This week! Books!

Publishers, Authors File Class Action Lawsuit Against Google – Jim Milliot, Publishers Weekly / Book publishers sue Google for copyright infringement over Gemini AI training – Emma Loffhagen, The Guardian – Hachette, Cengage Learning, and Elsevier, along with author Scott Turow, have launched a class action lawsuit arguing that Google illegally repurposed books from Google Books and Google Scholar to train A.I. Pay me, Google!

The Most Famous AI Writing Tic Is Also the Most Mysterious – Will Oremus, The Atlantic – A deep dive in the “why does A.I. write like that” genre, tackling the most notorious A.I. speech tic of all: “It’s not X, it’s Y.” As with much of A.I., no one quite seems to know why it happens, and it’s surprisingly difficult to get chatbots to stop doing it.

I Got Slopped – Kashmir Hill, New York Times – Someone used A.I. to sell a fake biography of Kashmir Hill on Amazon. The “author” refused to talk to her, so she found a different A.I. slop artist, who’s quite a character.

Tomi Adeyemi Doesn’t Want Anything to Do With The Children of Blood and Bone Movie – Alejandra Gularte, Vulture – In the wake of controversies surrounding the adaptation of The Children of Blood and Bone, author Tomi Adeyemi has disavowed the film.

Labor of Love: On Editing and the Rewards of Collaborative Effort – Samantha Paige Rosen, Lit Hub – Writing is usually solitary, but some of its most rewarding moments come when collaboration kicks in.

This week in bestsellers

Here are the top five NY Times bestsellers in a few key categories. (All links are affiliate links):

Adult print and e-book fiction:

1. Theo of Golden by Allen Levi
2. Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
3. The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett
4. Project Hail Mary by Andrew Weir
5. Whistler by Ann Patchett

Adult print and e-book nonfiction:

1. Regime Change by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan
2. Revolution by Eric Metaxas
3. Strangers by Belle Burden
4. Cancel Me If You Can by Dave Portnoy
5. Communion by JD Vance

Young adult hardcover:

1. The Escape Game by Marissa Meyer and Tamara Moss
2. Fake Skating by Lynn Painter
3. If Only I Had Told Her by Laura Nowlin
4. Release Me by Tahereh Mafi
5. The Secret World of Briar Rose by Cindy Pham

Middle grade hardcover:

1. Wonder by R.J. Palacio
2. Refugee by Alan Gratz
3. Wombat Waiting by Katherine Applegate
4. Sleepless by Gordon Korman
5. Unsettling Salad! by Aaron Reynolds

This week on the blog

In case you missed them, here are this week’s posts:

• How to find the best freelance book editor for you, and what it’s like working with one

And keep up with the discussion in all the places!

• Follow me on Bluesky and Threads

And finally:

The Disappearing Las Vegas Buffets Hold a Mirror to the American Soul – Tejal Rao, New York Times – Have we reached the twilight of a once-grand tradition?

Have a great weekend!

Need help with your book? I’m available for manuscript edits, query critiques, and coaching!

For my best advice, check out my online classes, my guide to writing a novel, and my guide to publishing a book.

And if you like this post: subscribe to my newsletter!

Photo: The Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, CA. Follow me on Instagram!

Whether you’re pursuing traditional publishing or self-publishing, it’s crucial to enter the process with the best novel or proposal you can possibly write.

Here’s how to find the best book editor for you, and what to do once you’ve found one. In this post I’m going to cover:

• What is a book editor?
• The difference between editing and ghostwriting
• Do you need a book editor?
• When is the best time to work with a book editor?
• How to find a book editor
• How to respond to an editorial letter

What is a book editor?

The book editing landscape can be a bit confusing for beginning writers because there are several different types of editors out there.

Here’s how to tell them apart:

• Book editor at a traditional publishing house – Once you have a book deal, you’ll work with a book editor at a publishing house. The editor will manage your book throughout the publishing process, including editing your work. But before you find a literary agent or submit to publishers directly, this isn’t the editor you need to be looking for.

