Author Ryan Leslie was kind enough to sit down and answer our questions about his experiences at The Writing Barn and how those experiences helped shape his development as a writer.
I hear you have some exciting news to share with us?
Yes! My adult science fiction/horror novel, The Between, was acquired by Parliament House for release in Spring 2021.
How long have you been writing/pursuing an agent/publishing deal?
I’ve been writing for my own enjoyment for over 20 years. A few years ago I finished a novel I thought just might be worth trying to publish. Turns out, publishing is hard!
What fears or hopes did you carry with you to your Writing Barn intensive experience?
Before my writing intensive (The Literary Page-Turner), I hadn’t shared much of my writing at all, especially not with other writers. I worried about feeling out of place and exposed.
How did the Writing Barn’s programming aid you in both the craft and business of novel writing?
It’s hard to believe how much came from that one extended weekend. First off, I particularly enjoyed the structured way of giving and receiving critical feedback. The WB gang created an environment of trust and learning, and I still keep in touch with several of my classmates. We had top-notch faculty in Emmanuelle Morgen and Katie Bayerl, who gave excellent insight to the business and creative sides of writing.
How did the atmosphere of The Writing Barn aid you in achieving this goal?
The Writing Barn is like a piece of rural Texas right next to the city of Austin. You can get away and focus at whatever pace suits you.
What is a takeaway you will carry with you far beyond this good news as you continue to build and develop your career?
For me, the biggest takeaways were the relationships with my classmates. I hadn’t spent much time with other writers, but I came away feeling surrounded by people who understood and shared my passion for writing as well as the challenges of putting myself out there. For instance, I’m still haunted by a classmate’s comments during my critique session. My novel begins with some really bizarre and mysterious circumstances (think of some of the strange phenomena in Lost), and a classmate asked if I could keep the big promises made to the reader. (We in fact had discussed Lost and its lost promises, so to speak.) This was no throwaway question, and I couldn’t with complete confidence say yes. Kind of, maybe, hopefully — those wouldn’t be enough. From that point forward, I made it a point in both The Between and my writing, to continue plotting and revising until I became certain that I delivered on any promise I made to the reader.
Any advice you have for writers and creatives who are having trouble staying the course in pursuit of their goals?
The writing world is full of distractions that feel productive but really aren’t. Hey–you don’t have to be productive all the time (give yourself a break now and then!), but don’t trick yourself into thinking those hours on Twitter are helping you hone your craft. Write, write, write. Read the masters in your genre and absorb their lessons. Find other writers who will push and inspire you. Invest in yourself and your craft when you are truly ready to be open and learn. Most of all, write because you can’t imagine a life without writing.
More About Author Ryan Leslie:
Ryan Leslie oversees research and analytics for a large health system where making stuff up is generally frowned upon. His creative outlet has always been writing fiction.
He lives in Austin, Texas with his wife, children’s author Lindsay Leslie, and their two sons.
Read about author Ryan Leslie via Twitter or by visiting his website!