Why I left publishing and how I built my creative ecosystem (This week in books)

This week! Books! A little early because of the holiday this weekend.

First up, I was on a podcast this week with Serenity Bohon, where I talked about some things I’ve never spoken about publicly before: why I left publishing and what led me to return, my creative ecosystem, weaving together meaning and work, and much more! Check it out:

Designing Your Work + Values Ecosystem with Nathan Bransford – Serenity Bohon, I Do This for a Living – This link is to the YouTube version of the podcast, but you can also listen via all the usual podcast places.

Also, thank you so much to everyone for your answers on my recent poll. I’ll be reaching out to the winner of the gift card shortly. In case you’re curious, here are some of the things I learned:

• I’d wager my audience skews more anti-A.I. than the average, and only 33% of responders have turned to A.I. for publishing advice and 20% for editing.
• The people who have turned to A.I. rate it 5.9 out of 10 for publishing advice and 5.3 out of 10 for editing. The most helpful aspect for editing is that it’s instantaneous, the biggest drawback is that the feedback tends to be more thematic than story-oriented.
• In terms of site requests, the biggest one was for help finding editing and publishing professionals, followed by more self-directed video tutorials, which I’ll be thinking more about.

Thanks again for all the thoughtful answers! I read every response and take your feedback seriously.

Now then, despite the looming holiday and all the exciting World Cup games, I actually have quite a few links this week.

First up, the Pope wants you to write more:

Dear writers, we need your imagination, your narrative creativity and your lively thinking. We need these to create spaces of freedom and authenticity, within which divine grace can make the promise of consolation and peace resound. https://t.co/FEmCrdQ392

— Pope Leo XIV (@Pontifex) June 24, 2026

ALA 2026 Brings the Party to Chicago – Nathalie op de Beeck, Publishers Weekly – Congrats to the American Library Association for celebrating its 150th anniversary! Pretty wild.

Pocket Books Relaunched as Home for Self-Published Authors – Jim Milliot, Publishers Weekly – Simon & Schuster’s storied Pocket Books imprint is relaunching to specialize in formerly self-published books that will receive traditional publishing marketing and distribution.

Teenage boys in UK ‘stuck’ reading primary-level books while girls’ tastes expand – Emma Loffhagen, The Guardian – A study suggests that boys are “stuck” reading below their grade level while girls moved on, a framing I find pretty alarmist when all that seems to be happening is that boys really love the Wimpy Kid series.

YA author Lois Lowry reflects on four of her most renowned books – Terra Dankowski, American Libraries – At the aforementioned ALA conference, renowned children’s book author Lois Lowry reflected on her career and forthcoming book at age 89.

The Big Gay Lit Boom – Aaron Hicklin, New York Times – A bookstore owner makes the case that L.G.B.T.Q. fiction has never been more prominent in the publishing industry.

Inside the Wild World of Roman Romance Novels – Emma Southon, Lit Hub – A fascinating look at the wild and very lurid world of romance novels in ancient Rome. Pretty crazy to consider what’s changed and what’s stayed the same.

How Do You Effectively Co-Author a Fiction Project? – Sangeeta Mehta, Jane Friedman – Co-written novels remain somewhat rare, but there are some prominent duos, such as Christina Lauren, who make it work. Editor Sangeeta Mehta delves into the ins-and-outs and provides advice on how to navigate the potential pitfalls.

Principles of Plotting Part III: Variation – Lincoln Michel, Counter Craft – Author Lincoln Michel continues his series on craft principles by discussing the importance of variation, balancing plot elements that should feel inevitable and yet surprising.

The Tyranny of Showing – Donald Maass, Writer Unboxed – Agent and author Donald Maass argues that the old saw “show don’t tell” needs to be retired.

5 Pieces of Terrible Advice Writers Get on Social Media – Anne R. Allen, Anne R. Allen’s Blog… with Ruth Harris – Author Anne R. Allen rounds up some of the bad advice circulating out there on social media. The takes on Threads alone are mind-blowing at times.

On Description – Alfred Jung Lee, The Believer – A meditation on physical description–what it includes, and what it leaves out.

Let’s Talk About Reach, Baby! – Tara McMullin, What Works – For all you marketing data nerds out there, Tara McMullin delves into what’s working and not working on Instagram and finds creators have never been more disconnected from their followers.

This week in bestsellers

Here are the top five NY Times bestsellers in a few key categories. (All links are affiliate links):

Adult print and e-book fiction:

1. Theo of Golden by Allen Levi
2. Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
3. Whistler by Ann Patchett
4. The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett
5. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Adult print and e-book nonfiction:

1. Regime Change by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan
2. Communion by JD Vance
3. Strangers by Belle Burden
4. Revolution by Eric Metaxas
5. The Land and Its People by David Sedaris

Young adult hardcover:

1. The Escape Game by Marissa Meyer and Tamara Moss
2. Fake Skating by Lynn Painter
3. The Way Things Work by David Macaulay
4. Release Me by Tahereh Mafi
5. If Only I Had Told Her by Laura Nowlin

Middle grade hardcover:

1. Wonder by R.J. Palacio
2. Wombat Waiting by Katherine Applegate
3. KPop Demon Hunters by Jessica Yoon
4. Unsettling Salad! by Aaron Reynolds
5. Pocket Bear by Katherine Applegate

This week on the blog

In case you missed them, here are this week’s posts:

• Advice for older writers

And keep up with the discussion in all the places!

• Follow me on Bluesky and Threads

And finally:

They Looked Like They Were Getting Rich on Polymarket—but None of It Was Real – Katherine Long, Caitlin Ostroff, Neil Mehta, and Brenna T. Smith, Wall Street Journal – Today in dystopian news, it appears Polymarket was paying influencers to create fake stories of betting and winning on its already-dystopian platform.

Have a great weekend!

Need help with your book? I’m available for manuscript edits, query critiques, and coaching!

For my best advice, check out my online classes, my guide to writing a novel, and my guide to publishing a book.

And if you like this post: subscribe to my newsletter!

Photo: The Huntington, San Marino, CA. Follow me on Instagram!