Fiction writing exercises, craft essays, and reading recommendations from Matt Bell, author of APPLESEED and REFUSE TO BE DONE. Publishes monthly.
| Platform |  | Pricing | Freemium | Publishes | Monthly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Issues | 74 | Founded | 6 years ago | Last Issue | 2 months ago |
| Active | |||||
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mattbell.substack.comLatest Issues
Recording of Craft Lecture: "How to Outline a Novel"
March 19, 2026
Hello friends! Thanks so much to everyone who attended this week’s craft lecture! As promised, here’s the recording from the talk:
Paid Subscriber Benefit: Live Craft Lecture Today!
March 18, 2026, 7pm ET
Hello friends! For those of you who are paid subscribers of No Failure, Only Practice, today’s our first craft lecture of 2026! This month’s lecture will be on best practices for outlining novels, something readers h...
#60: Two Craft Talks, a Celebration of Life, and an Old Story Inspired by Great Art (from AWP Baltimore)
I returned home yesterday evening from a week spent in Baltimore at the AWP Conference, where (if you haven’t been) 10,000 or so writers and writing teachers gather annually to talk writing and reading, eat and drink literally everything in...
#59: How Do You Know Your Novel is Finished?
Hello friends! A little business before we dive into this month’s craft essay:
First, my review of the novel Eradication by Jonathan Miles appeared in this past weekend’s New York Times Book Review. It’s an excellent novel and a fine addit...
#58: Tips for a Successful Writing Retreat (and How to Make One at Home)
Hello friends! Happy New Year! Before we get started, a quick reminder that my “Revision, Rewriting, and Re-Visioning Writing Retreat” on the Greek island of Zakynthos still has slots available! If you’ve got a novel or memoir you’re workin...
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Author most recently of the novel APPLESEED and the craft book REFUSE TO BE DONE. Husband, teacher, runner, writer. Born in MI, living in AZ.
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