Ask the Author: Jessica Strawser
Answered Questions (17)
Jessica Strawser
That's so kind, thank you! I know how hard authors work, so I try to be positive in my reviews. If I don't enjoy a book, I just figure that it wasn't for me and move on. Some of my favorite all-around authors are Kristin Hannah, Liane Moriarty, Jodi Picoult, and Alice Hoffman. But many people know those authors, so I prefer to recommend specific books. Five of my absolute favorite recent reads were THE WEDDING PEOPLE by Alison Espach, THE NAMES by Florence Knapp, MARGO'S GOT MONEY TROUBLES by Rufi Thorpe, LET'S PRETEND THIS WILL WORK by Maddie Dawson, and I THINK WE'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE by Suzy Krause.
Jessica Strawser
Of course! It's all on my contact page, here: https://jessicastrawser.com/about/con...
Jessica Strawser
Hi, Kate! None of the characters in my novels are necessarily based on my own phase of life or my own family, though I do gravitate toward writing what I know in some respects. (I'm 42 and my kids are in elementary school.) My most recent novel, THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW, features an older preteen as a more minor secondary character, but the protagonist is not a parent at all, but a 30-something woman who has survived some tough challenges that have consumed her life for the previous several years. The book I'm writing now is also not at all about parenthood. I'm quite sure I'll have characters of all ages in my future books! Thanks for reading.
Jessica Strawser
Dear Miriam: Thank you so much for the kind words (and for coming to Thurber House--their literary picnics are such a wonderful treat!).
I think my type of suspense is all about building to the reveals. Because my novels tend to be written from multiple points of view, I try to approach this from three angles: 1) What the characters desperately want to find out (the answer to the novel's central question, so in Not That I Could Tell, what has become of Kristin?), 2) What some of the characters might know but be keeping to themselves (holding back from one another and even from the reader), and 3) What the reader might know that a key character doesn't know. Trying to decide what to reveal and when and to whom is all part of the fun in crafting the story.
I think Forget You Know Me (coming in February) takes a similar approach, so I can't wait to hear what you think! And thanks again for your continued interest in my work. Warmly, Jessica
I think my type of suspense is all about building to the reveals. Because my novels tend to be written from multiple points of view, I try to approach this from three angles: 1) What the characters desperately want to find out (the answer to the novel's central question, so in Not That I Could Tell, what has become of Kristin?), 2) What some of the characters might know but be keeping to themselves (holding back from one another and even from the reader), and 3) What the reader might know that a key character doesn't know. Trying to decide what to reveal and when and to whom is all part of the fun in crafting the story.
I think Forget You Know Me (coming in February) takes a similar approach, so I can't wait to hear what you think! And thanks again for your continued interest in my work. Warmly, Jessica
Jessica Strawser
I'm glad we were able to get this on the calendar, Lisa. I look forward to meeting you and your wonderful group of retirees this fall!
Jessica Strawser
Hi, Gail, I really appreciate you asking! I guess authors would be up a creek if *everyone* shared their ARCs, but I'm flattered that you liked the book that much and would be more than happy to have you share it with your book club. In fact, I've been known to visit meetings in person or via Skype, so please keep that in mind: Discussion guides (though not yet available for this one) and contact info to check availability are at http://www.jessicastrawser.com/contact. Thanks again for your kind words, and happy reading to your group!
Jessica Strawser
For the past several years, I've been writing late into the nights, after spending the workday full-time at the Writer's Digest editor's desk and every other waking hour focused on my family (my children are now 3 and 6). It's definitely a balancing act, and the important thing is to stay disciplined and committed -- and to sit down at the keyboard whether or not you're feeling "blocked." (I think forward momentum is the absolute best way to combat those dreaded sticking points.) Carving out that time on a consistent basis means saying no to a lot of things you'd rather say yes to, but the payoff is well worth it in the end!
Just last month I scaled back my role at the magazine to an editor-at-large title, so I'm actually in the process of rebalancing my entire routine now, and beyond grateful to have the opportunity to do so.
Just last month I scaled back my role at the magazine to an editor-at-large title, so I'm actually in the process of rebalancing my entire routine now, and beyond grateful to have the opportunity to do so.
Jessica Strawser
I have forwarded your question to my pub team, and they're on it! Should follow up with you shortly. Thanks for entering--hope you enjoy the read!
Jessica Strawser
I love this question, because summer is one of my four favorite seasons for reading! ;) Looking forward to digging into new titles from Karma Brown, Karen White, Michelle Gable, Maggie O’Farrell, Anita Shreve, Randy Susan Meyers and Dennis Lehane, along with some fellow debuts I’ve had my eye on, including Abby Fabiaschi’s I Liked My Life and Kristen Lepionka’s The Last Place You Look.
