Lessons learned are experiences distilled from a project that should be actively taken into account in future projects. There are several definitions of the concept. The one used by NASA sounds as follows: “A lesson learned is knowledge or understanding gained by experience. The experience may be positive, as in a successful test or mission, or negative, as in a mishap or failure…”

A debut novel is the first novel a novelist publishes. Debut novels are often the author’s first opportunity to make an impact on the publishing industry, and thus the success or failure of a debut novel can affect the ability of the author to publish in the future. First-time novelists without a previous published reputation, such as publication in nonfiction, magazines, or literary journals, typically struggle to find a publisher.