Submission Sunday 1.8.23: Interview with Edan Lepucki

On submission, rejection, and other author concerns

Happy Sunday, writers! This week, we’re talking with author Edan Lepucki. The photo above was taken at El Condor in Silverlake during one of the holiday parties for Writing Workshops Los Angeles. Edan founded the private writing school “for the brave, enthusiastic, and talented” after she returned to LA with her MFA from the University of Iowa. I started teaching nonfiction for WWLA in 2010, joined Edan as co-director in 2014 after we hosted WWLA: The Conference at the Autry Museum, and took over as director following the publication of Edan’s first novel California. (You might remember California from its appearance on The Colbert Report.)

On the eve of the publication of her third novel, Time’s Mouth (Counterpoint Press, August 2023), Edan and I had a chat about submission, rejection, and other author concerns. If you’ve been considering a paid subscription to support Submission Sunday, today might be a good time!

It took two years to get my first story published . . . and then another two years to get my second story published. After that, I had more success, but never stopped hearing NO. Those rejections stung but they were also expected, badges of honor I collected.