Step into the world of Juliana Nicewarner, a passionate storyteller whose journey from a childhood filled with family tales to the publication of her second book, “Eavesdrop: Conversations Across Time,” is nothing short of inspiring. In this interview, Nicewarner shares her experiences, challenges, and victories, offering valuable advice for aspiring writers. Join us as we explore the creative process with Juliana Nicewarner, where storytelling meets resilience and unwavering dedication.
Can you share a bit about your journey as an author, from when you first started writing to where you are now with the publication of your second book, “Eavesdrop: Conversations Across Time”?
What inspired you to become a writer, and how did you discover your passion for storytelling?
I come from a family of dinner-table-storytellers and booklight readers. Stories were not just important but an essential part of life in my home while I was growing up. If you turn something into a story, I’ll care about it. I wrote an entire essay about how I despised football until I saw the documentary “Quarterback.” When I was a kid, my mom would play classical music for me and ask me to describe what I saw. My dad was a Marine for twenty years, and when he’d come home, he made a point to tell just the funny stories. My passion for storytelling has always been there, but I didn’t really lean into my desire to be an author until I got to college.
Transitioning from your first book published by a NYC press to now being with a new independent publisher, Hartsfield Press, what motivated this change and how has your experience been different?
I will tell you that the head of the first publishing house I was with is now hiding out in Portugal, so take from that what you will. Communication with this publisher was terrible. They would take months to answer my emails if they ever answered at all, they blew off scheduled phone calls, and they never promoted my book. Any pressing on my part to get answers resulted in threats that they would end my contract (something I later found out they couldn’t even legally do). It was a humbling and discouraging experience. I went into the contract with so much excitement. They were going to fly me to different author fairs, and set up readings for me at huge venues. And when none of that came to fruition, I was devastated.
The opportunity to work with Hartsfield Press (HH&P) felt like a deus ex machina. It came out of the ether and changed the trajectory of my career and my writing. My working relationship with HH&P is a true partnership and respectful collaboration, which I think is the most important thing when you’re signing over a certain amount of control over your work and career. I trust that HH&P has my best interests and the best interests of my work in mind. The peace that comes with that after working with such a flaky and disappointing publisher is huge. It feels like both HH&P and I have a passion for this project. It’s been such a wonderful experience.
“Eavesdrop: Conversations Across Time” explores the inner lives of strangers. What challenges did you face while delving into this theme, and how did you overcome them?
This book began with an interest in the individual. Each time I meet someone new or pass strangers in the street, I’m struck by how full their lives are in ways I’ll never know. I want to understand these people who are only ever in our lives for a few seconds. My editor at HH&P pointed out that the reader is the “extra” not the main character in “Eavesdrop,” which, I think, perfectly sums up the reader experience I wanted to provide. I wanted the reader to have that feeling of not being at the center of things, of instead sitting at the next table over rather than being in the middle of the conversation. I think the most challenging part of that was walking the line of detail — keeping enough in that the reader can come to some sort of conclusion about these characters and these stories, but leaving enough out that the reader feels off-kilter and displaced enough that they work that extra bit harder to understand the characters they’re observing.
Could you share a particularly memorable moment or encounter during the process of writing “Eavesdrop” that significantly impacted you or your perspective?
I was late to work one morning after a routine dental cleaning took almost two hours. I had started talking to my hygienist. I started out just asking how her day was, and that turned into her crying and telling me all about how she was in the middle of buying a home and was completely overwhelmed and stressed. She said, “I don’t know why I’m telling you this,” which is a phrase I’ve heard over and over again in my life. I think it’s important to show genuine interest in the people around us. Love and kindness are some of the most powerful tools humans have. I always come back to this poem: “It was only a sunny smile, and little it cost in the giving, but like morning light it shattered the night and made the day worth living.” I hope readers feel a sense of the importance of listening when they read “Eavesdrop.”
Balancing your creative endeavors with other aspects of life can be challenging. How do you manage your time effectively to prioritize writing amidst other responsibilities?
Honestly, I have no idea. If anyone has any advice for me, please send it my way. My writing is very scattered and lacking in routine, and it can be extremely frustrating. But something I make sure I do every single day is write down any ideas I have or phrases that come to me. If I don’t write all of those down, then when I do go to write, I stare at the page wishing I could remember them.
As an author, what advice would you give to aspiring writers who are navigating the journey of bringing their stories to life?
The advice that I always come back to is, first, focus on making things that are small but whole. If you can zoom in and focus on creating meaningful moments, these can grow into something bigger (or you may find they’re big enough on their own).
Second, always be writing. Even if an idea or a phrase or a detail doesn’t end up in your current WIP or the story you’re writing doesn’t amount to anything you feel good about sharing, always be writing. You never know when something you’ve written has all the right seasoning to become incredible if you just leave it to marinate for a while.
Your work spans across various literary forms, including poems, essays, and short stories. How do you approach each form differently, and do you have a favorite?
I naturally gravitate toward short stories. I think about a line from the movie “Glass Onion” where Benoit Blanc talks about his chef friend who is always trying to create the perfect bite. I love that challenge with short stories — creating one small moment that’s harmonious and rich and full and stays with you after you’re done.
But I think that, just like with exercise, it’s important to not just do the same workout over and over. Like, if all you write is essays, you might have killer thighs, but how’s that upper body strength doing? If you try to write everything, even if some forms are a struggle (poems are my equivalent of pushups, I do like one per year), I believe you will be strengthened and built into a better, more well-rounded writer.
How do you handle moments of self-doubt or creative blocks, and what strategies do you use to reignite your inspiration?
For me, there are stages of these issues. For stage one, I have my go-to media that I turn to for inspiration. When I’m feeling a lot of self-doubt or a big creative block, reading good writing honestly makes me feel bitter (why? why can’t I write like these people?), so I turn to other art forms for inspiration. I love paintings and music. And I’m a huge Amy Sherman-Palladino, Rian Johnson, and Tarantino fan. The stylized dialogue and deep character exploration always makes me want to go write something.
Stage two, I set deadlines, often arbitrary ones (write seven pages this week, write a poem a day, etc.), but I am extremely goal-oriented, so this often works just to get me through the worst of it.
In stage three, contradictory to my entire philosophy of writing, I stop trying to write. If all else fails, I tell myself I’m just taking a break from writing for a while and then it just kind of happens. I also think that getting out and doing things is invaluable to the process. Talk to people, go on adventures, cook, and sing, and garden. Do things that make you happy or uncomfortable and learn.
Looking back at your journey thus far, what is one thing you wish you had known when you first started writing professionally?
Some advice that I would give to writers who are in the stage of querying is really, really do your research and ask around about people and companies you’re thinking of working with. I had no idea that people could just, like…lie on contracts. So remember that — people can just make shit up and you believe them because they tell you your work is good and it makes you want to cry and kiss the ground they walk on. Don’t. Value your own work as much as you want other people to, and look for those who respect you.
On the other side of that coin, it’s important to keep a sense of objectivity and humility with you to help you when you’re editing. Seek out the wisdom of people who know more than you, because someone somewhere will always know more than you.
Tiktok: @jnicewarner_writes
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juli.nicewarner/
Website: https://juliananicewarner.com/
Buy “Eavesdrop: Conversations Across Time” through Barnes & Noble
