On Tuesday 22nd January I had the pleasure of interviewing Elizabeth Hamm about her poetry book, Colors of My Heart, her platform, and how she feels about the writing community.
On Wednesday 23rd January, I spoke to Elizabeth again, this time as the interviewee! You can check out her vlog here on February 14th
Until then, here's my interview with Elizabeth...
J: You recently published your debut poetry book- congratulations! Tell me more about what we can expect from that book.
E: My book, Colors of My Heart, A Poetic Memoir, is just that. I gathered together poetry from the last 10-15 years of my life and placed them in a memoir type of book where I poured a great deal of my heart. There are multiple topics from grief to love to horrible friendships and even some patriotic ones sprinkled throughout. What makes my book unique is the little blurb I added at the end of each poem.
J: That's cool! I like that you've got such a variety.
E: Yes, I do. I have several poetry projects in my queue, and I'm not sure which one will be finished first. But I write poetry as I'm inspired and add them to that particular collection.
J: Interesting! So they're broken up like novels, each one having its own vibe or story to tell?
E: I like the thought of "themed" poetry books, and I'm going to attempt at doing those. I don't want to give away any spoilers 😊
J: Haha. Fair enough. I'll just have to keep an eye out to see what you do next. 😉
Tell me a little about your experience publishing for the first time. How was that process for you? Did you self-publish or go traditional? Was it an easy process or did you have difficulties? What kind of struggles did you face?
E: I self-published my poetry, and I didn't decide to actually do that until last April, for Camp NaNoWriMo. I researched and read several accounts that stated that, as a poet, you pretty much have to establish yourself before someone will pick you up and publish you. I thought about it for a long time then decided to jump. I chose November 5 as the publish date because it was my very first book, a dream of mine, and that is my birthday. To say it was easy was not the case at all. I thought it would be easy, but I faced many obstacles that sometimes had me in tears and wondering what in the world I was thinking. I want to say the most difficult thing for me was the formatting part because I didn't have a single clue what in the world I was doing, and it kept messing up.
J: Wow! That's impressive that you pulled it all together in just 7 months! Well done.
I dread formatting myself- I've never done it. So good on you for sticking with it.
It must have felt good to have it complete, and out in the world, on your birthday though- after all that hard work.
E: I cried so many tears. Let me tell you! HAHA! And I asked several other authors questions, and they were super helpful and kind.
J: That's great- that you were able to get the help you needed.
E: I love our writing community! 😊
J: Haha, don't we all!
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Sometimes I think that we, as creatives, or human beings in general, try to be other people or even begin comparing ourselves and our voices to that of other creatives... Just be yourself.
J: Ok, now let’s talk about other projects you might be working on. What can we expect from you in 2019?
E: Well, I've only JUST begun to sit and write out my goals for the year. I wanted to do things a lot differently this year because in years past, its always been the same: make a huge list of goals that are unrealistic and set out to not meet many of them because I went overboard! HAHAHA! So, the one BIG goal I do have for this year is a secret project that I started last summer, and I really would LOVE to publish it this summer. It's a huge undertaking to say the least, and good vibes are very appreciated! 😊
J: It's great that you've taken a more realistic approach to your goals this year, and not rushed them.
E: Thank you!
J: What about your YouTube channel. What can we expect from you over there?
E: I plan on taking a different approach on there as well. Sometimes I think that we, as creatives, or human beings in general, try to be other people or even begin comparing ourselves and our voices to that of other creatives. I have a particular writing friend of mine who has helped me with this especially. She continually tells me that there are no rules. Just be yourself. Stop looking at other authors, writers, artists. So in regards to YouTube, I plan on being more down to earth and transparent. I want to have a platform where others come to feel heard and as if they don't have to live up to something that's out of reach. I want to be a safe place to talk about ideas and help each other. And I don't want to come across as someone who is out of reach.
J: I LOVE THAT! You are so right. So many of us, unintentionally, try to be like other people, and we lose ourselves along the way.
E: Thank you!
J: Following from that comment, I want to ask you a little about your advice to new writers out there.
What do you think is the hardest thing budding writers face when first starting out?
E: The hardest thing for me was not knowing where or how to start. I began viewing other platforms and the more I thought about it, the more I began to panic. And the more I panicked, the more I didn't know where to start. It was a vicious cycle. So, my best advice would be to JUST WRITE. Write how you write. Outline if you want. Or don't. [Fly by the seat of your] pants if you wish. Or don't. Choose to write one book at a time or two or three. But write how you know you write the best. There are no rules. The rules come into play in the editing stage. Save your stress for then, but in all, enjoy the process!
J: That's really great advice.
So, we all know there's a lot of struggles when starting out, but what would you say is the BEST thing about getting started and making a place for yourself in the writing community?
E: The best part was the friends I've met along the way. For the longest time, I was the only writer I actually knew! Haha! Then when I was in college, I had a writer friend, and we'd actually meet up and write long-hand with pens and journals down at our campus lake. When I graduated from college, we kept in touch, but it wasn't the same, and somewhere along the way, I felt kind of lost and isolated. I actually stumbled on the writing community from doing research for NaNoWriMo in the fall of 2017, and that was on YouTube! The friendships and support are where it's at! 😊
J: Agreed. The "community" feel of the writing community is the best part for me. That and the wealth of information. Tell me, when you're stuck and looking for answers, where do you go? Do you jump straight on YouTube (AuthorTube) or message a friend or something else?
E: I'd have to say it's an array of things. I have one particular friend with whom I bounce ideas off of and vice versa, and depending on the question or issue, I'll either go on YouTube or browse Instagram
J: Cool. So you've got a healthy variety of resources at your disposal. That's helpful.
E: Yes 😊
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J: Ok, one last question...
If you could leave your readers/viewers/followers with any message about writing or life in general, what would that message be?
E: The one message I'd love to leave for anyone who will listen is simple. Love. Learn to love yourself. The rest will fall into place. I truly believe that once you learn to love yourself, self care will come into play. Then, you're love can be felt by others. Your care can be felt. Everything you do will be filled with passion, and it will show in your writing and how you interact with others. It ties into our writing. If we don't love ourselves, our writing won't be any good because self doubt will arise, etc. So, my message is simply: LOVE.
J: That is a BEAUTIFUL message to leave people with.
E: Thank you! 😊
J: I couldn't think of a better way to end an interview. So, with that said... Thank you for talking with me today. It's been great getting to know you and your platform a little better. I look forward to seeing what comes next- including whatever this secret project is. 😉
One message I'd love to leave... Love.
Check out Elizabeth, soak up all the advice she has to share, and follow her journey as an author on all the usual accounts: