same guidelines exist in nonfiction as in fiction, but the way to think about questions varies.

• Avoid yes or no questions for the same reason as in fiction–you want the reader to probe the book’s content to come up with a more thoughtful answer.

Joanna Weaver, in your Study Questions at the back of Having a Mary Spirit, asks, “Consider the ‘good dog/bad dog’ story on page 35. How do you feed the good dog in your life? How can you weaken the influence of the bad dog?”

• Make sure the questions push the reader back into the book rather than into discussing the book’s points with no reference to the book.

If you’re writing about a social justice issue, it can be easy to phrase questions to center on the reader’s experience or observations rather than to interact with the book’s content.

For example, the author could write, “In what ways have you encountered or witnessed someone encountering racial prejudice?” But the writer will push the reader back into the book by asking, “When you read about Rhonda’s encounter with the TSA employee, in what ways did she correctly perceive the subtle prejudices? In what ways might she have been hyper-sensitive?”

The Best Discussion Question I’ve Ever Asked

• The final point for nonfiction questions is to ask open-ended questions to give readers space to explain their overall thoughts on the book.

I recently lead a discussion for the book club I belong to when we talked about Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky. I had found it to be a maddeningly wonderful–and terrible–reading experience. The structure struck me as a mess, and he kept circling back to repeat himself. On the other hand, oh, my word, salt has influenced so much of human history, it’s mind-boggingly interesting.

So one of the questions I asked the other book club members gave them room to express their thoughts and feelings about the book: “What did you like best about the book, and what did you like least?”

Boy, howdy, did they have opinions! That one question led us to laugh, cry, and even high-five each other. Best. Discussion. We’ve. Ever. Had.

What do you think makes for good discussion questions? Which of the “don’t-do-this” types of questions do you tend to fall into?

Book image by beasternchen from Pixabay

Bears imag by Mabel Amber, who will one day from Pixabay

Group discussing image by Naassom Azevedo from Pixabay

As in life, every writer goes through seasons in their creative journey. Every season changes the way people think, plan, buy, reflect, and connect. Perhaps it’s time to consider if your season as a writer is shifting too. Maybe you have written Bible Studies but now your desires are shifting to writing articles or short stories. The key is to listen to what is going on inside of you and use your current season as a lens to determine your calling in this moment rather than living in the past. Living in what is fresh today, may lead you into writing seasonal and relevant content.

Seasonal content works because it taps into what readers are already experiencing. Spring often brings renewal, planning, and fresh starts. Summer can signal movement, energy, travel, and flexibility. Fall creates momentum around routines, decisions, and preparation. Winter invites reflection, gratitude, urgency, and reset.

These shifts create writing opportunities. A seasonal angle can reframe a familiar message, make something feel more relevant, and give your reader a timely reason to engage.

• What is your audience thinking about during this time of year?
• What pressures are they facing?
• What goals are coming into focus?
• What decisions are they delaying, accelerating, or reconsidering?

Instead of simply writing “spring is here” or “the holidays are coming,” connect the season to a problem, emotional need, or practical next step. That is what makes seasonal writing feel useful rather than decorative.

Seasonal writing can shape more than blog posts, it can guide social media themes, pitch decks, and creative briefs. When the seasonal idea is strong, it can become a unifying thread that connects readers to your message.

Common Seasonal Writing Mistakes to Avoid

• Using tired language: Phrases like “fall into savings” or “spring into action” can feel overused unless given a fresh twist.
• Forcing the theme: If the season does not connect naturally to the message, the writing will feel thin.
• Publishing too late: Seasonal content often needs to be planned weeks or months before peak interest.
• Ignoring audience context: A seasonal trend that works for one industry, region, or client may not work for another.

Great seasonal writing does not chase holidays for the sake of filling a calendar. It uses timing to deepen relevance. As the year changes, your writing can change with it—not by abandoning your core message, but by giving it a fresh reason for it to matter right now.

What are you working on  this season? Is your writing shifting? Are you continuing to grow as a writer? These questions help to keep us fresh, on point and growing no matter what season we are in.

