Welcome Author Beverly Willett!
The first time I met Beverly Willett was at Peacock Writer’s Salon in the parlor of Flannery O’Connor’s childhood home. It’s the writer’s group we both attend and I’d just received feedback on a chapter I’d read. Then Beverly read.
Her talent was immediately apparent, and I settled back and enjoyed her piece, finding it difficult to critique such solid writing. Beverly writes nonfiction, and although I didn’t know it at the time, she’s frequently published in major national newspapers and magazines.
Besides the writer’s group, we began running into each other at parties, gallery openings and literary events around Savannah’s historic district. We got together for a glass of wine and discussed writing and publishing but never touched on what we were working on. So, when she later announced she’d written an article about root doctors and hoodoo I was surprised. Why? Because my fictional work-in-progress has a protagonist who’s a root doctor.
Yet another example of the mysteries of synergy among women friends. Curious, I decided to dig deeper. Here’s my interview with Beverly:
What compelled you to pitch the idea of Root Doctors for South Magazine?
Actually, South came to me with the idea and then we fleshed it out together. I’d written a few articles for them before so they knew my work. I was thrilled to get the assignment. I’d heard of hoodoo before, but had no idea it was still alive and well in the Low Country, albeit today mostly in the shadows. It’s out there; you just have to know where and how to look.
Exactly. It’s that, in the shadows, aspect that draws me to the topic. Were there any surprises during your research on hoodoo practitioners?
I was pleasantly surprised when people began to open up to me. That seemed to happen after I’d earned their trust and assured them I wasn’t after sensationalism, but respected their beliefs. Someone who knows a lot about root work drove me to Minerva’s unmarked grave one starlit evening. We made sure to leave her some coins before we left. True root doctors and those who believe in them believe in the healing power of root practice down to their core; it’s not a game to them.
Were you met with resistance as you explored the hoodoo culture?
One individual in particular ignored my initial overtures. He began to open up after we built a rapport, and I assured him I wasn’t after click-bait, but had a genuine interest in this West African spiritual tradition of the Gullah people.
You recently completed your memoir! As a member of the same writing group, I was fortunate to hear parts of it during the writing. What are the themes that run through it?
There are many themes that run through my memoir, including divorce, family, and motherhood, but at its heart, it’s a story of loss, reinvention, and transformation after the American dream falls apart. In essence, I was able to begin again and start a new life after letting go of all the things I’d been holding onto so tightly. Attachment is the root of our pain; letting go frees us to find joy again.
When you began writing your memoir, did you know those would be the themes, or did they surface as you wrote?
I wrote the memoir after I left Brooklyn and moved to Savannah so, yes, I knew what the themes would be. But you still learn more about yourself the more you write and the deeper you go.
What are you currently reading?
It’s a long list – I’m usually in the midst of half a dozen titles at the same time at least. Finishing up Daren Wang’s The Hidden Light of Northern Fires, in the midst of Perfectly Yourself, which I’m reading in conjunction with Matthew Kelly’s Lenten program, and about to start The Resurrection of Joan Ashby by Cherise Wolas.
What was your favorite childhood book?
That’s a tough one. Not sure I had a favorite. But I was mad about anything Agatha Christie wrote, and loved Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys mysteries.
You’re quite successful at pitching articles to major publications. What attracts you to this form and how did you begin?
It’s all relative I suppose. You should see my rejection pile! I suppose writing short is always a lot less painful than writing an entire book, but I have just finished a memoir and am on the hunt for a new agent. After I stopped practicing law, I took a night class at NYU years ago with the fabulous Sue Shapiro about writing for newspapers and magazines and got invaluable tips on pitching. I actually pitched a profile to one of the speakers she had come in and talk to her class from The New York Times. He hated my pitch, but later gave me an assignment to write a book review for The New York Times. I never sweated over a piece so much in my whole life. But this time, he liked it! In all seriousness, since I write non-fiction, I felt like getting clips was part of paying my dues and a good way to learn my craft on a smaller scale before tackling an entire book. In the process, I’ve also gotten to work with some wonderful editors. It’s a good way of learning to let go and trust the collaborative process.
For those of us who write fiction, walk us through how you pitch an idea for an article.
It’s different pitching a personal essay vs. any other non-fiction pieces. For personal essays, you generally have to write the entire piece force, which is a lot more work, and pitch it on spec. For other non-fiction pieces, you need to do some of the background research only. Before pitching, I make sure I’ve studied the publication I’m pitching to, their demographics, style, etc. because you’ve got to match your idea with their target audience. Then find out who the appropriate editor is – harder than you might think to find that email sometimes. Editors are swamped and if you’re trying to get the attention of someone who doesn’t know you from Adam, you’ve got to find a way to make them click on your email out of hundreds or maybe thousands! So use that subject line in a smart way with a short, to the point teaser, and then when they open that email, make every word count.
Great advice. Thank you, Beverly!
It’s worth your time to read more of Beverly. Visit her website here.
