We were lucky to catch up with Susan Koehler recently and have shared our conversation below.
Susan, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?
After a 36-year career as a teacher who did some writing on the side, I took the plunge and became a fulltime writer. I had a history of publications at that point, first in the field of educational resources and then in middle grade fiction, which is written for 8 to 12 year old readers. Those middle grade books were my passion, but in order to make a living as a creator, I needed to find other streams of revenue as a writer.
The logical first step was to put my education background to work for me. First, I was able to secure a steady stream of work as a content creator for an online education platform. I write scripts for videos and find creative ways to present content so that it’s both engaging and substantive. Because I work from home, I’ve eliminated the drive time, and because my work is project based, my schedule is flexible. This step was essential. It gave me a steady income stream, control over my time, and the ability to identify myself as a creator.
In addition to the steady income stream, I found it important to build my reputation while also generating income. One way I’ve done that is to establish myself as an educational consultant and visiting author. I offer professional development related to the teaching of writing, and I make myself available for school visits and young authors’ conferences. These activities allow me to put my experience to use while building my brand and visibility.
The other way I’ve generated additional income is by “writing for hire.” A lot of publishers, especially in the education market, will conceptualize a series and then hire authors to write it. Writers do not receive royalties for these projects, but they do get paid up front, which has its advantages. There’s also the added bonus of valuable experience working directly with editors and publishers. Finally, writing for hire is a great way to build publishing credentials. Every book published adds to an author’s resume. It’s both personally satisfying and professionally advantageous.
In 2022, I was given the opportunity to write two books as part of a series for an educational publisher, and I had so much fun in the process. This particular series was designated as high/low fiction, which means it’s targeted at older kids who might struggle with reading more complex texts but are hungry for compelling, age-appropriate stories.
The series was conceptualized as paranormal, which is something I had never written before. The publisher provided the name of the town, the names of the high school and a few local businesses, and the curious presence of a sinkhole that was somehow related to a paranormal occurrence. They also provided the word count and readability level. The rest was up to the author. I came up with the nature of the paranormal experience, and I generated my own characters and story lines, It was truly so much fun. My two titles in the series are INNOCENT BLOOD and CURSED. They’re just scary enough to draw in the targeted audience, but there’s absolutely no gore. These books stretched my comfort zone, and I’m really proud of the result.
As a fulltime creator, it would be great to live off your passion alone. However, if you want to take the plunge, you need to find ways to put your knowledge and experience to use along multiple avenues of creativity. The opportunities are there.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
As an experienced educator, I can attest that if you want someone to become a reader, you must provide them with something they want to read. Throughout my teaching career, I became a keen observer of what drew kids into reading, and I prided myself on being able to match individual students with the books that would turn them into readers.
Along the way, I kept writing and developing my own ideas. I knew I wanted to write for children, but I didn’t know which direction I wanted to take. Then my mom fell and was hospitalized with very serious injuries. As I sat at her bedside and listened to her discuss her childhood — stories I’d heard numerous times before — something completely new and magical occurred. A character popped into my head. A little girl named Dahlia. She was suddenly in the environment of my mother’s North Carolina upbringing — traveling from a remote cabin in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains to a community where her family lived and worked as tenant farmers during the Great Depression.
I was captivated by Dahlia, and her story came to life in a book titled DAHLIA IN BLOOM. I published the book in 2019 with a small, independent publisher, but I was blown away by the book’s reception. The book launch was standing room only, and the books sold out. Kirkus Reviews gave it a starred review and put it on their Best Books of 2019 list for indie publications. They even included the cover art in a “Best Books” collage on one of their Kirkus Magazine covers.
Even better, I’ve heard from all kinds of readers who have enjoyed Dahlia’s story. A young girl in the Bronx sent me a letter about how much she connected with Dahlia — a character from rural North Carolina in a bygone era. A woman who was born in 1924, the same year Dahlia was born, talked to me about how closely Dahlia’s experiences mirrored her own. I’ve done school visits where kids had created folk arts and crafts related to the story. It’s just all been a thrill to receive affirmation that the book is not only enjoyed, but that it also preserves an important part of North Carolina’s history.
