We recently connected with Emily Conrad and have shared our conversation below.
Emily, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.
An important part of my confidence as a writer comes from having been raised in a household where books, imagination, and storytelling were valued and where my own attempts at writing were encouraged. My mom read to me and my siblings often, and I remember excitedly bringing her my “poetry” when all I could really do was scribble on a page with a washable marker. Her response must have been encouraging, because I kept at it. She regularly took us to the library and limited our screen time in favor of sending us outside to play. There, we created an imaginary story world with an ongoing story we acted out. Meanwhile, my dad created a bedtime story that set my siblings and me in a world of knights, dragons, and royalty. These experiences and more combined to instill a deep love of story in me, not just as a consumer, but as an active participant.
Later, I would receive encouragement from teachers, friends, and others, but I believe the courage to share my work traces back to this early acceptance and encouragement in storytelling and writing. I’m so grateful God gave me parents who nurtured me in that way.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I write romances that explore life’s relevant questions through a lens of faith. I love the swoon and entertainment of clean romance, and I think the genre offers a unique opportunity to take two flawed people, let them ask the hard questions I get hung up on myself, and watch as their struggle and their relationship ultimately leads them closer to God. From my books, readers can expect small towns, big emotions, and realistic struggles with redemptive endings. While they sometimes include hard topics like mental heath, addiction, and more, they are free of explicit scenes and language.
To Bring You Back, a rock star romance that explores the question, “How good is grace?” is a good place to start for anyone who’s new to my work. The story begins the completed Rhythms of Redemption Romances. I’m also excited to be releasing Risking His Heart, the final book in the multi-author Christmas in Redemption Ridge series, in December, 2025.
My work is available from a variety of online platforms, including through Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited. You can learn more about me and my Christian romances at emilyconradauthor.com.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Resilience, writing craft, and discipline have all been important to my journey as a writer, and I’m grateful for the ways all three can be developed along the way, because I wouldn’t say I’ve arrived in any of those areas.
I’m not naturally a thick-skinned person, and the writing industry is tough. To continue in it, I’ve had to go beyond telling myself I do this for the love of story because, frankly, I don’t love it every day. When I dug deeper into my why, I realized writing is one of the most powerful ways I draw close to God. When I keep that in mind as my reason for continuing, I’m more resilient in the face of disappointments. As long as I got to know God better in the process, the piece served its purpose. To develop resilience, I recommend considering your why until you’ve found a reason to continue that will still be true, even on the hard days.
Writing skill is also important, and there are so many great resources available to us! I’ve benefited from joining professional organizations that specialize in the my type of writing (Christian fiction and indie publishing). Writing magazines, craft books, contests, conferences, and editors have all helped me to become the writer I am today. Before asking people to invest in buying your books, it’s important to consider how you’ve invested in your craft to give readers the best possible experience.
Lastly, without discipline, books don’t get finished. Each writer has their own system, but one area I have to watch out for is how much time I spend scrolling. Leaving the phone out of reach and setting goals and deadlines can be helpful to keep me moving forward. Likewise, having the accountability and encouragement of writing friends can help a writer past creative blocks.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
The biggest challenge for me as a writer has been to not lose heart. My mom is a Christian and a word lover in her own right. She’s encouraged me in my faith and through all the different stages of my career—since long before it was a career. She read my early stories, enrolled me in my first writing conference, and continues to read my work. When I get discouraged, she reminds me of truth. Her much-needed encouragement continues to shape the writer I am today.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.emilyconradauthor.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilyconradauthor
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emilyconradauthor
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
