Poets & Writers
Published on Poets & Writers (https://www.pw.org)

Home > Betsy Robinson

Betsy Robinson [1]

Listed as: 
Fiction Writer
Public address: 
New York, NY
New York US
Email: 
betsy@betsyrobinson-writer.com
Bio: 

I grew up in New York's Hudson Valley and have lived in New York City for more than thirty years. I was an actor for more than a decade and did an amazing array of ridiculous jobs to support that art. Then I became a magazine writer and editor. Now I am a book editor specializing in spiritual and psychological topics, memoirs, blogs, etc. (I can talk about editing, if it is required for a program.) But I write fiction.

Radio host Jonathan Schwartz recently told an anecdote about Stephen Sondheim: When asked if he was happy about selling 25,000 copies of a book, Sondheim replied, "Yeah, but it's always the same 25,000 people who bought the last thing." Schwartz believes this is because Sondheim's work pokes people, throws light on their flaws, and a lot of folks don't like that. Feeling so exposed evokes a kind of existential hysteria, which people attempt to explain through hysterical negative criticisms of Sondheim's work. But 25,000 people do like Sondheim--including me. I like to be poked and my writing pokes. It pokes, makes you laugh, and sometimes cry.

Gives readings: 
Yes
Travels for readings: 
No
In which languages are you fluent?: 
English
Favorite authors: 
John Williams, John Kennedy Toole, Percival Everett, Maggie O'Farrell, Mary Lawson, Ian McEwan, Jess Walter, Carol Shields
Born in: 
New York, NY
New York
Raised in: 
Briarcliff Manor, NY
New York
Website: 
https://www.betsyrobinson-writer.com [2]
Prizes won: 

Black Lawrence Press Big Moose Prize for the novel (The Last Will & Testament of Zelda McFigg); Mid-List Press First Novel Series award (Plan Z by Leslie Kove); Chronogram magazine literary award for short story (Jakey, Get Out of the Buggy); Writers Guild East Fdn. Fellowship; Eugene O'Neill Theater Center Playwrights Conference (twice); first prize in Dubuque Fine Arts one-act contest; 2 Folio Awards for Editorial Excellence (as managing editor for Spirituality & Health magazine)

Agent/Agency name: 
Sara Camilli
Prefers to work with: 
Adults
Teachers
Teenagers

Source URL:https://www.pw.org/directory/writers/betsy_robinson

Links
[1] https://www.pw.org/directory/writers/betsy_robinson [2] https://www.betsyrobinson-writer.com