How Emily Began: Early sale and career shift

Emily recounts selling her first book as a waitress, quitting her job, and moving into journalism and editing.

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New York Times Notable author and journalist, Emily Listfield, spoke with us about quitting her waitressing job after her first advance, the true value of beta readers, and the rich people behaving badly in her latest thriller REASONS TO LIE.

Emily Listfield is the author of seven previous novels, including a New York Times Notable Book of the Year, It Was Gonna Be Like Paris. She is the former editor-in-chief of Fitness magazine and executive editor of Parade's HealthyStyle. Her writing appears frequently in Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Allure, the New York Times, and numerous other national publications.

Her latest novel, Reasons to Lie (Thomas & Mercer; February 24, 2026)—described as “Gossip Girl meets Law and Order SVU,”—is a propulsive mystery set in the rarefied world of NYC’s elite and shaped by the bonds of female friendship. Oprah Daily included Reasons to Lie among their Most Anticipated Books of 2026.

New York Times bestselling author Kate White called the book,“Taut, riveting, and laced with stunning and unsettling revelations…,” and author Elinor Lipman wrote, “REASONS TO LIE is set at the kind of snobby Manhattan school I love to hate. Highly enjoyable, flawlessly written, and highly recommended!”

[This episode is sponsored by Ulysses. Go to ⁠ulys.app/writeabook⁠ to download Ulysses, and use the code FILES at checkout to get 25% off the first year of your yearly subscription."]

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In this file Emily Listfield, Milena and I discussed:

Why some big ideas are best left to marinate

The difference between writing short form journalism and the novel

How female friendships are at the core to her life and so many other women

Why she chose to skewer the world of an elite NY private school

How the demands of caregiving pulled her unexpectedly away from her work

Some helpful writerly slogans you can jot down to stick on your laptop

And a lot more!

Show Notes:

emilylistfield.com