The Austin Literary Community is a tight knit group of talented writers, illustrators, publishers, and industry gurus, alike. When one person is successful it isn’t difficult to celebrate that success as if it were our own. Many times, we here at The Writing Barn aren’t just friends with the writers we meet and teach, but fans of them as well. That’s why we’ve created this new blog series entitled ”Success Story Spotlight,” to showcase the achievements of authors who, having studied at The Writing Barn, were able to make their dreams into a reality.
Success Story Spotlight Interview
with Shellie Faught
Please share your exciting news!
I accepted an offer of representation from Mackenzie Brady Watson at New Leaf Literary and Media!
How long have you been writing/pursuing an agent/publishing deal?
Writing has always been in my blood. As a child, I was always narrating a story in my head. I minored in Creative Writing in college and then attended Texas State University’s MFA program. For a lot of years, a novel seemed too daunting, so I focused on short fiction. In 2007 a friend invited me to do NaNoWriMo and I enjoyed the experience so much I came back to it year after year. I started earnestly learning the craft of novel writing and I never looked back.
How did studying/retreating at The Writing Barn support you in achieving this goal? What workshop/intensives/or classes have you taken with us?
I’ve taken so many classes, I think I’ve lost count. My first Writing Barn event was the Advanced Writers’ Workshop with Sara Zarr. There, I met Bethany Hegedus and started a mentorship with her the following summer. Bethany encouraged me to write the book of my heart and to dig deep, and she was an enthusiastic cheerleader along the way.
What fears/hopes did you have before the event?
The Writing Barn’s Advanced Writers’ Workshop was my first YA intensive and I worried that I wasn’t advanced enough to be among advanced writers, especially those who were published or agented. One of the things that I will always remember about that experience was that before each piece, Sara asked the writer how they felt and what they wanted from the workshop. That was unheard of in my previous classes and it opened the door for so much more vulnerability. It showed me that – published, agented, whatever – we all had doubts and insecurities. No one had all the answers.
How did the atmosphere of The Writing Barn aid you in achieving your goal?
It is an incredibly supportive and open atmosphere. The staff, volunteers, and participants are encouraging and energizing. And the Writing Barn is such a homey, comfortable place. It’s easy to relax and shut out the noise of the real world so you can focus only on writing.
Have you made friendships/colleagues as well? How has that supported you?
It takes a village to build a writing career. Some of my best friends and go-to readers started out as workshop classmates. Writing for publication can be a long, sometimes painful process. I don’t think I would have made it this far without surrounding myself with people who believe in me and encourage me.
Why do you think attending workshops/classes is important to writers at all stages of their career?
You never stop learning, of course. You never stop practicing your craft. I found classes and workshops to be even more beneficial in the revision phases of drafting. You see how others are connecting to your story and where it can be improved. Workshops provide a safe space for being vulnerable. You can try new things and take risks.
What is a takeaway you will carry with you far beyond this good news as you continue to build and develop your career?
You have to ask for what you want – a space in a workshop, an agent to represent you, a book deal. I know it sounds obvious, but when we hear no so often, it starts to feel like you don’t have the right to ask anymore. One of the hardest things I did was reapply to a workshop that I’d been passed over for during a previous year. But if you want it bad enough, you have to keep asking.
Any advice you have for writers/creatives having trouble staying the course in pursuing their goals.
Try to find something about the process that excites you again. Maybe that’s a class. Maybe it’s setting a writing date with a friend. Maybe it’s participating in NaNoWriMo or writing something super secret that’s just for fun. Find whatever it was that sparked your passion and try to work it into your process.
Shellie Faught grew up in the West Texas desert, a landscape that is near and dear to her heart. She currently resides in Austin where she is an active member of the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and the Writers’ League of Texas. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from Texas State University. If she’s not curled up with a book or writing a novel, she can be found on any of Austin’s running trails or serenading her three cats with songs from Hamilton.