How to Glow in the Dark

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Happy almost new year.

Ho, ho, ho: here's a downloadable template book proposal for all of you (plus a style guide to help you write it good...if you're a paid subscriber).

What that Deranged Goodreads Review-Bomber and You Probably Have in Common

If you’re a writer (or person) who struggles with perfectionism, people-pleasing, and low self-esteem, I order you to keep a Derangement Journal in 2024.

"There's an interesting story in my family's history. Is it a book?"

An Unhinged History of American Publishing, Episode 4: The Hachette Publishing Group, or: Hon Hon Hon, It Was Mimesis All Along

An Unhinged History of American Publishing, Episode 3.4: The Penguin Publishing Group, or: Waddling on the Tip of History's Iceberg

It's time for another Ask Me Anything post!

Why everyone in publishing needs a little more BDE, or "Big Daunt Energy"

The meaning of life is coming apart.

This is a time publishers ought to be investing and exploring new territory vs. laying people off and hunkering down. So why are so few of the big companies doing that?

An Unhinged History of American Publishing, episode 3.3: The Crown Publishing Group, or: Look At That Trash Panda Go 😭

An Unhinged History of American Publishing, Episode 3.2: The Knopf/Doubleday Publishing Group, or: Olympus Unbuttoned

An Unhinged History of American Publishing, Part 3.1: The Random House Publishing Group, or: Cerf's Up (in the form of a ghost)

Daddy, where do audiobooks come from?

Q and A edition: in which I say "...depends" more than the narrator of an actual adult diaper ad, BUT IT'S TRUE, MERYL

If you don’t want your publishing career to turn you into a quivering goo-ball of resentment and self doubt, remember the Puff Pastry Rule.

The mark of a philistine, weak writer, and unimpressive coworker: if they can't recognize the value of a thing up front, they decide that that value must not exist

Why oh why aren't agents responding to my query?

Forget things that scare you -- do something every day that annoys you

RERUN: The ghosts on that ridge (plus postscript w/updates)

RERUN: "Oh God, oh God, I'm Getting Viciously Criticized by a Bunch of People on the Internet. What Do I Do?"

Mommy, where do book covers come from?

An Unhinged History of American Publishing, Episode 2: W.W. Norton, or: a Song of Wonder and Ghosts

Did you listen to that podcast by the Instagram influencer whose book deal got canceled? If so, here are my thoughts on it.

An Unhinged History of American Publishing, Episode 1: Simon and Schuster, or: A Song of Puzzles and Profit

The most meaningful gift we can give each other before we start collaborating on your book project is the truth about who we are

Vitally important things for authors to remember (in aesthetically Instagrammable form)

Commercial book ideas in search of an author

Readers around the world want one kind of book right now (and here's what it is)

My five least favorite painful truths about book publishing

What editors *actually* want authors to do with their editorial feedback

I have a mild concussion - AMA!

The most common red flags I see in nonfiction book proposals by otherwise qualified authors

The kind of author you *don't* want to be

In the unlikely event of a water landing, DO NOT INFLATE YOUR LIFE JACKET WHILE YOU ARE STILL INSIDE THE PLANE.

"My editor [or agent] is taking FOREVER with my edits. They keep making and breaking promises about when they'll be done with their notes. What the f*ck?"

The best book for learning how to communicate with publishing professionals....is unfortunately also a 43-year-old classic on how to parent small children

The ghosts on that ridge

Is there a mismatch between what you think you're capable of as a writer and what you're actually managing to write? The problem might be sitting next to you right now. (People. It's other people.)

Serious about finally finishing that novel this year? DON'T force yourself to make it a daily practice

FIGHT, FLIGHT, FAWN, OR FREEZE: the highly specific ways in which authors' stress responses weaken their books--and how to mop up yours on the page

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