How Did It Feel to Finish Your First Draft?

Do you dream of publishing a book?

Join editor Josie Humber and author Brisa Carleton for this very special bonus episode of The Novelry on Writing. Find out how Brisa turned an idea into her debut novel, Last Call at the Savoy (publishing November 4, 2025), through The Novelry’s world-class writing courses.

Discover how expert guidance with author coaches, editorial mentorship, and a supportive writing community can take your story from first draft to publication.

💫 Start your own writing journey today → https://www.thenovelry.com

Read the full episode transcript here!

Thanks for tuning in, and happy writing! 🖋️

Chapters

• 00:00:00 — Intro to The Novelry and the episode.
• 00:02:30 — The spark: Brisa’s first idea before Last Call at the Savoy.
• 00:05:00 — Early momentum: first steps and the initial hurdles.
• 00:07:30 — Building a first draft: routine, accountability, structure.
• 00:10:00 — Editorial feedback at The Novelry: how guidance sharpened the work.
• 00:17:30 — Submission strategy: polishing for agents and editors.
• 00:20:00 — Finding an agent: outreach, conversations, next moves.
• 00:22:30 — After the ‘yes’: refinement and forward plan.
• 00:25:00 — Craft breakthroughs that made the draft sing.
• 00:30:00 — The book deal moment and what followed.
• 00:32:30 — Nailing your hook and pitch.
• 00:35:00 — Loving the process (and looking ahead to launch).
• 00:37:30 — Gratitude, and advice for writers at every stage.
• 00:40:00 — Invitation to begin: how The Novelry can help you start today!

Guest Bios

Brisa Carleton was introduced by The Novelry to literary agent Rebecca Scherer at the Jane Rotrosen Agency, and went on to sign a book deal with Grand Central Publishing, an imprint of Hachette, for her debut novel, Last Call at the Savoy. **Pitched for readers of Josie Silver and Fiona Davis and set at the legendary London hotel, the novel follows a young writer who helps uncover the history of the famed American Bar’s first (and forgotten) female bartender, Ada Coleman.

Josie Humber is Deputy Editorial Director at The Novelry, and previously a Senior Commissioning Editor at Hodder & Stoughton (Hachette), home to authors including Jodi Picoult, Stephen King, David Nicholls, and Erin Kelly. Josie has worked with bestselling authors such as Kate Mosse, Kate Morton, and Joanna Trollope.

Resources

Don’t know where to begin? Check out these blog posts for insight on how to write a compelling story:

What is a Story? Uncovering the Art of Great Storytelling

Novel Ideas and Where to Find Them

The Novelry on Writing Podcast: How to Write a Page-Turning Story

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Show description

Learn how novels work from publishing’s top experts at The Novelry, the world’s No.1 school for writers. Hosted by our bestselling writing coaches and publishing editors, this podcast is a practical, helpful guide to writing novels for every genre. Enjoy inside tips and tricks to make your writing a joyful experience while building your expertise in writing craft.

With new topics every week, there is always something to learn at The Novelry, the world’s top-rated fiction writing school with more 5 reviews from writers than any other creative writing course.