Have you ever met a writer in the wild?
Recently, Facebook reminded me of the one-year anniversary of a time I ventured into the wild, and outside of my comfort zone, to talk to people about my writing in person. It was both terrifying and taught me a lot about the extended opportunities and responsibilities of this “job.”
One of the things I love most about being a writer is that I can do it in the comfort of my little bubble. Just me, myself, and my characters. As an introvert who grows more introverted as she gets older, I love spending quiet time with God as He leads me through an emerging story—in a sense, handing me the staff to guide words like a shepherd guides sheep. The words have a mind of their own and I’m grateful to tend them toward a destination.
In March of 2022, after a faithful reader reached out to me with an invitation, I found myself standing in front of a library full of middle school students tasked with telling them what it’s like to be an author. (Talk about an intimidating audience!) I felt so inadequately qualified and certain that they’d be entirely uninterested. Middle schoolers, after all, aren’t my target audience.
To my surprise, the students were largely attentive and engaged. After my short presentation, several asked thoughtful and interesting questions. I told them about my creative process and how vulnerable it feels to send a story off to your editor and then into the world. I answered questions about my income (spoiler: it’s not much), where ideas come from, if any characters are based on real people, etc. By the end of the event, several of the students gathered to take a photo with me (see below). It was so fun and something I won’t soon forget!
As the experience wrapped up, I was surprised by my awareness of a few unexpected truths. First, that young people aren’t as universally uninterested and apathetic as society makes them out to be. Second, we can all connect over experiences and not only the things we have in common. And third, that there may be a student in that library destined to be a writer one day, and my being willing to share about my experience may influence that person to go after it!
A year after this unexpected opportunity, I’m still grateful that friends and family encouraged me to step outside of my comfortable introverted bubble. I’m grateful for the reader, Dawn, who invited me to come speak to the students she teachers and influences every day. And, lastly, I’m grateful for the reminder that being a writer is so much bigger than sitting alone as a story comes together—if I let it be.
If you’ve met a writer in the wild, I’d love to hear about your experience! Who’d you meet? Where? What did you talk about and what do you remember most about the interaction? Is there a writer you’d love to meet? Tell me in a comment!
Teresa Tysinger is an author of Southern contemporary romance inspired by grace. She writes on the fringes of being a wife, mom, and full-time communications professional. Teresa is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, the Association for Women in Communications, and the Religion Communicators Council. She’s an introverted Enneagram 4 (if you know, you know) and loves coffee, traveling, and almost every genre of music. Born in Hawaii, raised in Florida, and educated in North Carolina, she now resides in Texas with her husband, daughter, and dog.
I have never met an author, but the author I would love to meet is Jessie Gussman. I have been reading and reviewing her books for quite a while. She just seems so down to earth.
I’ve met four authors in person! One was at a craft fair and she was selling copies of her book on lighthouses, and since I love lighthouses, I had to have it! Two of the others I met at two different locations involving food!! lol!! And, the last one I met when she came to my house! She and two of her “kids” (both teenagers at the time) spent most of a weekend with me, and we went to Kennedy Space Center together. I’ve also spent a week at their house! I love meeting authors!
Being down to earth certainly makes folks approachable and inviting!
Wow, that sounds so fun! How did it come to be that you spent an entire weekend with that one author?
I was actually a member of her beta team, we became friends, and she came to visit. We’re very good friends, and I actually am her editor/proofreader now, too. I’ve even spent a week at Christmas with her and her family at their house.
That is so wonderful!
I would like to meet Jessie Gussman in person. She has such a fun personality!!
Another reader mentioned her, too! That’s so fun.
I’ve never met a writer in person, I would like to though. I love hearing about how writers work and the process of developing a story and getting a book published, so I’m not surprised the students found your talk so interesting.
Many of the writers I enjoy are based in the USA, Canada or Australia though so it’s a long way to go as I’m in the UK!
Hi Teresa! This retired German and English teacher has been fortunate to meet authors at home and abroad. On study trips to Berlin, Germany and Tokyo, Japan. In 1996 spent a week with 6 former East German authors, who told of their difficulties writing behind the Iron Curtain. Have autograph copies of their works. In 2008 meet a Japanese children’s author and have his two children’s book about surviving the bombing at Hiroshima. Often go to book signings and author talks at my local independent bookstore Forever Books, which is hosting two authors in April and one in May. Meet Mary Morgan at a local writing conference. She writes the National Park mysteries for children. Also met authors at English teacher Conferences. Interacting with authors is uplifting. Best wishes and happy writing.
