Interview with Sara Lippmann

Last year Rachel and I were talking about writers we loved and she said I must read Sara Lippmann’s short story collection, Jerks. She said Sara is a delightful, funny, and generous person and her work reflects this, said she was sure I’d love it. And she was right– I found myself captivated in a coffee shop by my kid’s school for the whole of one morning, because I couldn’t put it down. I wanted to read the first story, I think I read four.

photo credit: M. Price

Sara Lippmann is the author of not only Jerks, but another short story collection, Doll Palace. Her debut novel Lech came out in fall 2022. Brooklyn-based, she is a founding member of the Writing Co-Lab, which is a teaching cooperative, and a great place to check out classes! This month she’s hosting a weekday write-in called Ungodly Hour Writing Club for all you early risers out there! 

I’m so happy Sara agreed to this interview!

Did you ever go through a period of doubt, thinking this book wouldn’t see the light of day?

There is only ever doubt. Lech nearly did not see the light of day. There were so many points along the way, from the drafting, to discussions with my agent, to the long stretch of revision, and then on to the eventual submission — we went out with it during the pandemic summer of 2020 and it did not get picked up — pretty much until it found a home with Tortoise Books. It was such a long process, painful at times, despairing at others, but also illuminating. Through it all, I learned a ton. Eventually, I made peace with the fact that it might not become a thing, and that was honestly OK, because the experience alone changed me deeply. I am no longer the person I was before I embarked on a novel length project. 

Do you have any tricks or tips for staying motivated? 

Embrace the project for the sake of the project. Do it because you love it. Because you have something to say. That is the only thing you can control, the only thing that matters. There is a chasm between art and marketplace — and do not let the whims of the market become a referendum of your work. Likewise, own your voice, vision and sensibility. Your work may be a great fit for the industry; and if so, HOORAY! And also it may not, which is why you best enjoy like hell the simple act of doing. And if/when you do feel stuck, shift gears. Stir things up. If you're working on a long project, knock out some flash. Write a poem, an essay. I'm an enormous proponent of cheating on one project with another. I cheated on Lech with short stories, a more natural muscle for me. Sure, perhaps it extended the process by years. But in the meantime, I pooped out an entire collection, Jerks, so that was a bonus. Cheating with stories provided a necessary jolt of energy, which helped me to cross the novel finish line.

Any reading recommendations? 

I continually find myself drawn to those who not only are unapologetic when it comes to voice, but unapologetic in form, too — and Jiordan Castle (Disappearing Act, YA memoir in verse!), Deborah Levy (living biography trilogy), Robert Lopez (Dispatches from Puerto Nowhere), Muriel Spark (The Driver's Seat) and Yaacov Shabtai (Past Continuous) all stand out in that category. This year also marked a return to my first love, the short story, and outstanding cohesive collections by Sidik Fofana (Stories From the Tenants Downstairs), Nicole Krauss (To Be A Man) Andrew Porter (The Disappeared), and Jolene McIlwain (Sidle Creek) to name a few.

Can you share a song recommendation?

We used to listen to the entire Simon & Garfunkel songbook on family road trips, and I remember from a very young age looking out the window as snow fell northbound to Vermont feeling seen for the first time. I could probably pick any number of songs that fit this category, but I do feel like 'America' nails the particular sensibility of the writer: "Kathy, I'm lost, I say, though I knew she was sleeping..."

Thank you, Sara!

Ps. You might notice our links today are heading to the Madison Street Books’ Bookshop page instead of their website– this is because in January their store is under construction for the water damage they sustained last fall. If you’re buying books online this month, consider supporting them while they stay closed through their bookshop page!