Prior to
writing your first novel, what writing credits did you have?
I began
freelancing as a writer and editor with educational publishers, magazines, novelists,
and homeschool publications in 1997, after leaving Houghton Mifflin Company.
What made you
decide to write that first novel?
I started my
debut, A Long Time Comin’, after writing down pieces of our family’s history
and genealogy to pass down to my little people.
How long did it
take you to write your first book?
The first draft
took about three years, but the manuscript went through numerous edits before
it was eventually published several years (and little people!) later.
Who encouraged
you along the way?
Along the way, I
was encouraged by my parents, my family, writer-mentors like Carrie Turansky,
and by critiques from members of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW).
Friends urged me to keep writing when I wanted to give up.
How did you go
about finding an agent/publisher?
To find an agent I queried, queried, and queried again. Did I mention that I queried
agents? I attended conferences such as Writing for the Soul and the
Philadelphia Writers Workshop, participated in writing contests, subscribed to
QueryTracker and Writers’ Digest, and…queried.
From the point
you were offered a contract on that first book, how long did it take to make to
print?
In September 2017,
I attended ACFW’s conference in Dallas as a Genesis finalist and there, I watched Cynthia Ruchti accept an award for another writer. She blew me away with her
humor and grace. A few months later, I learned she’d become an agent with Books
and Such Literary, and I jumped at the chance to work with her.
I signed with
Cynthia in February 2018 and ten months later, I signed a two-book contract
with Tyndale House. Readers started digging into my debut, A Long Time
Comin’, about a year later.
What is the hardest
part of writing for you?
I’m like most
mamas, so letting go of my “baby” is probably the hardest part. I always think
it can be better, that I need to rephrase one more sentence, insert a comma, or
rework another scene. I suppose I feel my characters will always need me. Yet,
there comes a point when I need to type The End and submit—both the manuscript
and my writer’s spirit.
What does your
editor remind you to do most often?
When my agent
read my latest manuscript, she told me to ditch the semi-colons and watch out
for over-used phrases. Now, I love semi-colons; they’re underappreciated
punctuation. So, that direction cut right to my heart! With A Long Time Comin’,
my editor kept me centered on nuts and bolts—the details—making sure ages and
timelines matched, maintaining consistency, and deleting extra scenes and
characters.
Sometimes when
you’re parenting, you can get caught up in the lecture, not the lesson or the
person. At times, that’s what I did in writing. Caleb reminded me to focus on
the story; not to go down rabbit holes that led away from the plot. Painful,
yet oh-so-necessary work.
What’s the best
encouragement you’ve had in your writing?
I love when
readers write to me and share how my characters remind them of a family member or
that they’re still thinking about the book long after they closed the cover.
This tells me that my writing has taken on flesh and blood; it lives and
breathes and isn’t just words on a page. I want my work to elicit strong
emotion so readers will identify with/love/hate my characters (emphasis on
love) and jump right into the book.
We have all
experienced rejection. How have you
learned to write past it?
I always seemed
to get thisclose in writing contests and lose, and the rejection hurt. Invariably,
the feedback was either they didn’t like my Southern style of writing, they
didn’t feel it was “Christian enough,” it was too religious, too multicultural,
etc.
After a few
stumbles, I had to push through by deciding to stay true to my style, my
message, my characters, and my story—all inspired and provided by God. I
learned to write in the wait, and at the right time, He brought a publisher and
an audience that loved me and my work. I won where it counted without losing
what made me, me.
What has frustrated
you the most in writing or publishing?
Many may
consider completing a novel while raising seven little people a Herculean feat.
Yet, building a platform has posed a similar—and often greater—challenge. Managing
social media—planning posts, balancing fun vs work time, and simply figuring
out how to use Instagram stories—frustrates me; it’s a new world.
What has
surprised you?
I’m quite
surprised, however, how much this self-proclaimed introvert enjoys connecting
with readers, other writers, and friends and family. Sure, I rarely post where
I go for breakfast, but I love sharing how I feed my family spiritually,
mentally, and emotionally.
What do you
know now about writing you wished you had known sooner?
Writing tends
to be a solitary activity; it’s a one-on-one, woman-and-her-laptop
relationship. I have to withdraw to produce, even if it’s only mentally while
sitting smack dab in the middle of my family on Friday pizza movie night.
If I’d known
how supportive and loving my writing community would be, I would’ve emerged
from my computer-shaped shell, many moons ago and engaged with my critique
groups, attended book clubs, conferences, and interacted with online literary-based
organizations.
What is the
best writing advice you’ve received or could give?
Don’t let
anyone tell you how, where, or when to shine. You might write Christian fiction
or general market, African American or Women’s, Southern Lit, Contemporary, or
historical fiction. Children or YA. Any, all, or none of them. Find your own place
in the sun and bask in it.
Are there any
other points about writing you would like to add?
Write every
day. Don’t let rejection, the (in)existence of a publishing contract or pressure
of a deadline, or binge-watching “This Is Us” episodes keep you from putting
fingers to keyboard. Tap out ideas, outlines, a paragraph, chapters. Write. You
never know when you’ll need to draw from your well of words.
What is the
next book coming out? Can you give me a short synopsis?
Tyndale releases my second book in spring 2021. It follows more characters from the area around Spring Hope, North Carolina. This novel encourages readers to see that their scars, weaknesses, and mistakes don’t make them “less than” or unworthy of love and acceptance. They’re uniquely made, and so is their pain, and they are more than enough.
Tyndale releases my second book in spring 2021. It follows more characters from the area around Spring Hope, North Carolina. This novel encourages readers to see that their scars, weaknesses, and mistakes don’t make them “less than” or unworthy of love and acceptance. They’re uniquely made, and so is their pain, and they are more than enough.
Sounds like an
encouraging story. If you’d like to learn more about Robin’s work, here are
some links to get started
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RWPearson9
Blog and
newsletter: http://robinwpearson.com/
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