• Freelance book editor – This is someone you pay to work with you on your manuscript before you pursue traditional or self-publishing to improve the structure and content of your novel or book proposal. Freelance book editors’ credentials vary widely, but many of them are past publishing professionals who have gone freelance.

• Copyeditor – This is a magical grammar nerd who will help you spot typos and inconsistencies. You should definitely engage a copyeditor or proofreader before you self-publish, but if you are pursuing traditional publishing you do not need one. It’s totally fine to submit to literary agents and publishers with some typos in your manuscript (within reason).

There are many different ways of working with a freelance book editor, everything from general coaching and brainstorming to comprehensive book editing.

Book edits largely fall into two broad categories (terminology varies throughout the business).

• Manuscript critique – An editor will read the manuscript and write you a 3-7 page (or more) editorial letter with their thoughts on areas for improvement. This is a more high level edit and is useful if you want to gut check your book.

• Comprehensive edit – In addition to an editorial letter, a comprehensive edit will also include line edits and margin notes, so you’ll get feedback on both a macro and micro level. This is useful if you want a very thorough edit and/or to improve your craft.

Because they take significantly more time to complete, a comprehensive edit will cost more than a critique.

Once a freelance editor completes your edit, they will often hop on a call to discuss the feedback and answer your questions.

The difference between editing, ghostwriting, and book doctoring

Book editors will take what you’ve written and help you make it better, but they won’t write for you. So if, say, you’re looking for someone to take your ideas and completely rewrite scenes or flesh out a novel based on an outline, you’re not looking for an editor, you’re looking for a ghostwriter.

Ghostwriters write the book for you, in whole or part.

Terminology varies, but “book doctors” are a bit in between editors and ghostwriters. Depending on the state of the manuscript, a book doctor may get into the nitty gritty of rewriting some scenes, but the focus is typically still on helping writers make their book better rather than completely writing it for them.

Make sure you’re very clear on what you’re looking for and that you’re searching for someone with the right skillset and services.

For instance, I perform book edits, but I don’t ghostwrite or do book doctoring, as I’d rather help authors figure out how to get better on their own rather than fully fixing their books for them.

Do you need a book editor?

If you are pursuing either traditional publishing or self-publishing, it is absolutely crucial to get feedback on your work.

While some literary agents will work with authors on revisions prior to submission, your book must be as good as possible to even reach that stage. You can’t rely on an agent seeing the diamond in the rough. You need good feedback to revise your book to make it as good as possible before you submit.

This doesn’t necessarily have to be a paid editor.

Good feedback can come from many sources, whether that’s a friend, a fellow writer, or a critique group. Not only that, your beta readers can be a support system as you move through the process.

That said, there are some definite advantages to working with a paid editor.

These include:

• A paid editor is more likely to give your book a thorough read – When someone is reading your book for free, they may have a tendency to skim or not give you a full-fledged edit. Assuming you’ve chosen an editor well, you’ll get what you pay for.

• It’s helpful to have a pro’s view – Particularly if your editor has past publishing industry experience, they will be able to see things that can only come with that kind of experience. It’s extremely helpful to have a sense of how a literary agent or book editor will view your work.

• The feedback is more likely to be objective – No matter how well-intentioned your friends and family may be, their view will inevitably be shaded by the fact that they know you and may want to spare your feelings. A professional editor will have some helpful distance for more objective feedback.

Still on the fence? Here’s a complete post on what to consider when you’re contemplating paying for editing. But for me? I’ve paid for editing (or bartered for it) for every single one of my books.

When is the best time to work with an editor?

Although it’s tempting to seek feedback when you’re in the messy middle of writing a book or when you’ve just finished a hot mess of a first draft, those aren’t the optimal times to seek feedback.

The ideal time to work with an editor is when you have a fully polished draft or book proposal and have gotten as far as you can on your own.

