Writing About Money in Memoir: If the Reader Is Wondering, You Probably Need to Tell Them
You need to know this. It can make or break your story. I see talented writers lose readers over it all the time—and often, they have no idea they’re doing it. I was editing a memoir recently and found myself obsessing over something the author wasn’t writing about....
A Day in the Life of Book Mama
A client recently asked me what a typical day looks like around here. That made me laugh because there isn’t one. Books don’t seem to care much about schedules. But I was intrigued by the question and thought I’d jot down a few notes this past Thursday . . . 5:00 a.m....
The Secret to Distinct Character Voices Might Be Three Little Dots . . .
I was just editing a client’s memoir and noticed quite a few ellipses in an email from a friend in the story. I asked, Is that really how this character would write? If not, try replacing most of them with commas or periods. Why?
Need 2 brainstorming buddies for your manuscript?
There was a time when this was my whole world—ghostwriting and developing books from the ground up. Book deals, awards, even a couple of New York Times bestsellers. It was intense, immersive, and wildly rewarding. These days, I’ve chosen a different rhythm—more space...
The Ache to Write Is Reason Enough (Reflections from Our Sept Virtual Retreat)
Blurry Zoom screenshots aside, this Virtual Retreat group was/is PERFECT. Words rarely escape me—unless I’m trying to capture the magic of a circle of writers who mean the world to me, and to each other. How does life-altering connection grow so strong in just one...
How long do agents take to read full manuscripts? (& why silence isn’t always bad news)
If you’re waiting to hear back from a literary agent—or gearing up to pitch yourself soon—we’ve got more to discuss! Lately, I’ve been talking a lot about querying agents—because it’s one of the most common things writers ask me. Right up there with how to query...
The Buzz Has Begun: 3 New Retreat Author Releases 🎉 🎉🎉
🎉 Today I’m thrilled to showcase three of our brilliant retreat alums who are living the dream—with book launches and media magic that’s worth celebrating. So much has happened since last year’s roundup of 15 releases from 14 authors that it’s been hard keeping...
Dear Book Mama: The Q’s always come. Here are my best A’s.
After nearly thirty years in the trenches of the book world—writing, editing, ghosting, publishing, speaking, coaching, podcasting—I’ve been asked everything. From “How do I land an agent?” to “What the heck do I do when my inner critic won’t shut up?” to “Wait… am I...
Beautiful News! We Made SpotFeed’s “Top 70 Writing Podcasts of 2025.” 🎧✨
I woke up to a sweet surprise: Beautiful Writers Podcast just landed on SpotFeed’s list of the Top 70 Writing Podcasts for 2025! As someone who lives to connect kindred spirits through stories, this recognition feels like a hug from the literary universe. The pod is...
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