About this episode

Kate Northrup interviews debut novelist Andrew Forrester about his journey to publication and the importance of creativity and resilience.

What keeps you going when the dream you’ve been working toward still hasn’t happened? In this episode, Kate sits down with debut novelist Andrew Forrester, author of How the Story Goes, to talk about the ten-year journey that took him from his first finished manuscript to finally becoming a published author. Along the way, Andrew wrote multiple manuscripts, spent years trying to land an agent, had several books that never sold, raised four kids, and worked a full-time job—all while continuing to write. Andrew shares why he never fully gave up, how writing became something he genuinely craved rather than something he had to suffer through, and why community, accountability, and giving himself permission to try something different ultimately mattered. He also gets practical about his creative process, including his thousand-word goal, writing late at night, and using the Pomodoro method to get himself started. Kate and Andrew also explore creativity, faith, and the mystery of where ideas come from. Andrew opens up about growing up Southern Baptist, how his relationship with God has evolved, and how learning to live with questions instead of needing every answer has shaped both his…

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