Kate Baer: On Letting Go of Expectations
New York Times bestselling author Kate Baer discusses moving into a new direction for her new poetry collection, And Yet.
Kate Baer is the New York Times bestselling author of What Kind Of Woman and I Hope This Finds You Well. Her work has also been published in The New Yorker, Literary Hub, Huffington Post, and The New York Times. Find her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
In this post, Kate discusses moving into a new direction for her new poetry collection, And Yet, her advice for other writers, and more!
Name: Kate Baer
Literary agent: Joanna MacKenzie at Nelson Literary
Book title: And Yet
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release date: November 8, 2022
Genre/category: Poetry
Previous titles: What Kind Of Woman, I Hope This Finds You Well
Elevator pitch for the book: A full-length book of poems exploring themes of womanhood, motherhood, grief, love, and hope.
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What prompted you to write this book?
I have been writing since the second grade. So, I guess the question is what hasn’t stopped me yet?
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
It’s hard to calculate time spent on a poetry book. Some poems had been sitting for five or six years, waiting to find the right time to fully form. Others were written quickly and furiously. Overall, it took me a little over two years to put together this collection.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
I am always surprised by the publishing world. Usually it isn’t a good surprise, but there are some nice moments. I loved this book’s cover very much. They let me commission artist Amy Ross, and I’m in love with her and all she does.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
I had to get out of my own way and allow playfulness and joy back into my writing. I felt an immense amount of pressure at first to recreate What Kind Of Woman, and it took some time to let go of that expectation and move on to something new.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
A love of poetry and mirror into their own human experiences.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
No one cares if you’re a writer except you. This goes for most venturers, but especially artists. No one cares if you write or not. No one is going to take away your phone, force you to sit down, and stand over your shoulder while you work it out. You have to care. You have to start and continue the forward motion. It’s entirely up to you.
Robert Lee Brewer is Senior Editor of Writer's Digest, which includes managing the content on WritersDigest.com and programming virtual conferences. He's the author of 40 Plot Twist Prompts for Writers: Writing Ideas for Bending Stories in New Directions, The Complete Guide of Poetic Forms: 100+ Poetic Form Definitions and Examples for Poets, Poem-a-Day: 365 Poetry Writing Prompts for a Year of Poeming, and more. Also, he's the editor of Writer's Market, Poet's Market, and Guide to Literary Agents. Follow him on Twitter @robertleebrewer.
