Lauren Layne: On the Books That Demand To Be Written

Lauren Layne is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of more than three dozen romantic comedies. Her books have sold over a million copies worldwide. Lauren’s work has been featured in Publishers Weekly, Glamour, The Wall Street Journal, and Inside Edition. She is based in New York City. Follow her on Instagram.

In this interview, Lauren discusses the necessary false starts in the writing process of her new novel, Miranda in Retrograde, her advice for other writers, and more!

Name: Lauren Layne
Literary agent: Nicole Resciniti, The Seymour Agency
Book title: Miranda in Retrograde
Publisher: Gallery Books
Release date: August 13, 2024
Genre/category: Novel
Previous titles: Made in Manhattan, To Sir, with Love, Marriage on Madison Avenue, Love on Lexington Avenue, etc.
Elevator pitch: After getting passed over for tenure and having her life upended in the process, a physics professor decides to throw caution to the wind and live by her horoscope predictions for a year in this effervescent rom-com from the New York Times bestselling author of Made in Manhattan.

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What prompted you to write this book?

Miranda in Retrograde was one of those rare, wonderful stories that arrives as a fully formed idea out of the blue and won’t let go. At the time, I was really feeling like I needed to take a break from writing, and yet, the idea of a scientist who collides with astrology popped into my head on an almost daily basis. I fought it for nearly a year, but it demanded to be written. I’m so glad I finally relented because from the very first pages, this story completely consumed me in the best way possible.

How long did it take to from idea to publication?

Probably about 18-24 months, mainly because the process of putting a polished book out into the world has so many more steps than people realize! But this one was actually faster than average because both my agent and editor were as excited about the idea as I was. Within a week or so of sending my agent a text with a single rambling run-on sentence of the story idea, a book deal was in progress. I wish I could say they all worked like that, but this one was wonderfully unique.

Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?

The book title itself for this one in particular was atypically wily. I pitched the story as The Year of Taurus, only to realize that my character wasn’t actually a Taurus after all. And the more I learned about astrology in my research, the more I learned that none of us are just one sign. The initial title just didn’t work. It took several months, dozens of title ideas, and lots of collective brainstorming before the team settled on the perfect title: Miranda in Retrograde.

Were there any surprises or learning moments in the writing process for this title?

Definitely. As passionate as I was about this story idea, or perhaps because I was so passionate, it took me a few false starts before I really got it right. Of all my 40+ books, this one probably changed the most from early drafts to the final book. The set-up never wavered, but the characters, the romance, and the tone all underwent dramatic transformations from start to finish.

What do you hope readers will get out of your book?

All of my books are more about escapism than realism, and this one is no different. My hope is always that readers can pick up one my stories and lose themselves in a world that’s just a little bit lighter, brighter and warmer than real life can sometimes be, while still seeing the characters go through emotions that are familiar and relatable.

If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?

My go-to piece of advice for new writers has long been “finish the book.” And I still stand by that. Nothing has ever taught me as much about writing as forcing myself sit down and not just start a book but to push through all the painful, muddy middle parts to The End. The push is hard but instructive in a way that no writing tip, or book, or class can ever match.

In recent years, I’d also add this bit of advice: Trust your instincts, carve your own path, and don’t be afraid of doing things a little differently. The sheer immensity of Amazon and the omnipresence of social media have really put the spotlight on books as a business, and I think a lot of us have lost sight of the fact that novels are an art form, and that we writers are artists. There’s magic in art, but magic needs a safe, quiet space to flourish. Magic disappears when you let someone else’s voice become louder than your own, or when you’re so focused on trodding the same path as everyone else that you miss the secret little side path meant just for you. Be a little bit of a weirdo. Magic likes weirdos.