Behind-the-scenes stories of creative lives are often as fascinating and worthwhile as the projects they yield, and can inspire us all. Join me as I find out what creators have learned along the way—and help folks get their creative lives back on track.
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Behind-the-scenes stories of creative lives are often as fascinating and worthwhile as the projects they yield, and can inspire us all. Join me as I find out what creators have learned along the way—and help folks get their creative lives back on track.
Listen Again: Poetry and Viral Success with Jennae Cecelia
Follow Your Curiosity
1 hour 3 minutes 19 seconds
2 months ago
Listen Again: Poetry and Viral Success with Jennae Cecelia
Jennae Cecelia is a best-selling author and poet known for her poetry books, Uncaged Wallflower, The Sun Will Rise and So Will We, and Healing for No One But Me. Her mission as an author is to comfort and encourage people. In addition to writing, she is focused on helping other authors learn how to successfully put their writing out into the world. Jennae joins me to talk about how she got her start with poetry, including her family’s reaction to the idea of poetry as a career; the unexpected experience of having a viral self-published poetry book; how she helps other authors master the art of self-publishing; what it’s like writing custom poetry for others, and more.
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Introduction01:10 Jennae discusses her childhood imagination and family influences03:55 Role models and seeing creativity as a realistic pursuit05:16 Leaning into creativity after early publishing success08:07 Family reactions to pursuing poetry as a career10:49 Reflecting on misconceptions about job security and risks13:39 Jennae's self-publishing strategies and viral book success16:56 Building momentum with multiple books and Amazon rankings20:36 The importance of poetry in paperback form22:38 Impacts of viral success on her perspective and career26:14 Jennae's writing process, journey from simplicity to detail30:07 Finding readers through specificity in poetry33:00 Advice for authors and importance of perseverance37:34 Managing perfectionism in writing and publishing40:49 Custom poetry projects and their meaningful connections45:56 Emotional experiences writing for others, from weddings to memorials49:12 Deciding to traditionally publish for broader reach and goals55:09 Reflecting on the challenges and anticipation of traditional publishing
Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my previous interviews with guests in writing.
Check out the full show notes (now including transcripts!) at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack.
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Follow Your Curiosity
Behind-the-scenes stories of creative lives are often as fascinating and worthwhile as the projects they yield, and can inspire us all. Join me as I find out what creators have learned along the way—and help folks get their creative lives back on track.
