Rachel Harrison: Separating the Pressure of Writing From the Joy of Writing
Rachel Harrison is the national bestselling author of Such Sharp Teeth, Cackle, and The Return, which was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a First Novel. Her short fiction has appeared in Guernica, in Electric Literature’s Recommended Reading, as an Audible Original, and in her debut collection, Bad Dolls.
She lives in western New York with her husband and their cat/overlord. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
In this post, Rachel discusses separating the pressure of writing from the joy of writing, how important voice is to her drafting process, and more.
Rachel Harrison (Photo credit: Nic Harris)
Name: Rachel Harrison
Literary agent: Lucy Carson at The Friedrich Agency
Book title: Black Sheep
Publisher: Berkley
Release date: September 19, 2023
Genre/category: Horror
Previous titles: The Return; Cackle; Such Sharp Teeth
Elevator pitch for the book: A cynical 20-something must confront her unconventional family’s dark secrets in this fiery, irreverent horror novel that explores the ways family ties can bind us as we struggle to find our own place in the world.
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What prompted you to write this book?
We all had time to think during the pandemic, and I spent a lot of that time reflecting on my life and who I was, how I reacted to things, how I saw the world. I started to wonder about nature vs. nurture. How much of me was actually me, and how much of who I am was informed by my upbringing?
As an adult in my early 30s, I became hyperaware of repeating patterns of behavior I learned in childhood. I saw one of those Progressive Insurance commercials about turning into your parents, and I laughed because those commercials are hilarious, but then I thought…oh crap. Am I turning into my parents? Is that happening to me? Is it inevitable?
It scared me, and I think planted the seed of this idea.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
The core concept of the book stayed the same, but it was tricky to figure out how to pull it off in a way that was meaningful and satisfying. From concept to publication, it’ll be about two years. Two years and many outlines and drafts and Post-It notes and paper cuts.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
It was the first book of mine where I pitched the concept to my publisher first, and then wrote from there. The process was different having already promised something that I needed to execute successfully. It added some pressure!
It was a challenge for me to separate that pressure from the joy of writing. But once I was able to figure out the voice of my protagonist, Vesper, once I met her, it all came together. I definitely learned with this book that for me, voice is key.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
Because the writing process for Black Sheep was different from my previous three novels, I think the biggest surprise was really understanding that not every book’s journey is the same.
My last novel, Such Sharp Teeth, poured right out of me. This book was stubborn, like getting ketchup out of a glass bottle, but I’m just as proud of and confident in the end result. Our writing process can change, evolve, vary over time, and that’s okay! It’s not an exact science.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
I hope readers have an absolute blast with Black Sheep. And with everything I write, I hope that someone can relate to it in some way. I hope it makes readers feel less alone in the world.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
At the risk of sounding like an inspirational poster in a guidance counselor’s office…you have to believe in yourself!