I used to hold two competing ideas in my head. I believed "people don't change"—I sort of prided myself on this vaguely cynical outlook. But then I'd teach the definition of story, which is that a story is about someone changing.

So I harbored this two-clause belief: people mostly don't change, but stories are about when they do. But in practice, it meany that making a character change on the page was always uphill. It felt like dragging a kid who refuses to walk. If you believe people don't change, but your job as a writer is to make them, there's always inertia.

Then I had an epiphany on the train, which is what brought about this episode.

Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review! For more resources, visit thebookincubator.com.

Want to watch the video episodes? Visit https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins

Let's connect! Come say hi on Instagram: @book.incubator

Happy writing! — Mary

========================

RESOURCES:

+ A Novel in 52 Prompts - A scene-by-scene blueprint for writing your novel: https://www.thebookincubator.com/novel-in-52-prompts

+ Ready to write your dream book? Apply for The Book Incubator with no obligation to enroll and get my free 60-minute training! https://www.thebookincubator.com/

========================

Hi, I'm Mary!

I'm the author of the novels When You Read This (Indie Next Pick and “Best Book of 2019” by Good Housekeeping), Privilege (Today.com “Best Summer Read”), and Palm Beach (New York Post “Best Book of 2021” and “like a sandy beach, equal parts beautiful and uncomfortable” according to the Associated Press). My memoir, You Might Feel A Little Pressure, was released by Third Rail Press in 2025.

My books have been published in 13 countries, and I've written for the New York Times, The Atlantic, Slate, and more. I founded an MFA-alternative, The Book Incubator, which has now helped hundreds of writers finish their books over 12 months and continues supporting them through publication (yes, forever!).

When I’m not writing, I’m probably building a fort with my 7-year-old son Finn or bathing with an overpriced Lush bath bomb. I live in Dallas, where I spend my free time trying to domesticate a stubborn tabby and shamelessly watching reality TV.

========================

Social:

+ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/book.incubator

Let’s talk about what all of us face as writers, all the time: disappointing reactions to our work. I'm talking about more than just rejections from agents or publishers. I mean ALL of it—the negative feedback from people who read our work as we’re writing it. The negative reviews that come in after it’s published. And yes, the rejections that come as we’re pitching it. All over the internet, you'll find admonishments to aspiring authors and authors to have thick skin, reminders that rejection is part of the process. And it IS. Rejection and negative feedback are baked into the process at ALL stages of being writer, which is why, today, I wanted to do a deep dive into how to actually deal with it, psychologically. Not “let it roll off” or “cultivate thick skin,” because honestly, those have never worked for me. How do we handle all the disappointing responses to our work when we are thin-skinned writers who will always keep putting our work out there, because we love it, and we love the work and connecting with people and aren’t going to give up our dream? THAT’S what I want to talk about today. • Why "having thick skin" is overrated advice • The difference between feedback that matters and feedback you can ignore • How to tell if a critique actually has something legitimate in it (and what to do if it does) • The cost of every creative choice • The bigger reason we write books in the first place Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review! For more resources, visit thebookincubator.com.

Want to watch the video episodes? Visit https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins

Let's connect! Come say hi on Instagram: @book.incubator Happy writing! — Mary ======================== RESOURCES: + Learn my Four Notebooks Method & get your free template: http://bit.ly/3wGmMTc + A Novel in 52 Prompts - A scene-by-scene blueprint for writing your novel: https://www.thebookincubator.com/novel-in-52-prompts + Ready to write your dream book? Apply for The Book Incubator in just 5 minutes with no obligation to enroll and get my free 60-minute training HOW TO WRITE YOUR DREAM BOOK WITH A FULL-TIME JOB (AND A LIFE): https://bit.ly/3wEwrJQ ======================== Hi, I'm Mary! I'm the author of the novels When You Read This (Indie Next Pick and “Best Book of 2019” by Good Housekeeping), Privilege (Today.com “Best Summer Read”), and Palm Beach (New York Post “Best Book of 2021” and “like a sandy beach, equal parts beautiful and uncomfortable” according to the Associated Press). My memoir, You Might Feel A Little Pressure, was released by Third Rail Press in 2025. My books have been published in 13 countries, and I've written for the New York Times, The Atlantic, Slate, and more. I founded an MFA-alternative, The Book Incubator, which has now helped hundreds of writers finish their books over 12 months and continues supporting them through publication (yes, forever!). When I’m not writing, I’m probably building a fort with my 7-year-old son Finn or bathing with an overpriced Lush bath bomb. I live in Dallas, where I spend my free time trying to domesticate a stubborn tabby and shamelessly watching reality TV. ======================== Social: + Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/book.incubator

This is the season finale of The First Draft Club—and we have huge news.

The Book Incubator has a new in-house literary agent!

Her name is Hannah Brattesani. She's worked at the Friedrich Agency and Folio Literary Management and is now at Simon & Schuster. She's represented some of the best writers writing today. And now she's on our team to help you turn your manuscript into a sellable pitch.

In this episode, Hannah reveals:

• The #1 mistake she sees in query letters (and how to fix it) • Why your comp titles matter more than you think • A framework from Pixar that will change how you write your logline • How to figure out if your book is "commercial" or "literary"—and why it matters • What agents actually look for when they open your email • The truth about rejections • The one piece of querying advice she disagrees with

If you're thinking about querying agents, or you will be someday, this episode is essential listening.

Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review! For more resources, visit thebookincubator.com.

Want to watch the video episodes? Visit https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins

Let's connect! Come say hi on Instagram: @book.incubator

Happy writing! — Mary

========================

RESOURCES:

+ Learn my Four Notebooks Method & get your free template: http://bit.ly/3wGmMTc

+ A Novel in 52 Prompts - A scene-by-scene blueprint for writing your novel: https://www.thebookincubator.com/novel-in-52-prompts

+ Ready to write your dream book? Apply for The Book Incubator in just 5 minutes with no obligation to enroll and get my free 60-minute training HOW TO WRITE YOUR DREAM BOOK WITH A FULL-TIME JOB (AND A LIFE): https://bit.ly/3wEwrJQ

========================

Hi, I'm Mary!

I'm the author of the novels When You Read This (Indie Next Pick and “Best Book of 2019” by Good Housekeeping), Privilege (Today.com “Best Summer Read”), and Palm Beach (New York Post “Best Book of 2021” and “like a sandy beach, equal parts beautiful and uncomfortable” according to the Associated Press). My memoir, You Might Feel A Little Pressure, was released by Third Rail Press in 2025.

My books have been published in 13 countries, and I've written for the New York Times, The Atlantic, Slate, and more. I founded an MFA-alternative, The Book Incubator, which has now helped hundreds of writers finish their books over 12 months and continues supporting them through publication (yes, forever!).

When I’m not writing, I’m probably building a fort with my 7-year-old son Finn or bathing with an overpriced Lush bath bomb. I live in Dallas, where I spend my free time trying to domesticate a stubborn tabby and shamelessly watching reality TV.

========================

Social:

+ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/book.incubator