Notes from the Shelf

Today’s Featured Author: Audrey Wilson

I met Audrey at a Book-a-ween event in Kenosha, WI. Audrey brings both craft and heart to everything she writes. We talked about starting her debut novel at just 17, handling rejection, outlining with chapter bullet points, and the writing advice that continues to shape her career.

Meet Audrey

Audrey Wilson is the award-winning author of The Ever End, Wrong Girl Gone, and Only Human. In May of 2026, her novel Dear Unrequited Love Girl will be published by Bywater Books. Having earned her BA in Television Writing and Producing from Columbia College Chicago, Audrey has written and co-written over two dozen screenplays and television episodes, and has won a variety of awards for her writing, including a regional Emmy nomination. An avid supporter of authors of all writing levels, Audrey has spoken professionally at numerous writing events, including the Golden Crown Literary Society Conference, the Let’s Just Write! Chicago Writers Conference, and the International Dublin Writers’ Festival. Audrey is an active member of International Thriller Writers, and is represented by The Purcell Agency.

Q&A

What inspired you to start writing in general?

Honestly, I’ve always loved telling stories. I’ve loved movies, TV shows, and books ever since I could remember. I think that’s something I always really enjoyed, crafting a story and telling a story from beginning to end. 

I remember being around 10 or so when I wrote my first complete short story. It was not very good (laughs). Then I remember being around like 13 or so and thinking, “Okay, I’m gonna write a novel.”

And so I started writing this novel with all these notes from a journal, and nothing ever really came of it, but I think it still excited me. It was really exciting to be able to craft this story, and so eventually, I tried writing a couple other stories that didn’t work out throughout high school. 

Then, when I was about 17, I started writing what actually became my debut thriller Wrong Girl Gone. It took a while, but I was able to finish it and edit it. Then I had a couple people look at it, and eventually it got published. 

It was a long road, but definitely led me to where I am now. 

Sara: Wow, that’s amazing to start at 17, like writing an actual book, that’s crazy.

Yeah, I know. When I’ve been at book events, and I have someone come up to me who’s you know, maybe in high school or a little bit younger, and they said that they like to write, I always mention that to them. You’re basically never too young to start writing. 

A lot of times, I feel like when we’re young, we’re so free and not in our heads about stuff, so it’s sometimes easier to write. It’s a great age, I think, to start writing. 

What inspires you to continue writing?

The ideas I have just keep coming, and I want to see where they go, so I have to follow through with them.

It may sound a little backwards, but I feel like a lot of times, I’m halfway through a draft and get a new idea for another book, and then I’m excited for that one. In a way, that motivates me to finish the book I’m working on now, so that I can get to the next thing.

For your first book you started at 17, what was the process of being published?

I started out with figuring out how to query publishers and agents. That was kind of a process in itself, but I got better at that over time. 

 I do look back at the early queries I sent, and now I’m like, that wasn’t good at all. Of course, they didn’t want to read that, but after some time, and quite a few rejections, I signed a deal with a small traditional publisher, and we set a date for publication. 

I got to go through the whole process of what it was like to work with a publisher, to have your book edited, all those different steps, and it was definitely a long road. Also, definitely a learning process.

Now I’ve worked with Bywater Books, my more recent publisher on several books, so I’ve been able to work with them a few times and get to know their style. Now, I also have a literary agent, so I’ve definitely come a long way from like that first publication and learned a lot since then, as well. 

What is your writing routine?

When I get an idea for a book, I start with an outline. I have a hard time working without an outline, but that’s not to say the outline won’t grow and change along the way. However, I find that when I get an idea for something, the best thing for me to do is just write it out, even if it’s a very basic draft, just like those main points that I want to have happen in the story. 

From there, I basically build out my outline in a document in terms of chapters. I’ll put Chapter One and write the bullet points of what I want to have happen, and I’ll do that for all the chapters.

I’ve done this for about a year now, and I’ve noticed it makes writing a lot less intimidating for me. When I sit down to write, I don’t have to think about what comes next, I can just enjoy the writing process.

I used to go back and edit my work while I wrote, and I feel like that’s one of the worst things I could have done. I kept getting stuck along the way.

Now I just try to crank out the first draft in anywhere from 3 to 6 months, and then I’ll go back and edit. I’ll edit the big things I know I want to do first, and then I’ll go through line by line to edit. Then I send the manuscript to my beta readers, and I’ll take their feedback to incorporate edits, and then it goes off to my agent. She’ll give feedback as well, and I’ll make changes. That’s the general process.

Sara: I’ve never heard of the bullet points per chapter. I feel like that would make it a little easier because it’s not just a blank screen. 

Right, I highly recommend it. I use the checklist bullet point, so I get the satisfaction of checking it off when I’m done with that part.

Have you dealt with writer’s block and how do you handle it?

