I recently had the great opportunity to interview Elizabeth Lee, a senior editor for Penguin Workshop. Lee is also the author of books such as The Queens of New York and The Comeback.
E. L. Shen is a writer and editor living in New York City. Her debut middle grade novel, The Comeback (Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers) is a Junior Library Guild Selection, received two starred reviews, and was praised for its “fast-paced prose, big emotions, and authentic dialogue” in The New York Times. Her young adult debut, The Queens of New York (Quill Tree Books) is a New York Public Library Best Book of the Year, a Junior Library Guild Selection, and a Common Sense Media Selection. Her next novel, Maybe It’s a Sign, publishes on January 23, 2024.
E. L. received her Bachelor of Arts from Barnard College of Columbia University, where she majored in English with a concentration in creative writing. When she is not dreaming up fictional worlds, she can be found stress-baking, figure skating, singing show tunes, and eating too much chocolate. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @elshenwrites.
Questions:
You began your career in editing and then became a highly regarded author. You’re now a Senior Editor at a prestigious publishing firm. You’ve accomplished what most people dream of doing in a lifetime. When did you know you wanted to write and promote stories?
Wow, what kind words! I always knew I wanted to write stories from a young age; when I was in first grade, I wrote picture books on computer paper and begged my teacher to put them in the reading bins. For a long time, I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my writing though—as I grew up, I didn’t really think I could be an author full-time. So, I turned to editing and I ended up really loving it. In fact, I only became an author because an editor at one of my publishing internships suggested I write a story about figure skating. . .this story later became The Comeback. I am truly privileged to do both: help writers tell their stories and craft my own. I feel so creatively flush in every aspect of my life.
In your current role, your focus is on discovering stories representing the marginalized and underrepresented. How has your personal journey as an Asian American woman intertwined with your professional journey? How do you think your identity has influenced the work you have done?
My identity is inherently tied to my work—in fact, I’m not sure I could separate it even if I wanted to! As an Asian American woman in a predominately white industry, I’ve always been so cognizant of the stories we curate for audiences of color, and the power of seeing oneself reflected in words. As an editor, I strive to uplift marginalized voices as much as I can—and that means sharing the diversity of writers’ and their protagonists’ experiences. Marginalized people are not a monolith. I’m excited to continue to help illustrate marginalized pain, joy, success, failure, love, and everything in between.
How has becoming an editor influenced your work as an author?
It’s certainly helped me edit myself more! And I think I’m now more aware of the market and the positioning for every project I write—while I try to initially write in a vacuum, it’s important to keep in mind all the other facets of the publishing process, too.
What does representation look like in the field you are in? How has your role at Penguin Workshop empowered you and your voice as a woman of color? How do you use your voice at Penguin Workshop to effect change for what you are passionate about?
Publishing is slowly becoming more diverse (in every way), but it takes time. I’m excited to see junior marginalized staff continue to rise and gain power and influence in the industry. I’m lucky to have an incredibly supportive team at Penguin Workshop; with their help, I’m able to acquire thoughtful, character-driven marginalized stories which even includes one of the first Hawaiian middle-grade titles to be published by a Big Five publisher—Lei and the Fire Goddess!
I loved that you wrote about figure skating because I am a figure skater too! In your novel, The Comeback, one of the takeaways is that winning isn’t everything. How can the high expectations for young Asian girls, who, because of societal norms, have pressures such as to be the best and to be perfect, be combatted?
That’s awesome that you are a figure skater as well! I think you and Maxine from The Comeback would be great friends. In the book, Maxine experiences a lot of internal pressure to be perfect and to make it to the Olympics. Her situation is unique but as you said, it applies to so many preteens and teens. And I think for many Asian American girls, the “model minority” myth can be extremely harmful. At the end of the day, all anyone can do is try their best. We truly can’t ask more of ourselves. And if we can try to focus on that, hopefully we can stop comparing ourselves to other people and to this nebulous idea of what “perfection” might be. After all, perfection does not exist.
Thank you for writing stories that represent characters who look like me and share my personal experiences. In your novels, you address racism and microaggressions against Asian American girls through such poignant and powerful storytelling. Your characters are flawed, but at the same time, they show great strength, resilience, and spirit. Do you see your younger self in characters like Jia Lee, Ariel Kim, and Everett Hoang?
There are parts of me in all my characters, whether intentional or not! I definitely have Jia’s sense of duty and responsibility, Ariel’s grief and desire to explore something beyond what she knows, and Everett’s spunk and love for musical theater. The girls in many ways also represent my best friends from high school who I’m still friends with today.
Who has had the most significant impact on who you are today?
Oh goodness, so many people! My family, of course, who have always been there for me from day one. I’m also grateful to all my mentors over the years who have encouraged my career to flourish. And I can’t forget the authors—particularly the Asian American authors of my childhood like Paula Yoo, Lisa Yee, and Amy Tan, who were writing stories about Asian girls and women long before it was popular. They made me feel seen.
What advice would you give to young, Asian American girls like me about living and thriving in a society that is sometimes unjust and unfair to us because of our identity?
Find your people and your village—because you can’t get through injustice alone. Lean on adults you trust for support. And try to make an impact—no matter how small.
What have been your greatest successes as an author and editor? What are you looking forward to accomplishing in the future?
As an author, any time a reader sends me a DM or an email or writes a letter to tell me how much they enjoyed my stories or how much they’ve connected with them, I just burst with joy. That really means a lot to me. As an editor, seeing my authors achieve their dreams and reach new readers is so rewarding. I hope to keep writing novels, to continue to learn and grow in my career, and to meet more teens like you!