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.
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,...
Write, Read, Repeat: Black Friday Deals for Writers and Book Lovers
Black Friday - 2024 Black Friday noun The day following Thanksgiving in the United States, typically regarded as the beginning of the holiday shopping season. Characterized by significant promotional sales, discounts, and extended retail hours, it attracts large crowds seeking deals. In broader use, refers to any day or period marked by intense consumer purchasing activity driven by major sales events. The day we buy things we didn’t even know we wanted. Black Friday is ON, and as always, at...
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.