Letters From Libby James
I help writers strengthen their writing and creative practice, navigate the publishing world, and turn their art into an act of rebellion.
The Best Fiction Books Every Writer Should Read
Why did you receive this email? At one point you subscribed to The Rebel Newsletter. I have rebranded. Some of the best lessons I have learned about creative writing have come from reading. From when I was young, I have collected my favorite quotes and even whole sections from books into a little notebook. There is something about physically writing down their words that make me feel closer to the craft, like I am stealing a piece of their genius. I believe it has made me a stronger writer....
What Happens When We Don’t Show Up for Our Art
January 3, 2025 Last month, I set a creative goal at my accountability group: 40 pages a month. It was bold, but it was clear, and it felt like the kind of goal that could get me closer to finishing my novel. And I failed. Like, spectacularly failed. Didn’t come close. Barely glanced at it over the month. Epic-level failure. At first, I wanted to chalk it up to the usual suspects: the holidays, the chaos of divorce, the to-do lists, the excuses blah blah blah. But then, in a quieter moment, a...
The Curiosity of Creativity
December 27, 2024 I’ve always been a curious person. I find people interesting. I’m a writer, an archivist of stories. I ask a lot of follow-up questions. This has gotten me into situations with people in the past who assume my questions are because I have romantic intentions instead of just establishing a character profile, exploring the climactic moment, finding the base plot of their story. Yes, I’ve gotten into that jam several times in my life, but as an adult, with significant lived...
What a Broken Marriage Taught Me About Perfect Foreshadowing
December 20, 2024 For years, my (now ex) husband and I made vision boards together. If you aren’t familiar with the concept, a vision board is essentially a collage of images, words, and symbols that represent your goals, dreams, and aspirations. It’s a way to manifest the life you want by visualizing it every day. Our boards were filled with shared dreams—vacations we wanted to take, milestones we wanted to reach, and the kind of life we imagined for ourselves. Every so often, we’d sit down...
Real life made me change the ending
December 6, 2024 (This letter contains minor spoilers from my current project. Although I don’t think it will change your experience if you ever read it, you’ve been warned) In the novel I've been working on for the past two years, when we are first introduced to one of the characters, we learn he has recently cheated on his wife. In the original ending, she forgives him. When I found out my husband had been carrying on an affair, again, for years, a great many things had to change,...
DIY or Die: What Punk Rock Taught Indie Publishers
November 22, 2024 I haven’t always realized the connection between punk rock and indie publishing, but both worlds taught me to value independence and creativity. Looking back, I see now that the two aren’t just linked by a similar ethos but also by my own personal journey into both cultures. I’ve been part of both scenes, and the more I think about it, the clearer it becomes how deeply intertwined they are—not just in philosophy but in practice. I hadn’t really made this connection until I...
Book marketing is hella important… and I hate doing it.
November 1, 2024 Real talk: to be a career writer, the journey is not just about crafting beautiful, compelling, and mind changing stories, it also includes navigating the world of marketing. Ugh I know right. Blah. On your journey you hear about all these techniques that worked wonders for other writers and then they totally fall short for you. What’s the friggin’ deal? How do you forge your own path to success without getting discouraged when these marketing tips don’t work for you? Look at...
Creative Ritual Sacrifice
October 25, 2024 I never imagined I would like living in the North Woods. The weekends I spent here in the summers of my youth couldn’t end fast enough so that I could get back to the Twin Cities. My identity has been rooted in being a city girl. I’ve always been drawn to the romantic idea of a little cabin in the woods where I could write, but I’ve always also been very aware of how much I hate bugs and how afraid I still am of things lurking in the dark. I came here because I didn’t have...
Remember The Rebel Newsletter? It’s back! (Sort of…)
When I decided I was leaving my husband, I sent you a letter stating I was quitting. Remember that? I was dumping everything connected with my old name. I was dumping The Rebel Newsletter. I was dumping my books. In grief I wanted to dump my entire life. Six months later, I have walked that back in some ways. I went a little crazy that first month and wanted my old name dead, never to be mentioned again (ok I still want that, but…) but I am also proud of the work I have done for years as that...
I help writers strengthen their writing and creative practice, navigate the publishing world, and turn their art into an act of rebellion.