Yes, I absolutely have had writers block. I think most of us writers probably have at some point. I think part of what has helped me is trying to push through and write, even if you’re feeling stuck, and giving yourself the grace to write badly. Sometimes it’s better to write a few bad sentences to get past the part that you’re feeling stuck at than it is to not write at all. 

Another thing is I try not to stop writing when I’m having writers block because that means I’ll not want to come back to it. However, if I try to push past that and stop writing at a later point, I’m more likely to be excited to write the next scene, and I’ll want to come back to it the next day, so it’s a little bit more motivating. 

What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever received?

I would say one of the best things I’ve received is that the first draft is the one that you tell yourself, and the second draft is the one you tell your readers. I try to really keep that in mind. 

It helps me get the perfectionism of a first draft out of my head because I can tell myself to just get it out on paper. I’ll be able to edit eventually, so I don’t need to worry about if it’s good, I just need to get it out there. 

Then the second draft is the one I’ll be able to clean up and make fit for people to actually read and enjoy. 

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

I would say for authors who are maybe trying to get published, the best advice I could give is don’t get discouraged by rejections. Every writer published on the planet has been rejected at some point or another. It’s just part of the game when it comes to getting published.

Also, it really only takes one yes from one agent to get that book into the hands of readers and to get it published. 

Try not to get discouraged; it can be very disheartening. I’ve gotten many rejection emails over the years, and you think it’s going to get easier to swallow, but it doesn’t. But at the same time, I only need one yes. 

Which books or authors have most influenced your writing?

In terms of authors, Rainbow Rowell has been a huge inspiration to me. She’s one of my favorite authors. I bought tickets to see her at one of her upcoming book signings in Chicago, so I’m really excited for that.

I love the way she writes characters and relationships, and I feel like a lot of my inspiration for my romance books comes from that style. 

In terms of thriller authors, I really like B. A. Paris. She’s written a number of thrillers, and I’ve enjoyed every single one of them. I feel like her characters are very relatable, and each story has its own unique twists, which is really fun.

In terms of films, I always love M. Night Shyamalan. He’s got his iconic twists, right, but I think that the reason his twists work so well is because of the characters and those stories that he’s telling.

For example, Signs is one of my favorites of his. I feel like it’s just such a well done character piece. It does have the story of aliens and the suspense, but it’s really about a family, and I think that’s what’s really important. 

That’s what’s at the root of any of my favorite stories; it’s the characters and the relationships. 

What are you currently reading right now?

I’m reading The Mean Ones by Tatiana Schlote-Bonne.

It’s a horror novel about this woman who’s reflecting on her childhood at camp and the creepy stuff that happened to her in her past. I love it so far. I’m listening to the audiobook, and it’s just excellent. I’m excited to see how the story plays out, and I have a feeling there’s going to be some twists, so I’m excited.

Sara: Yeah, I loved a good twist. I feel like I can usually tell what’s going to happen, so if it catches me off guard, it’s amazing. 

That’s exactly right. And it’s tricky, too, because I feel like it has to be a twist that the readers don’t see coming, but also makes sense. It has to be in that sweet spot. 

What’s something readers might be surprised to learn about you?

I would say probably some of my hobbies outside of writing. I learned how to play the ukulele last year, which is kind of a random hobby, but it’s something my husband and I do together. He got me into it. 

We can play a lot of songs now, which is a lot of fun. It’s also something nurtures my soul in a way since it’s not writing. I do enjoy writing, but it is part of my work, so it sometimes feels like work. Playing the ukelele is something that I can do just to unwind, and there’s no pressure with it.

What are you currently writing? Anything coming out soon?

My next book is called Dear Unrequited Love Girl, and it’s coming out May 19^th, 2026.

It’s in copy edits right now. With the copy editor, they’re looking through it, making all those final tweaks, so it’s in the final process.

I also wrote a draft for a new book. It’s a sapphic romance with friends-to-lovers. I finished the first draft about a month ago and have just been going through and polishing it up to send it off to my beta readers. 

Audrey’s Books

Audrey currently has four books available for sale. For twisty thrillers, check out Wrong Girl Gone and The Ever End, for romantic poetry, check out Landing Like Rain, and for  a sweet romance, check out Only Human.

Also, her newest romance Dear Unrequited Love Girl, comes out May 19^th!

Connect with Audrey

You can follow along for Audrey’s writing journey @AudreyWilsonAuthor on Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, and Threads. You can also find her at her website audreywilsonauthor.com, where she offers signed copies of all her books.

Wrapping Up

One of my favorite pieces of advice Audrey shared was this: you only need one yes from one agent to get published. After hearing about her long road of querying, rejections, growth, and eventual success, that reminder felt both realistic and hopeful.

If you’re an aspiring writer, her journey proves that persistence matters. And if you’re a reader who loves character-driven thrillers, twisty suspense, or heartfelt romance, Audrey’s books might be exactly what you’re looking for.

You can find Audrey’s books through Bookshop.org. Every purchase supports independent bookstores and helps sustain Notes from the Shelf. (Affiliate link; I may earn a small commission.)

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