Critically acclaimed author Jesse Q. Sutanto’s latest thriller You Will Never Be Me releases this month. Sutanto’s works garnered widespread popularity, particularly with her breakout success Dial A for Aunties, a hilarious and heartwarming novel that perfectly blends mystery and romance, and Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers, which showcases her knack for creating compelling characters and intricate plots. Her stories have caught the attention of Hollywood figures, with Oprah and Mindy Kaling acquiring the rights for adaptations. In this interview, Jesse Q. Sutanto gives her insight into her creative process, her author goals, and what it’s like to see her work transition from page to screen.
Your latest novel You Will Never Be Me tackles the “momfluencer” culture. What made you choose this as your focus for a thriller?
As a mom, social media is always pushing momfluencers at me, and I am so obsessed with them! I cannot for the life of me create a perfect picture of my children online, nor do I want to, but I love thinking about what it would take for a mother to try her best to uphold this image of perfection for her fans.
What advice do you have for other thriller authors looking for timely topics like this one?
My advice would be to write whatever interests you, because there is so much research to do that unless the topic excites you, you will find it excruciatingly boring.
You have written a dozen books in less than 5 years in a wide variety of genres, was this pace your intention from the start?
Yes, and no. It took me so long to get my first publishing deal, and during that time I had to learn to move on quickly to new projects in an effort to save my mental health from the constant stream of rejections. By the time I started getting publishing deals, I have become used to this frenetic pace of writing that has since allowed me to release multiple books a year.
On Instagram, you did a great video series on writing a first draft in five weeks. Can you give us a few of your top tips for drafting at this speed?
My top tip would be to lower your standards. Before I start writing each morning, I actually whisper out loud to myself, “I am going to write trash.” This gives me permission to write without judgment, and is so helpful in allowing me to write quickly. My second tip would be to try writing in 15 minute sprints. When I write, there is always this little voice inside my head that tells me that whatever I’m doing is terrible, and the 15 minute timer allows me to ignore that little voice while I am writing.
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Were you always a fast writer or has it developed with time?
This has definitely developed with time. My first book took me three years to write. And now every book takes me five weeks to write. It took me years to get up to speed, so I would not recommend it if someone is just starting out.
With so many books releasing, how do you organize all your ideas?
Terribly! Haha! I have been known to forget the actual release dates of my books, so I definitely am not in a position to give any advice on this!
Talk a little bit about writing in multiple genres. What are some of the challenges, and what do you enjoy about the variety?
So far, I have found it extremely helpful to write in multiple genres. Each genre change has been like a palate cleanser. For example, after writing You Will Never Be Me, I felt really ready to write a lighthearted romcom to get out of the dark headspace I had to get into for this book.
Can you share a little bit about your publishing layout? Do you have multiple agents? Multiple publishers? Is there collaboration or, at least, consideration of the many projects you juggle?
I have just one magical agent who handles all of my books. Her name is Katelyn Detweiler and I can safely say that my career would not be anywhere near what it is now without her. I do have multiple publishers, and there is definitely consideration among the publishers when it comes to things like publication dates. There are so many things to juggle when publishing with multiple houses, so having someone like Katelyn handle my schedule has been extremely helpful.
What advice would you give to authors who might want to pursue a publishing journey similar to yours?
My advice would be to find a speed that you are happy with, first and foremost. Following that, having an agent who shares your vision is crucial. I know of many authors whose agents believe that they should focus on only one genre, and obviously that would not have been a good fit for me.
Oprah and Mindy Kaling have acquired the rights to Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers, and Dial A for Aunties (as well as its sequel and two more of your novels) have been optioned by Netflix. Can you talk about what this has been like and what your involvement is in the adaptations?
It has been unreal! I remember when I got the news that Oprah and Mindy Kaling wanted to partake in the auction for Vera Wong, I was making my kids’ lunchboxes for school. I can tell you that their lunchboxes sucked that day! I have been fortunate enough to be an executive producer for all of my adaptations, and the process has been very exciting and eye-opening for me
Is there a method behind writing books that are primed for adaptation or have you been surprised by Hollywood’s response to your novels?
I have definitely been surprised by Hollywood’s response to my novels. I don’t know that there is a secret formula for coming up with books that interest producers. I think it is a combination of having the right film agents and luck. One thing I do is that while I write, I am always thinking: What would be fun to see on screen if this were a movie? That way I find that my scenes tend to be more visual and perhaps more adaptable because of it.
What are your long-term goals as an author?
Publishing is such a volatile industry that most authors I know can only hope to publish as many books as they are allowed to, and my goals are the same. Every day, I am so grateful for a new chance to write more books and further my career as an author, and I will definitely not ever take this for granted.
You Will Never Be Me by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Influencer Meredith Lee, feeling betrayed after teaching Aspen Palmer the ropes of social media only to be left behind, starts covertly accessing Aspen’s life through one of her children’s iPads. Meredith begins meddling with Aspen’s social media and schedule, taking what she believes is rightfully hers. As Aspen’s life unravels, with sponsors dropping her and personal relationships crumbling, she becomes determined to uncover the saboteur. But the situation becomes even more convoluted when Meredith goes missing and threats start arriving, threatening Aspen’s carefully curated existance.
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