Two years after the death of Anna Williams-Bonner’s husband, Jake Finch Bonner, Anna writes a novel. She never dreamed of becoming a writer, but she learned a lot from her husband, who was famous for his novel, Crib. The book was about a mother who kills her daughter and assumes her identity. Jake’s success also helped Anna to obtain her agent, Matilda Salter, and editor, Wendy Marder. After Jake allegedly died by suicide, Anna gave many interviews. Over time, she began telling the interviewers that she was thinking of writing a book. Eventually she decided to try her hand at writing, and it proved to be easier than everyone said.

Anna began her book The Afterword while attending a writer’s residence in New Hampshire. The attendees were shocked to learn that she didn’t have an MFA and had never published before. The residence was usually for successful novelists. The experience made Anna realize that if these people could write, so could she.

Anna meets with Matilda at the Union Square Café about her manuscript. Matilda is impressed by the story and assures her Macmillan wants to publish it. The Afterword is autobiographical and tells the story of a woman grieving her late husband, who was a novelist.