]]> https://www.booksandsuch.com/blog/turning-seasonal-shifts-into-relevant-content/feed/ 1 https://www.booksandsuch.com/blog/celebrating-publishing-milestones/ https://www.booksandsuch.com/blog/celebrating-publishing-milestones/#comments Mon, 31 Aug 2026 16:01:13 +0000 https://www.booksandsuch.com/?p=36580 Blogger: Rachel Kent

Many writers seem to think that the only milestone worth celebrating is publication, but many milestones occur along the publishing path. Taking time to celebrate can help to keep you moving forward.

One of my best friends …

Writing and editing are inseparable companions. Ask the most prolific writers and they’ll tell you that despite millions of books sold and hundreds of titles under their belt, an editor still looks at every word they write.

The most polished writer who turns in a pristine manuscript will have still missed something. And it might be big. I meant to say genuine but wrote geriatric instead. Oops. Four rounds of edits and none of us caught that?

Established authors realize that every book published likely has at least one oops left in it. We learn to turn our momentary grief into a marketing opportunity. “First reader to comment on the typo in Chapter Seventeen receives a gift card to purchase more books!”

Though writers become well-versed in the inevitability of editing in their writing, they don’t always pay attention to what needs to be edited out of their self-talk. Those oopsies can be the most dangerous of all, because misguided or erroneous self-talk forms neural connections that lead to more misguided internal dialogue.

My editor will catch that.

The writer notices a problem but doesn’t fix it, leaning instead on the editor to find a new word or figure out how to punctuate a quote within a quote within a quote or where to find 10,000 words to trim off the manuscript. If we frequently default to letting someone else solve a known problem, we subconsciously think of ourselves as unable to solve those problems. We form a neurological pathway that tells us we don’t need to own the known. We leave messes for other people to clean up. Doesn’t work with teens. Doesn’t work with writers either. And we cheat ourselves out of the education embedded in problem-solving. Need a different word here, but you’re not sure what it is? Flag it rather than letting it stop your creative flow. But return to it later and figure it out.

I have no chance at publishing this project.

That sentence on repeat can kill enthusiasm but also derail opportunities. It throws shade on our efforts and can be the single sentence that keeps us from finishing. Maybe it is a project that is unlikely to be published. If so, work on something else. But if we approach our computers with a built-in attitude that we have no hope our work will land with readers…and we change nothing except how deep that thought takes root… Well, watch for a Books & Such broadcast addressing how to stay miserable as a writer.

I deserve to have this project published.

Just as dangerous is leaving this thought rattling through our minds. Telling ourselves we are the worst, or conversely “I am the greatest and I am owed a contract or representation,” are both lies. And both can cripple us as writers. If we edit out deserve, entitled, owed from our self-talk, truth has room to work. What?

If we edit out deserve, entitled, owed from our self-talk, truth has room to work.

I’ll just finish stripping the wallpaper off the spare bedroom walls before I work on what my agent or editor has been waiting for. I’ll be able to think more clearly then.

Talking ourselves into rationalizing procrastination leads to unpleasant or even disastrous outcomes. Is it a common writer habit? Yes. Is it deletable? Yes. No writer is solely a writer (or few of them anyway). We’re moms or dads, daughters or sons, sisters, brothers, employees, teachers, doctors, volunteers, coaches, special needs caregivers… Full plates. Taking care of writing responsibilities or writing business can so often seem like a “when I get time” item. That self-talk needs a good edit. If you are tasked as a writer, signed with an agent, have a book deadline, or have been invited to submit something to an agent or editor, or if you want an ongoing writer experience, it can’t bear the label “when I get time.” We micro-prioritize all the time, but we can’t tell ourselves what our agent or editor is waiting for is not a priority…if we want to keep writing.

I can’t (pick one) lower the word count any farther/change the main character’s name as the editor asked/write faster/write more cleanly/write when circumstances aren’t ideal.

