Breaking Out: Danielle Prescod

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We first connected with Danielle Prescod during her debut novel's publication and featured her in our September/October 2022's Breaking In column. Now that her next publication hit the shelves on February 1, 2025, we're reconnecting with her.

Well, from start to finish, the first draft took four months. And then another six months after that, it was all done. 

I think I am more patient with myself in the process, especially during the ideation and creation. My first book was a memoir, and it was easy for me to write that way because I had been writing personal narrative pieces for years. Writing fiction was a really different experience for me. Some days, the words would just not come. Some days, ideas were formless. In fiction, daydreaming is more of the work. Reading is more of the work, and it requires more patience on my part to let things come to me rather than try to find them and force them out. 

This book felt so much more personal than writing non-fiction. I felt so vulnerable, like people would read all of these things that I made up and question why things were in my head. I was more protective over these characters than I was over myself. 

I feel like I gave every character a specific voice. I really wanted them to feel distinct, and I am really proud of how they turned out. 

Yes, I don’t ever want to see four different timelines converging in my future. I have no idea what I was thinking. 

Being nice in Goodreads reviews is good karma.

I am working on my next two books! 

X, Instagram, Threads: @danielleprescod
TikTok: @danielleprescod7
Website: DaniellePrescod.com