In this episode, Mary shares a powerful metaphor from Nora Ephron about juggling priorities as a writer and parent. She unpacks how to identify what truly matters—your “glass balls”—so you can protect your writing time without guilt.

Premature optimization—the tendency to over-polish early pages—can quietly sabotage your novel. Story matters more than perfect prose. If you’re stuck in revision mode or struggling to finish your draft, this episode will help you shift your focus to what truly matters.

How much can you actually make from your book? Should you consider foreign rights or just stick to the US? What can you expect to make after your advance?

In this post, Mary breaks down her two best tips for making the revision process as fun as the writing process.

Have you wondered why you have trouble making revisions even when you know it's necessary? Mary explores this phenomenon and shares her own struggles with loss aversion.

Here is my story of hiring an editor for my first novel, followed by my tips on when you should consider hiring an editor for your novel, how to pick an editor, and what types of edits are available to you.