When author Elinor Lipman sits down to write, she rarely has the concept of the whole book in mind.

“That happens a lot in almost all of my books, where I write it down and I didn’t see it coming,” she said. “I never have the concept of a whole book. I start at the first page, and I don’t know where it’s going, and I don’t outline.”

Ms. Lipman’s 16th novel, Every Tom, Dick and Harry, takes readers through the journey of a woman named Emma who inherits her family’s estate sale business. Along the way, she stumbles upon multiple professional and personal obstacles as her biggest possible estate sale turns out to be the home of a former brothel. From there, she is tossed into the complexities of family dramas and moral dilemmas.

“One of my early editors said it’s a comedy for intelligent adults,” Ms. Lipman said. “That’s a good pitch.”

Ms. Lipman was born and raised in Lowell, and the novel includes mentions of various towns, roads and landmarks in central Massachusetts, though it is set in the fictional town that Ms. Lipman has used in her previous novels. The small-town dynamics play a crucial role in Emma’s story. For example, she strikes up a romantic relationship with the police chief, who is called upon many times for various incidents surrounding the sale.

Ms. Lipman’s writing process is often reflected through her characters, who also must navigate their way through the story in order to learn something about themselves.

“I like a character who still has a way to go, whether it’s financial help or romantic help or career help,” she said. “I like sort of bringing the character along.”

In the novel, Emma strikes up a friendship with Frank, a friend of her parents’ who also ends up becoming Emma’s housemate.

Ms. Lipman said that Frank is her favorite character and he is an important part of Emma’s attempt to take over her family’s business.

“I wanted [the housemate] to be someone older,” Ms. Lipman said. “I didn’t want there to be any mistaking Frank to be the romantic interest. I enjoy, every once in a while, when he’s so embarrassed to ask her a question.”

Ms. Lipman said she edits as she goes, wanting to be satisfied with each chapter before she moves onto the next plot point.

“It’s normal for me to have doubts most of the way through and moan and groan to anyone who will listen about how I feel about it,” she said. “And then, I just polish and polish and polish.”

Throughout a writing career that has spanned over 30 years, Ms. Lipman said she always inserts a bit of herself into the stories she writes.

“I think when I have a first-person narrator, a woman, then there’s a lot [of me],” she said. “I enjoy a cheese and pickle sandwich. I have gone to estate sales....and this sort of outlook and this view of life is probably quite close to me.”

The reception from readers keeps her going even when she struggles with brainstorming plots and writing a single sentence. Ms. Lipman recalled moments at book signings or receiving a hand-written letter as important reminders of how her stories resonate with her readers.

“There’s something else that is so gratifying when I meet people, or they write to me and they say, I was going through a bad time, or I was sick, or I lost my husband or lost my mother, and I reread all of your books, and they’re comforting,” she said.

Ms. Lipman is no stranger to the Island, having visited many times for work and pleasure. She is excited to reunite with fellow authors, meet new ones and engage with readers.

“It’ll be wonderful to meet the people who come to whatever I’m doing,” she said.

Elinor Lipman will take part in a discussion on Saturday, August 2 at 1:15 p.m. The talk is entitled The Complicated Family Unit , and will also Susan Dominus, Adam Ross and Safiya Sinclair; moderated by Ron Charles. On Sunday, August 3 at 10:20 a.m., Ms. Lipman will be featured at an Author Talk, in conversation with Kate Feiffer.