Written by Anna M.
Grade 12
Recently, I had an incredible opportunity to meet bestselling author Mary E. Pearson and ask her five in-the-know questions. It’s not every day you get to meet such a creative authoress and have a heart-to-heart conversation with her. As an amateur writer, it was truly amazing to discuss not only her writing techniques but also her journey to where she is today (and to where she is going).
Q. When do you know you wanted to be an author, and what were the steps you took to get there?
I wanted to be an author from a very young age. I didn’t know that was exactly what it was, but I loved writing stories. I got good feedback – a kind word here or there. Woah, it can take you a long way!
I had a teacher who praised my writing, but when I was young, there were no authors visiting schools. I never saw an author in person . . . ever. And so, I didn’t really make the association at that young age I could be an author.
In high school, I was an avid reader. If you love to read, it’s just a natural step to think as you’re reading: "I love this story, but I might’ve done this differently or I might’ve done that." And that is one of the triggering things that makes you think maybe you could write a story.
Pretty much everything I read was the classics, and all of those people were dead! And that’s not really something you can aspire to, but then I read S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders. It was by a young woman, and it was about a world that I recognized; it wasn’t an old ancient world or a Victorian world. And I remember crying. Though I don’t do it very often, I reread that book about six times in a row and cried every single time. So I knew at least from high school that that was what I wanted to do.
Q. What’s your writing routine? Is it more of a 9-to-5 designated time, a first-time in the morning, or throughout the day?
It’s throughout the day. I always have the file open on my desk, and I try to shoot for a thousand words a day. I try to write throughout the day, and I take little breaks: go to lunch, do the dishes, do the laundry, etc. And in those moments, when you’re stuck on a scene and you’re not trying so hard, you get those pieces that make your story come together.
I tend to answer my emails in the morning when I’m having coffee, and then I will continue on through the day. Sometimes at 9 o’clock at night, I’m supposed to be sitting there with my husband watching T.V. or bingeing on some new show, and I run upstairs because I have to get this little piece of dialogue down.
Q. (For us avid YA readers) What inspired the transition from YA to adult fiction?
It wasn’t necessarily planned: I always write and follow the story. My first books were contemporary, then I went into Sci-Fi and into Fantasy. I simply follow the story. This story – I wasn’t sure where it was going to go, but it ended up having older characters with older problems.
Q. What is the biggest thing you want readers to take away from your newest novel?
There’s so many things. I hope, if nothing else, they find a few minutes of being taken away from another world and settling into another because we all need those breaks in our lives. And probably, in doing so, they get a chance to walk in somebody else’s shoes and maybe see themselves – somethings that are the same, somethings that are different. Because I think that’s one of the big things that I love in books is seeing things from other people’s eyes.
Author Mary E. Pearson & Teen Book Guild member Anna
Q. What is your greatest advice for young writers?
I would say write as often as you can! Save your writing . . . I had thrown all my writing away; I wish I hadn’t. Learn as much as you can about the craft. There are so many books out there! And that’s what I did. When I first started writing, I knew I loved stories, but I didn’t necessarily know how to craft a book. I didn’t know about plotting. I was good at characters but not necessarily plotting. And so, I read every craft book I could get. They aren’t all going to work for you, but there’s always a nugget or some gem in there that will just click with your own creative brain. There is no one way to write! I can’t tell you how to write, but you can glean little nuggets from all kinds of writers for your brain.
I truly appreciated having the chance to speak with Ms. Pearson. After having spoken with her, I have not only learned so much about her journey and process to writing but also have received amazing advice for my own life as a writer. Towards the end of our conversation, something she said that stuck with me is “No experience is ever wasted.” We live in a chaotic, constantly changing world, and at times, it is easy to feel that weight. Nevertheless, having that mindset can greatly change one’s life, especially for young people. Regardless of the decisions you make or where you are, you have the power to shape your perspective and create your future.
The Courting of Bristol Keats was released on November 12, 2024, and I would encourage everyone to read this book. Mary E. Pearson is such a genuine person with many amazing stories to tell!
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