Jane Friedman
@janefriedman.com
I report on the publishing industry through my paid newsletter, The Bottom Line, and educate writers on the business of authorship in THE BUSINESS OF BEING A WRITER (University of Chicago Press).
Writers hear the advice to join a critique group and perhaps hope it will serve every need—motivation, accountability, encouragement, feedback, companionship. But it’s hard for one group to provide all those things to all members at the same time.
@zenaryder.bsky.social suggests what to do instead.
@zenaryder.bsky.social suggests what to do instead.
The Big Mistake That Keeps Writers From Finishing a Novel | Jane Friedman
One writer explains why you shouldn’t necessarily get feedback on your first draft—and what you should do instead.
janefriedman.com
February 10, 2026 at 3:03 PM
Writers hear the advice to join a critique group and perhaps hope it will serve every need—motivation, accountability, encouragement, feedback, companionship. But it’s hard for one group to provide all those things to all members at the same time.
@zenaryder.bsky.social suggests what to do instead.
@zenaryder.bsky.social suggests what to do instead.
"Divorcing your tone from your content does not strip your memoir of its authenticity—in fact, it deepens it. There’s more to your book than just what happens in the story. Pairing content and tone can give you access to meaning beyond merely the scope of the plot." —Stephanie Mitchell
Finding the Right Tone for Your Memoir | Jane Friedman
Your story’s tone and content don’t have to match—and when they don’t, they can combine to create something greater than their sum.
janefriedman.com
February 5, 2026 at 7:15 PM
"Divorcing your tone from your content does not strip your memoir of its authenticity—in fact, it deepens it. There’s more to your book than just what happens in the story. Pairing content and tone can give you access to meaning beyond merely the scope of the plot." —Stephanie Mitchell
"Every small publishing house led to another small publishing house I had never heard of before. So, despite my starting out with a short list of publishers, the list of possibilities for unagented submissions just kept growing."
—Audrey Ship (@audreyshipp.bsky.social)
—Audrey Ship (@audreyshipp.bsky.social)
How I Navigated My Way to a Memoir Deal from a Small Publisher | Jane Friedman
Learning from others and practicing patience while navigating the publishing industry led to a bright light at the end of the tunnel.
janefriedman.com
February 4, 2026 at 3:07 PM
"Every small publishing house led to another small publishing house I had never heard of before. So, despite my starting out with a short list of publishers, the list of possibilities for unagented submissions just kept growing."
—Audrey Ship (@audreyshipp.bsky.social)
—Audrey Ship (@audreyshipp.bsky.social)
"I was introduced to glimmers during a workshop facilitated by author Pam Houston at the Breadloaf Conference in 2023. She spoke of experiences that stay with you because they make life sharper, sweeter, and meaningful."
Why author Sheila Myers continues despite her 1099s looking poor.
Why author Sheila Myers continues despite her 1099s looking poor.
The Glimmers You Find While Chasing the Whale | Jane Friedman
While in pursuit of our writing goals, the serendipitous experiences along the way might be just as meaningful as landing the big fish.
janefriedman.com
February 3, 2026 at 3:18 PM
"I was introduced to glimmers during a workshop facilitated by author Pam Houston at the Breadloaf Conference in 2023. She spoke of experiences that stay with you because they make life sharper, sweeter, and meaningful."
Why author Sheila Myers continues despite her 1099s looking poor.
Why author Sheila Myers continues despite her 1099s looking poor.
A great opportunity here to help yourself and do some good for others at the same time. Publishing auction ends tonight.
Publishing for Minnesota
Silent auction 'Publishing for Minnesota' hosted online at 32auctions.
www.32auctions.com
January 30, 2026 at 3:20 PM
A great opportunity here to help yourself and do some good for others at the same time. Publishing auction ends tonight.
Withholding information is an important storytelling skill. But you shouldn’t withhold any old information; you should hold back information that matters to the character.
Insight from writer and editor @erinhalden.bsky.social.
