I recently had the pleasure of chatting with indie romance author Emily R Bellas for the Weink Podcast, and I had such a lovely time getting to know her! We talked about her journey from writing stories for herself to publishing five romance novels, how she balances writing with her career as a teacher, and the experiences that inspire her characters. Emily also shared some genuinely useful advice for authors, especially anyone struggling to begin or find time to write. You can listen to the podcast here!
Emily currently has three books available to read on Weink: He Found Her, Ink & Ambition and Expecting Stars.
From a Secret Draft to a Published Novel
Emily has enjoyed reading and writing since she was young, but like many writers, she used to begin stories without finishing them.
That changed during the pandemic. While living alone and teaching from home, she returned to an old draft and decided to complete it. That story became Stuck, her first published novel.
One detail I loved was that Emily kept the entire project a secret. She invested in a developmental editor, worked through the publishing process and then surprised everyone by revealing that she had written a book.
Since then, every new story has helped her grow. She now works with more beta readers and receives more feedback, and she feels that her writing has become more confident and mature with each book.
Writing Characters We Can Connect With
Something I have really enjoyed while reading Emily’s books is her pacing. Her stories never feel rushed or too slow, and every chapter makes you want to find out what happens next.
Her characters are also ambitious, funny and flawed. Even the side characters have their own personalities and stories.
During our conversation, Emily explained that readers do not necessarily want perfect characters. We want people we can understand, even if we have not lived through exactly the same experiences.
We spoke about this in relation to Expecting Stars, which was also Weink’s very first Book Club pick.
The story follows Sienna, a kindergarten teacher who has experienced so much loss that she is afraid to let anyone get too close. She meets Ben, a chef focused on earning his Michelin stars, and what begins as a supposedly simple arrangement quickly becomes more complicated.
Emily used some of her own teaching experiences for the classroom scenes. She also set the story in New York, using streets she knows personally, while researching the world of professional kitchens to make Ben’s story feel authentic.
The Campus Love Series
Emily also introduced us to her Campus Love series, which follows three college roommates.
The first book, Ink & Ambition, centres on Margot, a journalism student who wants to win an internship competition. She decides to create a campus podcast and teams up with one of the most popular people at her college to help it succeed.
I am currently reading Ink & Ambition, and it is the book I would recommend starting with. It is funny, well paced and full of characters who are easy to care about.
Its follow up, Data & Deception, focuses on Margot’s roommate Danika and includes fake dating, forced proximity and the best friend’s brother trope. Emily is also currently working on the third book in the series.
Emily’s Advice for Authors
One of my favourite parts of the interview was hearing Emily’s advice for other writers.
When she feels stuck, she sets a timer for twenty minutes and allows herself to write without worrying about whether the result is good. She can edit or remove it later, but first, she needs something on the page.
Emily also keeps a separate “cutting room floor” document. Whenever she removes a sentence, scene or idea from a draft, she saves it there. She often returns to that document and finds something she can use elsewhere.
For anyone balancing writing with another job, her advice is to create a regular schedule, even if it is only one hour a day. Over time, that small commitment can become part of your routine.
I found her advice honest, practical and reassuring. Writing does not always need to begin with the perfect idea or sentence. Sometimes, you simply have to give yourself permission to start.
Read Emily R Bellas on Weink
You can currently read three of Emily’s books on Weink: He Found Her, Ink & Ambition and Expecting Stars.
Watch our full conversation above to hear more about Emily’s books, her writing process and what she is working on next. You can also follow her on Instagram at @authoremilyrbellas.
