In an interview with "Transatlantica" conducted in March 2018, Franzen mentioned that he had just started work on a new novel, having recently sold it to publishers on the basis of a three-page proposal. Later that year in a profile piece for "The New York Times Magazine" in June 2018, Franzen confirmed that he was currently at work on the early stages of his sixth novel, which he speculated could be his last. "So, I may be wrong ... But somehow this new one really does feel like my last.". Subsequently, in an interview reproduced on "The Millions" website in April 2020, Franzen mentioned that he was "almost done" with writing this sixth novel, although further indications of the title, plot, and likely publication date were not forthcoming.