Audience Quote by Celeste Ng

Any debut novel is usually a case of spitting into the wind - or, just maybe, casting your bread upon the waters. Without an…

— Paul Di Filippo

Publishers send me a lot of first novels because my first novel was the defining novel of my career, and I guess a lot…

— Jay McInerney

“Finally, bookshelves can be a terrifying place for debut writers, especially those who are marginalized. Writers who are queer, trans, BIPOC, disabled, working class…

— Frances White

The conventional wisdom is that authors get only one chance in this world. If your first novel doesn't sell, publishers and bookstores lose interest,…

— Jeff Giles

Early publication can be a dubious blessing: we all know writers who would give anything not to have published their first book, and go…

— Joyce Carol Oates

I get and read an enormous number of first novels.

— Richard Russo

When you start off with your first book, people assume that you're like all the characters in the book - and it does complicate…

— Irvine Welsh

A lot of first novels are written long before they're actually put down on paper.

— Roger Ebert

I'm not reading any novels right now, though not for lack of trying. Unless they're really good, my attention in most novels tends to…

— Matthew Healy

I think when you're a beginning author with any publishing company, there's only so much they can put behind you.

— Sarah Dessen

Nobody told me how hard it was going to be to get published. I wrote four novels that nobody wanted, sent them out all…

— Jerry Spinelli

There aren't too many people out there who can start one of my books and not finish it. I don't think too many writers…

— Joy Fielding