Insight from writer and editor @erinhalden.bsky.social.
How NOT to Confuse Your Readers | Jane Friedman
A successful story unfurls in a way that both keeps readers grounded and keeps them guessing—so withhold information, but not context.
janefriedman.com
January 29, 2026 at 2:47 PM
Withholding information is an important storytelling skill. But you shouldn’t withhold any old information; you should hold back information that matters to the character.
Insight from writer and editor @erinhalden.bsky.social.
Insight from writer and editor @erinhalden.bsky.social.
"[Writers will] be misunderstood. We’ll be criticized by strangers. Sometimes even by people we love. Writing is an act of exposure, and writing about something this personal, this political, and this dangerous feels like standing in a blizzard naked." —@rebeccamakkai.bsky.social
Writing at the Intersection of Fear, Politics and Responsibility | Jane Friedman
Writing is an act of exposure, especially when it’s about something personal, political, and dangerous. But we write anyway.
janefriedman.com
January 28, 2026 at 3:20 PM
"[Writers will] be misunderstood. We’ll be criticized by strangers. Sometimes even by people we love. Writing is an act of exposure, and writing about something this personal, this political, and this dangerous feels like standing in a blizzard naked." —@rebeccamakkai.bsky.social
"Improv clarified something important for me about writing. When I hedge in my novels ... it’s the same impulse at work: self-protection. But just like onstage, hesitation drains momentum. A bold choice, even an imperfect one, gives the story something to push against." —Kyla Zhao
What Improv Comedy Taught Me About Writing Novels | Jane Friedman
Improv is about being in the moment, and showed one author how to let go, listen better, take risks, and move on when something doesn’t work.
janefriedman.com
January 27, 2026 at 3:08 PM
"Improv clarified something important for me about writing. When I hedge in my novels ... it’s the same impulse at work: self-protection. But just like onstage, hesitation drains momentum. A bold choice, even an imperfect one, gives the story something to push against." —Kyla Zhao
Most writing advice tells you to cut ruthlessly.
But what if some of the most powerful writing happens in the spaces between your “important” scenes?
Author Seth Harwood offers powerful insight into storytelling using Raymond Carver as an example.
But what if some of the most powerful writing happens in the spaces between your “important” scenes?
Author Seth Harwood offers powerful insight into storytelling using Raymond Carver as an example.
The Art of Connective Tissue: What Raymond Carver Teaches Us About Building Character and Showing | Jane Friedman
Small bits of action—descending the stairs, cleaning off the car—might not be insignificant if they tell something about a character’s world.
janefriedman.com
January 22, 2026 at 3:05 PM
Most writing advice tells you to cut ruthlessly.
But what if some of the most powerful writing happens in the spaces between your “important” scenes?
Author Seth Harwood offers powerful insight into storytelling using Raymond Carver as an example.
But what if some of the most powerful writing happens in the spaces between your “important” scenes?
Author Seth Harwood offers powerful insight into storytelling using Raymond Carver as an example.
Reposted by Jane Friedman
Whenever I read discourse on AI energy/water use that focuses on the "median query," I can't help but feel misled. Coding agents like Claude Code send hundreds of longer-than-median queries every session, and I run dozens of sessions a day.
On my blog: www.simonpcouch.com/blog/2026-01...
On my blog: www.simonpcouch.com/blog/2026-01...
January 20, 2026 at 2:38 PM
Whenever I read discourse on AI energy/water use that focuses on the "median query," I can't help but feel misled. Coding agents like Claude Code send hundreds of longer-than-median queries every session, and I run dozens of sessions a day.
On my blog: www.simonpcouch.com/blog/2026-01...
On my blog: www.simonpcouch.com/blog/2026-01...
Should you hire a book publicist? There's no one right answer for all. I tell every author: don't expect the investment to come back to you in the form of sales. But it can be a worthwhile investment that delivers a career-long boost.
@heathersweeney.bsky.social offers pros & cons.
@heathersweeney.bsky.social offers pros & cons.
