Success Story Spotlight with Rebekah Manley

This week we celebrate another Writing Barn Alumna’s success. Rebekah Manley is a writer, blogger and coordinator for Texas’ Center for the Book. She is an excellent example of living a literary life.

Please share your exciting news (agent signing, book sale, etc)

I am thrilled to share that I signed with an incredible literary agent, Natalie Lakosil of The Bradford Literary Agency. I wrote Fielding Dreams, a blog post on my website Brave Tutu, about this experience.

How did studying/retreating at The Writing Barn support you in achieving this goal? What workshop/intensives/or classes have you taken with us?

How long are these answers allowed to be again? (haha) I’ve volunteered at many events as a Writing Barn Fellow (class of 2016-18). It’s been a joy to TA classes and intensives. However, I will say that being in the Write. Submit. Support. Class (WSS) really helped support me in my work to get to this point.

How long have you been writing/pursuing an agent/publishing deal?

I have dreamed of being a writer since I was in Mrs. Lauderdale’s 3^rd grade class. I received my M.F.A. in Children’s Literature from Hollins University in 2011 and worked hard to learn and grow in the craft. I didn’t start submitting until after I graduated. I never stopped writing, but I did have lulls in getting my work in front of professionals. Slow and steady. When I connected with Bethany in 2016 and started our WSS class, I got my focus and really hit the pursuit with intentionality and support.

What fears/hopes did you have before the event?

As a volunteer, I wanted to be sure that I was welcoming attendees and helping everyone feel comfortable. I hoped that I would have the chance to have meaningful conversations about craft and make personable, literary connections. I worried that I might not have the time to talk to everyone.

How did the atmosphere of The Writing Barn aid you in achieving this goal?

The writing world, especially now that it is so big online, can feel like being stuck in the nosebleeds at Super Bowl, but desperately hoping to make touchdown. The Writing Barn with it’s flowing coffee, twinkly lights brings and approachable atmosphere makes space for you on THE field. Any event and only has about 40 players max, compared to tens of thousands. It’s a chance to sink cleats into the ground, find meaningful teammates and be coached at a professional level.

Have you made friendships/colleagues as well? How has that supported you?

Can I keep going with my teammate analogy? The connections I have made at the WB, especially in our WSS Class have made all the difference. We are connected, cheer hard and share “bus rides home after defeat and victory” Together—we see the talent and promise of each other’s futures, even when we can’t see it for ourselves. We believe and push forward together. It’s been life changing and I don’t say that lightly. Oh and as for the colleague part…may we wait for my next Writing Barn success story to share that? 😉 For now, I’ll just say that yes I have become connected to the highest caliber of professionals and I know this has furthered my career.

Why do you think attending workshops/classes is important to writers at all stages of their career?

There is a spot for everyone. The curious and the in-the-trenches. It’s a place to feel comfortable and challenged at whatever stage on the journey.

What is a takeaway you will carry with you far beyond this good news as you continue to build an develop your career?

Sweat. Tears. Victory. Repeat. My uniform has grass stains. It’s been muddied. I’ve been bruised and been walked off the field, limping with friends supporting me on both sides. Sure, I can’t wait to have the next touchdown of a real-life book to share. However, more than anything, I love growing into the writer I know I can be. I can’t imagine not playing the game.

Any advice you have for writers/creatives having trouble staying the course in pursuing their goals?

Make one small, manageable and approachable list of goals every week. Send them to a friend and hopefully they can send theirs to you. Don’t chastise yourself when they are not all checked off. Just check in with them, get grounded in the why they matter, push forward and get to the page.

Rebekah Manley After Rebekah studied Public Relations at Grand Canyon University, she worked for Carnival Cruise lines as a Social Hostess and an Assistant Cruise Director. She couldn’t shake the dream of writing to inspire and delight children and earned her Master of Fine Arts in Children’s Literature from Hollins University. Aside from her Children’s literature career, Rebekah is the Coordinator for the Texas Center for the Book at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission; under the Library of Congress. In Rebekah’s website, Brave Tutu, she hopes readers will “take courage in delight and discover power in small moments.”