By Michele Karlsberg–
Michele Karlsberg: Authors Georgia Beers and Melissa Brayden are featured in this issue of the San Francisco Bay Times.Many folks look at writing books within the literary community as a “competition,” when I think it should all be about camaraderie. I always admire writers who help each other to move forward within their own careers. Georgia and Melissa share with us their response to the question, “Can it be hard to be really close to someone who’s trying to do the same thing that you do?”
Georgia Beers and Melissa Brayden: Sitting in a room making imaginary people fall in love with each other is lonely. Not only that, but it’s a unique gig. So, when you make friends with another human who gets it—because she also makes imaginary people fall in love—you hold on to that friendship with both hands.
We, being Georgia Beers and Melissa Brayden, met at a writer’s conference in 2011, making our friendship now nine years old. A tween. Combined, we’ve written thirty-three books since that day, a process that included mayday phone calls, goofy text messages, and working Skype sessions for moral and professional support. Okay, there might have also been a happy hour tossed in on occasion because wine makes romance writing easier.
We’ve often been asked whether you can be friends with a person who writes the same thing you do—in this case, contemporary women-loving-women romance—who reaches for the same success, the same sales, and opportunities. And if you manage to make that friendship work, can you be jealous of and happy for that person at the same time?
Pshh. The answer is, of course you can (though “jealousy” is harsh, “envy” fits better). When one of us gets an opportunity that we both would’ve liked or wins an award we were both finalists for, there will always be a quick flash of envy and visions of murder in a dark alley. We’re human. But it doesn’t last because we are always, always thrilled when the other has a success, nixing said murder fantasies. We’ve learned to navigate what some say is a tricky dynamic, but that’s because our near decade of friendship comes first. Along with the wine.
There are perks. While we don’t read each other’s work while it’s in progress, we will bounce ideas off the other or brainstorm together or ask for help on a title, and that’s when having a BFF who does what you do is awesome. We get to talk shop, and vent about the frustrations of publishing as well as the joys. There’s also an element of safety that can be hard to find when your job is creative. We know we can count on each other for honest feedback. Gentle, but honest, and that involves a level of trust that you don’t have if you’re not close friends in addition to colleagues.
We also make each other laugh as a requirement, sometimes to the point of spitting out that wine, because writing can be stressful. Word counts and deadlines can wreak havoc on a workday, so humor helps. “You don’t need another dog; you have a toddler. Stop looking at puppies and write your words!” Or “Why are you watching another foreign horror movie on Netflix when you have a deadline?” These are actual things that we’ve said to each other.
In the end, dark alley murders aside, it’s nice to have someone in your corner who supports you, gets your world, but who also makes you work harder, better, and more creatively to keep up with them. It’s the perfect combination.
Georgia Beers lives in upstate New York and when not writing lesbian romance, she tries her best to drink all the wine, eat all the cheese, and pet all the dogs. www.georgiabeers.com
Melissa Brayden hails from San Antonio, Texas. She’s an award-winning romance novelist, an admirer of donuts, and is probably staring off into space as you’re reading this. www.melissabrayden.com
Michele Karlsberg Marketing and Management specializes in publicity for the LGBTQ+ community. This year, Karlsberg celebrates 32 years of successful book campaigns. For more information: https://www.michelekarlsberg.com
Published on June 11, 2020
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