It’s the “I can’t” part of that erroneous self-talk that changes our neural pathways in unhelpful (no, let’s edit that to something stronger–hazardous) ways. Is it hard? Sure. Taking writing seriously is seriously hard. But you CAN trim the word count. You CAN change a character’s name despite your fondness for it. And you CAN write faster with a mindset shift or a pattern readjustment. You CAN write more cleanly as you develop the self-editing skills you’ll need for the entirety of your writing career. And who knew? You CAN write…and in fact, few writers don’t write any other way…when circumstances aren’t ideal. “I can’t” self talk predicts defeat. “It’s hard but here we go” predicts success that leads to more success.

“I can’t” self talk predicts defeat. “It’s hard but here we go” predicts success that leads to more success.

I’m just not wired to (pick one) take rejection/work under pressure/handle a complete rewrite/care about the business part.

And that’s the beauty of having a human brain to work with. We can be rewired. Neuroplasticity is a beautiful thing. We don’t just force ourself into new habits. The way we think and what we tell ourselves can disconnect bad connections and, like a skilled electrician in a home remodel, run new wires that are safe, up to code, and efficient. This isn’t a condemning post. We’ve all had to edit our self-talk. Some of us thought we couldn’t write without our 500-calorie super-sweet and deliriously beautiful venti-sized fancy coffee. Or that we can’t write without background noise, which changed to not being able to write if there’s any noise and did the icemaker just kick in? We may not be wired for what we’ll face as writers. But if we don’t edit the self-talk that reinforces the impossibility, we’ll never attempt the training that will help us implement the gift of neuroplasticity.

Image by Сергей from Pixabay

What other kinds of self-talk do you now recognize need a good edit? We’d love to hear your comments. It would be unusual if your self-talk doesn’t sound like other writers’. Welcome to the club.

And don’t forget to check out the Books & Such Literary Management website for its blog archives, info about our podcast, and news about upcoming writing intensives.

Among the common responses an agent may give a writer, is “Your project isn’t quite ready yet. Keep working to make it the best it can be.” The writer inevitably is left feeling frustrated, and maybe a little lost. What about the project isn’t ready? Why can’t the agent just help the writer make it ready? There are many reasons why an agent can’t sign everyone that queries us, even if we do like the projects we are presented. The main issue, is of course, time. If we signed every project that needed major revision, we would have no time for our other clients, who brought us publishing-ready or near ready projects. So, while it is frustrating to hear that your project isn’t ready now, be encouraged that down the line when you have an agent, you will be relieved they aren’t taking time away from you for writers who need to work some things out on their own first.

If an agent says your project isn’t ready, it could mean:

The writing needs improvement

This perhaps is the most obvious, but often it is the exact reason I decline moving forward with a project. Even if the concept is compelling, if the writing isn’t where it needs to be, it’s a pass. I want to be so thoroughly invested while reading a writing sample that my brain doesn’t switch into “editor mode.” As I read, I want to become enthralled, entertained, and oblivious to the outside world- just like when I’m tucked into a corner of my couch with a good book. When I begin to wonder why a writer phrased something a certain way, or chose a certain word, I know the writing could use some polishing.

The pacing needs work

Adding to the above, when a book’s pacing doesn’t feel like it flows well, this is not something an agent can fix for a writer. We’ve all read books that feel rushed at the end, or too slow in the middle. Sometimes nonfiction books will hurry a reader through a subtopic, or underestimate a reader’s need to delve deeper into a thought for longer than a paragraph or two.

The project is missing a unique hook

Sometimes a book seems like it addresses the perfect felt-need, but the writer hasn’t considered that many other books do as well. If a book doesn’t have a unique angle on a common topic, it is going to be a very difficult sale for an agent to make. The best books addressing common felt needs do so from a unique vantage point, offering readers insight into an issue they didn’t have before.

