I have a (not so secret) confession. I LOVE Books! If you have spent any time on the blog or in my Facebook Group, you will have picked up on that. I am part of three, year THREE, book clubs; one (The Motherload Book Club) has led me to the amazing Mum in this month’s Inspiring Parent series.
Laura Pearson can now add Author to her list of job titles. She has always made her money out of words, but after a life-changing diagnosis, she made the decision to really push her wordsmith comfort zone.
Over to you Laura!
I’m an author. My debut novel, Missing Pieces, came out in June 2018 and my second novel will be coming out in early 2019. Before now, I’ve always worked as a web copywriter and editor, but writing books has always been my dream.
I had breast cancer while I was pregnant with my second child in 2016, and it really made me assess things and look at what I was doing and what was important. My husband is hugely supportive and encouraged me to give writing my all for a while, even though we knew it wouldn’t pay at first (or maybe at all!)
I have an MA in Creative Writing that I completed in 2004, and I’ve taken various writing courses over the years. Whilst on paper (excuse the pun) copywriting and novel writing are very different, they share some similarities, too. Being concise. Getting to the crux of things. Being accurate. I have used these skills, and the background I had, to develop my career as an author.
What has been a challenge? How have you overcome it?
Getting a novel published is a really difficult thing, which is why I’d never achieved it before. It wasn’t for want of trying. But this time, I’ve been more determined, seeking out routes I didn’t know much about before. I approached a small publisher with a novel that hadn’t made it with the big guys, and luckily, they loved it.
What has surprised you?
The writing community is incredibly friendly and supportive. It’s a tough business, and everyone acknowledges that, so instead of quietly competing and trying to get one over on each other, authors seem to have decided to try to raise one another up and help their colleagues in whatever way they can, and I’m hugely in favour of that attitude.
What advice would you give to a parent in the same position?
Keep trying. You have to keep going through the rejections and the setbacks and the abandoned novels, if you want to make it work. It’s hard but it isn’t impossible. You need a lot of dedication and perseverance.
Like many successes in life, we don’t see the journey. We see the “overnight success” that has been decades in the making. Having recently read Laura’s debut novel, it’s clear her perseverance has paid off! You can get it at. Laura also has used her writing skills to share her cancer journey, and to educate and support other parents going through a similar thing.
What lifelong career dream have you had? Join The Balance Collective with Clara Wilcox to join in with our Sunday Accountability posts and career development challenges to make it happen!
Clara Wilcox is a straight talking, practical and experienced coach helping clients navigate the tricky waters of returning to work, career changes and professional development. The Balance Collective is a social enterprise focused on improving the lives of parents, by working together to build inner confidence and promote a healthy work/life balance.
