Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Elise Fender. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Elise, appreciate you joining us today. So, let’s start with a hypothetical – what would you change about the educational system?

We need our education system to produce authors and creative writers. There are the obvious answers for fixing the education system to produce more creatives: less focus on testing, more funding for the arts. But, if I could wave a magic wand that would produce the future great American writers it would be this: higher pay for teachers. And if I could wave it a few more times I would throw in more respect for teachers, more resources for teachers, more maternity leave for teachers. I could keep going, but, my point is that in order to produce quality creative writers we need to retain our teachers.

It’s no secret that the teacher turn over rate in schools is astronomical right now. Losing veteran teachers has created a ripple affect in so many aspects of education, but I really think writing and creativity is one that gets hit hard. Teaching creative writing is challenging. Teaching how to find your voice is even more challenging. But the hardest part? The thing that only a veteran teacher can do is instill the type of power and confidence it takes to be vulnerable and share your words publicly. It’s one thing to teach students writing skills, it’s another thing to empower them to believe in themselves enough to share their beautiful words with the world. This is something that comes from years of teaching, learning, making mistakes, and relearning. We lose this skill when we continually let veteran educators walk out the door for new careers.

Personally, I became a writer because I had incredible English teachers who told me I could do it. And made a shy kid like me feel powerful enough to share my words. Every day future leaders graduate from education schools who have that type of super hero power to shape new writers, but if we don’t retain them in the classroom they will never reach their super hero potential.

So raise teachers’ pay, and watch the amazing writers they produce. (And hey, maybe some scientists, architects, and computer nerds will come out of the deal too.)

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m an educator by day, currently working in undergraduate admissions. I write young adult fiction by night and early mornings. I always dreamed of being a writer, but started my career as a teacher. I still kept the writing dream alive though, and chipped away at my first book for about 15 years. My debut young adult novel, The Last Text You Sent, hit shelves in December 2021. Hearing readers’ responses to it has been thrilling!

My second book, Between the Dirt and Stars, is still a work in progress. I wish is what ready for y’all to read! But, I am trying to be forgiving of myself, the first one took 15 years after all. I hope the next time you hear from me it will be with an exciting update about this twisty young adult romcom.

In my personal life, I am mom to Wren, Knox, and Eden, and love to travel and sit by the pool with a good book.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding part of writing for young adults is when I hear that a reluctant reader has picked up one of my books, and enjoyed it! Nothing makes me feel better than to know I helped somebody discover the utter joy that is getting lost in a good story.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I’ve had to learn unlearn that perfection exists. In fact, I had to unlearn it again today as I worked on some revisions. And, I will probably unlearn it again tomorrow. I have the pleasure of leading a workshop for aspiring middle school writers every year, and I always start by asking who considers themselves to be a perfectionist. Every hand always shoots up in the air. I ask them to throw that idea out the window before they ever write a word.

I’ve found that most of the time when I have writer’s block it is because I am trying to think of the perfect word, the perfect plot twist, the perfect description. If I throw perfect out, and just write “good enough,” it’s amazing how great good enough can turn into eventually.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.elisefender.com
• Instagram: @EliseFenderAuthor
• Facebook: facebook.com/EliseFenderAuthor
• Twitter: @EliseWritesYA
• Other: https://www.amazon.com/Last-Text-You-Sent-ebook/dp/B09N6QWNLS

Image Credits
all personal photos