The Pros and Cons of Launching a Book Without a Publicist | Jane Friedman
A publicist can be an invaluable part of your launch team when your book is published, but it’s also possible to do it on your own.
janefriedman.com
January 20, 2026 at 4:07 PM
Should you hire a book publicist? There's no one right answer for all. I tell every author: don't expect the investment to come back to you in the form of sales. But it can be a worthwhile investment that delivers a career-long boost.
@heathersweeney.bsky.social offers pros & cons.
@heathersweeney.bsky.social offers pros & cons.
Later this month: I'll be speaking at the IBPA and BookLife Boot Camp, where author @russellnohelty.com and I will discuss how authors can control their own destiny, leverage their intellectual property, and build their audiences.
Learn more: www.ibpa-online.org/store/viewpr...
Learn more: www.ibpa-online.org/store/viewpr...
January 19, 2026 at 3:43 PM
Later this month: I'll be speaking at the IBPA and BookLife Boot Camp, where author @russellnohelty.com and I will discuss how authors can control their own destiny, leverage their intellectual property, and build their audiences.
Learn more: www.ibpa-online.org/store/viewpr...
Learn more: www.ibpa-online.org/store/viewpr...
Today at 1p Eastern! This one is setting some registration records.
Can't make it? 🥲 Recording will be available later on my YouTube channel. See comments for link.
Register for free: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Can't make it? 🥲 Recording will be available later on my YouTube channel. See comments for link.
Register for free: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: The Indie Author’s Guide to a Standout Amazon Listing. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.
For self-publishing authors: Learn practical strategies for optimizing your Amazon book listing for more visibility and sales. Book coach Elizabeth Lyons will show you how to identify the keywords you...
us02web.zoom.us
January 16, 2026 at 4:29 PM
Today at 1p Eastern! This one is setting some registration records.
Can't make it? 🥲 Recording will be available later on my YouTube channel. See comments for link.
Register for free: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Can't make it? 🥲 Recording will be available later on my YouTube channel. See comments for link.
Register for free: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
We’ve all seen it before in movies. The female character who gets into a car with a stranger or walks into a house when the door is ajar and looks like it’s been broken into. WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
Author Courtney Psak discusses this phenomenon in storytelling and how it underlies her latest novel.
Author Courtney Psak discusses this phenomenon in storytelling and how it underlies her latest novel.
When Women Ignore Their Instincts (and Why I Wrote a Novel About It) | Jane Friedman
One writer explores how women will rationalize away feelings of unease for the sake of pleasing others, and how we express that on the page.
janefriedman.com
January 15, 2026 at 3:00 PM
We’ve all seen it before in movies. The female character who gets into a car with a stranger or walks into a house when the door is ajar and looks like it’s been broken into. WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
Author Courtney Psak discusses this phenomenon in storytelling and how it underlies her latest novel.
Author Courtney Psak discusses this phenomenon in storytelling and how it underlies her latest novel.
Because AI is such a divisive topic, many individuals and businesses aren't transparent about such use. But hiding use is typically worse for everyone involved.
Poet Dave Malone proposes a transparency statement for those using AI as part of the creative process.
Poet Dave Malone proposes a transparency statement for those using AI as part of the creative process.
Writers and Artists Need a Way to Label AI Use: Here’s What That Could Look Like | Jane Friedman
To encourage transparency among creators and audience, one writer suggests a simple, two-category system for labeling AI use in works of art.
janefriedman.com
January 14, 2026 at 4:07 PM
Because AI is such a divisive topic, many individuals and businesses aren't transparent about such use. But hiding use is typically worse for everyone involved.
Poet Dave Malone proposes a transparency statement for those using AI as part of the creative process.
Poet Dave Malone proposes a transparency statement for those using AI as part of the creative process.
"When it was all said and done, I guess I did help someone. Me. I helped myself in ways I could have never predicted. I helped myself reframe old narratives. I helped myself gain confidence. I helped myself heal old wounds. I helped reconcile things."
