Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Carrie Berk

Sixteen-year-old bestselling author Carrie Berk discovered her passion for storytelling in second grade. Yes, second grade! She was enamored with the idea of bringing real-life themes into fictional scenarios.

She’s gone on to write over twenty books, which have not only connected with audiences around the world, but have also inspired the next generation of writers.

Her latest, Frenemies, is an important story about the strength of friendship and overcoming difficult times. Pop Culturalist caught up with Carrie to chat about the book!

PC: How did you discover your passion for writing?
Carrie: When I was in second grade, my teacher taught my class about realistic fiction. The way in which I could project significant real-life themes onto fictional scenarios captivated me. That same year, I came home from school one day and wrote a one-paragraph book proposal for The Cupcake Club, outlining the story of four girls who are outsiders at their school but come together to form an unstoppable baking group (simultaneously combating bullying). I convinced my mom—a celebrity ghostwriter—to send the proposal to her book agent. We were actually on a Disney cruise when she got a call from her agent saying that three publishers were interested in us doing The Cupcake Club as a mother-daughter book series! So, I guess my passion for writing really started at that moment. Since then, I’ve been writing as much as I can (my website Carrie’s Chronicles features over 350 articles I’ve written to date).

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Carrie: My mom. I am so lucky to have someone as talented as her to bounce ideas off of and spark inspiration when I have “writer’s block”. She is an endless source of creativity, and I am constantly amazed by her writing talent.

PC: You’ve had tremendous success in your young career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that sticks out to you?
Carrie: Recently, I was giving a lecture at my former elementary school to fifth-grade students about Ask Emma 3: Boy Trouble. After the Q&A session, a girl came up to me and thanked me for inspiring her to become a writer when she grows up. She explained how in the future, she wants to write books just like me. Small moments like those are why I do what I do.

PC: Tell us about your new book, Frenemies. What inspired it?
Carrie: I felt like Ask Emma readers could really relate to relationship problems with friends—disagreements are so rampant in middle and high school. Sometimes it’s hard to know who is on your side and has your best interests at heart. Personally, I have had my fair share of frenemies, and I know firsthand what it feels like when someone you trust turns against you. In the book, Emma has been besties with Harriet and Izzy since kindergarten, but they suddenly ice her out over a misunderstanding. She then works hard to make things right between them. Ultimately, I wanted to show that strong friendships can work through any argument as long as everyone is willing to listen and practice mutual respect. People grow up and grow apart and friend fights happen—that’s reality–but true BFFs can weather any storm.

PC: You’ve written over twenty-one books. What is your creative process like? Has it changed from book to book?
Carrie: It starts with a brainstorming session where my mom and I sit down and bounce ideas off each other, jotting down ideas on paper or on the computer. Then, one of us writes a chapter and sends it to the other person for edits/feedback. This process repeats over and over until the entire manuscript is written. Once we have a complete first draft, my mom prints it out for me and I mark my final changes with a bright red pen. We send it to our editor who sends it back with his edits and questions, then a copy editor proofreads and fact checks and we respond to his/her queries. I usually read the book as a whole about six times before we receive the final galleys (large sheets of paper that show the pages typeset as they’d appear in the actual book). At this stage, we can only make “emergency edits” because it’s close to being shipped for printing. Lastly, we receive an advanced reading copy in the mail, which looks like the actual book, but it is not released to the public yet. On the day the book comes out, my mom and I go to Barnes and Noble and take a picture of it on the shelves!

PC: You’re an ambassador for No Bully. How did you get involved with the organization? Have you always known you wanted to use your platform to bring awareness to different causes?
Carrie: Ever since I published my first book, I knew that I wanted to use my writing to bring about a positive change in the world. I found out about No Bully while I was in the middle of writing the first Ask Emma book. I wish I had known about the organization earlier when I was being bullied in middle school and struggling to cope. I felt an immediate connection to No Bully and their mission: to eradicate bullying with empathy and compassion. They teach kids that they always have the power to choose kindness. I decided to dedicate the first book in the Ask Emma series to No Bully because they are true champions for change; it’s an honor to be associated with their work and their message.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Carrie: Gilmore Girls

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Carrie: Clueless

PC: Favorite book?
Carrie: The Great Gatsby

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Carrie: Hamilton

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Carrie: Panic! At The Disco

PC: Last show you binge-watched?
Carrie: Stranger Things season 3. So epic.

PC: Hidden talent?
Carrie: Boxing!

To keep up with Carrie, follow her on Twitter and Instagram, and pick up Frenemies on Amazon or at Barnes and Noble.