The bottom line

When an agent says your project needs work, that’s not a sign for you to spend thousands, or even hundreds of dollars on professional editing. Editors can be helpful, but we want to see how far you can take your own project. We want to see your writing ability, as well as your ability to take a project from its first draft to nearly final form. Keep in mind, an agent will be working with you- not the editor you hire. This is true after we sign you as well- you will be working with an editor at the publisher, and he or she will expect your writing ability to be what was originally implied, too. Don’t get discouraged- we know perfection isn’t possible, and we are cheering for you every step of the way.

Let us know in the comments, what helped you take a project from good to great?

Did you know that Books & Such is hosting our Writing Intensive February 16-18, 2027? We would love to have you join us! Learn more here!

Don’t forget that the agents of Books & Such chat about writing and publishing every month over on our podcast, too! You can also watch on YouTube!

This summer, as various library association conventions and publishing events conducted panel discussions on the future of reading. The question each asked: Is reading doomed? Are we in a post-literacy era?

Clearly libraries and publishing houses care a lot about what they view as alarming statistics regarding reading in America.

Here are just two of them:

• 21% of American adults are functionally illiterate, and 54% read below a sixth-grade level according to the National Literacy Institute. These numbers reflect a steady decline in adult reading proficiency, alongside shifting habits in how the public consumes books.
• The “Zero Book” Trend: A recent Pew Research Center Survey found that 25% of U.S. adults did not read a single book (in any format) over the past year.

Is the Sky Falling?

One of the stories my mother read to me as a child was the fable of Chicken Little. If you aren’t familiar with it, you can read the story here.

But I’ll summarize it for those who want to skip all the details: An acorn fell on Chicken Little’s head, and she determined that the object was a piece of the sky. She ran off to tell anyone she could find about the dire situation: The sky was falling! Knowing they were doomed, they rushed off to tell the king. The fox, who immediately identifies this as false information, cleverly offers the birds safe haven in his den while he pretends to take the urgent message to the king. Chicken Little comes to her senses when she sneezes from all the dust in the den, and they escape a dire situation.

Are libraries and publishing spokespersons right to declare the reading sky is falling?

Examining the Literacy Statistics

As writers, we also care a lot if people are ignoring books. We value and love books. Most of us have TBR (to be read) stacks we might never conquer, especially because we keep adding to them. We’re always asking fellow readers what they’ve been reading, in hopes of finding our next satisfying book to read. Not to mention the obvious–we want people to keep reading so they’ll read the books we write!

The National Literacy Institute Numbers

Lots of statistics are available for us to consider for ourselves on their website (see link above). But here are a couple that aren’t being highlighted for us:

• On average, 79% of U.S. adults nationwide are literate in 2024.
• Globally, the overall literacy rate stands at a commendable level. For individuals aged 15 and above, the combined literacy rate for both genders is 86.3%. Males in this age group exhibit a literacy rate of 90%, with females closely trailing at 82.7%. Notably, substantial variations exist between countries. Developed nations consistently boast adult literacy rates of 96% or higher, while the least developed countries struggle with an average literacy rate of just 65%. Accurate cross-country comparisons of literacy rates face challenges due to two primary factors: irregular reporting practices among countries, and divergent definitions of what constitutes literacy.
• Sadly, the US ranks 36th in literacy. That certainly isn’t good. Interestingly, the website puts much blame on our educational system that lacks qualified teachers. I would add that I have to believe our country’s basic abandonment of teaching phonics in the 1980s until recently has done considerable damage to not only the ability to read but also to enjoy reading.

The Pew Survey

If you actually read the Pew Survey, you’ll find that the reports given by libraries and publishing houses focus on interpreting the statistics negatively. But the report is written from a positive perspective.

Here’s one portion of the report:

Overall, 75% of U.S. adults say they have read all or part of at least one book in the past 12 months.

And here’s another revelatory quote:

The overall share of Americans who have read a book in the past year has remained fairly stable since we first asked this question in 2011.

Rather than our taking up the mantra,”The sky is falling,” should we not rejoice that, despite all the other ways people could seek entertainment, books remain a staple?

