Canwen Xu

Since, you know, law school admissions, it's like a lot of people know about them.

A lot of people are talking about just college admissions generally.

So I kind of put that emotional truth on that situation.

Yes, for sure.

And it's so funny that you bring that up since I was having the same

exact conversation with my husband last night, which is that, you know, for me, I have started to hold all of these external achievements, almost an arm's length distance.

So, you know, I obviously I'm so happy about the press that the book is getting.

I'm so happy about readers who are really enjoying it.

At the same time, I am focusing my own fulfillment on the fact that I wrote a book I'm very proud of.

And I wrote the story that feels true to me.

I worked really hard on it.

And I'm just really happy about that.

So while it is nice to see...

people sharing the book, people complimenting it.

I have started to hold some of that external validation at an arm's length distance where I let myself feel happy about it, but I don't let that define me as an author.

Yes.

Well, so I first I sent a first batch of query letters to about 20 agents.

And this was when I had been working on the book for about six months, which was way too early.

I had finished the first draft in maybe like a month and a half.

And I spent, you know, the rest of the time just editing.