Letters From Libby James

Winter isn’t messing around in the Northwoods this year. It is beautiful and magical and cold and horrible. I try to embrace my hygge-ness but I long for the desert or the ocean, or just anywhere I can wear my flip-flops. I feel like I am the only person who did not watch Stranger Things as the final season episodes came out. I cannot handle the loss right now and preferred just to wait until it was all over, and y’all have confirmed every detail about it – who lived and died – and I can...

A writers group I am a part of have talked a lot about whether, as authors, we should publicly leave negative book reviews on places such as Goodreads or Storygraph, or even criticize a book on TikTok. If those negative reviews might come back to kick us in the a**, perhaps harm a potential relationship with a future collaborator. Obviously you never wanna do what this author did. But is it OK for authors to go on Goodreads and give another author’s book two stars and say they didn't like it?...

I once knew an author who sold his manuscript to a major publisher. From the moment he signed the deal to the day his book hit the shelves, three years passed. Granted, this was over a decade ago, but even today, many writers can expect at least a year-long wait, sometimes longer. Occasionally, their release dates get pushed back because a bigger name comes in and is ready to release. Even though their book has been in the pipeline for a while, the press just doesn’t have the time and budget...

There’s a difference between writing as a practice and building a career as an author. If you want both—creative growth and professional longevity—you’ll need more than ambition and output. You’ll need deliberate systems, sustainable habits, and the discipline to keep learning when it would be easier to coast. These 10 points will help you build a stronger foundation for your career. 1. Newsletter A strong newsletter doesn’t chase engagement metrics but builds a relationship with readers. You...

In general, people spend a ridiculous amount of money around the holidays and the end of the year. Let’s take a little break from $$$$, and let me offer you some free resources, tools, and books to make your writing stronger, support your creative business, and let you relax. 1. If you aren’t asking your beta readers questions when you send them your manuscript, you are missing out on valuable information. Check out this article Six(Set of) Questions to Ask a Beta Reader 2. Beth Martin is...

An author bio is the place to introduce yourself. It’s there so the reader, editor, or programmer knows who you are and whether they need to remember your name. This is precious space. Use it well. Think like the person you want to attract with this bio. Are you publishing and trying to get people to grab a copy of your book? You need to tell them you have one. If you are trying to get an agents eye, something along the lines of "she is putting the final touches on her first novel" could...

There is a venue in Minnesota called State Theater. Over my life, I have seen some really amazing shows there (For those curious, the best show being The Swell Season. It was 2009, I was brokenhearted (what else is new, am I right?) It was a beautiful December night, I was writing some of my most unique poetry of my life and Glen Hansard may be the best live performer I will ever see). This building is amazing and old and I always thought how wonderful it would be to fill such a room as this....