Meet Liz Alterman

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Liz Alterman a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Liz, so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?

I think it’s important to surround yourself with positive, upbeat people who can cheer you on just as enthusiastically as you root for them.

Without hope or optimism, the world is pretty bleak. When I chose to start writing with an eye toward publishing, I knew it would be an uphill climb. Hope and optimism have gotten me through some challenging times as rejections stacked up. I try to believe that a “yes” is just around the bend.

Of course, not every day is going to shine or work out as you wish, but if you can keep your sense of humor and think: “OK, tomorrow has to be better,” and really embrace that mindset, you’ll be happier than if you choose to focus on the opposite. It can be hard to shrug off a “no,” but I try to remind myself that this business is subjective and, ultimately, you want to find the best champion for your work.

I’ve been fortunate that during my career, I’ve had good things happen—typically, after a lot of not-so-good things happened—and those moments encouraged me to keep going. I think of these as small nudges of encouragement from the universe and I try never to take them for granted.

Each time I start writing a manuscript, I’m filled with excitement about that story’s potential. I know there will be moments along the way when I want to give up, but I try to cling to that initial sense of wonder, believing that anything is possible.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I’m the author of the suspense novels The Perfect Neighborhood, The House on Cold Creek Lane, and You Shouldn’t Have Done That, as well as the romcom Claire Casey’s Had Enough, the award-winning memoir, Sad Sacked, and the young adult thriller, He’ll Be Waiting,

Since the time I was very young, I wanted to write a novel. I love the creative process—the moment an idea comes to you and won’t let you go. I believe it’s important for each of us to tap into our creative energy and make time and space for it. Creating something either from your imagination or with your own hands is so fulfilling.

For more on my creative process, subscribe to my Substack where I share the ups and downs of the writing life (and cat photos).

I love to connect with book clubs and meet readers, so please don’t be shy if you’d like to reach out!

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 is key. Writing and attempting to publish a novel, essay, short story, or poem often go hand-in-hand with rejection. The business of trying to get your art into the world can be very disheartening. Remembering that not every piece will speak to every reader can help when you’re feeling discouraged. The trick is to keep going until you find that reader who loves your work and your words.

I often joke that humor is my drug of choice. I think if you can find the funny in a tough situation, you can take some of the sting out of it. So keeping a sense of humor is crucial.

I like to celebrate other people’s wins as often as possible. Maintaining a generosity of spirit is really important. It can be easy to look around and envy what someone else has accomplished, but rather than feel that jealousy or allow it to paralyze you, I let it inspire me. Thinking, “I want what they’ve achieved!” can be a powerful motivator.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?

I’ve been feeling overwhelmed a lot lately. To combat that, I try to make a list of all the things I need to do and stay on top of in the coming days, weeks, and months. Then, I attempt to tackle anything that represents an easy lift. That way, once it’s done, I can cross it off and that helps me gain a bit of momentum and feel less stressed.

Conversely, sometimes I’ll do nothing, and instead, I’ll take a walk to clear my head. I try to remind myself that everything gets done eventually.

I’ve also tried to start saying “no” to commitments that drain my energy. Time is so precious and I think sometimes we give it away too easily to things that don’t serve us. I want to do less of that.

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Image Credits

Headshot: Joanie Schwarz

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