For Every Trend, There’s a Counter-trend

I learned long ago that while a trend dominates people’s behavior for a segment of time, a counter-trend always rises up as a counterweight. For example, if people are mostly buying mass market books because they are the least expensive way to purchase a book, a counter-trend of beautifully-bound, expensive books will follow.

When the Keto diet became a trend, vegetarianism and vegan eating became more common. (See a 2023 report on these types of eating  plans here, in which it is noted that, among Google searches from 2009-2014, they were among the five most popular.)

I’m sure there are exceptions to this rule, but I think, while reading habits reflect flat growth, people are finding new ways to consume books–and some of those are experiencing double-digit growth.

Is Reading Doomed? Not Yet.

I would remind all of us that physical books actually are quite popular among Gen Z and Millennial readers (61-80 percent). They are seeking breaks from screens, and books are perfect for that.They would rather read a physical book than a digital one any day. My 30something grandson and his wife both are readers. And they often request a book as a gift from me.

And then there are audiobooks, which continue to experience double digit growth for more than ten years straight. Spotify offering books to their music subscribers has been a huge success. And brought in sales for publishers and authors they wouldn’t have otherwise seen. It’s a new discoverability channel for authors. As one article noted, “Much of this growth is driven by users who were listening to an audiobook for the very first time.”

My three-year-old great grandson ADORES his Yoto, which reads children’s books to him with no screen involved. With a 70% retention of subscribers, who remain with Yoto for years, the numbers demonstrate that children and their parents love consuming books in this way.

Consuming of books can take many forms.

“The sky is falling” mentality set in strongly when families bought their first TVs in the 1950s; it meant the death of the radio! Nope. Radio still is with us. Then there was the prophesied death of the physical book when Kindle came on the scene. Nope. Paper books remain the most popular way to read.

None of that happened. As humans, we have the capacity to absorb new ways to access media without losing any of the old ways.

That doesn’t mean reading is in perfect health. But it does mean books are not dodo birds. Nor is the sky falling.

Relax, any Chicken Littles out there.

Chicken Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

Dusty old book image by Tom from Pixabay

Sitting on a stack of books Image by Pexels from Pixabay

The world is overflowing with content and it’s tempting to chase what’s trending instead of truth that is timeless. Writers can easily find themselves asking,  What will sell? What will go viral? What does the market want? Those questions have their place, but they should never be the first questions we ask.

A better question is this:

What matters?

The books that leave a lasting imprint are rarely born from a desire to keep up. They grow from a deep conviction that something important needs to be said. They address real questions, real struggles and real hope.

Writing for what matters doesn’t mean writing only about big topics. It means writing with purpose. A children’s story can shape a young heart. A Christian Living book can remind someone they are not alone. A devotional can become a daily companion. A novel can help someone escape into storylines that aren’t their own. Every genre has potential to matter.

As an agent, I look for authors who care deeply about both the message and the reader. Platform matters. Craft matters. Market awareness matters. But those things work best when they support a message that genuinely deserves to be shared. If you’re in the middle of writing, don’t let comparison or changing trends pull you off course. Trends come and go. Algorithms change. Publishing shifts. But, truth endures.

Ask yourself:

• What burden has God placed on my heart?
• What conversation am I uniquely equipped to enter?
• What reader do I hope will close this book feeling see, encouraged, challenger, or changed?

Those questions will lead you to writing for lasting impact. Don’t settle for filling pages. Write to fill a need. Write to bring hope to a heart. Write to make the reader feel seen and no longer alone. And, in doing so, you will be writing for what matters.

]]> https://www.booksandsuch.com/blog/write-for-what-matters/feed/ 6 https://www.booksandsuch.com/blog/what-to-do-with-a-negative-review-2/ https://www.booksandsuch.com/blog/what-to-do-with-a-negative-review-2/#comments Mon, 20 Jul 2026 01:00:09 +0000 https://www.booksandsuch.com/?p=36481 A negative book review can be devastating to an author; some of you may have already experienced this. It’s hard to put your book baby out there in the first place, but then when people say nasty things about it …