Meet Tricia Brown

We were lucky to catch up with Tricia Brown recently and have shared our conversation below.

Tricia, thanks for taking the time to share your lessons with our community today. So, let’s jump right in – one of the most essential skills for unlocking our potential is self-discipline. Where does your self-discipline come from?

I don’t think self-discipline magically appears. Rather, it develops through time in a reward system that proves the worthiness of “doing it right.” Right, as in preparing a night early for the tasks of the next day, making one’s bed in the morning, clearing a workspace before beginning a new project, taking care of your tools so they’ll perform for you when you need them. There’s a bit of smug satisfaction as well as great stress reduction when you’ve made the path easier for the future you.

I was an executive secretary before entering my writing career, and meeting deadlines was essential even then, Employers have standards that you’re expected to meet or exceed. Step one is recognizing that and to be there on time. Treat people with respect. Do what’s asked of you and do it well. Give credit to others who deserve it, Those are all disciplines.

I’ve tuned up my self-discipline skills through the years, and now as a seasoned writer, I’m more driven than ever to get the details of a story right, to seek out the people who have answers I need, and to never just shrug off that pursuit with an “Oh, well” excuse. I can be counted on to meet deadlines. Reputations are built on that.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I got my start as a features editor at a daily newspaper in Fairbanks, Alaska. Later, I moved into writing magazine length stories and lived in Anchorage, where eventually I was editor-in-chief of ALASKA magazine. My next step professionally took me into writing and editing books for regional publishers, and I learned the book business from the inside as an acquisitions editor in Portland, Oregon. Through the years, I’ve written thirty books, nearly all of them featuring some aspect of life in Alaska. Living here and working in publishing, I’ve been able to share this place–its Native people groups, pioneers, wildlife, gold-rush history, frontier life–with readers all over the world. Among my titles, I’ve written eleven picture books for young readers. Many others are nonfiction for adults.

My newest book is titled “The Queen of Fairbanks,” about a woman who for decades walked or pedaled the streets of town while spreading her unique brand of friendship. Born into a gold-mining family, Irene was terribly burned in a cabin fire at age five, and she bore those scars—physically and mentally—for life. She was a picture of resilience as she marched around in layers of clothes, and warmly applauded in the city’s annual Golden Days Parade. In a place known for its individualism, Irene’s story embodies the grace and goodness of the place known as the “Golden Heart City.” Elsewhere she may have been institutionalized for her non-conformity, but here, she was free to live independently, surrounded by watchful, helpful friends. More than just a biography, “The Queen of Fairbanks” is full of mysteries, among them why a city lovingly adopted this woman in the margins.

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?

For younger people entering my field, my best advice is what I learned in journalism school. Never reprint a press release as is; instead, call and ask more questions. Never publish a one-source interview–get opposing perspectives. Make sure to give attribution to quotes or ideas. Never misspell names or place names. Do the menial, but essential work of gathering background material. Keep yourself out of the story (unless it’s personal essay). Give the readers an unbiased story. I feel these basic news-gathering methods have been cast aside for opinion writing or broadcasting that’s presented as news. Be worthy of your calling, reputable, fair. This is where self-discipline is critical. You’re not there to form and share your own opinions, but rather present the information and get out of the way. Raise the bar.

What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?

I’ve made the surprising discovery that through years of working with people professionally and in non-profit situations, I’ve cultivated a web of friendships that have proved so fulfilling. Not as in a selfish model of using relationships for networking purposes, although that can happen organically, but in the quiet or overt support for my writing. And in turn, I look for ways that I can assist or encourage another. Genuine friendship is something rare. Recognizing that value for both parties is sometimes the greatest achievement, and most humbling.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://triciabrownbooks.com
• Facebook: The Queen of Fairbanks
• Other: For a mail-order copy of “The Queen of Fairbanks,” call Title Wave Books in Anchorage at 888-598-9283; Hearthside Books in Juneau at (907) 789-2750; Parnassus Books in Ketchikan at (907) 225-7690; or through the Great Alaskan Bowl Company in Fairbanks at (907) 474-9663.All other Tricia Brown Books titles can be ordered wherever you buy your books!

Image Credits

Courtesy Tricia Brown