Jessica Strawser
I love my work at Writer's Digest on behalf of writers at all levels. I've found fellow writers to be some of the most warm, generous and all-around fascinating people I've ever met, and it's a privilege to fill a role in this amazing community.
Whenever people tell me they want to write a book, I tell them they should give it a try! There are tons of resources available, both in the form of publications like Writer's Digest and in the form of writing groups online and off, to meet you where you are and help you get started. Plenty of successful writers came to the craft later in life, without having necessarily planned out their paths. Never hesitate to pursue anything that sparks something within you or brings you joy.
Whenever people tell me they want to write a book, I tell them they should give it a try! There are tons of resources available, both in the form of publications like Writer's Digest and in the form of writing groups online and off, to meet you where you are and help you get started. Plenty of successful writers came to the craft later in life, without having necessarily planned out their paths. Never hesitate to pursue anything that sparks something within you or brings you joy.
Jessica Strawser
It did feel amazing, thank you! My work at Writer's Digest has been such an asset--I've been surrounded by support as well as wonderful resources I can turn to as questions arise at new stages of the process. At the same time, you're right that it's a lot to juggle--and as a magazine editor I'm programmed to be schedule- and detail-oriented, so uncertainty about what will be happening when (and about how long new-to-me tasks will take to complete) tend to nag at me.
I don't think there's any one-size-fits-all advice regarding time management, but my best advice is probably this: Don't panic. When the sense of overwhelm starts to sit in, step back and take a deep breath. Ask for help when you need it, and have faith in yourself that you'll find a way forward. I wish you all the best with your own creative projects!
I don't think there's any one-size-fits-all advice regarding time management, but my best advice is probably this: Don't panic. When the sense of overwhelm starts to sit in, step back and take a deep breath. Ask for help when you need it, and have faith in yourself that you'll find a way forward. I wish you all the best with your own creative projects!
Jessica Strawser
Thanks for the question! With a full-time job and two young kids, my writing time is tight, but when I'm really cooking on a project (and I usually am) I tend to end up spending around two hours/weekday on writing (and sometimes more on writing-related tasks). No special software for me--all I need is a keyboard and a blank page!
Jessica Strawser
Thank you so much! I'm happy to report that my editor at St. Martin's Press just signed off on my final revision of my next novel--another stand-alone title told from multiple perspectives and unearthing secrets among characters--so look for news on that one soon (tentative release date: spring 2018).
As for favorite books depicting real-life problems, I find Anne Tyler to be a master of authentic, flawed characters. I also love Liane Moriarty, Maggie O'Farrell, Jodi Picoult, Chris Bohjalian... And I'm not sure anything has made me laugh as much as Maria Semple's "Where'd You Go, Bernadette?" in recent years.
As for favorite books depicting real-life problems, I find Anne Tyler to be a master of authentic, flawed characters. I also love Liane Moriarty, Maggie O'Farrell, Jodi Picoult, Chris Bohjalian... And I'm not sure anything has made me laugh as much as Maria Semple's "Where'd You Go, Bernadette?" in recent years.
Jessica Strawser
Thanks for asking! I've been writing as a journalist since my teen years: I co-edited my high school newspaper, apprenticed with a local daily and then attended the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University, where I covered the courts beat for the award-winning student-run publication, studied magazine feature writing, and entered the publishing industry as an editor who also contributed interviews, profiles and eventually essays (including one for The New York Times' Modern Love). Having only dabbled in fiction (but always, always reading it voraciously), I got serious about pursuing the craft about eight years ago. My day job at Writer's Digest is probably my biggest constant motivator: It feeds me ideas and techniques even when I'm not in my most receptive mood, and always inspires me to do better.
Jessica Strawser
I’ve always been drawn in by the idea of fate, of what’s meant to be, and the significance so many of us place on some sense of that. Go to a golden anniversary party, and chances are people will *still* be asking the bride and groom how they met, as if there’s some secret significance to it (and maybe there is!). I loved the idea of building a story around a chain of events that would both challenge and celebrate the role of fate in our relationships.
Jessica Strawser
I have another stand-alone book club novel due out from St. Martin's Press in 2018. I just turned in the revision to my editor, and the title should be finalized soon, so stay tuned for more info!
Jessica Strawser
As the editor of Writer's Digest, I'm practically a curator of advice for writers, so I have plenty! But most important, I think, is this:
There will be moments where you’ll be tempted to give up. Resist. Hang onto whatever it is about your writing that brings you joy, and don’t let anyone take it from you. Have faith.
There will be moments where you’ll be tempted to give up. Resist. Hang onto whatever it is about your writing that brings you joy, and don’t let anyone take it from you. Have faith.
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