Why? If you know there are issues with your book, an editor is going to spend half their energy telling you what you already know. If, however, you think you have a perfect draft, the editor will focus entirely on the things you can’t see, or else you would have fixed them already.

That’s far more helpful and where real growth comes from.

How to find a book editor

There are tons and tons of editors out there and many of them, frankly, don’t know what they’re doing. Here’s how to find a good book editor.

The most important thing to do as you’re searching should be obvious: do your research.

Check an editor’s credentials and vet them thoroughly. There are many wonderful freelance editors out there who have worked for major publishing houses/literary agencies and have a wealth of experience.

Here are some places I do and don’t recommend searching for editors:

• Reach out to me! – I’m a former literary agent and a published author, I’ve edited bestselling authors, and I really love helping writers improve their work. I’m happy to help edit your work or point you in the right direction. Don’t take my word for it: “Nathan Bransford is amazing to work with and provides incredibly detailed insights. I highly recommend reaching out to him if you’re serious about your work.” – Raadhika Madala

• New York Book Editors – This is a service run by a friend of mine that connects authors with editors who have a minimum level of previous publishing experience at major publishers and/or literary agencies. You will definitely find someone reputable, and they care about quality control.

• Reedsy – DO NOT RECOMMEND. This is a database of freelance professionals. I no longer recommend this site as I don’t believe their policies are in the best interests of authors as well as the freelance professionals on their platform.
  
• Independent Book Editors List – A Google Doc full of wonderful editors with previous traditional publishing experience.

• SCBWI – If you’re a children’s book author, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators is a great organization to subscribe to, and they have a list of reputable freelance editors in their Essential Guide to Publishing for Children.

An important consideration as you’re searching is cost. As with everything in life, you will largely get what you pay for. Depending on the length of your manuscript, expect an edit for a full novel to cost at least $1,500. For very experienced and in-demand editors, fees can easily reach five figures on a comprehensive edit for a long novel, so be prepared.

Some editors offer free sample edits, but many (including me) do not. You’re welcome to ask, but just because someone doesn’t offer a sample edit doesn’t mean they’re disreputable.

Don’t spend any money you can’t afford to lose, because working with a paid editor is no guarantee by any means of finding publication, but also don’t just look for a bargain basement edit. Try to strike a balance between an editor’s cost and experience level that you are comfortable with.

How to work with an editor

Before you start working with a freelance book editor, here’s a checklist to make sure you’re ready:

• Get in touch with your goals – Do you plan to publish traditionally or self-publish? Are you hoping to gut check your novel or are you looking to improve your craft? Get in touch with what you want and need from an edit and make sure to communicate these to your editor.

• Make sure your manuscript is formatted properly – An editor is going to want to receive your manuscript in the industry standard format. Format your work properly (and while you’re at it, get in the habit of writing that way so you don’t have to spend hours re-formatting when you’re done).

• Self-edit as much as you can before the edit – You’ll get the most out of your edit if you have already self-edited to make your book as good as you can possibly make it before you engage with an editor. They will see things you never saw coming and will help you make your book even better.

• Be prepared to do the work – No matter how much you want your editor to shout, “Your book is PERFECT don’t change a THING!” this is a) not going to happen and b) not remotely helpful. You are going to have work to do after you work with an editor, and it may be extensive. That’s why you’re paying them. Mentally prepare.

Depending on the length of your project, expect an edit to take anywhere from a week to several months, and make sure the editor is clear on the timeline before you move forward.

Most reputable freelance editors also have contracts and payment structures, so be prepared to read through an agreement. These agreements typically give editors sufficient rights to engage with your work to perform the edit, but make sure you’re retaining all other rights.

How to utilize line edits, margin notes, and an editorial letter

Depending on the type of edit you sign up for, you may receive your manuscript back with margin notes and/or line edits, as well as an editorial letter that synthesizes the feedback. This means that you need to be conversant enough with Microsoft Word to engage with documents with tracked changes.

