CSL Blog Project: Indie Writers- The Journey Beyond Our Comfort Zones (Carina Siu and Elise Judd)
The emerging trend of indie publishing is on the rise as indie writers are becoming more and more prevalent in the writing community. With the influx of social media platforms where writers can share and promote their work, it has become easier for small independent writers to share their work with the world. This is where we find Elise Judd, a science fiction and fantasy writer from Medicine Hat who loves to share her own tips and tricks to writing and is not afraid to share the challenges of being a writer through her own personal blog. Below, you can find an interview that I conducted with Elise Judd where she shares a little more about herself:
- Outside of being a writer you run the Medicine Hat Rhyme and Reason Writers Club, could you please introduce what you guys do and what has inspired you to become the president of the club?
Our club has been operating since 1982 and exists to help provide local writers with resources and support to write and publish their works. I happened to join a few months before the previous Board of Directors’ terms were up and the new Board voted me in as president. I didn’t mean to get the position of president, but I’m grateful I did. It’s a lot of work and there have been a few times I wondered if I made the right choice, but overall I’ve learned so much and have grown incredibly as a writer. - How has being the president of this club personally influenced you as a writer?
In this age, indie publishing is on the rise, and if you don’t know how to market yourself as an author you’re going to have trouble selling your book. Becoming president of a writing club forces me to think like a leader and an entrepreneur, and I constantly find myself pushing through my comfort zone to to learn and grow and share. I’ve met incredible people, I’ve put myself out there as a writer and am learning to reach for opportunities I’d previously been too timid to take. - What are some possible future projects that are coming out soon that audiences can expect to read and could you briefly describe them?
My debut novel is scheduled for release late 2019, called “Spacekittens”. It’s about five kittens from a newly discovered planet, who sneak into space to find adventure. They discover an ancient alien technology, uncover a galactic conspiracy, and cause general havoc and mayhem.
The main thing I learned from Elise Judd is to step out of your comfort zone, and not be afraid of challenges that may seem intimidating at first. As a student myself, I find it very admirable that Elise Judd has taken on the responsibilities to be the president of the MHRARWC. As she has stated above it has taken a lot hard work and effort. Despite having all these responsibilities, Elise Judd balances her novel writing with her weekly werewolf flash fiction series on her instagram page. It amazes me how she can handle all these responsibilities at once, thus making her the prime example of a successful indie writer: one who works hard to gain recognition and constantly strives to be the best version of herself. Here is one of my favorite quotes from one of Elise’s instagram posts:
“When life shuts a door… open it again. It’s a door, that’s how they work.” (@authoreejudd)
Click here to see all the member interviews.