Happy Friday, friends! Today we get an author interview! I haven’t done many of these, mostly because I don’t have many opportunities. But Hilary Burns reached out to me via email, and her message is so inspiring. Burns’ book, The Second Piece of French Toast, is all about being true to yourself. A message that’s important for everyone!
Hilary’s online presence is dedicated to helping others figure out how they can also live their best life. She’s got a series of YouTube videos that are worth a watch, and spreads positive content on Instagram. I asked Hilary to chat a bit about her writing process, her reading preferences, and her goals for publishing this book. I hope you enjoy!
Hilary Burns: Author Interview
1.What’s your writing process like?
I have a very freeform style of writing. I write when I’m feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or frustrated, as opposed to keeping to a strict schedule. Writing is my way of expressing my emotions. Of course, I still set broad deadlines and goals to guide myself and keep everything on track. When I was drafting The Second Piece of French Toast, I set my deadline at 12/31/2012. Although I finished on that date, it took me 7 more years to rewrite, edit, and finally get it published.
2. Did you ever think of giving up during the 7 years of rewriting?
Every day. I became an author later in life, which means that I was unfamiliar with the industry, in terms of editing, designing a cover, formatting, or even publishing. I constantly felt like I wasn’t doing it in “the right way.” Luckily, I was fortunate enough to have mentors, teachers, and partners who believed in my projects and helped me along the way. Their support really kept me going.
3. What are some other challenges you faced as a new author?
I was in completely uncharted territory. Not only was I a new author, but I never went to school for writing. Despite having no prior professional training, I was able to sign up for a great local writing class, which proved to be incredibly eye-opening. At the beginning, I didn’t even know the basic techniques and conventions of writing. Things like scene vs. summary, flashbacks, correct dialogue formatting, and so much more. I took these classes for over 5 years, rewriting each chapter dozens of times with the feedback from my classmates and teacher. After that, I was able to finalize my book with the help of two different copywriters and get it published, 7 years after I finished the first draft.
4. What kind of books do you personally like to read?
I don’t have a specific genre that I stick to, but I love books with happy endings. I think we can all agree that the world is in need of more uplifting and inspiring content. I’m also a fan of non-fiction books that incorporate a strong element of story-telling, as I find those can be informational and entertaining at the same time.
5. At what point did you decide or come to the realization that you had to write this memoir?
My memoir focuses heavily on issues regarding body-image, marriage, and self-esteem. When I realized that I wasn’t the only one feeling a certain way or experiencing a certain problem, I knew I had to put my story out there in hopes of helping other people feel less alone.
6. How has writing this memoir affected your personal life?
Writing this memoir helped me reflect on my own life and my own decisions. During those 7 years of writing and rewriting, I was able to look back on my marriage and take some level of personal responsibility. I stopped putting all the blame on my husband, and I saw how my past actions had made me a powerless victim. That realization was incredibly empowering and life-changing, and I have this memoir to thank for it.
7. What was the primary goal, personal or professional, that you wanted to achieve by writing this book?
A major goal was to inspire and lift up other women in similar situations as I was in. I wanted to let them know that they aren’t the only ones feeling a certain way; I also wanted to let them know that they aren’t stuck in their situation forever. Hopefully, by sharing my story, I could motivate others to take back power in their lives.
8. How did I reconcile my brutal honesty with what people, especially my family, would think?
I knew publishing this book might cause some friction in my personal life, but I knew that my story could inspire so many women to find their freedom and change their lives for the better that I was perfectly happy to take that risk. Not to mention, some of my favorite books are memoirs, and reading them gave me the courage to publish my own. Slow Motion by Dani Shapiro stands out in particular. In her book, Dani told the story of her affair with her college roommates’ father as well as her addiction to drugs and alcohol. I was blown away by her honesty and authenticity, and figured that if she could do it, I could as well. I won’t lie, I felt very vulnerable when the book was published, but I allowed myself to feel that vulnerability if it meant I could inspire other women.
Connect with Hilary on her website, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram!