Our friend Nicholas Solis has a new book coming out, and even though he’s a new dad AND a teacher who’s prepping for the challenging year ahead–we still shook him awake and asked him to tell us about his new book.
We hope you enjoy Nick’s interview–especially since he graciously passed up some much-needed sleep to answer all of our questions!
Pre-order The Staring Contest now!
First, tell us about your new book!
My book THE STARING CONTEST will be coming out in September and I have the exclusive cover reveal for The Writing Barn family! I also have the pleasure of sharing that Kirkus has also given it a positive review!
How long have you been writing?
I’ve been seriously writing for over 5 years now. Maybe 6? I have a horrible memory, so everything just blends together at some point. But I started taking classes at The Writing Barn however many years ago and just haven’t stopped!
What fears/hopes did you have before working with Bethany or studying at the Writing Barn?
I think all writers share the same fear. We internally love our stories so much. But then we have to be willing to share them with others and allow for critiques and edits to occur in order to make them stronger.
Handing that story over is the scariest thing a writer can do, but the payoff is immense!
Did Writing Barn programming aid you at all in the craft and business of picture book writing?
The WB literally taught me everything I know about picture book writing.
I learned the basics in Picture Book 1, refined those skills in PB2 and PB3. Then I retook a lot of those same classes, attended a variety of other courses the Barn offers and went to a few weekend intensives.
I was around The Writing Barn so much, they eventually gave me a job which led to me TA’ing a lot of those classes and relearning the material from a ton of amazingly talented authors.
Did the atmosphere at The Writing Barn aid you in achieving your goals?
This might be a bit of a long answer, but the short version is that the atmosphere of The Writing Barn has contributed greatly to me achieving publication.
When you are at The Writing Barn, you are surrounded by writers that just want to help you succeed. Everyone is so supportive that you lose that fear I was talking about earlier and instead focus on honing your craft. You know that every suggestion given is trying to make your work stronger. Plus, you are enveloped in the world of writing!
I think I’m honestly addicted to the WB because it makes me want to write more. And by allowing yourself to be a part of this world, you open yourself up to so many opportunities. My writing has improved exponentially because of the Writing Barn. I met my agent through the Barn.
Heck, I sold THE STARING CONTEST during a Saturday night podium read at the WB!
What sets Bethany apart as a teacher/mentor? Would you encourage others to take on a deep mentorship?
Bethany goes above and beyond for her mentees. Because of her experience and connections; she understands the author’s side, the agent’s side, and the publisher’s side.
Whenever I have a question, she’s the one I go to.
What is a takeaway you will carry with you far beyond this good news as you continue to build and develop your career?
I think the takeaway for me is that I must surround myself with writers. I seem to work best when I am TA’ing a class, attending a weekend intensive, or trying to make a deadline for my critique group. This might not work for everyone, but I love it. I feed off the energy of other writers.
Any advice for writers and creatives who are having trouble staying the course in pursuit of their goals?
When I was un-agented and unpublished, I used to worry if anyone would ever like my books enough to be my agent. Then, I got an agent and started worrying if any editor would like my work enough to publish it. I’m now getting published and I worry about how many books I’ll sell, how will I promote it, will people like it, will I ever sell another title, etc., etc.
So my sage advice, from a constant worrier, is to try not to worry so much.
I know this seems hypocritical, but you’ll be happier in the end. I’ve seen amazing stories and fantastic authors get passed up time and time again. I’ve read pitches on twitter and thought, “I would totally read that,” but they never get a “like.” This industry is subjective and fickle.
So my advice is: try not to worry about the destination, and just enjoy the ride. Celebrate finishing a story. Cheers, when you’ve completed your first, or even your fifteenth, edit.
And start telling everyone you know that you are a writer. It is one of the scariest things to say out loud, but you are doing the work! That makes you a writer!
About Author Nicholas Solis:
Nicholas Solis is an award-winning elementary teacher with a Master in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Texas and a Master in Educational Administration from Concordia University. He was born to teach but has an unmitigated passion for writing.
Thank goodness he found the Writing Barn to help him improve his writing skills, a passion that began at the age of 8. Nick writes middle-grade novels, picture books, and poetry about farts.