Emily Martin: I Considered Quitting Multiple Times While Writing This Book
In this interview, author Emily Martin discusses how a love of the premise kept her going with her new romantic comedy, Winner Takes All.
Emily Martin is the author of the young adult novels Five Ways to Fall Out of Love and The Year We Fell Apart. When she’s not writing, Emily enjoys painting, hiking, and watching (arguably) too much TV. Emily is originally from Michigan, but currently lives in Boston with her husband, two daughters, and Goldendoodle. You can visit her online at EmilyMartinBooks.com, and follow her on Instagram.
In this interview, Emily discusses how a love of the premise kept her going with her new romantic comedy, Winner Takes All, her advice for other writers, and more.
Name: Emily Martin
Literary agent: Elizabeth Bewley
Book title: Winner Takes All
Publisher: Emily Bestler Books/Atria
Release date: June 23, 2026
Genre/category: Romantic comedy
Previous titles: The Year We Fell Apart; Five Ways to Fall Out of Love
Elevator pitch: Set over 24 hours in Las Vegas, about two record label execs who wake up married—to each other—despite a long standing rivalry, and their quest for a quickie annulment, pitched as Book Lovers meets The Hangover.
What prompted you to write this book?
I was daydreaming during a long drive to visit family in Michigan when the idea came to me for a book featuring two rivals who wake up married in Vegas. I immediately became obsessed with the premise, so much so that I abandoned another work-in-progress to focus on it.
That said, the book didn’t really come together until I figured out their jobs—A&R reps for competing record labels. With that element in place, Eleanor and Adam’s backstories really started to take form. I really enjoyed exploring a competitive, male-dominated field through the lens of both main characters.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
I actually have receipts for this! I texted my friend and fellow author Mackenzi Lee as soon as the idea came to me—September 26, 2020. It was still pandemic era, and I had recently welcomed my first child, which all contributed to a very drawn-out drafting process.
It took the better part of six years to go from idea to publication, and the idea definitely evolved throughout that time. It took a while for me to land on the music industry backdrop, but perhaps the biggest change is that the story was not dual-POV until around the fourth draft.
The story takes place over 24 hours, with my two main characters competing to sign the same band while also scrambling to contain fallout from the night before. Adding Adam’s point of view allowed for more insights into the hazy events of their drunken night out, but perhaps more importantly, it also offered another perspective on their shared history. Eleanor and Adam interned together years before the story begins, so being able to see how each of them experienced the same events, and how that shaped their opinions of each other, added a lot of depth and nuance to their arcs.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
The biggest surprise was how quickly my agent was able to find a home for this book! I was very fortunate to sell less than a month after going out on submission and am equally fortunate to be working with an amazing team at Emily Bestler Books. My editor, Lara Jones, offered incredible feedback, and has been transparent throughout the publishing process. I gained a lot of insight into how things come together behind the scenes, and how many people are involved in bringing a book from acquisition to publication.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
Adam’s POV came as a surprise to me—both in the sense that I didn’t know I needed it until several drafts in, and because once I made the decision to include it, his voice came so naturally and the dual POVs fit together effortlessly.
Another surprise was how wildly my opinion of my own work could change from day to day throughout the drafting process. While my enthusiasm for the premise never faltered, knowing I was going to query this book added a layer of pressure—and perfectionism—that sometimes made forward progress really difficult. I considered quitting multiple times while writing this book, but in the end it’s my favorite book I’ve written (so far) and I’m very glad I stuck with it.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
Above all I hope to entertain my readers. If they find a few hours of escapism in my work, and especially if I can make them laugh, then I’m a happy author.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
I recently went on an art retreat with a painter I admire, and her approach to art really resonated with me. She told us not to be too precious with our materials. Not to fear the blank page, or to save our best art supplies for some future day when we felt we were ready or talented enough.
I find this mindset—don’t be too precious with your art—really helpful throughout the writing process. I’m not someone who subscribes to the idea that you have to write every day in order to be a “real” writer. That said, it’s easy to put off writing until you feel inspired, or to stop because what’s coming out on the page doesn’t feel good enough. So, my advice is this: Don’t believe everything you write has to be gold (first drafts are meant to be terrible, and you can’t fix what you haven’t written), and don’t feel like everything you’ve spent time crafting needs to be kept (kill your darlings).
