Here’s who we ask for advice.
Jane Friedman — The oracle of the independent writing and publishing world. If Jane says it, it is so. Take your publishing questions to her and her website and sign up for her newsletters. (Yes, even the paid one.) You’ll be so much smarter next year if you do.
Sun Cooper, Sun Literary — A visionary writing mentor and soulful collaborator. If you long for someone to guide you through the wilds of your undiscovered story, Sun can help you write your own deep map. If you’re uncertain about your story’s reach into territory you can’t call your own, ask Sun about diversity readers. And when you’re ready to settle in with a good long read, follow Sun to her work on The Sunlit Project with UNUM Magazine. (Pour a glass of something good.)
Antoinette Scully, Black & Bookish — An editor, activist, scholar, and speechwriter who excels at rough-draft reviews and sensitivity reading. Antoinette is a fierce activist for literary inclusivity, racial and restorative justice, and Black culture, stories, and writers. Go to her to find out what you need to do next.
Julie Gilbert, Research Consultant — A curious, resourceful, wicked smart librarian (although if you know librarians, you know those descriptors are wholly redundant) who can give you a strategy for your research. Tell her what you need to know, and she’ll teach you how to find out.