"The belief that words have power, that Black stories matter, and that I can write to make a difference all inspired me to become an author." Renée Watson's Literary Life
Renée Watson, author of over 15 books, most recently BLACK GIRL YOU ARE ATLAS and 'skin & bones' takes us through her literary career, and tells us why writing is more important than fame.
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I’ve always been very curious about the life that brings a writer to the pen or keyboard. My hope is that in getting to know authors in a new light, we might find ourselves in the process. Today, we are featuring our fourth author, Renée Watson.
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Renée Watson (she/her), is a #1 New York Times Bestselling author. She has published over fifteen books and has received several awards and international recognition. Many of her books are inspired by her experiences growing up as a Black girl in the Pacific Northwest. Her poetry and fiction center around the experiences of Black girls and explore themes of home, identity, body image, and the intersections of race, class, and gender. Renée is on the Council of Writers for the National Writing Project and is a member of the Academy of American Poets’ Education Advisory Council. Renée grew up in Portland, Oregon, and splits her time between Portland and New York City.
What inspired you to start writing?
My earliest memories of writing go back to my childhood. I kept journals and always had a notebook I was scribbling poetry and short stories in. In the second grade, I wrote a twenty-one page story and my teacher told me, “I think you’re going to be a writer one day.” She encouraged my mother to buy me journals and by the time I was in middle school, my theater teacher chose a play I wrote to be the play for school-wide spring production. I am so thankful that I had teachers who really saw this gift in me and encouraged me.
I also learned at an early age that my words could move people and deeply touch them. In my early years, my family didn’t have a lot of money so when the holidays came or for the birthdays of my friends and the elders in my community, I couldn’t afford to buy gifts. I was so embarrassed by this. I wanted to give them something fancy, something grand. But instead, I wrote poems and gave poetry as gifts. So many times people would come to me and tell me how much my words meant to them, that they were keeping the poem, framing it. I knew then that even though I didn’t have a lot of money, I had my voice. And my voice had value.
When I think about what gives me inspiration on the topics I write about and the types of stories I tell, I think back to being a child who loved reading the Ramona series by Beverly Cleary and realizing that Klickitat Street was a real street in Portland, Oregon. Ramona grew up in a neighborhood not too far from me and while I loved that series and related to it, there weren’t Black girls and characters in that series. Much of why I often place the setting of my books in Portland is because I want Black girls and women in the Pacific Northwest to feel seen and validated. I want our stories to go on record. We are here and our stories matter.
I’m also deeply grateful that my high school English teachers made it clear that the written word can speak against injustice, honor ordinary people, and dream a new world. Learning this and experimenting with poetry so early and writing about social issues was such a gift that my teachers Linda Christensen and Pam Hooten gave me. I absolutely would not be the writer I am and write about the topics I write about if it weren’t for having them as English teachers. They challenged me to not only write for entertainment, but to say something, to add something meaningful to the world.
The belief that words have power, that Black stories matter, and that I can write to make a difference all inspired me to become an author.
Can you describe your first piece of published work and how it felt to get published?
My first published book was the picture book, A Place Where Hurricanes Happen. It’s inspired by poetry and art workshops I did with children who survived Hurricane Katrina. It’s about four friends who live on the same block and what their experience is like before, during, and after the storm. I am very proud of this book and was so honored to return to New Orleans when the book was released to give copies to some of the children who inspired the story.
Were there any early challenges or obstacles you faced when you started writing? How did you overcome them?
One challenge I had in my early writing career was advocating for my characters to look like I described them on the cover. It was very discouraging to me to have to point out that the character’s skin needed to be a darker shade of brown, that her body needed to be wider, or even that the backdrop needed to look more like the Pacific Northwest and not New York or Chicago.
I always tell new authors that you have to pick and choose your battles. There are some things that just aren’t as important to me and other things that I will always speak up about. Covers are something that truly matter to me and I am very hands-on when it comes to the cover design. I am thankful that things have changed and now it’s not so much of me having to advocate for a girl with dark skin, natural hair, big body, but it’s more about getting the smaller details right, like with Love is a Revolution I asked for the character Nala to wear bangles as a nod to her Jamaican heritage. I wanted her to be stylish and fierce. We talked about her outfit and had conversations about the font of the title. Before, I could never even get to those type of details because just getting the skin tone and body size right took up so much of the conversation. Book covers have come a long way in terms of representation, and I am proud to be a part of that.
Another challenge has been writing books where Black characters experience every day, slice of life moments like falling in love and having experiences that are not about overcoming racial injustice. It is always easier to pitch pain and sorrow. We are just now turning a corner where books that celebrate Black Joy are being sought after, but so many times publishers don’t know how to market those books. Things are shifting, but it is a slow shift.
