I think It’s a feeling of internal energy—a sense of a book that knows what it is, even if it hasn’t gotten all the way there yet—that excites us most. Because if a book has some internal energy and presence, we can certainly get to its core and help it to become its better self.

BookEnds fellows are placed in “pods” of three writers. What qualities or attributes should a writer have to be a successful pod mate?

In essence, members of a pod take ownership not simply of one another’s books, but of the purpose of the books. To help an author’s book become its best self, the pod mates need to understand the author’s purpose and belief systems, the why of the manuscript. We work very hard on this aspect of pod-matching and pod-building. These relationships are critical, not simply to the BookEnds fellowship year, but also to the ongoing relationships built during that time.

I’ve heard you say that not every writer–regardless of the quality of their work–is a good fit for BookEnds. What’s the “X-factor” you look for when reviewing applicants?

Our writers want success, yes, but of course they are also committed to excellence. They’re willing to give the time, to make the time, to put in the time. And they have big hearts and generosity—you can’t do BookEnds only for yourself. You do BookEnds and become a citizen of a community, a member of an ongoing group. We look for smart, kind, brilliant, motivated writers. And then we do everything we can do to help them succeed.

What do you love about working with budding novelists?

Everything. Start to finish. I love seeing what matters to other people and helping them to become more themselves, to communicate what they believe in and what matters to them most.