It’s time for a new interview series… like NOW. No really, actually it’s called NOW (Newly Omniscient Authors). This blog has been publishing since 2011, and some of the earlier posts feel too hopeful dated. To honor the relaunch of the site, I thought I’d invite some of my past guests to read and ruminate on their answers to questions from oh-so-long-ago to see what’s changed between then and now.
Today’s guest for the NOW is Jamie Beck, author of The Beauty of Rain which releases today
Has how you think (and talk) about writing and publishing changed, further into your career?
Undoubtedly, yes, on multiple fronts because so much has changed during the past decade. For example, when I was querying my very first manuscript, Borders Bookstores had not yet shuttered its doors. Similarly, self-publishing still carried a stigma, and Amazon was not yet the juggernaut it is today (either as a publisher or book distributor). Back then, I felt extremely blessed to land my agent and a traditional publishing contract. Now, most of the authors I know are indie or hybrid. This means more choices for readers, but it’s also created visibility problems for most authors, too. In terms of writing, my idea of what makes a good book has also changed. I used to believe there were absolute rules to follow about character, conflict, pacing, etc. I spent thousands of hours and dollars focused on improving those craft elements only to butt up against the subjectivity of story resonance. Case in point, a quick scan of my work’s Goodreads ratings proves that what I consider my best books are not my readers’ favorites. This realization can be paralyzing or freeing, depending on my mood, but I’m resigned to the utter subjectivity of this industry in a way I was not back then.
Let’s talk about the balance between the creative versus the business side of the industry. Do you think of yourself as an artiste or are you analyzing every aspect of your story for marketability? Has that changed from your early perspective?
I’ve never considered myself an artiste despite working diligently to make each book better than the last. I do consider the commercial viability of an idea—it’s necessary if I hope to remain traditionally published. However, what hasn’t changed is that I still create stories around themes and issues I think are culturally important. They’ve always been at the heart of my books and probably will be for as long as I continue to write.
The bloom is off the rose… what’s faded for you, this far out from debut?
As an introvert, I’ve always struggled with social media, but when Facebook was the only real gig in town (again, going back a decade), I managed that well and enjoyed meeting my readers and talking about books. Now there are so many platforms, I struggle to keep up. I also think readers are inundated. How many reader groups, newsletters, and booktokers can anyone follow before it becomes a blur of noise? Accordingly, it’s gotten harder to make new connections with readers online.
Likewise, is there anything you’ve grown to love (or at least accept) that you never thought you would?
The editing process. In the beginning, it was difficult not to view editorial feedback as though I’d “gotten it wrong,” or as confirmation that I didn’t know what I was doing. With time, I’ve come to understand that a good editor isn’t “fixing” things so much as helping bring the author’s vision more fully to the page by pointing out what isn’t there and by asking important questions that force the author to think more deeply about the characters and themes.
And lastly, what did getting published mean for you and how was it changed (or not changed!) your life?
It changed my life in every conceivable way. I never dreamed my writing would go where it went, or that my career would be as rich and full as it has become. Sure, I’m proud of my track record in terms of quality and book sales, but the two things I treasure most from my writing journey are the amazing friends I’ve made (so many talented, creative, smart authors) and the personal notes I get from readers who connect at a deep level with a particular book. I hope, too, that my kids have learned something about tenacity from how I refused to allow the many rejection letters I received make me quit (it took me three manuscripts to get an agent).
Jamie Beck is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of 18 novels, many of which have been translated into multiple languages and have collectively sold more than three million copies worldwide. Critics at Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist have respectively called her work “smart,” “uplifting,” and “entertaining.” She is also a two-time Booksellers’ Best Award finalist, a National Readers' Choice Award winner, and STAR award finalist. In addition to writing novels, she enjoys dancing around the kitchen while cooking, and hitting the slopes in Vermont and Utah. Above all, she is a grateful wife and mother to a very patient, supportive family.
