It’s week seven of 2026. How is the writing going? Please remember, if you have writing goals this year, every new week can be your week one. January is hard and now it is behind us. Maybe this is your week to get started?
I’m feeling newly energized and more optimistic than I have in weeks after spending the weekend at the San Francisco Writers Conference. (Also the reason this newsletter is landing in your inboxes a day later than usual. The conference was at once invigorating and also exhausting for this introvert.) I talked to dozens of writers who are immersed in their books and focused on finding the next best step for their manuscripts, whether that’s finding a new opening, zeroing in on their genre, or deciding on a publishing plan. And I talked to just as many agents, publishers, editors, and other publishing professionals who are all focused on helping authors shape their books and get more beautiful writing out into the world. All of these conversations were truly heartening. Art does not stop. It will not stop.
I didn’t have a chance to get to many panels other than those I participated in, but I was able to gather a few bits of wise advice to bring to you:
James Moorer of Dark Anthem Press advised writers unclear about their genre (a surprisingly common issue) to ask themselves, “What do I love? Which book or movie can I quote lines from?” Are you writing in that genre—if not, why not?
Heather Lazare, who runs the wonderful Northern California Writers’ Retreat, advised writers who are looking for a traditional book deal to be good publishing partners, which means understanding that publishing is a business. Signal that right off the bat by finding appropriate comps for your query letter.
Tanya Egan Gibson, a fellow freelance editor who also took on the challenging job of coordinating the editing consults at the conference, reminded writers that “your characters need to make mistakes that have consequences.” Remember this advice if you get stuck in a mushy middle. What mistake can your character make at this juncture in the plot?
Dr. Mary Rakow, another fellow freelance editor, said on our panel, “The beginning is the last part of your novel you get right.” Every editor and longtime author in the room nodded their heads in agreement. Be patient and don’t settle.
One thing I noticed this year was that there were relatively few conversations about AI, either pro or con. People seem to have settled into their own opinions about these tools and are simply continuing on with their work, with or without them. There was less free-floating anxiety about how AI might affect writers and the publishing industry more broadly. I thought that was a positive sign. Let's all just focus on the work and getting it to the readers who will need and love it.
I was on the Indy Author Podcast last week talking about a familiar subject in this newsletter—how being a better reader can make you a better writer. Host Matty Dalrymple is a skilled interviewer and we went deep on a lot of topics:
📚 Practical tips on what and how to read—and reread, as well as advice on starting your own craft-focused reading group
📚 How to read for tools and techniques rather than theme and story, with questions you can ask yourself about the book
📚 Learning even from books you dislike and why understanding your own taste makes you a better writer
You can watch the interview on YouTube, listen on your favorite podcast app, or read the very thorough show notes. (And if you are curious, I’m planning to bring back the Novel Study book group early next year—you’ll hear all the details here first!)
Upcoming appearances
I love speaking to writers and editors—check out my Speaking page or reply to this email if you are interested in having me speak to your group.
IPA BookCamp, April 24, Newark, NJ: I’ll be giving a talk about revision strategies and how to read your manuscript like an editor
Our Thing of Joy this week is newly surfaced footage of Vince Guaraldi performing “Linus and Lucy”—wait until you see his truly extraordinary mustache! And if this puts you in a nostalgic mood, I can report that the recent Muppet Show special hit all the right notes (I especially loved Janice lecturing Kermit about his bad aura).
Stay well, y’all, and keep fighting the good fights.
Kristen
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