Success Story Interview - Arlene Schusteff

An Interview with Arlene Schusteff (arlenes on QT) upon receiving an offer of representation from agent Rachel Beck of Liza Dawson Associates.

10/05/2026

QT: Can you tell us a little bit about the book for which you've found representation? What inspired you to write it?

Arlene Schusteff:
The book is called EIGHT DISHES, and it was inspired by the decade I spent working at Martha Stewart Living. The novel follows a disgraced food writer who gets one last chance to revive her stalled career when she’s assigned to interview a legendary chef. But instead of a traditional interview, the chef insists they prepare eight meals together, each representing a pivotal moment in the chef’s life. As they cook their way through the chef’s past, the writer discovers that the eight meals hold the key to a long-buried secret—one that could change both of their lives.

QT: How long have you been writing?

Arlene Schusteff:
As long as I can remember.

QT: How long have you been working on this book?

Arlene Schusteff:
I wrote the book over the course of about five months and then spent a couple of months doing revisions.

QT: Was there ever a time you felt like giving up, and what helped you to stay on course?

Arlene Schusteff:
I never really felt like giving up. There were certainly moments of frustration and doubt, but I always wanted to keep going. Hearing other authors’ journeys helped me stay on course. It was encouraging to see how differently everyone’s path to publication can unfold and to hear from writers who kept going despite setbacks and rejection. Knowing I wasn’t alone in the process made a big difference.

QT: Is this your first book?

Arlene Schusteff:
No. I published a non-fiction/humor book, but this is my first novel.

QT: Do you have any formal writing training?

Arlene Schusteff:
In college, I majored in journalism, but beyond that, no.

QT: Do you follow a writing routine or schedule?

Arlene Schusteff:
I wish I could say yes, but no!

QT: How many times did you re-write/edit your book?

Arlene Schusteff:
I edited Eight Dishes roughly twelve times.

QT: Did you have beta readers for your book?

Arlene Schusteff:
Yes, I had four beta readers, and their feedback was invaluable as I revised the manuscript. And a shoutout to QT Critique! I revised my query letter more times than I care to think about (!) and the QT Critique community was an incredible resource throughout the process.

QT: Did you outline your book, or do you write from the hip?

Arlene Schusteff:
I’m a die-hard pantser. I usually have a general idea of where the story is going, but I don’t outline before I start writing. I like to discover the story and characters as I go. Once I finished, I did a “reverse outline” to make sure the plot held together, the character arcs were working, and there weren’t any holes I needed to address.

QT: How long have you been querying for this book? Other books?

Arlene Schusteff:
I sent my first query on December 31, 2025, so roughly nine months. It’s the second novel I’ve queried. With my first manuscript, I queried about 75 agents and received just one full request. Ultimately, I decided to shelve that manuscript and start writing EIGHT DISHES.

QT: About how many query letters did you send out for this book?

Arlene Schusteff:
I sent out 175 queries.

QT: On what criteria did you select the agents you queried?

Arlene Schusteff:
I relied heavily on MSWL and the search feature on Publisher’s Marketplace. I looked for agents requesting women’s fiction and agents that had comps/requests that matched my manuscript.

QT: Did you tailor each query to the specific agent, and if so, how?

Arlene Schusteff:
I tailored many of my queries, but not all of them. When it made sense, I’d reference the agent’s MSWL or books they represented that felt relevant to EIGHT DISHES.

QT: What advice would you give other writers seeking agents?

Arlene Schusteff:
First and foremost, keep going and don’t self-reject. Follow agents on Threads, Instagram and TikTok. Some of them have pitch events where you can pitch them on social media. If you are not getting manuscript requests, revise your query letter or opening pages.