Author Interview: Lancy McCall & Code Block
Lancy McCall is a self-published author whose first book, Left Turn, came out in 2022. I've had the pleasure of being Lancy's writing coach for some time now and am thrilled that Lancy will be releasing Code Block August 15, 2025. She was kind enough to take a break from her day job and marketing prep for her new book do to this interview with me.
Q: Do you carefully plot out every scene in your books or see where the characters take you? What’s your writing process?
A: I fall somewhere between a plotter and a discovery writer. I like to say I’m a “GPS-er,” meaning I know my final destination, but I might take a few detours along the way and then recalculate my route to get back on track toward that predetermined ending. My writing process always starts with my characters. Who are they? Where are they at the beginning, and where do they need to be by the end? What internal and external challenges are driving them throughout the story? Once I have a strong sense of my characters, I turn to the plot. I use the 7-point plot exercise described by Dan Wells, where you figure out the key scenes for each plotline, then map them out on a timeline. (This article spellsout my process well: https://lancymccall.com/lm20210531). While I don’t outline every scene in advance, I do need a clear sense of the order of events. If I don’t know when something happens, I have trouble moving forward.
Q: What particular challenges do you face in your writing? What is difficult for you? Do you have any tips for other writers who face similar challenges?
A: Dialogue and action come pretty easily for me, but I struggle with description and narrative. I’m a bit of a bullet-point, bottom-line kind of person in real life, so it makes sense that my writing reflects that. Each revision pass almost always adds thousands of words to the manuscript. I’m still learning how to “show” rather than “tell”—how to write a scene that reveals a character’s traits or emotions through their actions rather than just stating them outright. I also tend to lean too technical in my first drafts. Sometimes I include too much jargon or get overly detailed about the business functions being discussed. During revisions, I rework those sections to make sure they support the story without overwhelming the reader—or tempting them to roll their eyes or skip ahead.
Q: Did publishing your first book, Left Turn, change your writing process?
A: I didn’t really have a writing process before Left Turn. A lot of authors you meet have been writing since they were kids, but that wasn’t me. Before Left Turn, all my writing was technical—part of my day job as a project manager. That first book helped me find my writing process. That said, Left Turn had lived in my head for years before I ever wrote anything. So when I finally sat down to write it, the story flowed out of me fully formed. Conversely, I struggled with Code Block. And I think it’s because it hadn’t had the same time to marinate. I had only a vague idea of what the story was and very few imagined scenes in my head when I started. (And I’m still tweaking my writing process to pull the story out without it needing to percolate like that.)
Q: How did you find your editors?
A: For Left Turn, I worked in solitude, figuring things out as I went. I made pass after pass, editing the heck out of that book until I reached the point where I’d done everything I could and it needed someone else’s eyes on it. I used the Reedsy marketplace to find both a developmental editor and a copyeditor. Each gave me helpful feedback, and everything—from payments to communication—was handled within the Reedsy platform. After publishing that first book, I met other authors and heard about their relationships with their editors. It made my experience feel very transactional and not much like a relationship at all. So I decided that for my next book, I wanted to work with someone I could build a deeper connection with. For Code Block, I reached out to other authors and editors I’d met at writing conferences and on social media, asking for recommendations. I compiled a list, checked out their websites, and paid attention to their editing processes. Eventually, I found a couple of editors through word of mouth who felt like the right fit.
Q: Can you talk a little about your editing experience for new writers?
A: When I talk to new writers about editing, my biggest piece of advice is to remember that your goal is to make your book the best version of itself. And you can’t do that alone. You need other eyes on it to catch the things that you’re too close to see. With my first book, I braced myself for brutal feedback. It was my debut, after all. But the comments weren’t harsh; they were constructive. Everything my editor pointed out made sense. It was a lesson in “this is good, but it could be better if…” And honestly, there were so many positive notes that I was a little taken aback—in a good way. I know it’s intimidating to get that first edit back, but every mark or comment is meant to make your book stronger. I love getting feedback that helps me spot things I missed or suggests ways to bring a point forward so readers connect with it more easily. One other thing I want to emphasize: it’s important that you and your editor are aligned on your story. If your editor thinks they’re working on a swoony romance but you’re writing women’s fiction, they might steer the edits in a direction that doesn’t match your vision. In the end, it’s your story. You get to decide which edits to accept. But when you’re both clear up front on the story’s genre and purpose, the process is smoother, more effective, less costly, and—let’s face it—less emotional.
Q: Can you describe your publishing experience with Code Block? Was it similar or different to Left Turn? Why did you decide this was the path for you?
A: Publishing Code Block has been easier because I feel more knowledgeable this time. It’s like returning to a vacation spot and knowing your way around a little better than the first time you visited. With Left Turn, I was learning everything as I went. I did tons of research before making each move. But with Code Block, I already knew the general order of tasks and when things needed to happen. (Thank goodness for my detailed notes!). For example, I knew to line up my editors and cover designer early, which helped compress the timeline. Another big difference was in my approach to the workflow. With Left Turn, I did everything sequentially—each step waited on the one before it, mostly because I was still figuring things out. With Code Block, I knew I could work on the blurb and social media content while the manuscript was with my editor. That made it easier to stay organized and avoid wasting time on things that could wait. I’m still figuring out the marketing piece. 😉
You can find out more about Lancy on her website.