Do you have any writing rituals that you follow?
The only consistent writing ritual I have is listening to music as I write. I always make a playlist when I am working on a new book. The songs include songs that set the mood for the book, the themes I’m writing about, and the songs I think my character might like. It really helps me stay in the world of my character. I also like that music fills the silence. Writing is such a solitary thing. Listening to music while creating keeps me inspired. It feels like I am keeping company with other artists.
What’s your go-to snack or drink while writing?
I’m a tea girl. I always have tea when I am writing. Usually a strong black tea (Earl Grey, Assam) with steamed half & half. When I have time, I make a London Fog.
What’s your ideal writing environment?
My writing nook has photos of loved ones and writers who inspire me. I have quotes and cards from friends pinned to a corkboard and while I’m writing, I always have a burning candle in the room. This is the place I write when it’s early in the morning. I also write in coffee shops. I enjoy being around people while doing something all to myself.
How do you get unstuck?
When I’m stuck, I go on walks and sometimes while I’m walking, I record myself thinking out loud into a voice memo on my phone. I talk about the characters and what’s happening as if I’m gossiping or talking on the phone with a friend. This helps me get to know my characters and why they are making the choices they are making. It helps me work out the kinks in the story that aren’t working.
I also take a break sometimes and take in other art: a museum, a play, live music. I give myself permission to let stories simmer on the back burner while I collect more inspiration and clear out my mind. I think it’s important to feed your soul, especially when you give so much of yourself in your art. I am constantly having to refill my well.
Lastly, I’ll share the questions that always guide me at the beginning of the process and at any point I get stuck. Asking these questions to the main character, always gives me insight and helps me get to the heart of the story:
1. Who do you love and who loves you back?
2. When is the last time you cried and why?
3. What gives you belly-aching laughter?
4. What do you want?
5. What/who is in the way of what you want?
Knowing the answers to these questions helps me work out plot issues, secondary characters, and resolve.
Can you discuss a pivotal moment in your writing career that significantly impacted your work?
Five years after the devastating earthquake and tsunami hit Okinawa, Japan, I did author visits and poetry workshops at schools through a partnership with DreamYard, a nonprofit social justice and art organization. I was asked to share A Place Where Hurricanes Happen and I had the opportunity to talk with survivors about young people in New Orleans who had also experienced a devastating natural disaster. The cliché that stories connect us, that we are all one human race has never been so palpable for me. To see young Japanese children relate to children in New Orleans was powerful. They were able to make the connection that it is possible to rebuild, that is important to honor what was.
The most meaningful moment was meeting a young boy who had a tattered notebook with him. He didn’t write in it, but he wanted to show it to me. At the end of the workshop, he was overcome with emotion after he read his poem aloud to the class. He explained to me that this was the first time in five years, since the earthquake, that he had read his work out loud. He once loved poetry and loved sharing it, but he just couldn’t do it ever since he lost his family in the tsunami. The notebook of poetry he had with him was one of the only things he was able to find in-tact when he went back home and looked through the aftermath. I think we were all in tears listening to him share his journey to healing. It had been five years since he spoke a poem. This young poet, who loved to write. After we dismissed, I asked him to stay behind and I shared with him the story of Maya Angelou. I told him how she went through a very painful thing when she was a child and couldn’t speak for five years. I told him that she became one of the most prolific and well-known poets in the United States. His eyes lit up and I could see hope on his face. I don’t know what happened to that young man, but I hope he is still writing. I hope he rediscovered his voice that day and never stayed silent. I think of him often. I think of that trip often. It was one of the first times I saw my work have an international impact on young readers.
It forever changed me.
Do you feel a responsibility to address specific themes or issues in your writing? How do you go about that?
My first responsibility as a writer is to tell a compelling story. I want to write something that makes a reader laugh out loud, or nod in agreement when a character does something the reader would do. Because I write about main characters who are Black girls and women, this means that the subjects I write about often explore issues of race, class, gender, and body image. But that is not where I begin. We are not what has happened to us. I don’t want to write about a character in a limited way, confining them to a social issue. I want to write about their emotions, their dreams, their shortcomings and create a nuanced story.
That said, I do carry the responsibility to try my best not to retraumatize my readers. I think a lot about making sure I don’t play into stereotypes or make any character a caricature of a particular identity. I often say, I don’t write books for the reader to escape reality. I write to help them cope and process reality. And while our sorrow and struggle is real, our joy and brilliance is too. I try to write about all of it.