Line edits can be overwhelming to engage with because a full edit may result in thousands upon thousands of changes. How I recommend authors engage with line edits is to first create a “clean” version of the manuscript with all of the changes accepted, and just read it through a few times to see how it flows.

From there, you can go back and accept or reject individual changes, but keep the clean version of the manuscript handy for reference.

If you have a good freelance editor, the feedback you receive may not be the most pleasant to hear, but it will be useful.

Receiving feedback can be a bit overwhelming and it’s hard to know where to even start when you’re confronted with that multi-page editorial letter and those thousands of line edits.

Here’s an approach that can help:

• How to respond to a manuscript critique

Once you’ve incorporated all of the feedback from your edit, I’d highly recommend seeking another round of feedback and then incorporating those changes. That can either be another round with a paid editor if you can swing it financially, or a critique partner.

But before you move forward to query agents or toward self-publication, it’s crucial to gut check your work to make sure you’re really finished. It pays to be as polished as possible prior to seeking publication. Don’t count on an agent to polish your diamond in the rough.

So that’s how to find a book editor. Do you have any tips or tricks? Anything I missed? Take to the comments!

Need help with your book? I’m available for manuscript edits, query critiques, and coaching!

For my best advice, check out my online classes, my guide to writing a novel, and my guide to publishing a book.

And if you like this post: subscribe to my newsletter!

Art: The Parable of the Rich Fool by Rembrandt

This week! Books!

You wouldn’t know it’s publishing’s summer quiet season with the number of links I have this week, so let’s get to it.

Hachette Book Group Employees Vote to Unionize – Alexandra Alter, New York Times – Book publishing continues a trend toward organized labor, as Hachette’s employees formed the largest trade union in American trade book publishing. (Also, per Publishers Lunch, Alexandra Alter is leaving books coverage for the Style section. Her coverage will be missed!)

The global reading crisis that started with smartphones – David Shelley, Los Angeles Times – Speaking of Hachette, CEO David Shelley notes the decline in children reading for pleasure starting with the advent of smartphones, and urges families to develop routines around reading.

The End of Reading Is Here – Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic – In further “no one is reading anymore” news, Rose Horowitch argues we may be entering a post-literate era.

Reading for pleasure builds empathy in children, but fewer kids are picking up books just for the fun of it – William Dee Nichols, Michelle Kearney, The Conversation – And if you haven’t yet had your fill of “the kids aren’t reading enough” news, here’s another one on a decline in children reading for fun.

Human Intelligence – Ned Hayes pointed me to a company he’s working on that has authentication for authors wishing to prove their writing as “human-made.”

A Twist in This Year’s Strangest Literary AI Scandal – Will Oremus, The Atlantic – An interview with Jamir Nazir, one of the winners of the Commonwealth prize accused of using A.I. While Nazir strenuously denies using A.I., the interview is probably unlikely to quell suspicions.

Emily Henry Is the Queen of Happily Ever After (gift link) – Madison Darbyshire, Bloomberg – A profile of bestselling contemporary romance author Emily Henry, whose craft I seriously admire.

The Rise of the “As Seen on TikTok” Sticker – Brady Brickner-Wood, The New Yorker – You may start seeing “As seen on TikTok” stickers on books. What that actually means for readers and the industry is another matter.

Are You an Iliad Person or an Odyssey Person? (gift link) – Daniel Mendelsohn, Bloomberg – Daniel Mendelsohn, who literally wrote the book on The Odyssey, delves into the ancient and enduring divide between Iliad people and Odyssey people.

This Board Book Genius Is One of America’s Great Authors – Brian Goedde, New York Times – An appreciation of children’s book author Sandra Boynton and the board book as a form.

Inside Dua Lipa’s Library of Banned Books – Ron Charles – Apex intellectual celebrity crush Dua Lipa has opened a library for banned books in Portugal. Book critic Ron Charles, who is ostensibly on vacation, made a visit.

Is Moby-Dick the Greatest American Novel? – Michael Dirda, Lit Hub – Yes. Yes, it is.

