Today we’d like to introduce you to Julia Roller
Hi Julia, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I always wanted to be a writer, since around first grade when I got in trouble for hiding a novel behind my math book in class. But it didn’t always seem to be a practical path. I was also fascinated by religion and majored in religion and international relations in college. After college, I attended UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism and received a Master’s of Journalism and a Master’s of Theological Studies from the nearby Pacific School of Religion. I was still unsure about writing as a career path, however, and found my first full-time job in book publishing, as an assistant editor at HarperOne Publishers. It turned out to be a dream job. HarperOne published many of the religion and spirituality books I’d been reading in school and for enjoyment. I realized quickly that editing was fulfilling, and that editing made me a better writer and vice versa. I was in my early twenties when I started my job there and it took some courage to even try to edit books by well-known Christian authors, but gradually I started to realize that I really could help them make their books better, and I began to love the process. I hadn’t given up on my dreams of writing, but I realized that I truly loved helping other people tell their stories.
These days I juggle both as a freelance editor for more than 20 years and the author of eight books. I continue to see the synergy between editing and writing. My experiences as a writer have made me a better and more sympathetic editor, one who takes the time to encourage and point out what my clients are doing well. And my editing experience has sharpened my writing skills.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The kind of writing I most enjoy is personal narrative, in both books and in shorter forms such as blog posts on my web site. I’ve learned that I process my experiences through writing about them. So when I was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 39 while 39 weeks pregnant with my third child, I knew that I would be writing one day about that experience. It always takes time to look back and see the larger picture of what is happening, especially with something as traumatic as a cancer diagnosis. After the first days of shock and dismay passed and I entered a new world of surgery and treatment while caring for a newborn baby girl, I realized that the narrative theme underlying that time was hospitality. More specifically, what it felt like to receive hospitality from my doctors, my family, my friends, and my neighbors. During my surgery and treatment, I was on a meal train for six months, which meant that for all that time people, some of whom I didn’t even know, brought my family meals at least a couple of times a week. Their generosity made me feel less alone during that time and led to my forthcoming book, Being Loved. I’m happy to report that I’m cancer-free and my daughter is healthy and thriving. And I’m grateful for writing to help me frame the experience in a positive way that helps me to focus on gratitude for all the people around me who helped me through that time. I think it has also given me the necessary empathy to help shape the books of my editing clients who are also writing about traumatic experiences in their own lives.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I write primarily Christian books, such as devotionals, study guides, and Christian living. My books include Mom Seeks God, A Year with God (with Richard J. Foster), A Year with Aslan, 25 Books Every Christian Should Read, Connecting with God, Learning from Jesus, Living the Mission, and Prayer and Worship. My favorite genre to write is personal narrative, and my next book, Being Loved, is a deeper look at the practice of hospitality within the personal narrative of my experience of being diagnosed with breast cancer.
I have edited all kinds of books, from religion and spirituality to romance and satire. Recent titles include The Penmanship Murders by Mark C. Hull, We in the Shadow by Michael D. Riley, and Wild + Free Holidays. I’ve worked with many of my clients on multiple books. You can find some editing testimonials and more information about working with me as an editor at https://www.juliaroller.com/editing-service/.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.juliaroller.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julialroller/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JuliaLRoller/
Image Credits
Giselle Nyenhuis
