Hoo, boy. To say I’ve been surprised with the success of Tell Me What You Did is an understatement. It spent about a week as the #1 paperback (of all fiction and non-fiction) on Barnes & Noble and is currently #5 on B&N and in its fifth week on the Publishers Weekly bestsellers list. As the saying among writers go, it only took 20 years to become an overnight success.
A common question I’ve received over the years: what was your big break?
I can tell you–big breaks for writers are scarce. I know this from my own experience and in interviewing hundreds of writers over the years. Impossibly rare is the person who suddenly gets an idea for a book, writes it, and sells it for a six-figure advance. Those writers are unicorns, and I know of, perhaps, two.
Nearly all writers don’t have a big break, but instead a prolonged series of small ones. It’s easy for me to grouse about my first three books not selling and then the publisher of my debut novel going out of business. But profound joy is found in those small breaks. A series of small breaks can look like this:
Small break #1: Writing a novel. If you’ve done this, you have accomplished a task most folks will never do. I don’t care if your book stinks–celebrate yourself!
Small break #2: Getting an agent. Of course this doesn’t mean your book will sell, but landing an agent is incredibly difficult. I had over 75 agent rejections before getting mine, and nowadays it’s even more difficult.
Small break #3: Selling your book to a publisher. Yes, there was no advance and your eventual royalties were outpaced by what you spent on self-marketing, but you’ve got your foot in the door.
Small break #4: Getting favorable, critical reviews. Your third book got a starred review from Kirkus and Publisher’s Weekly. That’s a big deal, even if it doesn’t seem to move the needle much on sales.
Small break #5: Winning awards. You beat out the competition! Even if it’s a small award, you took home the gold. Take time to savor the victory.
Small break #6: Making a bestseller list. Depending on the list, this could be classified as a big break and you should toast yourself. Even if you’re on the list for a day (or sometimes, just hours), you’re rising to the top.
Small break #7: Seeing your book in the airport. Whoa. Is that really my book?
Small break #8: Attaining national recognition. You did it. Your new book is in nearly every bookstore in the country. This doesn’t mean you have enough money to retire or that your next book will do as well, but you reached place you always thought unattainable. Go out to dinner and order the most expensive thing on the menu.
Those eight small breaks took me ten published novels (thirteen total) and 22 years. I am clearly not an overnight success, nor are most writers. But success isn’t just the destination, it’s finding the joy in the journey, never giving up, learning from your mistakes, and always finding new ways to rediscover your love of writing.
If you have the passion, success will follow. It might just take a little time.
New episodes of my podcast Making It Up are out! Over the past month I chatted with:
- Chad Boudreaux, thriller novelist and former Deputy Chief of Staff for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
- Kyle Prue, TikTok star and bestselling author
- Charlotte Vassell, award-nominated mystery novelist
- Allyson Ryan and Patrick Zeller, voice actors who narrated Tell Me What You Did
All episodes are available on my website, my YouTube channel, and wherever you get your favorite podcasts.
As far as I know, these are the places I’m supposed to be where you can meet me and stuff. Check my event calendar for the latest updates.
March 29th, 2025 4:00 PM
Carter Wilson in conversation with C.J. Box
(local author panel immediately preceding)
Teel Sanctuary, Mile Hi Church
Lakewood, Colorado
April 10-13, 2025
Hamptons Whodunnit
Featured author
East Hampton, New York
May 17th, 2025
Gaithersburg Book Festival
Attending author
Gaithersburg, Maryland
May 31st, 2025 9AM
“Commit to Your Novel” – a 4-hour workshop
Instructor: Carter Wilson
Denver, Colorado
Details in link
June 9, 2025 4-6PM
Lighthouse Writers LitFest
Instructor: “Writing Thrillers”
Denver, Colorado
June 18-22, 2025
Thrillerfest
Attending author/Speaker
New York, New York
July 12-13, 2025
Columbus Book Festival
Featured author
Columbus, Ohio
September 3-7, 2025
Bouchercon
Attending author/Speaker
New Orleans, Louisiana
REVIEWS
On the Page
James: A Novel, Percival Everett (Doubleday, May 2024)
I was a little late to the game on this one, but am so glad I picked up a copy of James, the book that was both a #1 New York Times bestseller and ALSO a National Book Award winner. Whew.