Samantha Perkins discusses memoir writing.
Samantha Perkins discusses memoir writing.
Writing Memoir? The Life You Change the Most Is Yours | Jane Friedman
A memoirist who began writing with the goal of helping others was surprised by how the process healed old wounds and reframed her self-image.
janefriedman.com
January 13, 2026 at 2:20 PM
"When it was all said and done, I guess I did help someone. Me. I helped myself in ways I could have never predicted. I helped myself reframe old narratives. I helped myself gain confidence. I helped myself heal old wounds. I helped reconcile things."
Samantha Perkins discusses memoir writing.
Samantha Perkins discusses memoir writing.
In 2024, I consulted with Canadian novelist Elinor Florence to discuss the launch of her forthcoming novel from Simon & Schuster Canada, and how she might handle re-issuing her earlier two novels. I advocated self-publishing after her rights reverted, but then...
Here's my interview with her.
Here's my interview with her.
When You Publish a Career-Changing Book: Q&A with Elinor Florence | Jane Friedman
The author’s historical novel, Finding Flora, was an instant number-one bestseller in Canada which led to rerelease of two previous novels.
janefriedman.com
January 8, 2026 at 3:18 PM
In 2024, I consulted with Canadian novelist Elinor Florence to discuss the launch of her forthcoming novel from Simon & Schuster Canada, and how she might handle re-issuing her earlier two novels. I advocated self-publishing after her rights reverted, but then...
Here's my interview with her.
Here's my interview with her.
Maybe the stakes of your story seem high—like making a ton of money—but these are what @tiffanyyatesmartin.bsky.social calls “assumptive motivations,” where authors presume a universal resonance or value to what’s at stake w/o developing its particular, personal importance to a character.
The Crucial Ingredient Your Story May Be Missing | Jane Friedman
If you’re hearing that your story lacks structure or impact, you might be missing the interconnected cohesion of plot, stakes, and character.
janefriedman.com
January 7, 2026 at 5:03 PM
Maybe the stakes of your story seem high—like making a ton of money—but these are what @tiffanyyatesmartin.bsky.social calls “assumptive motivations,” where authors presume a universal resonance or value to what’s at stake w/o developing its particular, personal importance to a character.
"When contemplating other ways to grow my audience and my leadership consulting business, I decided to give in-person networking a try. ... I like making local, in-person connections. But deep down I’ve been wondering. Is it also avoidance?"
@blairglaser.bsky.social discusses the struggle.
@blairglaser.bsky.social discusses the struggle.
The Struggle Is Reel: Marketing Without Social Media | Jane Friedman
Needing to build audience for a new book, one author examines her avoidance of creating video content in favor of face-to-face connections.
janefriedman.com
January 6, 2026 at 3:39 PM
"When contemplating other ways to grow my audience and my leadership consulting business, I decided to give in-person networking a try. ... I like making local, in-person connections. But deep down I’ve been wondering. Is it also avoidance?"
@blairglaser.bsky.social discusses the struggle.
@blairglaser.bsky.social discusses the struggle.
For nonfiction writers: Five primary strategies help move people toward transformation.
Implementing one or more of these strategies as you write your book increases your readers’ likelihood of achieving transformation (and thus recommending your book!).
Insight from @ninaamir.bsky.social.
Implementing one or more of these strategies as you write your book increases your readers’ likelihood of achieving transformation (and thus recommending your book!).
Insight from @ninaamir.bsky.social.
How to Move Your Reader Toward Transformation | Jane Friedman
This excerpt from Nina Amir’s Change the World One Book at a Time examines how nonfiction authors can best effect change in readers.
janefriedman.com
January 2, 2026 at 4:37 PM
For nonfiction writers: Five primary strategies help move people toward transformation.
Implementing one or more of these strategies as you write your book increases your readers’ likelihood of achieving transformation (and thus recommending your book!).
Insight from @ninaamir.bsky.social.