I was also a living writer in a high school. :) In May I am going to a rural primary and middle school, with the same purpose. This time I am a little bit afraid by the younger assistance (2nd and 4th grade) because I write for teens. At 12 I already have what to discuss with the middle school ones (our middle school, called gymnasium, is 11 to 14 years).
it was an interesting experience. And many children in my country, mostly in primary and middle school, but also in high school, were astonished that not all writers are dead and statues how they learn in the literature handbook :P
Hi, Teresa! I don’t think I’ve met an author in the flesh other than my dad. He was a self-published author before it was cool (or cheap!). I have, however, interacted with several authors through email and that has been fun. I guess I have met some authors who weren’t authors yet when I knew them. One of my drama teachers in college went on to write several books about drama and story in worship as well as several plays. And having written a novel (unpublished, though), I guess I see one in the mirror every day, lol!
Thank you for choosing to speak to those students. Coming from a family of teachers and having taught some myself, I can tell that you blessed that teacher and those young people simply by sharing the reality of your writing success (lucrative or not). Often dreams are hopeful but uncharted. In you, I would venture to say, all of them saw a creative dream made real. Some of them may, indeed, become authors but all of them saw what it means to work out creativity in the every-day. When you get right down to it, all our work is creative if we put ourselves into it. I think they all left with something very special that day.
Thanks for sharing!
Hearing about other authors’ processes is my favorite part about meeting them, too!
You’ve had great meetings!
Ha! That last part made me laugh!
Thank you so much for those kind words!
haven’t met any yet
Last year, My husband and I drove to meet Brenda Novak for a book signing at a Barnes and Noble. She was very down to earth. She spoke to all of us as a group. She allowed us to come up and have our pictures taken with her. It was a nice time.
There are so many authors that I would love to meet in person. Tina Dee, Lysa Terkhurst, James Patterson, I could go on and on.
Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.
I forgot to reply. the day has been so busy.
I have met a few authors. The very first was Colin Theile who is was an aussie writer who wrote Storm Boy (it became an international movie) I was in grade six a the time.
But I have met a few since. I met Narelle Atkins and her husband about 9 years ago. I went to the city as she and her husband had a day there. I Surprised them at the airport and we got the bus to the city. I was able to show them around some of my favourite places (Adelaide oval) Then around the river and we had lunch with my niece at my hotel. It was fun as we had spoken on the phone before. Biggest thing was I was on a new med which her husband knew all about and was able to explain why it affected memory and emotions etc.
10 years ago I went to America and I got to meet 4 authors for lunch in Atlanta Debby Guisti, Patty Smith Hall, Patti Jo Moore and Missy Tippens. It was so cool I was in awe to start. I had communicated on Seekerville, then in Williamstown I met Carrie Fancett Pagels for an afternoon (was doing a bus tour and we had the afternoon free). then in Spokane I met Jillian Hart, Janet Tronstad, Shirley McCoy (only for a short time) Danica Favorite before she was published. As well as some other readers from the LIH goodreads group. I arrived a day after everyone and walked in and was so overwhelmed everyone was looking at me and I just felt I needed to get out of there. thankfully 2 were going to get some food and I went with them (and we took the long way by accident to wallmart) But it was so amazing. Made some friends for life there.
I would have loved to meet Gilbert Morris. And there are many I would love to still meet.
Maybe one day!
That sounds fun!
Wow, you’ve had quite the amazing time meeting some great authors!
it was so much fun. When I planned my trip to America I wanted to do a tour (Historical Highlights) but stay with my friend who lives near Chatanooga, I was flying into Dallas and it was easier to then stay overnight in Atlanta (due to the hour of night it would be). I was active on Seekerville at that stage and Missy helped coordinate the meeting I stayed at a hotel not far from the Airport and we went to Ruby Tuesdays. then the trip back the the airport helped them come up with suspense ideas as we took a few wrong turns. I had be in contact with Carrie for quite a while also and having an afternoon to look around Williamstown worked out perfect as she and I looked around then she took to another place where they had Hagaan daz icecream (that was a coincidence but it was so yummy and was a nice dinner as we had a big lunch)
The retreat came from the LIH Goodreads group and we had around 10 – 12 there. I missed out on Camy Tang by a night but it was wonderful I even saw a Wood Chuck there. (By then my squirrel obsession was well known so any unique animals to me got the same excitement).
(Narelle and I have been friends online for years so that was exciting) I would love to meet Cheryl Wyatt as we have a connection due to her liking cricket and also Penny Zeller but there are others too. Robin Jones Gunn would be amazing
Thank you! Jessie truly has a fun personality! Super humble, too. I had the privilege to meet her.