Further Up

Further Up

The Point of This Story

On writing sad fiction

Bethel McGrew's avatar
Bethel McGrew
Aug 25, 2021
∙ Paid
6
2
Share

Recently, I was giving some feedback to a friend after finishing the first draft of his latest novel. It was a pleasurable exercise, this friend being both a smart writer and a receptive listener. But I had to confess to him that I was disappointed by the end.

The story had begun promisingly: In brief, a successful New England businessman wakes up from …

Keep reading with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to Further Up to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2025 Bethel McGrew
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture