The Writer’s Desk with Jennifer Pepito

Jennifer Pepito is the founder of The Peaceful Press, a company committed to providing learning resources that promote connection between parents and children. Jennifer’s wisdom has also been featured on Wild + Free, The MOB Society, the Washington Post, and Home Educating Family. She unlocked the power of a well-told story and wants you to do the same thing.

Connect with Jennifer on her website, Instagram (or this one), and on Facebook.

More about Mothering by the Book:

Becoming a better, happier mom starts with the stories you tell your kids

As a mom, you want to nurture a strong family, but fear steals your joy. Sometimes you wonder if you’re failing your children or whether you’re cut out for this.

Beloved writer and mom of seven Jennifer Pepito understands. She was intent on loving her children well, but fear and worry pushed her around. Ultimately, she found joy in the most surprising place: the pages of classic literature she read aloud to her children daily. These stories helped her reclaim the wonder of childhood for herself and her children.

In Mothering by the Book, Jennifer takes you on a fascinating, whimsical journey that will bring freedom and fun to your parenting—one great book at a time.

Purchase a copy of Mothering by the Book.

Q&A with Jennifer Pepito

TG: Everyone always asks for an interesting fact, we’re going to flip the question. What is one boring fact about yourself?

JP: One boring fact about me is that I love being at home. Reading aloud to my children, sitting on my front porch with friends, and generally living a quiet life are so precious to me.

TG: Why did you write Mothering by the Book?

JP: I wrote Mothering by the Book because it’s so important for our children to feel like we enjoy them and aren’t just crushed by the worry of caring for them. It’s natural for us to worry about our children, but when our countenance is constantly characterized by worry it causes anxiety in our children as well.

TG: Did you have any surprises or learning moments while writing this title?

JP: It was so easy to get in a writing flow and that surprised me! I had heard horror stories of writers who struggled to finish (and who knows what the next one will be like) so it was a pleasant surprise that writing this was so easy.

TG: What do you hope readers take away from your book?

JP: I hope they realize how important joy is for their children’s well-being and theirs as well. When we let go of fear and choose joy, it changes the whole atmosphere of our home.

TG: Do you have any habits or rituals as a writer?

JP: I love writing first thing in the morning after I’ve read my Bible. It’s so helpful to give the freshest hours of the day to deep work like writing encouraging words for mothers.

TG: What habits would you encourage others to take up to be a more productive writer?

JP: I think that passion and perseverance are the keys to accomplishing big goals so it’s important to create a daily habit of writing if you want to grow in that skill.

TG: What do you snack on or drink while writing?

JP: I always have my morning coffee and a glass of water beside me when I start to write, and if I’m still working later in the day I love munching on dark chocolate, and macadamia nuts while sipping sparkling water.

TG: How do you overcome writer’s block?

JP: I didn’t really get blocked with this book, I just set a daily writing goal that was manageable and the story flowed, but when I’ve been stumped on other projects I try to at least get a minimum of words on paper and then edit them the following day.

TG: Are you an “edit-as-you-go” writer or do you wait until the very end before you do any editing?

JP: I do some editing as I go, re-reading my words before I start writing the next section in a chapter, and then edit again when I finish. Editing is not my favorite and one thing I love about having a traditional publisher is the many rounds of edits that a book goes through so I know it will be really clean.

TG: What would you say is the most common mistake new writers make?

JP: I think failing to create a writing habit is the biggest mistake for new writers, which is why consistently sharing on social media can be a help to aspiring writers. As we make a habit of sharing on our platforms, it can help us develop the skills needed to write a full manuscript.

TG: What is the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received?

JP: I read a book about great artists that talked about their consistency with fitting in daily practice and that was helpful for understanding what it takes to be creative. It was important to realize that it’s not magic, it’s just consistency.

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