I thought about the parent-teacher dynamic—its highs and lows, and how we could all work better, together. Notes turned into pages, which turned into chapters, and The Overly Honest Teacher was born.
Meredith Essalat – 6 November 2020
The Back Flap
As both a teacher and school principal, Meredith Essalat has lived the daily challenges of helping children navigate through their young lives. She has seen the struggles that parents have as they balance longer working hours with the demands of home life. And how it’s the teachers who are often caught in the middle. In an effort to stop pointing out each other’s flaws—and instead letting kids know they are supported—Meredith offers hard-won pointers, enabling parents, teachers, and students alike to encourage one another while holding everyone accountable for their actions.
Combining humor with straightforward, practical advice, The Overly Honest Teacher shows parents how to welcome everyday parenting gracefully. The results will be well-adjusted, positive, enthusiastic young adults ready to work hard and take on the world. And isn’t that what we all want for our children?
About the book
What is the book about?
The Overly Honest Teacher is narrative non-fiction written from the perspective of an educator, speaking to the modern-day parent community. Its premise is quite simple―tools and tips, anecdotes and advice, from one side of the desk to the other.
When did you start writing the book?
I started writing the book in 2014. My husband and I had just moved to Dallas, Texas, and I was on a hiatus from teaching full-time.
How long did it take you to write it?
I worked on it, full-time, for about 18-months. But, once I began my principalship in 2016 (when we moved back to San Francisco), the manuscript was shelved. I would open up the document from time to time and add in an anecdote that fit well within what was already crafted. But, it wasn’t until the summer of 2019, when I signed on with The Collective Book Studio, that I really jumped back into working on it again, full-time.
Where did you get the idea from?
As I settled into my Texan teaching hiatus, I began to reflect on my time in the classroom– jotting down memories and deliberations on what lessons landed well and which ones fell flat. From there, I thought about the parent-teacher dynamic—its highs and lows, and how we could all work better, together. Notes turned into pages, which turned into chapters, and The Overly Honest Teacher was born.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
Writing this book forced me to evaluate how arduous my first few years of teaching really were and that definitely served me a slice or two of humble pie. Those early days as a middle school teacher were certainly not glamorous, and I fell flat on my face, time and time again. So, the self-deprecating factor in this book is high.
What came easily?
Oh, it was easy to locate the silver lining in even the toughest of circumstances that I wrote about. Optimism is definitely my mainframe viewpoint for most things in life, so as I reflected back, especially on my memories of banter with my students, the pranks and hijinks of life spent with middle schoolers, it was so easy to narrate why I made teaching my profession, and why I am still here, to this day, to attest to the power of education.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
The identities of anyone mentioned have been changed, but every story, conversation, and certainly, misstep on my part, are true.
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
I am a bit obsessed with the blunt wit of Jenny Mollen. Any author who can assert such power in their opinion and not have it be polarizing but rather, relatable to readers from any and all walks of life, is genius, in my opinion.
Do you have a target reader?
Definitely parents of children of all ages and teachers of all grade levels! Most of my anecdotes come from my time teaching middle school, but the dilemmas, shenanigans, and carryings-on that I encountered, describe, and dealt with will certainly enlighten school-aged parents, for sure.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
Fly by the seat of my pants, I guess? No really, I write when an idea strikes me. I am generally much better at creating content when I am under tight deadlines than when I have an enormity of time in front of me. Does that make a procrastinator? Probably. Just don’t tell my students as I have always encouraged them to plan ahead and manage their time!
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
Definitely not.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
A little bit of both, I would say. My writing style is certainly one where I write as I speak—so, that often results in narrative that gets refined a few times over, both during the drafting process and afterwards, too.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
Nope. I have to have quiet in order to write. I’ve been testing the waters of binaural beats to see if those assist me in the narrative process without getting distracted by lyrics, but so far, for me—quiet is queen.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
Way back in 2014, I reached out to some. But, the manuscript and concept were both far too unevolved at that point to pique anyone’s interest seriously.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
It really was where a door opened. I recognized that I had an incredible opportunity to go with an indie publisher that was comprised of tremendously seasoned industry leadership who allowed me to maintain creative license and have a voice in the publishing process. They also possessed a love for my book in the same way that I, as its author, have.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
Oh, I could never have envisioned something as eye-catching and perfect for OHT as did the genius of Andrea Kelly, The Collective Book Studio’s Graphic Designer.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
I have an incredible team of champions behind OHT. My publisher, Angela Engel; my publicist, Catherine Kennedy; and, Whitney Fatone of Candor Way who handles all social media.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
Go for it, but don’t go it alone. I cannot imagine traversing the publishing process on my own after having the chance to work with those who know the industry far better than I ever will. Having the perspective of outside collaborators to edit my work, point out its flaws and flailings was so important in bringing OHT to life. It has evolved to such a beautiful place, one which I never could have imagined if I forged ahead on my own and didn’t seek the assistance of others.
About You
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Redwood City, California with my mom, dad, and younger brother.
Where do you live now?
I live in San Francisco, California with my husband.
What would you like readers to know about you?
As I say in my book, I am the best version of myself when I am teaching. But, a pretty close second iteration would be me eating pizza, taking in a good flea market or two, jumping on a bike in a SoulCycle class, and planning my next trip to New York City.
What are you working on now?
I am in the process of framing out a companion workbook to The Overly Honest Teacher so that parents can take my advice in the book and illustrate for themselves how to put those techniques into practice with their child/ren. There will be opportunities for both kids and their parents to work on goal setting, communication strategies, and build a deeper understanding of both parties’ ideologies, with prompts to encourage an alignment of such for more meaningful connections.
End of Interview:
For more from Meredith, visit her website, follow her on Twitter, and like her Facebook page.
Get your copy of The Overly Honest Teacher from Amazon US or Amazon UK.