When a Journalist Outgrows the Word Count

Journalist Honor Jones discusses her debut novel, Sleep, which explores the #MeToo movement from childhood to the newsroom through a unique fictional lens.Honor Jones's debut novel, Sleep, opens in the heat of a seemingly idyllic summer childhood, where ten-year-old Margaret navigates unspoken secrets within her home. But as the years unfold, the story quietly traces how early moments of confusion ripple forward into Margaret's adult life, particularly as she covers the Weinstein trial as a journalist. With a clear-eyed and unsettling voice, Sleep becomes a meditation on what women bury, what they minimize, and what begins to surface when the cultural tide shifts.In this intriguing conversation, Honor and I discuss:How journalism shaped her approach to fiction: Honor reflects on the transition from shaping others' stories to crafting her own and how editing longform narratives influenced her writing style.Writing a woman who can believe others but not herself: Margaret is a woman who has built a career amplifying the voices of survivors, yet has never fully named her own story. Honor explores how Margaret reconciles the gap between public belief and private suppression, and how the novel plays with what we notice versus what we choose not to see.Portraying the unspoken conversations around #MeToo: From the charged stillness of newsroom dynamics to a dinner party scene, Honor unpacks how people speak around harm instead of through it. We explore her decision to include moments of discomfort and how those honest tensions reflect the real ways people deal with trauma.📚 FREE BONUS BOOK LIST: 36 Me Too Books that showcase the struggles of women throughout history. From young adult to memoir to literary fiction- this week's book list illuminates. Meet Honor JonesHonor Jones is a writer and editor who has worked at The Atlantic, The New York Times, and The New Republic. Her writing has also appeared in The Cut and The New Yorker. Sleep is her debut novel.Mentioned in this episode:Browse the 2025 MomAdvice Summer Reading Guide (with ads) or download the 48-page reading guide ($7) to support our show. If you are a show patron, please check your inbox for your copy as part of your member benefits. Thank you for supporting my small business!   Download Today's Show TranscriptJoin the July Book Club Chat TONIGHT (Husbands & Lovers)BONUS BOOK LIST: 36 Me Too BooksSleep by Honor JonesSarah Harman - All the Other Mothers Hate Me Podcast InterviewAll the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah HarmonClaire Hoffman - Sister, Sinner Podcast InterviewSister, Sinner by Clare HoffmanJenisha from KentuckyHow I Demolished My LifeSundays with Writers: Did You Ever Have a Family by Bill CleggDid You Ever Have a Family by Bill CleggWild Game by Adrienne Brodeur Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches 10% to independent bookstores!Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect with Honor Jones on Instagram or her WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter