Mary Lou Cheatham
Jerry Jenkins, one of the bestselling authors ever, takes time to teach the authors who sign up for his courses. He gets to know us personally and encourages us to communicate with one another.
Recently while visiting with fellow authors in Jerry's Facebook group where he helps his students, I made friends with Sarah Rexford. Her enthusiasm for her writing projects, both fiction and nonfiction, and concern for her fellow writers impressed me. I asked her to grant me an interview so you can become acquainted with this emerging writer.
Please enjoy her fresh approach to writing she shows in this interview.
When did you start writing?
I started writing in third grade actually. But I started seriously writing as a sophomore in high school when I challenged myself to write a book just to see if I could do it. I did, and assumed that was the end of it.
It wasn’t until my junior year of college I even considered writing as a profession. So to all the high schoolers out there, don’t freak out if you don’t know what you want to do with your life yet.
Why do you want to write?
At heart I’m a communicator and writing enables me to communicate what’s most important most effectively. I love art and creativity and showing what I see in the world in different ways, so I love writing fiction.
But I also love concisely sharing those same thoughts. Nonfiction is where I do that more pointedly. It’s one thing to “show” aspects of culture or life in a story (and for me it takes longer to do). It’s another to arrange those same thoughts into a three hundred word, engaging blog post. Both are difficult animals, and I love the challenge.
Please share with us some more about your fiction and nonfiction projects.
Several months ago I finished my first main fiction, which I’m super excited about. It was the first book I wrote on deadline so that was a huge mental accomplishment just to show myself I can do it. My agent is pitching it to houses pretty much as we speak so I’m in the waiting game on that now. It’s really nice to have the hard work behind me and be happy with the manuscript.
My nonfiction is on identity in Jesus Christ. I got the idea for that at one of the many colleges I attended (that’s a different story.) but didn’t write the full version of it until the industry became interested in it.
I’m really passionate about this topic and actually created multiple events because of the book. I had a band, brought in some touring/recording friends, etc. It was pretty mind-blowing because it was supposed to be a one-time event and turned into multiple. We’re pitching the book right now and getting a lot of great feedback, it’s mostly just the whole platform thing I’m working on now.
Tell us a little about your background. Where did you grow up?
I pretty much grew up on the water and you’ll easily find that theme in my writing. People say write what you know so I’ve kinda just run with that idea. I also grew up traveling quite a bit with my family and it opened up my worldview and has impacted my writing for sure. I love tying in something I learned in say, Peru, but putting it in a setting I know more personally.
That same idea goes with different people I had opportunity to meet. Having conversations with individuals in all different types of fields has grown me so much and it’s also really helpful to have those people to go to if I need to know more about a specific career for my writing.
How have you developed your craft as a writer?
Three main areas come to mind.
First, like any profession, it takes practice to get good at something. But there’s a difference between practicing alone and practicing in the pack. A lot of people don’t show their writing or are afraid to. Totally get that, but it doesn’t help with growth. I prefer to just put it out there. I’ll listen to feedback 100% because I want to know what catches a reader or what draws them in.
But at the same time, I’m the author of what I’m writing and I’m going to write what I believe is best. If a bunch of people say the same thing I’ll definitely consider changing it, but I want the writing to be mine, not a conglomeration of a bunch of people’s ideas. Feedback grows me like crazy.
Second, I’ve been intentional about not letting my age or lack of experience hold me back. I go to a lot of writing conferences with people who are decades older than me. The first one I went to I just sat down with as many professionals as I could. I took about thirty to forty-five seconds to tell them where I was at, then asked for advice on next steps. The trick is to do what they say. They know what they’re talking about.
The other thing I’ve done a lot is just ask for things. Ask for that meeting. Ask for that endorsement. Ask someone to beta read my book. Yeah, it’s scary. Yeah, I don’t feel confident every time. But if you’re polite and personable, the worst thing that can happen is you get a no. And “no” is one step closer to yes.
Developing my craft has come from comparing myself to the professionals. If I want to be one I know I need to act like one. It’s come from walking into meetings with people high up in the industry and being bold enough to say I don’t know what I’m doing – help. It’s come from taking feedback professionally and not personally. I have so far to go but that’s what I love about this industry – there’s always room to grow.
What are your plans?
I plan to publish a book, but getting there isn’t as direct of an answer. Right now I’m getting published in smaller ways as I wait for a publisher to pick up one of my books. Any publication I can put on my proposals is a win.
As I wait it’s really important to be proactive. That proactivity comes in a lot of different ways, but keeping the end goal in mind helps me continue working towards the goal of publication, not just a mirage of “success.”
The best way to keep up with my current plans is my website or Instagram, for sure.
When and where do you write?
It depends on the time of day and my schedule. If I’m at work and get two minutes before the next person walks in the door I might write on my phone. When I was in college that looked like pulling my computer out in the fifteen-minute turnover time between classes. Or more often a coffee shop. I’ll pretty much use any minute, especially if I’m on a deadline. I wrote a lot of my first book at the beach. That’s a little dangerous, but I made it to the end.
Once I was on a short flight and pulled my computer out before we taxied. The flight attendant asked me to put it away until we reached altitude. So as soon as we did I pulled it out again. The flight was so short she came back and asked me to put it away until we landed.
Ironically, I was sitting next to a businessman reading a new release on his IPad. He told me I should type on an IPad so I could actually get something done. But he asked what I was working on and I found out his daughter was an author. You never know who you’ll connect with.
I spent the rest of the flight mentally editing the book he was reading. There was a typo on the first page and I couldn’t edit my own work so why not practice on a published author’s? Use every chance.
What are some books you have enjoyed lately?
I try to read a lot but that never looks like a specific genre or author. I just started a book by Frederick Douglass and if we’re talking about writing, just the introduction has blown my mind on his expertise and ingenuity as a writer.
Someone recommended Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People earlier last year and that was hugely transformational. I wish I’d had to read that in college.
Martin Luther’s biography was a monster to get through but so good. He changed the world by writing so I figured it was a necessity to read about his life.
I read fiction too though. It’s cool seeing how different authors use and break writing rules.
Writing is always evolving, especially as social media continues to impact attention and even just the format of writing. It’s a fun business and one I’m humbled to be part of.
Thank you, Sarah. I look forward to reading your books.
