‘I Thought I Was Being Punked!’: Colleen Hoover on Viral Success, Imposter Syndrome and Her Start in Social Work (Exclusive)
We caught up with the bestselling author to discuss her latest novel, her rise to fame and more!
Some writers are storytellers long before they ever put pen to paper. Colleen Hoover is one of them. “I’ve loved telling stories since before I could even write,” she exclusively tells Woman’s World. “I remember being 4 years old and so jealous of my sister because she could read and write. I couldn’t wait to start.”
Born and raised in Sulphur Springs, Texas, Hoover has remained a fixture on bestseller lists since 2011, building a global readership with her emotionally riveting novels. When asked where she finds inspiration for her heartwrenching stories, she credits her earlier career in social work. “I think being in social work for many years definitely contributed to where I pull my inspiration from,” she says. “But mostly, I think my lack of emotion is what makes my books so dramatic to a lot of readers. I just keep pushing and pushing until I feel something.” In recent years, the 46-year-old has gone on to sell more than 35 million books—many of which were adapted into big-screen productions, including It Ends With Us and Regretting You.
Earlier this month, we caught up with Hoover ahead of her highly anticipated new thriller, Woman Down, to discuss the inspiration behind her latest novel, her journey to becoming a bestselling author, the wise advice she has for aspiring writers, the genre she would “love” to explore in her own writing—and much more.
Keep scrolling for our exclusive Q&A!
Woman’s World: Thank you for talking with us, Colleen! What were your early years as an author like?
Colleen Hoover: I majored in writing for about a year before realizing it wouldn’t be a financially stable career that could support our growing family. I switched my major to social work and did that until the age of 31—when I decided to write a story for fun. I self-published it, having zero expectations…and the rest is history.
WW: In the beginning of your career, was there one moment when you knew your life was about to change?
CH: Every moment was a shock and surprise. I do specifically remember the first day I had six sales through Amazon Kindle and I had no idea who those people were, so I called my mother and said, ‘Six people we don’t know bought my ebook!’ We were so excited because I could possibly pay our water bill with the royalties that month. But then every day, something even bigger would happen. When I was told the book hit the New York Times [bestseller list], I thought I was being punked. I don’t know that I’ve even accepted it to this day.
WW: That’s so inspiring. What advice do you have for women who are facing self-doubt or uncertainty in their lives—whether it’s pursuing a dream of writing or following ambitions?
CH: I wish I could say self-doubt is something writers can easily get over, but I still struggle with it. I don’t necessarily see it as a bad thing, though. I’d be more worried if I didn’t have imposter syndrome and I stopped trying to grow as a writer. I think there’s a damaging element to toxic positivity, so the most important thing that has helped keep me sane is to have zero expectations and be grateful for every accomplishment, no matter how big or small.
WW: You’re beloved for your emotionally immersive stories—from romance to thrillers. Woman Down is based on your short story, Saint, right? What inspired you to write this story?
CH: When I was writing Saint, I was given a strict word count limit because we had to fit several stories into one paperback. When I reached my word count but still had so much more I wanted to do with the story, I vowed to make it a complete novel someday. The anthology was a temporary release, so once I was able to rewrite the short story to make it what I had originally wanted, I went for it.
WW: Petra—the FMC in Woman Down—is struggling with writer’s block. Do you have any similarities to Petra? Or, how is she different, or similar to, other FMCs in your books?
CH: Outside of being a writer, I have zero similarities with Petra. In general, my main characters go through things I hope to never experience, so I tend to rely on my imagination more than Petra does!
WW: Does your writing routine change or stay the same when you’re writing a thriller or romantic suspense story versus a romance story? Do you have to get into a different headspace?
CH: It really doesn’t matter what genre I’m writing; every book has a different process. It’s hard when people ask me for advice because every book I’ve written has been completed in different ways. Sometimes I outline, sometimes I write without a clue about the book. Sometimes I write all the chapters from one character and then go back and add a second main character and write their chapters. My process is chaos! I don’t have a schedule of any kind—and I don’t plan to change it because it’s worked for me so far.
WW: Your readers always trust you to take them somewhere emotionally honest—even when the story gets dark. How do you balance unsettling themes with the feeling of hope the audience often looks for in your work?
CH: Honestly, I don’t think much of what readers might expect from me. I thrive off being able to write what I feel like writing, with no genre restrictions or care about what is or isn’t selling. If I start to think too much about what might be expected or what feelings I should put into a book, it becomes less joyful and more of a stressor. If I’m not happy with what I release at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if anyone else is happy with it or not.
WW: What do you want readers to feel when they finish reading Woman Down?
CH: I wrote this book as pure entertainment, so I just hope they’re entertained. But there’s also a level of safety we as women should operate at, so hopefully the storyline will reinforce why we need to be more diligent about the people we allow into our lives.
WW: When it comes to current and upcoming projects, what are you most excited about?
CH: I’m extremely excited for the adaptation of Reminders of Him. I co-wrote the script and was heavily involved in every aspect of this film, so it means a lot to me.
Quickfire questions with author Colleen Hoover
Q: First book or series that made you fall in love with reading?
A: “Everything by Shel Silverstein.”
Q: Recent book or series you really enjoyed reading?
A: “I just finished The Housemaid by Freida McFadden. I had to read it before watching the film and I thoroughly enjoyed both.”
Q: Coffee or tea while writing?
A: “Diet Pepsi. I don’t drink coffee or tea.”
Q: If you could have coffee with any character from your books, who would you choose?
A: “I’d choose Diet Pepsi with Lily from It Ends With Us. I just want to give her a hug.”
Q: Do you have a favorite couple or two from your books? (My all-time fave couple of yours is Sydney and Ridge—I love that book so much.)
A: “Thank you so much! They’re definitely in the top for me, but Quinn and Graham from All Your Perfects hold a special place for me.”
Q: One word to describe Petra in Woman Down?
A: “Daring.”
Q: One sentence of advice you’d give to aspiring writers?
A: “Write what inspires you, not what you think will sell.”
Q: A genre you could see yourself writing in the future?
A: “I would love to tackle dystopian!”
Is there a dystopian novel by Colleen Hoover in our future? We sure hope so! Pick up your copy of Woman Down, out now, today!
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