We recently connected with Heather E. Schwartz and have shared our conversation below.
Heather E., appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
From a very young age, I wanted to perform and be in the spotlight in some way. I remember waiting all through elementary school for the chance to be in the school musical. But I wasn’t the kid everyone knew as the class clown or the most talkative. In fact – to my complete horror – I was voted “Quietest Girl” in sixth grade! Luckily, I also wanted to be a writer, which came more naturally to me.
Still, there were challenges. When I was young, I read all the time and I thought the only way to be a writer was to write the kinds of books I liked to read. This meant I should be working toward writing novels for children. But I always felt stuck trying to write fiction. What I really loved was writing essays for school, especially on tests. I liked working with words to convey ideas clearly. I liked using my writing skills to write around gaps in my knowledge. When a 10th grade teacher warned the class he’d know if we plagiarized based on the quality of the work we turned in, I made it my goal to trick him. I did not plagiarize, of course, but I was incredibly flattered to be accused!
As for performing, for a long time, I struggled to find the fun. In kindergarten, I stressed about reading the state names correctly during a pageant. In fourth grade, I felt stiff and self-conscious as the lead in a play. For a role in a church play when I was in seventh grade, my character needed to scream off stage and I just couldn’t do it. An older lady did it for me!
For years, I felt frustrated when I wasn’t performing and stressed when I was. Finally, as an adult, I studied and performed improv with The Mopco Improv Theatre, in Schenectady, NY. I learned a lot and shifted my mindset about performing. Eventually, it felt less stressful and more joyful. That’s when I started to realize I could take steps to find my own voice and start creating my own work as a performer.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I’m Heather E. Schwartz, a writer and performing artist. I write children’s books for publishers and brands including Scholastic, Random House Children’s Books, Disney, Sesame Street, The Jim Henson Company, Mack Trucks, and more. I also perform comedy, music, and musical comedy in New York’s Capital Region and beyond. My umbrella company, Quiet Girl Comedy, captures all of my creative endeavors.
As a writer, I’ve moved toward specializing in writing licensed titles for children. I enjoy these projects because they offer a lot of space for creativity. Some companies in need of a children’s book have never worked with a publisher or writer before. It feels good to know I can help make the process fun and easy by using my skills, experience, and imagination.
As a performing artist, I’m focused on creating shows that feel comfortable, playful, and inclusive. My shows include Heather’s Junk Drawer, a solo act; Mabel & Geffrey’s Music And Family Interest Affair, a two-person comedic lounge act; and Love Yourself More, a school assembly program addressing Social Emotional Learning, Character Education, and Anti-Bullying for grades K-5. I also sing in The Dave Kitchen Quintet. My mission as a performer is simple: I want to help people feel happier. And I believe my work can do that.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
I really just want to help people be happier in their lives. And I want to do that through my creativity, which means I need to take care of my own happiness too! I remember feeling that this was my mission in life as far back as five years old, when I decided it was my job to smile at people. It never felt like a job. I’m smiley by nature. When I grew up and worked in office and customer service jobs, I always enjoyed being tasked with creating a welcoming environment or being extra kind to people coming in.
Now, I make this my mission in my work, but I don’t necessarily need to think about that mission in order to create shows and other art that aligns with it. Often, things happen the other way around: I think about what I really want to create or offer to the world, and this winds up being something that is designed to lead people to more happiness or joy or comfort. I don’t believe it’s possible to “make” people feel happy, but I do think it’s possible to offer them a joyful, relaxing experience or support and tools they can use to comfort themselves. And I believe by being happy and creating art that is earnest and weird, I can help other people feel free to express themselves in their own ways too.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
I don’t have a singular story about resilience, but I wanted to answer this question because I feel like my entire creative journey is built on normalizing rejection. I started my writing career through constant pitching. I pitched ideas to magazine publishers and book publishers. I applied for writing and editing jobs. I offered to write for free. I wrote my own books, scripts, articles and pitched those. I wrote blogs. I just never stopped writing and pitching. Through that process, I was rejected and ghosted more times than I can count. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was millions of times. But the “no’s” aren’t the point. And in some ways, the “yes’s” aren’t either. Obviously the “yes’s” got me opportunities to be published and earn money through my creativity. But the most important thing for me all along was the writing itself. I was always writing. And no one could stop me from doing that, whether they wanted my work or not. So my career was born from this resilience, but also from a real passion for writing that was disconnected from the outcomes.
I have the same attitude about bringing my school shows and comedy and music into the world. I’m consistently working on my performance skills. I’m constantly pitching. I’m OK with the rejection and ghosting baked into the process. I keep going, not because I’m trying to be resilient but because I have a passion for what I’ve created and what I have to offer. I believe in my work, and I believe it can help heal the world. There will always be gatekeepers. But they can’t stop me from creating, and they can’t stop me from finding and reaching my audience.
All of that said, the importance of support from friends and family can’t be underestimated! I’ve been able to develop my resilience on a foundation of support from so many people, and sometimes I reach out specifically for that support. I’m so grateful to receive it!
Contact Info:
- Website: QuietGirlComedy.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heather.e.schwartz
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@HeatherEstelleSchwartz
Image Credits
The personal photo should be credited to Courtney Bernado.