Success Story with Dr. Bella Ellwood-Clayton

Early Stumbles

My biggest mistake came with my first manuscript, over twenty years ago. Fresh out of university, and having published some poetry and short stories, I sent my novel to top tier New York literary agents... and had bites! One of the most prestigious agents wrote back and asked me to revise the manuscript in third person rather than first.

I thought about it, tried it like that, and then—GAWD, the naivety, the arrogance—I emailed back saying that I thought it would be best in first person, listing all the reasons why.

Needless to say, that was that. She had no interest in representing me. And it wasn’t until 15 years later (after marriage, babies, a creative nonfiction book), that I finally tried querying a novel again. 

The Breakthrough

Querying was the worst. So many close calls. Each time an agent requested a full (and then rejected it with feedback), I revised the manuscript. I spent nearly five years rewriting, sharing my book with critique partners, absorbing every comment, and working with it. Rather than being defensive about my writing like in my younger years, I became the opposite—hungry for criticism. I wanted it hard and brutal. I wanted to be pushed to be a better writer.

My breakthrough came through a writing contest on Twitter (X). I pitched my logline and had the most agent and editor likes of the event. Yay! This eventually led to me accepting representation with the wonderful agent Jill Marsal of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency who I’ve now been with for many years.

Looking Back

During this process from first written novel to first sold novel (an entirely different beast), I studied the craft of novel writing. While growing children and growing up myself, I devoured craft books, YouTube tutorials (especially the work of Sarra Cannon), took short courses, studied my favorite writers (even—sacrilege—writing notes in their books and underlining fave lines), and religiously swapped chapters with seriously amazing writers.

I became an editor, worked at a literary agency, and now have a freelance business. All in all, it was kinda like doing my own PhD in creative writing.

So. Lessons. Be tenacious. Find fellow writers who challenge you, and who understand this crazy journey is absolutely essential to staying sane and leveling up your craft. Writing isn't an elite sport—anyone can do it—but do you have the open heart and thick skin required?

The Synthesis: The Swimming Group 

Can cold water heal broken hearts? 

• 12 months
• 162 cold water swims
• 1 missing woman

We call ourselves the Tragic Wives’ Swimming Group, well, because… we’ve all had something bad happen to us. 

The man I thought I was going to marry did the unspeakable with a cute young florist. Not long after, my sister drowned on a family trip. Now I’m at my ex’s beach house in Cape Cod, hoping to get past my heartache and figure out what to do next with my life. 

Three mornings a week our swimming group meet at sunrise and plunge into the ice-cold depths of the Atlantic. 

But then we find out that Rachael, the one who’s always late, has written a tell-all book exposing our darkest secrets. Word spreads that she’s uncovered something so juicy—so twisty and unexpected—the book will be a bestseller. 

A few days later, Rachael disappears... leaving just a pile of clothes on the sand. 

A SEXY BLEND OF TENSION AND SUSPENSE WITH AN ENDING YOU WON’T SEE COMING. 

Perfect for fans of Elin Hilderbrand, Liane Moriarty, Lucy Clarke, Sarah Goodwin, and Shari Lapena. 

“A saucy, shocking mystery that masterfully weaves together cold-water swimming and ice-cold deception.” SARAH BAILEY, bestselling author of The Housemate 

“This riveting oceanside mystery will keep you glued from the first page.” DAMYANTI BISWAS, bestselling author of the Blue Mumbai thrillers.

What was your favorite part of the writing and/or publishing process?

This novel flew out of me. Many of the characters (Miguel and “Compost Carol,” for instance) just showed up, dominating the page, were very bossy, and wrote themselves. It’s an ensemble story about unlikely characters all thrown together in the same group, and it was absolutely thrilling to write their ping-pongy dynamic. Plus, of course, all the death and deception.

Grab your copy of The Swimming Club here.

Dr. Bella Ellwood-Clayton holds a BA from Concordia University in Montréal and a PhD from the University of Melbourne in sexual anthropology. Her novels include The Swimming Group (Joffe Books, 2025) and her debut Weekend Friends (Post Hill Press/Simon & Schuster, 2023), hailed as “unputdownable” by bestselling author Nicola Moriarty. She is also the author of Sex Drive: In Pursuit of Female Desire (Allen & Unwin, 2012). Her work has appeared in the Huffington Post and Daily Life, and she has been featured in a National Geographic documentary and given a TEDx talk.

Married to an Aussie, she lives in Melbourne with her two screen-obsessed teens and a mini Maltese who's convinced he’s a pit bull. When not writing, you can find her downward dogging, coaxing her offspring to go outside, and randomly blurting out, “Oh, that's a good story idea.”

TikTok & Insta: @bellaellwoodclayton
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