We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kelly Ohlert. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kelly below.

Alright, Kelly thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you?

As Writers, we often talk about how writing is a solitary endeavor, and for the most part, it is true. Yet, to survive with one’s sanity intact, I’ve found it’s crucial to fight that sentiment. The number one piece of advice I will give to any new writer is this: find your people. I’ve been blessed to have met some incredibly talented writers, who are even better human beings. In writer’s groups we’ve commiserated with each other through the heartbreaking rejections that are inevitable in publishing. We’ve learned alongside one another, and grown our craft through sharing tips, and critiquing each other’s work. We’ve cheered each other on in our success, and cross promoted. All the while, even friendship formed online have grown to talk about family, and life, not only writing. True friendships have been forged.

Two recent examples stand out as some of the kindest things that have been done for me. First is that, to celebrate the release of my first book, two of these friends met online flew across the country to come to my launch event. I was left astounded by their generosity, and it made special a day that for many authors is so built up for so long, can wind up feeling anticlimactic.

The second was that recently I’ve experienced some setbacks in my writing career. Because books are contracted so far in advance, switching publishers and agents can mean a large gap between books. This setback admittedly gutted me. While intellectually I know these changes will ultimately be for the best, emotionally I couldn’t handle it. I was depressed. I needed to edit and couldn’t bring myself to even open the document. I was miserable. Two kind friends didn’t wait for me to ask for help, they recognized the need, and got me out of the house. They let me cry, and they reassured me. They invited me on a retreat weekend with a few others, and the whole group spent an hour once again letting me cry, while we all worked together to help me out of the plot hole I’d fallen into and give me the direction I was lacking for my edit, and the confidence to tackle it. They pulled me out of a dark place, and I know they’d do it again. I’ll forever cherish these relationships, and everything these amazing people have done, and continue to do for me.

Kelly, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I grew up in a house full of readers, with books spilling off the shelves, nightly family readalouds, and weekly trips to the library, so it’s no surprise that I ended up an author. I first started writing middle grade fantasy. I got half way through a manuscript before I got stumped, and then my mom recommended a Sophie Kinsella book to me. I was hooked, and began devouring every romantic comedy I could get my hands on. Shortly after, I wrote a chapter, and immediately knew that the reason I’d been stumped, was that i was writing the wrong genre. I’d found my writing voice.

I have currently have two published adult romantic comedies. The first, To Get To The Other Side follows a woman who finds a chicken crossing the road. She takes it in, only to get kicked out of her no-pets-allowed apartment. Her search for a new place to a live comes to an end when she sees an add for Bear’s spare room, an ad that his meddlesome sisters put out without his knowledge. The two fight to keep things platonic in their shared household while coparenting a chicken. This book was inspired by a friend’s true story of taking in a chicken found crossing the road in Chicago!

The second book, Let’s Get Quizzical follows to former high school sweethearts who ended on bad terms, being brought together years later when they get unexpectedly paired together on a trivia gameshow. This book has swoons, spice, and a bit of scandal. What I really love about it is that the main character thinks in trivia, so her inner monologue is full of fun facts ranging from stolen art to legal battles over pink bunnies.

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

There are so many authors out there, and many kindly want to help out up and coming writers. Bad advice abounds, and even more prevalently, well intended advice is taken literally and assumed to apply to everyone when that’s not the case. I had to learn that what works will for one author, won’t work for others. That there are gray areas in every piece of advice.

For example, write every day is common advice. For many people it doesn’t work at all. For me, having that habit is crucial, because if I fall out if it, I have a hard time finding momentum again. That said, I also need to know not to take it literally, because every single day isn’t feasible, and I need to give myself grace when I can’t.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

There are three books that taught me a great deal, and that I still frequently refer back to when writing or editing. For creating depth in my characters, I use Story Genius by Lisa Cron. For plotting out my stories, and ensuring good pacing, I use Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody, and Romancing the Beat by Gwen Hayes.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.kellyohlert.com
• Instagram: @kelly Ohlert
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/462752981870296/
• Linkedin: https://www.instagram.com/kellyohlert
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/KellyOhlert
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@kellyohlert