Evelyn Skye: Writing Bestsellers

Did you think of yourself as a creative kid? What does creativity look like for you these days?
I never thought I was a creative kid. I was very good at subjects like math and spelling, but bad at things that required imagination, like drawing and painting. This is probably why it didn’t occur to me that being a writer could be an actual job. I loved reading books--my eyesight is terrible because of all the nights I snuck books under the covers when I was supposed to be asleep--but because I believed I wasn’t creative, no one ever directed me toward the arts as a career.

Nowadays, I’m a New York Times bestselling novelist of nine books, including a literary/film collaboration with Netflix--Damsel stars Millie Bobby Brown, Angela Bassett, and Robin Wright, and it was the #1 Netflix movie worldwide. It turns out that the reason I “wasn’t creative” as a kid is because I have aphantasia, which means that I don’t really see images in my mind’s eye. The kind of creativity that is heralded in schools was all about what you can imagine/see in your head and how you can translate that onto paper. For me, I saw nothing, so I drew the erroneous conclusion that I had no imagination. I just needed to learn to approach my imagination in a different way than most. Creativity is accessible to everyone, as long as we don’t close the door on it. (I wrote more about aphantasia and being an artist/writer here.)

(Photo by Arturo Holmes/WireImage via Getty Images)

Tell us about a day in your life, how do you fit in creative moments?

As a mom of a teenager, my work day is when my daughter is at school. Having this kind of predetermined schedule keeps me productive, because I know I have limited hours for my writing.

Mornings are the usual rush of breakfast, shower, and take my daughter to school. When I get back home, I make myself a cup of coffee or tea, check my Substack for comments I need to respond to, and then settle in for 1 1/2 - 2 hours of writing my current novel.

I take a short lunch break and then I’m back at my desk for another 2 - 3 hours of writing. Usually it’s closer to 2 hours, because my brain seems to tap out around 3 1/2 - 4 hours of writing per day. After that, the writing starts to feel thin or brittle, and I know it’s time to stop. That’s perfect timing anyway, because there are always errands to be done and dinner to prep!

What’s your favorite super easy creative practice to do when you’re looking for fresh ideas?
A quiet “Thinking Lunch.” My husband knows not to talk to me during my lunch breaks when I’m in the middle of writing a book, because even if I look like I’m not doing anything, I’m actually thinking through plot holes or character issues. Sometimes I’ll also go for a walk without my air pods and just let myself think--no music, no podcasts, nothing but silence and space for my brain to work.

How can we support and encourage each other more?

I would love to see moms (and all parents) support each other’s individual pursuits more and put less pressure on classroom volunteering. Don’t get me wrong, I am so so grateful and appreciative of the parents who spend time at our kids’ schools. Yet for me personally, there was always an expectation that I volunteer since I wasn’t “technically” working. 

But I was working... just not in a traditional job. I was working on becoming a better writer, so that one day I would have a paying career as a writer.

I think if we could all give each other more encouragement and recognize that our personal, creative projects are just as important as giving time to our kids, it would help the moms who are trying to build creative careers. That balance is different for everyone, as I wrote in this piece, but it’s an important one.

If you could give everyone a small treat, what would it be?

I would love to give every parent out there two things--a hand-selected book perfect for them, and some quiet, private time to read it. Wouldn’t that be the best party favor ever? 

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Evelyn Skye is the New York Times bestselling author of nine novels, including The Hundred Loves of Juliet and Damsel, a groundbreaking literary and film collaboration with Netflix. Damsel stars Millie Bobby Brown, Angela Bassett, and Robin Wright and debuted as the #1 movie globally on Netflix. Evelyn’s books have been published worldwide and translated into sixteen languages.

Evelyn is a graduate of Stanford and Harvard Law School. Prior to her career as an author, she was an intellectual property and mergers & acquisitions attorney. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and 15-year-old daughter. For more of Evelyn’s writing, including a Book Club for Writers & Curious Readers and behind-the-scenes peeks at a bestselling novelist’s life, head over to Wordplay with Evelyn Skye. It’s warm and friendly over there!

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