We were lucky to catch up with Alice Powers recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alice, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
I have been at this writing thing for a long time. Forty years ago when my three children were babies I was determined to keep writing. My husband had a demanding job and traveled often for work. First thing every day I made a list of tasks that might propel me forward in this writing life — despite the dishes piling up in the sink and the laundry and the carpools. I cribbed pieces of time during the day and then wrote in the evening after the children were in bed. Before the internet, submissions were done via mail. When I sent out one proposal I already had an envelope prepared for the next submission should it get rejected. And there were plenty of rejections. Part of my career was steered by serendipity: I was in an editor’s office enquiring about a position for a film critic when the magazine’s restaurant reviewer stormed in and yelled “I quit.” Without skipping a beat the editor looked up and asked, “Do you write restaurant reviews?” “Yes, I do.” (Although I had never written one.) And so I became a restaurant critic. For fifteen years I edited a series of literary anthologies for Random House. I pitched the first one, The Brooklyn Reader, to a top New York agent and she sold it within a week. I had no idea how hard it is to get an agent. And so, you just keep going. That’s all.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am the definition of a generalist. I have written about children, literature, architecture and design, personality profiles, and travel. My work has appeared in national newspapers and magazines; my books were published by Random House. I’ve contributed to guide books including the Access Guides and DK .Guides. Lately, I’ve been working as a developmental editor, helping authors find their voice, refine their books, and prepare their work for publication.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Never give up. Don’t take rejection personally. Write every day.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
On Writing by Stephen King. Ironically, I’m not really a fan of his work. This book is half-memoir, half-advice and I really think it’s one of the best things ever written about writing. “What are you going to write about? And the equally big answer: Anything you damn well want. Anything at all. . .as long as you tell the truth.”
Contact Info:
- Website: Alicelpowers.com
