In Conversation with Rachel Lynn Solomon
A rising name in YA contemporary as well as Adult romances, Rachel Lynn Solomon (RLS) is widely known for writing relatable, heart-warming stories filled to the brim with honest characters as they get through life and its unravelling threads, fall in love, and discover themselves. With stories that are as much a love letter to cities and places as to love itself, Rachel’s books have garnered thousands of great reviews on GoodReads and Bookstagram, appearing on many TBR and recommendation lists! Today, in this interview with Rachel herself, Varsha (VMK) delves into Rachel’s writing process, her thoughts on romance as a genre, the importance of accurate diversity and representation and some of her most handy writing tips for aspiring writers.
VMK
The first book of yours I read was Today Tonight Tomorrow, which still remains one of my favourite books of all time. How much of your own experiences and memories from Seattle made it into the book?
RLS
Thank you so much! Those characters are incredibly close to my heart. The book is a mix of Seattle experiences I’ve had, haven’t had, and some I actually sought out specifically for the book! One example is the Red Room at the Seattle Public Library. I read about it online and thought it would be interesting to include in the book, so I went there to take some notes, and it wound up becoming one of my favourite scenes.
VMK
A running theme through all your work is an emphasis you place on diversity and representation. Your most recent work, Weather Girl, talks of mental health representation as well as body positivity. What are your thoughts regarding representation in books, and what accounts as accurate, appropriate representation, be it of diversity or mental health?
RLS
Everyone should be able to see themselves in books, and hopefully we’ll one day get to a place where that’s consistently happening. Romance in particular has diversified a tremendous amount in recent years. I’m always mindful of my limits as a white Jewish author writing diversely—I never want my casts to be entirely white and straight and able-bodied, because that is not what the world looks like, but I also don’t want to take up space writing a POV character whose background is vastly different from my own when I can’t write that as authentically as someone with that background. When writing a character outside your experience, it’s crucial that the character’s race, sexuality, religion, disability, etc. is not their sole defining trait. That said, I also never want to erase any of those experiences. I’m far from perfect, but this is something that’s often on my mind, and I’m always trying to do better.
VMK
You just published your second adult romance, Weather Girl. Congratulations! Up till your debut adult romance, The Ex Talk, you had previously written young-adult contemporary fiction. What did it feel like, to transition from writing young-adult to writing adult romances? Did you encounter any hindrances, or was it an easy transition?
RLS
It was a relatively easy transition, in part because my YA novels are on the more mature end; most of my characters are eighteen. The biggest difference is the amount of independence that my adult characters have. They don’t have to answer to their parents, they have (some) financial freedom, and they can simply get in a car and drive without telling anyone where they’re going. when it comes to romantic relationships, they’re thinking about bigger questions of marriage and children, if those are things they’re interested in.
VMK
Your books have struck quite a chord with readers everywhere, regardless of where they are from and who they are. How do you write such stories and characters that seem so relatable and so realistic, like someone one would meet on a daily basis?
RLS
That means so much to me, thank you! It’s still surreal to imagine my books being read in places I’ve never been. I spend a lot of time coming up with my characters’ backstories, their fears and desires, the things they’d never admit to anyone else, the things they’d never admit to themselves. I love writing messy characters, even if they’re otherwise ambitious or successful in their careers—messy in the sense that they make mistakes and they’re still trying to figure out who they really are. I think that messiness is very relatable.
VMK
Finally, these are some questions for the writers’ section of our interview, for our readers who are also aspiring writers:
In Today Tonight Tomorrow, Rowan, as a reader and a writer, is unapologetically in love with the romance genre. What would your advice be to writers who want to write a particular genre, but are apprehensive because of the stigma that surrounds it, or because they feel they cannot do it justice?
RLS
It took me a while to feel confident admitting I love romance because it sadly still carries a bit of a stigma sometimes. But there’s so much joy and freedom in embracing the things we love. The best writing advice I can give is to: 1) Read as much as possible, and 2) Allow your drafts to be messy (much like your characters!). My first drafts are a bit incoherent, and I try my best not to self-edit as I go—otherwise I’d never finish!
VMK
According to you, what are the easiest parts to write in a story, and what are the most difficult? How would you suggest tackling the latter?
RLS
Because I write romance, chemistry between the two characters is sometimes the easiest part of the book and sometimes the hardest! It feels like a gamble, dropping two characters into a Word document and hoping they spark in that way that makes me turn pages as a reader. If they don’t, I spend time brainstorming how to add more tension and how they might interact in a more exciting way. I also have to accept that they may not have chemistry in the first draft, but I can add details to amplify that in revision.
VMK
Do you have any tips for writing diversity and representation accurately?
RLS
I can only speak directly to writing Jewish characters and characters with mental illness, but I think this applies for writing any character outside your experience: research, speak with people, be humble and ready to listen. These are some great resources:
Note: This interview was conducted via e-mail.