“Nothing guarantees anything. A breakout book doesn’t mean your next one won’t flop—and that’s just the reality.”—Andrea Bartz

Andrea Bartz is a reporter, consultant, and New York Times bestselling author. Her third novel, WE WERE NEVER HERE, was a Reese’s Book Club pick and an instant New York Times bestseller; it was optioned by Berlanti Productions and Netflix. Her most recent thriller, THE LAST FERRY OUT, was praised by NPR’s Fresh Air, Marie Claire, Publishers Weekly, and more. She is also a journalist whose work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Vogue, Cosmopolitan, The New York Times, and many other outlets, and she’s held editorial positions at Glamour, Psychology Today, and Self.

Among other things, Andrea and Carter discuss thinking like a businessperson to make it as a writer, separating your emotions from feedback on your writing, and engaging with readers to show gratitude. At the end of their conversation, they make up a brilliant story using a line from Victoria Houson’s At the Edge of the Woods.