We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Patrice Gopo a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Patrice, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. The first dollar you earn is always exciting – it’s like the start of a new chapter and so we’d love to hear about the first time you sold or generated revenue from your creative work?
In the spring of 2015, I had been writing for a little over five years. Up until that point, I had been actively developing my writing craft and occasionally publishing my work. However, payment for my work had proved elusive. Most of the markets that had accepted my work did not offer payment. In truth, this reality didn’t bother me much. At the time, I was most interested in building my list of publications. Still, a part of me wondered if I would ever receive financial compensation for my work. Was payment a sign that I had moved to a new tier in my writing life?
And then in the spring of 2015, an idea found me, an idea about the books I used to read as a child and the books I hoped my own children would one day read. This idea felt like the perfect fit for the New York Times Parenting section (called Motherlode at the time), and I crafted an essay. While the essay felt like a great fit for this New York Times section, I wasn’t sure how to submit my work to the column. So, I set about researching how to submit my essay and found several great resources, including an interview with the editor. I was able to apply what I learned to my essay. Then, on a Tuesday in April, armed with both my well-crafted essay and all the info I’d gathered about submitting my work to this outlet and, of course, a bunch of trepidation and nerves, I sent my essay to the editor. Immediately, I started refreshing and refreshing my inbox, hoping for an answer, hoping this submission wouldn’t end up in the mysterious place of unanswered submissions. The editor didn’t keep me waiting long—only two days of continually refreshing my inbox, each refresh holding a fresh surge of hope. I received an acceptance on Thursday! And the editor said she could pay me $100! My first paid acceptance! Yes!!!! These are the moments that make one’s heart swell in the best kind of ways.
The essay ran about a week later (https://archive.nytimes.com/parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/04/30/does-race-matter-if-books-like-anne-of-green-gables-touch-your-heart/) and included a beautiful piece of art drawn specifically for my writing. The artist gave me that piece of artwork, and I keep it framed in my office, along with the canceled check from the New York Times. My first paid work serves as a continuous inspiration for what might be possible in my writing life. And as it turned out, that first paid publication moved me into a new trajectory with my writing. About a month later, I received my second paid acceptance!
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 write lyrical stories that celebrate joy, expand understanding, and foster compassion. After spending time in the field of chemical engineering and later community development, I came to creative writing with minimal training beyond a handful of high school and college English classes. What I did bring was a passion for words and a desire to learn the craft of writing via classes, coaches, books, and online resources. (If you’d like to know even more about my journey from my previous work to creative writing, you can read this article: https://wdi.umich.edu/news/connection-identity-and-race-one-wdi-alums-journey-from-business-student-to-author/).
Curiosity about belonging defines my writing. Questions haunt me, and in seeking answers, I create work with the power to transform me as the writer and those who read my words. My essay collections and picture books consider questions about belonging through the lens of racial identity formation, racial justice, and immigration experiences. Much of what I have written arises from my perspective as the Black American daughter of Jamaican immigrants who was born in Alaska but now makes my home in North Carolina. The reality of this complex identity infuses much of my work. These recurring themes are important and deeply rooted in who I am. I am thrilled that my curiosity has led to the creation of two essay collections: ALL THE COLORS WE WILL SEE, a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection, and AUTUMN SONG, recipient of the inaugural Pattis Family Foundation Creative Arts Book Award. I am also the author of several picture books: ALL THE PLACES WE CALL HOME, RIPENING TIME, and the forthcoming BEYOND ALASKA’S WINDOW. In addition, I am the editor of the forthcoming essay anthology WE DESERVE TO HEAL: BLACK WOMEN ON THE PERILS AND PROMISES OF FRIENDSHIP WITH WHITE WOMEN, another project birthed because of my curiosity. My writing encourages greater thought, something I know we need during these fraught times. I am proud that my work has been a form of literary activism and promoted positive change. In addition to other honors, I am the recipient of a North Carolina Arts Council Artist Fellowship and a Sustainable Arts Foundation Award. When I’m not writing, I host the podcast PICTURE BOOKS ARE FOR GROWN-UPS, TOO! because I believe in the power of stories to help build connections between people. Please visit patricegopo.com to learn more.
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
Absolutely! In the early days of my writing journey, I recognized that there was so much I didn’t know about both the craft of writing and the process of working toward publication. I found myself searching both online resources and resources available at my library. Whenever I visited a used bookstore, I would scour the section of writing books in hopes I’d stumble upon a book that might help me in my writing journey. And I learned. I learned so much along the way. I also realized how much I wished I’d had a concise list of resources I could have referred to that would have helped me on my creative journey. As a result of that wish, I created a writing resources section on my website to encourage other writers in their writing journey. I’ve curated a list of resources that have helped me over the years. I hope that this list will provide a wonderful, helpful starting point for any writer seeking resources to help them grow and learn more. You can check out that list here: https://www.patricegopo.com/writing-resources.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Early in my writing journey, I learned about the reality of rejection and how rejection affects each and every one of us who choose to work toward getting our words into the world. So often, people look at writers and see only the acceptances, the publications, etc. However, I quickly recognized that writers are more likely to receive rejections for their work than they are to receive acceptances. Publishers rejecting my essays. Foundations or writing retreats rejecting my grant and residency applications. Podcasts or magazines rejecting my pitches. And on it goes. The writing life is full of those NOs that often bring disappointment and pain. This truth became an invitation for me to determine how I would engage with the reality of rejection. Rejections have helped me grow as a writer, they have helped me figure out what I need to revise, and they have reminded me that I care about the work I do. Beyond that, though, it’s been vital for me to intentionally choose not to let rejections make me question my creative pursuits, lose heart, or believe that the rejection is a reflection on me. I have actively chosen not to give rejections more power than they deserve. By choosing this path, I can engage with rejections as part of the writing life and continue to work toward my goal of getting my work out into the world.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.patricegopo.com
- Instagram: patricegopo
- Facebook: patricegopowrites
- Other: My newsletter: www.patricegopo.com/subscribe