Which of your works has impacted you the most after writing it, and in what way?
My poetry collection, Black Girl You Are Atlas, and my debut adult fiction novel, skin & bones impacted me the most. Both books stretched me artistically and are the most vulnerable I’ve been on the page.
How do you handle critical reviews and feedback on your work?
I learned early on not to give too much weight to the praise or criticism of strangers. I listen most to the people who love and care about me. I take critique from my mentors, writing partners, and my editor. They tell me the truth in love and with grace. I trust their editorial eye and I know they are rooting for me. So even when their feedback makes me go back to the page and revise, I go back with feeling encouraged and not defeated. I know that not everyone will like or understand my work. My focus is on the readers who do.
What do you do when you’re not writing? Any hobbies or interests outside of writing?
I love attending live performances—music, theater, dance. There’s something so magical about knowing that the performer on stage will never do that particular song or movement the exact same way ever again.
As far as my own hobbies, I love taking photos. I think if I wasn’t a writer, I’d be a photographer. I often go on walks and take pictures of the neighborhood I’m walking through. My family calls me the documentarian because I am the one always capturing the moments we are together. I especially love taking photos when I travel to new places. And I’m old school! I actually print photos and keep photo albums.
What book(s) (besides your own) do you always recommend to others?
Novel: The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
Poetry: (everything by) Lucille Clifton, Nikki Giovanni, and Gwendolyn Brooks
What’s a fun fact about you that most of your readers might not know?
I love to swim and if I could, I would swim every day.
What is your favorite quote, and why does it resonate with you?
There are many variations of this saying, but the one I know is from my childhood. It was on a plaque that my mother had hanging in the living room: Before you speak bring three things to mind: Is it truthful? Is it needful? Is it kind?
She never had us discuss it, but seeing it every day definitely challenged me to be my best self and to understand the power of my words—and the significance of my silence.
Are there any books or authors that you turn to for comfort or inspiration during difficult times?
For comfort during difficult times, I often turn to scriptures from the Bible. I also read quotes from some of the women whose wisdom speaks to me deeply: Audre Lorde, bell hooks, Toni Morrison.
What do you hope people will take away from your work?
I hope my work makes the reader feel seen—that at least one character speaks to them and shows them they are not alone, or to maybe motivate and challenge them to be better. I hope my work brings healing and feels like a resting place for readers who are feeling overwhelmed with the cares of life. The best books feel like good company, like a long hug. No matter the story or subject matter, when the reader gets to the end, I want that last sentence, that last word, to make the reader exhale.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
My advice to aspiring writers is to read, read, read. Once you find the books you love, re-read them and ask yourself what the writer did to make this work resonate with you. The more I read, the stronger writer I become and the more I see what language can do.
I also encourage aspiring writers to focus on the craft and do the work when no one is looking, when there are no awards and book tours, and best seller lists. The truth is, even without the flourishing writing career, I would be writing. Before being published, I was a writer—I just wasn’t a published author. I wrote plays and put them on locally in Portland. I hosted open mic nights and often had writing circles at my home or in a local coffee shop. I was never writing to be published. I was writing to survive. I was writing because I was trying to make sense of the world. I was writing to play and experiment with language and to use my imagination to dream up a new world. It is important to have a why—a purpose. And it can’t just be to make money or to have notoriety. That’s not to say a person can’t want a successful writing career, but I challenge beginning writers to rethink what success is and to really think about what kind of writing career they want.
How do you see your writing evolving in the future? Are there new genres or styles you want to explore?
I’d like to do more poetry collections. And I miss writing for the stage. I started as a playwright and poet. I’d love to return to theatre.
Do you have any upcoming projects or works in progress that you can share with us?
My next novel is a middle grade novel told in verse and short vignettes. ALL THE BLUES IN THE SKY will be out February 4, 2025. Here is the official description:
Sage’s thirteenth birthday was supposed to be about movies and treats, staying up late with her best friend and watching the sunrise together. Instead, it was the day her best friend died. Without the person she had to hold her secrets and dream with, Sage is lost. In a counseling group with other girls who have lost someone close to them, she learns that not all losses are the same, and healing isn't predictable. There is sadness, loneliness, anxiety, guilt, pain, love. And even as Sage grieves, new, good things enter her life -- and she just may find a way to know that she can feel it all.
In accessible, engaging verse and prose, this is an important story of a girl's journey to heal, grow, and forgive herself. To read it is to see how many shades there are in grief, and to know that someone understands.
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Stunningly beautiful. Renee’s works bring much to the world of Black women who are Atlas. Thank you for sharing the interview-well done, well done. Peace 🌻 Raen