Happy 2023! We're excited to work on some amazing projects this year, some of which are highlighted below and some of which we'll be announcing soon.

If your 2023 goals involve writing, revising, or submitting, you'll definitely be interested in our guest post from New York Times bestselling author Beth Revis. She talks about how to know when you're done, and, for more support, her fabulous workshops are happening IN PERSON this year! Also, make sure you're following us on Instagram for more details about our special submission event with Great Smokies Writing Program coming next month!

If social media is on your mind, we offer one hour consultations to help you get set up, give you some direction, and/or help you figure out how to develop a sane approach to your posts. Drop us a line if you're interested! If you want something even more in-depth, our friend Alli Marshall is teaching a 5-week Great Smokies class called Social Media for Authors.

Whatever you endeavor to do, we wish you joy and whatever success looks like to you in the New Year.

Fresh reads from friends of Gold Leaf

Captain America: The Ghost Army by Alan Gratz and Brent Schoonover out now!

See Alan’s article for Marvel.com here

Hex You by PC Cast and Kristin Cast out 1/31/23

Check out the HEX YOU preorder campaign here

Bushwhacking by Jennifer McGaha out 2/7/23

Read a Publishers Weekly review here

Indigo Field by Majorie Hudson out 3/14/23

Watch the book trailer here

A Message from Beth Revis

When to Know You’re Done

Today, I sent a somewhat scary email to my agent. I’ve been toiling on a book of my heart for years, and it was time to tell her that the book was done and ready for submission. Which has me thinking: how do we know when we’re done with a story?

I tend to self edit first. I keep notes as I write of some big picture things I know I need to check and revise, and step one is always that self-assessment where I read and re-read the manuscript, evaluating how it’s gone.

Step two comes later. When I find myself changing things only on a sentence level—messing with the phrasing, picking a better word, debating a comma—that’s when I know I can no longer see the forest for the trees. At that point, I find an outside reader.

It’s important that my outside reader be someone in the business. I need to know if I hit the right tropes I was aiming for, if my story resonates on a craft level, if the plotting and characterization is professional. Non-professional readers can sometimes be too easy; they’re in awe of the work’s competition, or they want to be supportive, or they simply don’t know the jargon to helpfully provide critiques.

A professional eye can help you amplify the more marketable elements of a book, can help you weigh your choices as you balance the different craft elements, and can give you advice. Beta reads and critiques are not there to tell you what to do; they’re there to empower you to make the right choices for the story you want to tell.

So how do I know when a story is done? It’s when I go back to the “only fiddling with sentences”stage after having feedback from others. I could probably tweak a sentence forever, but the story is done, and it’s time to send it out in the world.

If you’d like help getting your novel complete—whether you’re starting with an idea or you’ve got a finished draft—consider joining me at a Wordsmith Workshops Retreat!

These retreats feature five, all-inclusive days of writing and workshopping at a luxurious and serene shared house. In the mornings, you’ll get lessons on craft and the nitty-gritty truths of publishing, and in the evenings you’ll get two critiques—one from award-winning author Cristin Terrill focused on prose and one from NY Times bestselling author Beth Revis focused on plotting your whole novel. Plus you’ll meet like-minded people, make critique partner connections, and join a community of authors that’s almost a decade strong! We’ve got a track record of success stories and a supportive group of collaborative people.

Join us at our next retreat from March 1-6 in Orlando, Florida (with a bonus day in DisneyWorld)!

Upcoming Events

Hex You launch event with PC Cast
1/31/23, 7 PM PT, Hillsboro Barnes & Noble
Tanasbourne Shopping Center

Bushwhacking hybrid launch event
2/15/23, 6 PM, Malaprop’s Bookstore

Great Smokies Submission Event
2/25/23, 10AM - 12PM
Manheimer Room, Reuter Center, UNCA
Keep an eye on our social media for a link!

Indigo Field launch event
3/18/23, 11 AM, The Barn at Fearrington Village, Pittsboro, NC
Sponsored by McIntyre’s Books