Principles of Plotting Part IV: Intersection and Redirection – Lincoln Michel, Counter Craft – Author Lincoln Michel continues his series on the principles of plot with intersecting and diverging plot lines.

Your Dream Agent – Kate McKean, Agents + Books – Your daily reminder that it’s inadvisable to pin your hopes on a single agent you don’t even know.

This week in bestsellers

Here are the top five NY Times bestsellers in a few key categories. (All links are affiliate links):

Adult print and e-book fiction:

1. Theo of Golden by Allen Levi
2. Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
3. The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett
4. Whistler by Ann Patchett
5. Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman

Adult print and e-book nonfiction:

1. Regime Change by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan
2. Cancel Me If You Can by Dave Portnoy
3. Strangers by Belle Burden
4. Communion by JD Vance
5. The Land and Its People by David Sedaris

Young adult hardcover:

1. The Escape Game by Marissa Meyer and Tamara Moss
2. Fake Skating by Lynn Painter
3. The Way Things Work by David Macaulay
4. If Only I Had Told Her by Laura Nowlin
5. Release Me by Tahereh Mafi

Middle grade hardcover:

1. Wonder by R.J. Palacio
2. Wombat Waiting by Katherine Applegate
3. KPop Demon Hunters by Jessica Yoon
4. Unsettling Salad! by Aaron Reynolds
5. The Court of the Dead by Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro

This week on the blog

In case you missed them, here are this week’s posts:

• How to nail the last line of the plot description in a query letter

And keep up with the discussion in all the places!

• Follow me on Bluesky and Threads

And finally:

Are Humanoid Robots Ready to Be Deployed? – Stephen Witt, The New Yorker – Despite our collective Jetsons dreams, this entertaining look at the cutting-edge robotics industry suggests a robot doing our laundry is not exactly imminent.

Have a great weekend!

Need help with your book? I’m available for manuscript edits, query critiques, and coaching!

For my best advice, check out my online classes, my guide to writing a novel, and my guide to publishing a book.

And if you like this post: subscribe to my newsletter!

Photo: Mt. Wilson Observatory, CA. Follow me on Instagram!

One of the most difficult parts of writing a query letter: sticking the landing.

It’s so important to tie things together and leave the agent wanting to smash the reply button to ask for the manuscript. But so many query letters I see just kind of limply fizzle out.

Here’s some advice on landing the plane safely.

To spoil or not to spoil?

In general, I wouldn’t worry about spoilers in a query letter. If you try too hard to withhold spoilers, you might write a super vague query that doesn’t tell an agent much of anything.

Agents are extremely experienced readers and they’re used to putting themselves in the shoes of readers who are coming to a project fresh. I’d err on the side of being precise, rather than filling you query letter with phrases like “a shocking secret changes everything,” which just doesn’t really tell the agent anything.

That said, while there aren’t hard and fast rules, it usually works best to withhold the ultimate ending. There are a few reasons for this:

• The goal of the query is to entice the agent to read more. Ideally, you want to leave at least some information dangling to inspire curiosity. I wouldn’t worry about the heart of the plot. But the ending? Let the agent be curious how you handle the climax.
• It’s really difficult to fit the whole plot into a query letter. As you probably know by now, it’s extremely difficult to fit your novel into a query letter. It’s even more difficult if you try to fit the climax and resolution as well.

To synthesize here: there aren’t rules about what to spoil. For the bulk of your plot, I wouldn’t worry about spoilers. But I would withhold the ultimate ending.

Conveying the “spine” of the plot

So if the last line doesn’t give away the ending, what does it need to do?

The bulk of the query is typically devoted to setup. You’re conveying the protagonist(s) goals, their obstacles, giving a sense of their journey, and establishing what they’re up against.

For the last line, you’re tying the plot together and giving the agent a sense of where the novel is headed as the climax approaches.

What do the protagonists ultimately need to do or decide? What is the ultimate obstacle standing in their way? What’s at stake if they succeed or fail?

