The Process

Q: What is your most preferred genre when it comes to writing and why?

A: So far it's definitely romance. I love how it makes me feel giddy or fuzzy and warm, both when reading and when writing.

I'm also dying (no pun intended) to write a mystery/thriller novel, but I don't want to start too many projects at once and I have already acquired a slight "backlog" of story ideas. I think it's safe to say that I cannot relate when I tell people I write and they say they wouldn't even know what to write about.

Q: What are the key steps you take in your writing process?

A: Honestly, this first novel was all pantsing—and non-chronological at that—no plotting. It made the writing process pretty difficult at times and propelled writer's block whenever I wasn't sure how the story should continue or how to tie two scenes together. For the sequel to What I Should Have Done (yes, there is one coming!), I am trying out plotting at least the story beats in the hopes that it will prevent me from getting stuck.

Another, major key step is editing. I write completely offline and don't like publishing half-finished work. Instead, I have at least two friends beta-read what I write before I publish it. Their comments have been invaluable throughout my writing process. They tell me what they as readers enjoy, where I have to fix plot holes, and where my dialogue sounds unnatural. For me it's especially wonderful to get feedback from both reader friends and writer friends because they usually pay attention to different aspects and thereby really help me improve.

Q: Do you ever experience writer's block and if so how do you overcome it?

A: I think I've just answered the if, haha. I do get writer's block, yes. Generally, I don't force myself to write, because I don't enjoy writing under pressure and I rarely like the product. What helps me overcome blocks is usually tied to figuring out why I'm experiencing it.

Is it because I'm generally uninspired? Then watching movies and reading in the genre can help, music in particular is a really strong inspiration for me, though. I often pick a song that has the vibe I'm aiming for and let autoplay on the music app work its magic.

Is it because I'm stressed? Then pushing myself to write will only make it worse.

Is it because I don't know what the heck will happen next? This is usually the reason for my block. What helps me is to talk through my options and concerns with a close friend and brainstorm solutions with them. I have gotten some terrific insight and ideas from friends, even those who don't read in my genre a lot—sometimes particularly from those. Another approach is continuing at a different point in the story to keep the creative juices flowing.

Q: Are your characters based on real people?

A: Yes and no. I often model their appearance after real people because it makes descriptions easier. Some of my personality and experiences inevitably play into theirs, sometimes more, sometimes less consciously, but in general, the characters' traits are products of my imagination.

About the Author

Q: You've already teased the sequel to your novel What I Should Have Done. What can readers look forward to?

A: >>> SPOILER WARNING <<<
The sequel takes place a year and a half after the ending of the first book. We'll see Grace juggle her first year of graduate school at Yale, meeting new people, and maintaining a long-distance relationship with John, all while reconnecting with someone from her past (if you have read the book, you'll know who). When everything turns out vastly different from her great expectations, she has to pick between the person she loves and her career dream. Get ready to feel things! [End of spoiler warning]

Q: Many people hold prejudice against the romance genre, say it's cheap writing or completely predictable and full of tropes. What's your opinion on that?

A: I, too, used to think romance stories were silly and I'm still actively working on shedding myself of my internalized prejudice against the genre.

What has helped me do that was actually when panelists at the 2021 WritersConnX pointed out that a large part of that prejudice is likely to stem from the perception of romance as a genre by women for women. And if that's the underlying issue, I hope we all realize that it's an absolutely invalid reason for looking down upon the genre.

What's more: sure, romance stories are predictable to some extent, but so are a lot of fantasy books, for example (hero struggles but defeats evil in the end). And even so, what's so bad about that? Not every story needs a major plot twist to be interesting and every genre has its own tropes.

Predictability, or in other words, trust in a happily ever after (at least a HEA for now), is a wonderfully reassuring thing, isn't it? It's no more or less of an escape from a dull or dangerous or unpredictable real world than other types of writing are, and we should value all genres equally, whether we personally enjoy them or not.

Q: On your profile you indicate that you're a feminist. What does that mean to you with respect to your writing?

A: Whew, feminism informs every aspect of my writing and I really hope it comes across this way. Feminist writing, to me, doesn't stop at having a female protagonist with a strong personality. I make an effort to give my female characters as much agency as male characters get: she acts rather than only reacting. Grace is a full and an independent person outside of her romantic relationships. Being a strong woman doesn't mean that she can't be insecure and vulnerable at times and need someone to lean on, either. Her character is three-dimensional and nuanced, including flaws and contradicting traits, because that's what real women, really all people, are like.

About the Story

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Q: Your main character, Grace Bellamy, seems to make one decision which later leads to regrets. What do you think that young adults should learn to do to prevent these scenarios from occurring?

A: Grace makes a lot of choices she later regrets. But, and this is crucial: making mistakes is a staple in the life of a young adult—without it, we wouldn't be able to grow. It would be lovely if we automatically did right by everyone and made good choices all the time, but we don't, so we have to learn, and to do that, erring is inevitable.

What Grace learns, and I think this is a good universal lesson, is to stand up for herself, say no even if it makes her unpopular. She learns to trust, learns that she deserves to be happy, that things don't need to be difficult to be good.

Q: Do you think that adult life could be made easy if we took it as seriously as Grace did in the beginning?

A: No. Taking things as seriously as Grace does lead to some good outcomes, but it's anything but easy. I speak from experience. What she needs is to get out of her head and let loose some, and the person who helps her do that is John.

Q: Would you say that if Grace changed her ways she herself could've prevented her from making the wrong decisions or do you believe that they would have remained the same and why?

A: That's the big question, isn't it? I think it goes back to the reason why we make mistakes. We need to make them or else we can't learn. Would she make the same mistakes again at the end of the story? Maybe, if her insecurities flared up.

This is a central aspect of the human condition: learning is not linear. It's often a work in progress. So yes, Grace might make similar mistakes in the future, but it will get easier for her to avoid these harmful ways the more often she makes the same experiences, she will internalize healthier reactions.

Q: What advice would you give your main character?

A: Oh, many things. In many aspects, Grace represents traits and behavior that I have been working on in myself, so I would love to share some of my own learnings with her. The core of it all is: it's okay. It's okay to do your own thing. It's okay to say no. It's okay to change your mind. It's okay to prioritize your well-being. It's okay to be vulnerable. It's okay to need help and to rely on those close to you. You're okay.

Q: Tell us one fun fact about 'What I Should Have Done!'

A: The campus where Grace, Liam, John, and the others study is a real college in New England that I attended for a year. Can you figure out which one?