MacKenzie Scott Releases New Novel for Free as Billionaire P

After maintaining a low profile for more than a decade, MacKenzie Scott has announced her return to fiction writing. The billionaire philanthropist revealed Saturday that she will self-publish her third novel entirely for free on Substack throughout August. This marks her first work of fiction since 2013.

Scott’s new book, titled “Last Days in Two Nations (A History in Eighteen Minds),” spans 80,000 words. She will release the novel serially on the subscription platform. Furthermore, she has already shared the title page, table of contents, character list, and epigraphs. However, she provided few additional details beyond encouraging readers to “read and subscribe.”

A Return to Literary Roots After Years of Silence

The release represents a significant departure from Scott’s recent focus on philanthropic work. Consequently, it also breaks a 13-year gap since her second novel, “Traps,” reached readers in 2013. Her debut work, “The Testing of Luther Albright,” arrived in 2005 and earned considerable acclaim. In fact, it won an American Book Award and secured recognition as one of the Los Angeles Times’ best books of the year.

Scott studied creative writing at Princeton University under Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison. Morrison served as her senior thesis advisor and continued mentoring her through the publication of her first novel. This prestigious literary background underscores the weight behind Scott’s return to fiction.

Philosophy of Giving Extends to Publishing

Scott’s decision to publish freely on Substack appears rooted in the same philosophy that drives her philanthropic work. In 2019, following her divorce from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, she signed the Giving Pledge. Notably, she opened her letter not with discussions of foundations or strategy, but with a passage from Annie Dillard’s “The Writing Life.”

“The impulse to save something good for a better place later is the signal to spend it now,” Dillard wrote.

Scott took this writing advice and applied it directly to her wealth. As a result, she became one of the world’s most prolific philanthropists. Similarly, she now applies the same principle to her creative work by offering it without cost or barrier.

Unprecedented Philanthropic Record

Since 2019, Scott has donated more than $26 billion through her philanthropic organization, Yield Giving. Moreover, these funds have reached more than 2,700 groups including historically Black colleges and universities, environmental organizations, and economic equity nonprofits. In 2025 alone, she gave away $7.2 billion-more than Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Sánchez Bezos have donated over their entire lifetimes, according to Forbes estimates.

Forbes named her the third-most generous philanthropist in the world this year. Impressively, she has given away 46 percent of her net worth. Her philanthropic style mirrors her literary restraint: she provides unrestricted checks with no applications, no progress reports, and almost no press.

Influence on Modern Philanthropy

Scott’s philanthropic model has influenced other wealthy donors seeking maximum impact. Snap co-founder Evan Spiegel and supermodel Miranda Kerr recently followed her approach. They donated millions to erase $550 million in medical debt for more than 261,000 Californians through Undue Medical Debt.

This initiative closely resembles Scott’s strategy. She previously donated a combined $80 million to Undue Medical Debt between 2020 and 2022, helping the organization expand its debt-relief efforts. Her approach is straightforward: find nonprofits with proven models, provide significant funding, and allow them to scale their impact.

How the Medical Debt Model Works

Undue Medical Debt takes advantage of the way unpaid healthcare bills are traded in the United States. Hospitals can sell large portfolios of unpaid medical debt for a fraction of their original value. However, the nonprofit purchases qualifying debt at those discounted prices but does not attempt to collect from patients. Instead, it abolishes the debt entirely. Consequently, a relatively small charitable contribution can eliminate medical bills worth hundreds of millions of dollars at face value.

“The scale of this gift to Californians is truly astonishing, unburdening over a quarter million families of over half a billion dollars of un-payable medical debt,” said Allison Sesso, president and CEO of Undue Medical Debt.

A Model of Quiet Impact

After the publication of “Traps,” Scott communicated with the public only through rare literary posts to her blog. This pattern of minimal public engagement extended to her philanthropic work. Nevertheless, her impact has been enormous. She has reshaped conversations about wealth, giving, and the responsibilities of the ultra-rich.

Now, with her return to fiction, Scott once again chooses accessibility over exclusivity. By publishing on Substack without charge, she makes her work available to anyone with internet access. Furthermore, this choice reflects the same values that drive her to give unrestricted grants to organizations serving marginalized communities.

The serial publication throughout August will allow readers to follow the novel as it unfolds. Additionally, the Substack platform enables direct connection between author and audience. This format represents a departure from traditional publishing models that often place barriers between writers and readers.

As Scott re-enters public visibility through her creative work, the literary world watches with interest. Her unique position as both acclaimed author and transformational philanthropist makes this release significant beyond typical publishing news. Ultimately, whether through dollars donated or words shared freely, Scott continues demonstrating a consistent philosophy: the best time to share something valuable is now.