#191: Debra Curtis — Becoming a Novelist After Sixty, Surviving Hundreds of Rejections, Radical Forgiveness, and Not Giving Up as a Writer

#191: Debra Curtis — Becoming a Novelist After Sixty, Surviving Hundreds of Rejections, Radical Forgiveness, and Not Giving Up as a Writer

From London Writers' Salon by Parul Bavishi, Matthew Trinetti

April 25, 2026 · 59 min · Episode 191

About this episode

Debra Curtis discusses her journey to becoming a novelist later in life, overcoming challenges such as dyslexia and rejection.

Debut novelist Debra Curtis on teaching herself to write by copying poems by hand as a dyslexic child, using contemporary novels as craft manuals to learn structure, meeting the Dalai Lama, the importance of radical forgiveness & publishing her first novel in her sixties after years of rejection.

People in this episode

Hosts: Parul Bavishi, Matthew Trinetti

Guest: Debra Curtis

Topics covered

  • novel writing
  • rejection
  • dyslexia
  • radical forgiveness
  • perseverance
  • self-teaching

Keywords

  • novelist
  • writing process
  • rejections
  • dyslexia
  • first novel
  • craft manuals
  • radical forgiveness

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