Every writer thinks the manuscript is in pretty good shape—right up until the editorial feedback arrives. From confidence and outrage to revision, gratitude, and complete memory loss, here are the twelve stages writers cycle through when an editor gets involved.
A thriller writer’s Google search history can look alarmingly criminal—especially when questions about silencers, DNA and extradition sit beside tomato varieties, bitter cucumbers and homemade hummus.
What makes a book unforgettable? It often isn’t the plot—it’s the people. The characters who quietly step onto the page, feel completely real, and stay with us long after we’ve finished the final chapter.
Some of the most memorable people in our lives were never the main characters. The same is true in fiction. If your supporting characters exist only to deliver information or move the plot along, your story misses an opportunity to create a richer, more believable world. Every character should feel like they have a life beyond the page.
Years after finishing a novel, it’s rarely the plot we remember best. It’s the people. The quiet characters who felt real, who made us laugh, who gave the story its heart. Those are the ones who stay with us—and perhaps that’s true of the people we meet in life, too.
Every publishing season seems to produce another “overnight success.” But behind almost every breakout author are years of writing, learning, failed launches, and steady persistence. Real publishing careers are rarely built in a single moment—they’re built one book, one reader, and one lesson at a time.
Most writers love writing but dread rewriting. Yet revision isn’t evidence the first draft failed—it’s where good stories become great ones. Like weeding a garden, editing isn’t about destroying what you’ve grown. It’s about giving the best parts room to flourish.
Writers rarely work on just one book at a time. While readers see the finished novel, there’s often an entire queue of stories in progress behind it—drafts, edits, serials, and ideas waiting for their turn. Here’s a look at what’s currently occupying my writing desk this summer, from new thriller adventures to ongoing serial fiction and the next novel waiting in the wings.
Serial fiction may look old-fashioned, but today’s audiences consume serialized stories everywhere—from television and podcasts to newsletters and streaming platforms. As publishing tools evolve, serialization offers new ways for readers to discover stories, engage with characters over time, and become part of an ongoing reading experience.
Most writers think of serial fiction as a publishing format. Mark Posey argues it is something even more valuable: a practical lesson in storytelling craft. Because every installment must earn a reader’s return, serial fiction exposes weaknesses in pacing, structure, and chapter endings that can hide inside a completed novel. The skills it teaches—curiosity, momentum, and reader engagement—strengthen every form of storytelling.
