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

Alright, Sarah thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

I love creating worlds and stories and discovering the characters that go along with them. There is something almost magical about a well-told story–symbols on a page that translate into adventure and romance and all the wonderful things in between, which then can be shared with just about anyone. But to be completely honest, I don’t have to wonder what it would be like to have a “regular” job, because I do! I work during the day as a elementary music teacher, and writing has become the part-time job I do after school hours and on the weekends. It started out as merely a hobby, and now has grown into a self-sustaining creative pursuit (which counts as a success in my book!)

This is something that I wish more people would embrace: if you have a creative interest, go for it! It doesn’t have to be lucrative, you don’t need to be the best at it. In fact, you don’t even need to be GOOD at first. That will come with practice. If you enjoy the activity, do it. I wrote several novels before ever publishing my first, simply because I found joy in writing and it allowed me to express my creativity in new ways.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Sarah Beran, and I write YA/NA fantasy and fairy tale retellings. You’ll find familiar tales told in fresh new ways, often with more than one traditional fairy tale mashed up together (such as Rapunzel and Jack and the Beanstalk, or the Frog Prince and Rumpelstiltskin). I write relatable characters with humor and heart, and while romance is always a part of the plot, my stories are always squeaky clean and free of sex, gore, and language. Though not overtly Christian, there are religious and moral themes in all of my books as well. In short, these are fairy tale adventures that you could share with both a teenage sister and your grandmother.

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

For me, one of the most rewarding things is being able to interact with readers. It still blows me away sometimes that people are actually willing to buy my books! I love hearing what drew people to my stories, or what they enjoyed most. Sometimes a certain character will resonate with them, or a particular theme, and it’s so wonderful to know that the stories I spend hours and hours pouring my heart into are well-received.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Other authors! Writing (and any other creative work, really) can be such a personal and isolated activity, and when you’re taking a part of yourself and pouring it into your work, and it can be hard to put both it and yourself out there. As an introvert by nature, I was even more hesitant to open up to anyone about my writing, but I wish I had realized earlier how amazing and helpful it is to have a community of like-minded people who not only understand the craft, but also have more experience navigating the world of indie publishing. There were so many things I didn’t know about the first few years of my writing journey, and I never would have known about were it not for other authors and their expertise.

Contact Info:

• Website: sarahberanbooks.com
• Instagram: @sarah.beran.author
• Facebook: Sarah Beran Author