Implementing one or more of these strategies as you write your book increases your readers’ likelihood of achieving transformation (and thus recommending your book!).
Insight from @ninaamir.bsky.social.
The following is a roundup of new publishers and agents announced in 2025—free to all.
Want to be notified every week of new publishers and agents? Sign up for my newsletter The Bottom Line (free version works as well as the paid version for this purpose). See comments for sign-up link.
Want to be notified every week of new publishers and agents? Sign up for my newsletter The Bottom Line (free version works as well as the paid version for this purpose). See comments for sign-up link.
New Publishers and Agents in 2025 | Jane Friedman
A roundup of new publishers, imprints, and agents announced in 2025, as covered in The Bottom Line.
janefriedman.com
December 31, 2025 at 3:58 PM
The following is a roundup of new publishers and agents announced in 2025—free to all.
Want to be notified every week of new publishers and agents? Sign up for my newsletter The Bottom Line (free version works as well as the paid version for this purpose). See comments for sign-up link.
Want to be notified every week of new publishers and agents? Sign up for my newsletter The Bottom Line (free version works as well as the paid version for this purpose). See comments for sign-up link.
For authors focused on building their platform this year: You'll want to browse this trend forecast so you're better prepared for potential changes.
Insight from Lacy Phillips, social media coordinator for P.S. Literary Agency: janefriedman.com/watch-for-th...
Insight from Lacy Phillips, social media coordinator for P.S. Literary Agency: janefriedman.com/watch-for-th...
Watch for These 2026 Social Media Trends | Jane Friedman
A social media manager shares her observations on how current trends might impact authors and publishers in 2026.
janefriedman.com
December 30, 2025 at 3:44 PM
For authors focused on building their platform this year: You'll want to browse this trend forecast so you're better prepared for potential changes.
Insight from Lacy Phillips, social media coordinator for P.S. Literary Agency: janefriedman.com/watch-for-th...
Insight from Lacy Phillips, social media coordinator for P.S. Literary Agency: janefriedman.com/watch-for-th...
Your book and your target market are not fixed. Just as startups “pivot,” your book will change as you write it, and your market will come into focus as you discover what’s out there.
Insight from @petemillspaugh.com.
Insight from @petemillspaugh.com.
Write Your Book Like You’d Run a Startup | Jane Friedman
Sharing his work-in-progress has helped one writer build confidence and conviction about who his readers are and what they’re interested in.
janefriedman.com
December 29, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Your book and your target market are not fixed. Just as startups “pivot,” your book will change as you write it, and your market will come into focus as you discover what’s out there.
Insight from @petemillspaugh.com.
Insight from @petemillspaugh.com.
What I will remember most about 2025: the Anthropic settlement, the growth of AI narration, the closure of 8th Note Press, and what seems like widespread acceptance or acknowledgment that book criticism/reviews/mainstream coverage has forever changed.
2025 Year in Review | Jane Friedman
The year's biggest stories in publishing, from the Anthropic settlement to the demise of NaNoWriMo and more.
janefriedman.com
December 23, 2025 at 5:21 PM
What I will remember most about 2025: the Anthropic settlement, the growth of AI narration, the closure of 8th Note Press, and what seems like widespread acceptance or acknowledgment that book criticism/reviews/mainstream coverage has forever changed.
Think of scene building like creating a storyboard: frame by frame, you decide what the reader must see, feel, and understand. Instead of letting the scene meander, you build toward the decisive high moment and character change one “segment” at a time.
Insight from C.S. Lakin.
Insight from C.S. Lakin.
Crafting Cinematic Action by Scene Segmenting | Jane Friedman
By thinking like a filmmaker—planning your beats, deciding your shots—you create a vivid experience that pulls readers into the story.
janefriedman.com
December 22, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Think of scene building like creating a storyboard: frame by frame, you decide what the reader must see, feel, and understand. Instead of letting the scene meander, you build toward the decisive high moment and character change one “segment” at a time.
Insight from C.S. Lakin.
Insight from C.S. Lakin.