In my query letter for Jacob Wonderbar, here’s what I went with:

The friends have to work together to make it back to their little street where the houses look the same, even as Earth seems farther and farther away.

This conveys the ultimate task ahead of the climax: The kids have to work together or they may never make it back to Earth.

My handy-dandy last line formula

If this seems like a confusing task, never fear. I have a formula for you.

Here’s a pretty simple setup you can draw upon:

[PROTAGONIST(s)] must [DO X AND/OR Y AND/OR Z] in order to [GOAL/REWARDS] / or else [CONSEQUENCES].

Not every final line needs to follow this precise formula. Maybe in some plots you want to spell out the rewards a bit more, others to clearly articulate the consequences. In my query for Jacob Wonderbar, the stakes of not making it home are largely implied, so I didn’t feel the need to go overboard spelling that out.

But if you utilize this formula, you’ll quickly give the agent a sense of what’s ultimately at stake for the protagonist and the novel as a whole and help them visualize the climax.

DO: Beef up your voice. DON’T: devolve into vague themes

Not only is the last line of the plot description a chance to drive home the “spine” of the plot, it’s your last chance to engage the agent with your voice.

For my query letter, I wove in the detail of the “little street where all the houses look the same” to give a final visual of the characters’ goal. Other writers succeed with a pithy quip, or dangling a conspiracy to unravel.

What I wouldn’t recommend is descending into a morass of vague themes, like “MY NOVEL is ultimately a coming of age story about what happens when trust is broken and order must be restored.” That just doesn’t really tell the agent anything that’s helpful. As I like to say, writers are storytellers, not theme-tellers.

Instead: stick to the specific events in your novel and punch up the voice. With a strong ending, the agent won’t be able to reply fast enough.

Need help with your book? I’m available for manuscript edits, query critiques, and coaching!

For my best advice, check out my online classes, my guide to writing a novel, and my guide to publishing a book.

And if you like this post: subscribe to my newsletter!

Art: Guidance and Navaigation: CV-990 Shuttle simulation by NASA Ames Research Center

This week! Books! A little early because of the holiday this weekend.

First up, I was on a podcast this week with Serenity Bohon, where I talked about some things I’ve never spoken about publicly before: why I left publishing and what led me to return, my creative ecosystem, weaving together meaning and work, and much more! Check it out:

Designing Your Work + Values Ecosystem with Nathan Bransford – Serenity Bohon, I Do This for a Living – This link is to the YouTube version of the podcast, but you can also listen via all the usual podcast places.

Also, thank you so much to everyone for your answers on my recent poll. I’ll be reaching out to the winner of the gift card shortly. In case you’re curious, here are some of the things I learned:

• I’d wager my audience skews more anti-A.I. than the average, and only 33% of responders have turned to A.I. for publishing advice and 20% for editing.
• The people who have turned to A.I. rate it 5.9 out of 10 for publishing advice and 5.3 out of 10 for editing. The most helpful aspect for editing is that it’s instantaneous, the biggest drawback is that the feedback tends to be more thematic than story-oriented.
• In terms of site requests, the biggest one was for help finding editing and publishing professionals, followed by more self-directed video tutorials, which I’ll be thinking more about.

Thanks again for all the thoughtful answers! I read every response and take your feedback seriously.

Now then, despite the looming holiday and all the exciting World Cup games, I actually have quite a few links this week.

First up, the Pope wants you to write more:

ALA 2026 Brings the Party to Chicago – Nathalie op de Beeck, Publishers Weekly – Congrats to the American Library Association for celebrating its 150th anniversary! Pretty wild.

Pocket Books Relaunched as Home for Self-Published Authors – Jim Milliot, Publishers Weekly – Simon & Schuster’s storied Pocket Books imprint is relaunching to specialize in formerly self-published books that will receive traditional publishing marketing and distribution.

