Thanks for reading the Rebel Author Newsletter! I’m so glad you’re here. Each week, I aim to send you insights and ideas about writing and publishing. While the Make Meaning Podcast is on hiatus, I’m including occasional author interviews, like today’s conversation with novelist Paulette Stout. I hope you enjoy!
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AUTHOR INTERVIEW: MEET PAULETTE STOUT
What is your first memory of writing?
I’ve always been creative, but I’m not one of those people who began writing as a child and dreamed of becoming an author. I began as a visual artist before landing on words as my primary means of expression. After a boss and mentor I admired told me he thought I was a talented writer, words finally got my attention. His compliment stuck with me and became one of the most impactful moments in my life. I later wrote him into my debut as a mentor for my main character.
Once I began working with words, I found home. No one has ever discouraged me, but I appreciate the candid feedback from early readers who help me get the story and characters just right. Working in corporate marketing and navigating stakeholder feedback helped prepare me for the rigors of authorship. While reading is subjective, authors who ignore common feedback from multiple readers miss opportunities to improve. I’ve built a thick skin over time, and I view constructive feedback as my best path to crafting rewarding reader experiences.
Tell us about your recent writing projects.
I’m beyond proud of my February 6, 2024 release What Eyes Can’t See. It’s a standalone story in my Bold Journeys universe and tackles the issues of race, class, and belonging through the eyes of my Black heroine, Barbara Washington. She’s a best friend character from my first two books who deserved her own story. While I’m a brown woman of color, I’m not Black. So I spent over a year working with Black women as sensitivity readers to get it right. I also researched the workplace experiences of Black women, watched videos, read books, and respectfully listened in Black social spaces to bring Barbara’s authentic story to the page. I then did a triple check with a new Black sensitivity reader. The resulting book has already received three finalist nods in awards and is winning tremendous praise. Best of all, Black women readers feel tremendously seen on the page, while non-marginalized readers call the book eye-opening.
What is hardest about being a career author? What do you love most about it?
It’s hard to remember that reading is subjective, and no one book will satisfy everyone. That said, I love the opportunity to entertain readers while elevating social issues I think need discussing. However, I never forget that readers want to escape and have fun.
Can you share an unusual or inspiring story about your writing journey?
My debut centered on a very private and taboo issue that I suffered with for a long time. I debated using a pen name, but later decided against it. If my story advocated for women to be brave in the bedroom and own their intimate experiences, I owed it to them to use my name. It was scary to do interviews and talk about my struggles. But in doing so, I found love and acceptance which vaporized all the shame I had carried for so long. By owning my story, I was able to mirror the empowering transformation of my main character. For that, I’ll be forever grateful.
Any advice for aspiring writers?
The beauty of words comes in the editing—and improves over time. First drafts will be flawed at best and garbage at worst. Don’t endlessly tinker with a first draft, thinking you’ll get it right. Get the words down, then shift to polishing it into the best form you can create—from where you are right now. Your first book will be the worst one you write. Don’t be afraid to mark it done and move on to your next story.
Publish & Prosper Mastermind
Announcing the Publish & Prosper Mastermind, led by me and Heidi McIntyre. This is for authors looking to build book marketing skills & strategy and fine-tune their author branding. Learn more here!
Also…nab one of the last spots in my Redwoods Writers Retreat in Humboldt County, California before the tuition increases April 1st! Details here.
Coming Next Week…
Thanks for reading! I’ll be back next Monday with photos and stories from my visit to Israel.
Love, Lynne
Oh, Lynne, this is a great interview. I love that Paulette was so forthright in telling her author journey. And yes, the first novel is best left to molder in some dark, dank corner of a basement! Like Paulette, I never saw myself as a writer--until a nursing instructor told me I had a gift. She's right about drafts and editing. Learning to claw through multiple revisions is the ticket to a polished MS.