The setup is simple: the story is a reimagining of Huckleberry Finn, but told from the POV of Jim, not Huck. Question: with such a brilliant premise, how had this not been done before? Everett pays a respectful homage to the original while seizing on the far more compelling perspective, that of a slave doing anything and everything he can to avoid being resold and torn from his family. It’s a fast read, but that doesn’t mean it’s an easy one. The story is emotion-forward, and there are times you might be tempted to put it down or take a break due to its casual brutality. But this is a book worthy of savoring every word, which is the sign of a true storyteller. A book to buy in hardcover and keep on your shelves with your other favorites. A book to be grateful for.
On the Screen
Rogue Heroes (MGM+, 2022-)
With a 100% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes, I decided to give Rogue Heroes a try. Now, I usually shy away from shows/movies about war because, when done well, they fuck me up (I’m looking at you Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers). I think I was a soldier in a former life who got bayonetted by his own troops or something. But I decided to give this show a try and am so glad I did.
Based on the book by Ben McIntyre, Rogue Heroes tells the (mostly) true story of the formation of the British forces SAS group in WWII. From the deserts of North Africa to the invasion of Sicily (and eventually leading up to D-Day), the SAS were essentially an “off the books” division with orders to advance on the enemy by any means necessary. Think of the Island of Misfit Toys with guns and grenades. Now, be forewarned, there’s absolutely some brutal, realistic violence in the show, but it doesn’t lean into it as much as it plays to the comradery and humor of the men.
There are two, six-episode seasons currently available on MGM+, with a third season in the works.
Photo of the Month
I was thrilled to receive this photo in my inbox the other day…a Barnes & Noble in Pasadena, TX held a book club featuring my book! Though I’d say that kid in the front row may be a tad young for all my filthy language.
Update from my Kids
Sawyer and a group of friends took advantage of a school holiday to drive from Louisiana up to Arkansas to go camping for a few days. While up there, far from any campground, they found a stranded puppy in the middle of the road (and, of course, it was near-freezing, raining, and massive wind gusts). The puppy seemed underfed with some other signs of potential abuse. No collar, no tags. The nearest vet was 50 miles away and it was closed anyway, so they drove back to Baton Rouge with the dog they named Odie, making sure it got puppy food, water, and love along they way.
Back in Baton Rouge they took Odie to the vet—no microchip or any other identification was found. So Odie is now on his way to a happy life with the local family of one of the students. Sawyer of course wanted him, but it’s too impractical to have a dog at school (and not fair for the dog.) But Odie did cuddle on Sawyer’s lap for the entire 8-hour drive home from camping.
Update from my Pets
Sometimes when it’s extra chilly she gets to wear her fuzzy vest.
Humor of the Month sent to me by a friend
Always appreciate historical humor in a warehouse.
All you writers!
My company Unbound Writer offers one-on-one writing coaching with me, online classes, retreats, and seminars. I offer free consultations to answer your questions and to see if Unbound Writer is right for you—head to the website to sign up.
Later this spring I’m offering two classes, one online and one in-person in Denver, called Commit to Your Novel. This four-hour workshop focuses not just on the craft of writing, but the commitment to it. Writing a novel is hard, but not impossible, and the more you write the easier it becomes. It takes consistency, a vulnerable mind, and being willing not just to fail, but to embrace those failures.
Topics covered in the workshop include:
- Finding time to write
- Overcoming fear of failure
- Being perfectly imperfect
- Ignoring the muse and writing every day
- Writing craft (style, pacing, story structure, character development, and editing)
- Understanding the publishing industry
- Navigating non-writing essentials (social media, newsletters, public speaking)
- Take four hours out of your life and learn how to get and stay on the path you were meant to be on.
That’s it for now!
Just a reminder to subscribe to my newsletter for more content and access to contests and giveaways. Oh, and if you follow me on social media you’ll see a lot more pictures of my goddamn pets. Until next month…
