Today I'm sharing three things that no one tells you about getting a literary agent. First, I'll cut to the chase. Yes, you need a literary agent, probably.

There are two exceptions. One, if you're self-publishing, you don't need a literary agent. And two, if you're only pursuing small publishers that accept submissions directly from writers. And these smaller publishers will say on their website if they accept what they will call unrepresented submissions, or they'll just say, we accept submissions directly from authors, but there aren't too many of these and you're going to need to seek them out.

Writing a book can range from completely free to a significant financial investment, depending on your goals and approach. While the act of writing requires only time, imagination, and basic tools, producing a polished, publication-ready manuscript often involves costs for editing, research, software, and other professional services. This post breaks down the potential expenses, offers tips for managing costs, and highlights the differences between self-publishing and traditional publishing to help you plan your writing journey.

Here’s a confession: until I became one, I didn’t know what a book writing coach does.

I had even hired one by that point. But because she didn’t refer to herself that way, I didn't know that “coaching” was what she was doing.

I get this question all the time from people who want to write and publish books, and it’s a fair question. The problem is that the publishing industry is often extremely opaque when it comes to money, and the amount of money you can make varies tremendously: are you writing a novel or memoir? Are you a first-time author? What genre is your book?

But good news: I’ve got the data! Yep, I’ve got numbers. Today, I’m going to break down how much you can make as a writer so you know what to expect. Let’s go.

Years ago, I was stuck writing and rewriting my draft, having been previously traumatized by a couple of fiction classes that left me bewildered and discouraged.

I felt I needed...someone. I wasn’t sure who. Like a friend, but a friend who was a good writer, and willing to meet with me regularly and talk through my book progress and writing struggles. I wanted someone to read my new pages and give me feedback but not edit them yet.

Wondering how to plan your novel without stifling creativity? In this post, you’ll learn why traditional outlines may limit your story and discover alternative strategies for structuring your book.

You’ll explore how to use a “big question” to guide your narrative, create a flexible story map to keep momentum, and stay open to surprises as your characters evolve. These tips will help you maintain both structure and creative freedom as you write.

The last thing any writer wants is for someone to think we aren’t original, or that we’re just recycling commonly used phrases and ideas, right? So how do you avoid recycling other people’s writing, whether it’s a plot premise or a turn of phrase? How do you avoid hack topics and cliches? Today, I’m going to share 3 strategies to make sure you’re leaning into your own originality. Let’s go.