North Stars

On finding writers who read you closely, and how that can remind you of what's important

A few months back, I gave an early draft of a new work to a friend to read. I wrote her a long email, filled with caveats, expecting to troubleshoot her feedback. Because if I knew these things needed fixing, she didn’t need to point them out. Actually, I pointed them out out of fear. I knew I was sharing the book unfinished, early, before I felt ready …