Teenage boys in UK ‘stuck’ reading primary-level books while girls’ tastes expand – Emma Loffhagen, The Guardian – A study suggests that boys are “stuck” reading below their grade level while girls moved on, a framing I find pretty alarmist when all that seems to be happening is that boys really love the Wimpy Kid series.

YA author Lois Lowry reflects on four of her most renowned books – Terra Dankowski, American Libraries – At the aforementioned ALA conference, renowned children’s book author Lois Lowry reflected on her career and forthcoming book at age 89.

The Big Gay Lit Boom – Aaron Hicklin, New York Times – A bookstore owner makes the case that L.G.B.T.Q. fiction has never been more prominent in the publishing industry.

Inside the Wild World of Roman Romance Novels – Emma Southon, Lit Hub – A fascinating look at the wild and very lurid world of romance novels in ancient Rome. Pretty crazy to consider what’s changed and what’s stayed the same.

How Do You Effectively Co-Author a Fiction Project? – Sangeeta Mehta, Jane Friedman – Co-written novels remain somewhat rare, but there are some prominent duos, such as Christina Lauren, who make it work. Editor Sangeeta Mehta delves into the ins-and-outs and provides advice on how to navigate the potential pitfalls.

Principles of Plotting Part III: Variation – Lincoln Michel, Counter Craft – Author Lincoln Michel continues his series on craft principles by discussing the importance of variation, balancing plot elements that should feel inevitable and yet surprising.

The Tyranny of Showing – Donald Maass, Writer Unboxed – Agent and author Donald Maass argues that the old saw “show don’t tell” needs to be retired.

5 Pieces of Terrible Advice Writers Get on Social Media – Anne R. Allen, Anne R. Allen’s Blog… with Ruth Harris – Author Anne R. Allen rounds up some of the bad advice circulating out there on social media. The takes on Threads alone are mind-blowing at times.

On Description – Alfred Jung Lee, The Believer – A meditation on physical description–what it includes, and what it leaves out.

Let’s Talk About Reach, Baby! – Tara McMullin, What Works – For all you marketing data nerds out there, Tara McMullin delves into what’s working and not working on Instagram and finds creators have never been more disconnected from their followers.

This week in bestsellers

Here are the top five NY Times bestsellers in a few key categories. (All links are affiliate links):

Adult print and e-book fiction:

1. Theo of Golden by Allen Levi
2. Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
3. Whistler by Ann Patchett
4. The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett
5. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Adult print and e-book nonfiction:

1. Regime Change by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan
2. Communion by JD Vance
3. Strangers by Belle Burden
4. Revolution by Eric Metaxas
5. The Land and Its People by David Sedaris

Young adult hardcover:

1. The Escape Game by Marissa Meyer and Tamara Moss
2. Fake Skating by Lynn Painter
3. The Way Things Work by David Macaulay
4. Release Me by Tahereh Mafi
5. If Only I Had Told Her by Laura Nowlin

Middle grade hardcover:

1. Wonder by R.J. Palacio
2. Wombat Waiting by Katherine Applegate
3. KPop Demon Hunters by Jessica Yoon
4. Unsettling Salad! by Aaron Reynolds
5. Pocket Bear by Katherine Applegate

This week on the blog

In case you missed them, here are this week’s posts:

• Advice for older writers

And keep up with the discussion in all the places!

• Follow me on Bluesky and Threads

And finally:

They Looked Like They Were Getting Rich on Polymarket—but None of It Was Real – Katherine Long, Caitlin Ostroff, Neil Mehta, and Brenna T. Smith, Wall Street Journal – Today in dystopian news, it appears Polymarket was paying influencers to create fake stories of betting and winning on its already-dystopian platform.

Have a great weekend!

Need help with your book? I’m available for manuscript edits, query critiques, and coaching!

For my best advice, check out my online classes, my guide to writing a novel, and my guide to publishing a book.

And if you like this post: subscribe to my newsletter!

Photo: The Huntington, San Marino, CA. Follow me on Instagram!