Surprise! I have a new book coming out!

It’s actually 10th anniversary edition of my book Master Lists for Writers…and it is way bigger, and I think better! It’s called Master Lists for Writers: Gold Edition. 

It’s coming out in ebook and paperback (350 pages) on November 4th. You can already see the Kindle version up for pre-order on Amazon, but the paperback won’t have a pre-order period. It’ll be available in ebook and paperback in many other places as well, and bookstores and libraries will be able to order it!

Today, I’ll tell you about the history of this book, because it is wild. But first, I want to ask:

Do you leave reviews on Amazon or Goodreads? And if so, would you like the ebook for free before it releases?

The Wild History of Master Lists for Writers

Master Lists for Writers grew out of the early days of this blog. I shared a few lists—such as this one, of facial expressions—that I had made for my own reference in writing. (This list in the new version of the book is much longer, by the way.)

A few of my lists took off on Pinterest and Tumblr, which was great! 

At a writing conference in New York, a writer told me, “Your blog isn’t going to help you as an author. It’s for writers, not for readers.” I think this was overlooking the fact that most writers are also readers. But on the plane home, I thought: Fine. I’ll publish a book for writers. I’d already made many more reference lists for myself, after all.

I had never self-published before. I was so clueless that at first, I accidentally listed my husband, the editor, as the author. It was messy! But people bought the book, and over the next several years, it had modest but steady sales, month in and month out.

This Year: Financial Troubles, and the TikTok Miracle

Last spring, our very expensive independent health insurance plan denied coverage on a couple of large bills that we were sure would be covered. Of course, this is a very common situation for Americans. 

My husband and I had been living frugally but adequately off our earnings as freelance book editors, supplemented by my earnings as an author. Suddenly, though, we were in trouble. We began job searching, and you probably know how dispiriting that process is. Many places never respond; one company ghosted me after four interviews.

We figured we’d probably have to sell our beloved house. The equity in it could tide us over for a while, and we could rent someplace cheaper, in a state with lower small business taxes…although I’d be very sad to move away from Chicago. I figured that whatever happened, we’d make the best of it, but I admit that I prayed for a windfall.

One day last June, I saw a big spike in the sales of Master Lists for Writers. 

My first response was panic.

I used to run a few Amazon and Facebook ads during the holidays—the only time when they were profitable for me. I thought maybe I had accidentally switched on an expensive ad campaign. If that was true, I might actually be losing money by the hour.

But I wasn’t running any ads. The strong sales continued. When I expressed bewilderment on Bluesky, someone told me they’d seen it on TikTok.

Sure enough, people with TikTok shops had been doing an amazing job of selling Master Lists for Writers. And a very simple little TikTok I’d made which featured the book had somehow amassed hundreds of thousands of views.

The strong sales continued through June and July before settling down again—though settling down at a higher level than before. And just like that, we were stable again. 

I had already been working on the 10th anniversary edition…

I had been working on it for a few years, in fact! I couldn’t resist, because I had thought of so many things to add to make it better. I wanted to cut a few lists that not as many people were using. And because there were a couple of adults-only lists in the original, I wanted to create a version that would be appropriate for teen as well as adult writers. 

As all of you know, I don’t use AI at all for writing and editing, and the new edition is truly a labor of love. I hope other writers love it, too!

How is everyone else doing this week?

I have been sick with bronchitis, and the oddest thing was that I lost my voice for a solid week! Today, I am just able to croak out a word or two. Honestly, I think I got sick from pushing myself too hard. I’m impatient to be better and to be enjoying these autumn days.

I hope everything is going well with you! Let me know right away if you want a review copy of Master Lists for Writers: Gold Edition, and have a great rest of your week!