Is this for you?
A WORKING NOVELIST is for writers who are interested in expanding their professional expertise, for readers who are interested in the world of book publishing, and for anyone interested in my novels, or pictures of my dog.
What’s here?
A professional’s perspective on the job of being a writer, which, as all professional writers know, is only partly about writing. With insight and advice from other experts in the publishing world, including perspectives from the more oblique corners. My goal is to be useful, especially but not exclusively to people who write novels.
Also here: some timely info about my novels (news, events) and book recommendations (mostly novels) and maybe the occasional recipe (I used to edit cookbooks) and definitely pictures of Wally (the best dog ever in the history of dogs), and who knows what else. My goal with this material is to replace a more personal newsletter that I grew tired of after eight years.
What’s not here?
Bullshit. Rules. Pep talks.
Why me?
I’ve worked in New York publishing since 1989, the first half in jobs, the second half as a novelist. I was a copy editor at Doubleday, and managing editor of the Lyons Press, editor at HarperCollins, editor and senior editor and executive editor at Clarkson Potter, and associate publisher at Workman; I was a freelance book doctor and a ghost writer; and finally author of six novels, beginning with The Expats (Crown, 2012) and most recently The Doorman (FSG/MCD, 2025).
My novels have been minor bestsellers on major lists; they’ve all been reviewed by the New York Times in judgments that have ranged from so-so to spectacular; they’ve won a few awards and been nominated for a few others; they’ve been translated into more than two dozen languages; they’ve spent a quarter-century in development for film and television. I’ve appeared on local and national TV, local and national radio, two different BBC radio shows whose names I can’t remember, the cover of Publishers Weekly, and a profile on the front page of the Times’ Arts Section, back when that used to be a section, with a front page, that was delivered to my home. I’ve served as an awards judge, and I currently serve on the Authors Council of the Authors Guild.
Except for a stint as an expat in Luxembourg (long story) and college (normal story), I’ve only ever lived in New York City, and only ever worked in publishing. My wife too has worked in publishing for three and a half decades, most recently as founder and CEO of Authors Equity, and before that as CEO of Penguin Random House US. We are New York publishing people, and our life is filled with authors, editors, publishers, agents, booksellers, book conferences, book festivals, book advocacy, book parties, book this, book that.
All of which is to say: there might be people with a broader experience and wider exposure to the full breadth of the book business than me, but not many. This doesn’t make me smarter than anyone, but it does provide a unique perspective.
How frequently will this publish?
I don’t know. I don’t want this to be homework, not for me, nor for you.
And what about that promised Wally photo?
Here’s the first of many. You’ll be sorry you asked.