My next book was published in 2021. Titled NOBODY KILLS UNCLE BUSTER AND GETS AWAY WITH IT, this fast-paced contemporary mystery was the Florida Writers Association 2022 Children’s Book of the Year. The protagonist is a twelve-year-old named Sam Parsons who tries to scheme his way out of a 500-mile journey to attend a funeral for his mom’s uncle. However, once he’s forced to make the trip to Ashe County, North Carolina, Sam is sidetracked by suspicions about the circumstances surrounding Uncle Buster’s demise. The surly, mysterious neighbor, the shadowy Meals on Wheels lady, the less-than-truthful sisters of the deceased, and the grunting hulk of a man dragging a bush hog across Uncle Buster’s property are all suspects. The book was great fun to write. Along with mystery and suspense, it contains a fair amount of humor and touches on some important environmental issues that are specific to North Carolina.
My most recent publication, CHARLIE’S SONG, is a sequel to DAHLIA IN BLOOM. This book introduces Dahlia’s Uncle Ennis, a self-proclaimed “Traveling Troubadour” who keeps a banjo at his side as he hops trains and takes his music and joy from town to town. However, he also generates a lot of suspicion about just why it is he has to stay on the move. Jumping back into North Carolina history was very fulfilling, but one of the best parts about this book for me is that it includes a song. The lyrics are part of the book, but they were set to music and performed by W. Heath Fowler. “Charlie’s Song” is available on multiple streaming platforms, and I encourage everyone to give it a listen! https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/wheathfowler/charlies-song
While these books were intended for 8 to 12 year old readers, they have found a broader audience. I’ve visited book clubs where adults have really enjoyed them almost as often as I’ve made school visits. I would love to expand my presence in North Carolina’s schools, independent bookstores, and museums by making my books available to a wider audience and myself available for author visits, book talks, and writing workshops. Information about programs I offer is available on my website at susankoehlerwrites.com, and I’m always happy to tailor visits to the needs of specific venues.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
I’ve had three significant pivots in recent history that have brought me to the brave place of being a fulltime creative. The first occurred when my mother was very ill. Sitting at her bedside in the hospital, I conceptualized what became my first published novel for young readers, DAHLIA IN BLOOM. Until that time, I had written pieces of works, but I wasn’t really finishing anything. Maybe it’s because I was scared. After my mom’s death, I was determined to make this book a reality, and I did.
The second major pivot occurred when I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018. The publication of DAHLIA IN BLOOM was underway at that point, but I didn’t know what was next. Again, I had snippets and ideas, but nothing was coming together. However, after the diagnosis, I was motivated. One morning, I woke up with the voice of Sam Parsons in my head, and I went straight to the computer and wrote the first chapter. From there, it just took off, and throughout my treatment and recovery, I always had something to look forward to. The book gave me a sense of purpose in the present and a hope to cast into the future.
The third pivot happened during the pandemic, which seems like it was a popular pivot time for lots of folks. After teaching remotely and then returning to the classroom, something had changed in me. I loved teaching, but a voice inside me said, “It’s time.” Those were the words. “It’s time.” So I began my major pivot away from the classroom — after 36 years! — and into the world of fulltime writing and creating.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
If I had my life to live over again, there’s not much I would change because I wouldn’t want to alter where I am right now. I love my life, my family, my home, and my work. However, there are some important lessons I’ve learned along the way.
On the more practical side, I’ve learned that publishing is a business, so you have to become market-savvy and learn some basics of public relations and sales. As a creative, it’s easy to look down on that aspect of the job as not being “art,” but if you want to get your art out in the world, you need to learn about sales. I also learned that it would be good to have a literary agent. To begin with, I liked the idea of being independent and working directly with small businesses. That’s fine for hobby-writing, but if you want to take the next step, you need an agent. So here I am, after multiple publications, finally looking for an agent.
On the more conceptual side, I’ve learned that no one is truly confident that they are a master of their craft. Every creator gets scared, whether they admit or not. You’re proud of your great accomplishments but scared you’ll never match them. You love your creation one day and hate it the next. You’re on top of your game, and then you feel like a failure. It’s a constant battle. However, once you realize that every creator goes through these extremes, you calm down. The emotional highs and lows get processed logically, and they don’t control you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.susankoehlerwrites.com/
- Instagram: @susankoehlerwrites
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SusanKoehlerWrites/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-koehler-1a3b7a51/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkucBI4H9eSorvpWp1I3PSg
- Other: Threads: @susankoehlerwrites
Image Credits
Image credits: Hillary Koehler