Today we’d like to introduce you to Liz Alterman.
Liz, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
From the time I could hold a pencil, I wanted to be a writer. As an avid reader, escaping into a story is one of my favorite pastimes. Regardless of genre, I like to infuse my work with humor, intrigue, and relatable characters who typically live in small towns.
I’m a mom of three boys and I have two cats, who keep me company as I type. (The cats, not the kids.) I began my writing career as an energy reporter. (Not nearly as interesting as plotting a thriller!) While my boys were growing up, I worked as a freelance journalist before going full-time. When my husband and I lost our jobs within six weeks of one another in 2013-2014, I decided to try my hand at longer-form writing and began taking workshops where my memoir, Sad Sacked, slowly came to life. From there, I was hooked, and I haven’t stopped writing since. I’m also very fortunate to teach memoir writing classes and query letter workshops. As a child, my favorite spot was a library or bookstore. Not much has changed!
I think a lot of how I got here stems from not giving up and not taking rejection too much to heart. It’s part of the business. Not every story is going to appeal to every reader. Finding my audience and writing for the love of storytelling is what’s kept me going.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s been quite a roller coaster! I’ve been fortunate to attract literary agents to represent my work but getting that work sold has been challenging. This business requires a lot of patience. When I first started writing with an eye toward publishing, I thought the toughest part would be the writing itself—plot, characters, discipline to return to the page day after day. But I’ve found the more difficult part is often waiting to hear back from agents or editors. You can feel like you’re at the mercy of a lot of people for whom you are just one small part of a much larger entity. Things may be going on behind the scenes—cover design, marketing efforts, etc.—but you may not be privy to it. I’ve also gotten close to a lot of exciting things only to have them not come to fruition and that’s tough too. At the end of the day, I try to focus on what I can control: creating the best story possible, enjoying that process, and connecting with readers and fellow writers.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m the author of the award-winning memoir Sad Sacked, the young adult thriller He’ll Be Waiting, and the suspense novels The Perfect Neighborhood, The House on Cold Creek Lane, You Shouldn’t Have Done That and A Different Type of Poison as well as the romcom Claire Casey’s Had Enough. My essays and humor pieces have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, and numerous other outlets.
While I specialize in suspense, I love a good essay or humor piece. I think what sets me apart is my reluctance to stay in one lane. I’d much rather pursue the project that excites me at that moment. I believe that if you’re going to pour your time and energy into a project it has to be one that’s really calling out to you. I’m proud of the fact that I haven’t given up in the face of a lot of rejection. It’s also challenging when friends or family don’t value your work until it seems like you’re making money from it. I think we all have different definitions of success. For me, it’s doing what I enjoy and blocking out all the other noise that could interfere or deter me. Within the last two years, I’ve been taking a shot at stand-up comedy and it’s helped me overcome a lifelong fear of public speaking. I still get nervous, don’t get me wrong, but not to the extent I once did.
The writing life has brought me so many wonderful friends who inspire me daily and I’m so grateful for that.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I love reading craft books by authors I admire. I recently finished A Long Game by Elizabeth McCracken. I highly recommend it. Her humor, honesty, and encouragement have me eager to read it again already. I also loved Truth Is the Arrow, Mercy Is the Bow by Steven Almond, who shares his own writing struggles in such a relatable way.
I listen to a lot of podcasts while driving or cooking and a few of my favorites are:
Writer’s Routine with Dan Simpson
The Career Novelist Podcast With Camille Pagan
The Long Road to Publishing With Eva Langston
I follow tons of great writers and authors on Substack. Whenever I’m looking for humor inspiration, I know I can find it in newsletters written by Julie Vick, Andrew Knott, and Shelly Mazzanoble.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lizalterman.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizalterman/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LizAltermanAuthor/
- Twitter: https://x.com/LizAlterman
- Other: https://lizaltermanwriter.substack.com/
