Good morning world!
August is a special month because we (finally) are celebrating the release of Abbie Emmons's debut novel - 100 Days of Sunlight. Now, I know most of you have been hyped for this since May when she announced it, but in case you have no idea who Abbie is, I hope you will get to know her a little bit today and then you'll go follow her afterward (especially if you're a writer or entrepreneur. . .you NEED her advice in your life)
I have been following Abbie since 2015 or so, and I just continue to be amazed how much she's grown in 4 years. She has a wildly successful blog + youtube channel, and now a self-published novel - which I know will be just as successful as everything else she does. One thing about Abbie you'll find, is that whatever she does, she does with excellence. What she says, she wholeheartedly believes. . .and practices. And I'm just so honored to know her and here to cheer her on to great and greater things.
Okay. I'll stop. It's Abbie's turn.
What was your favorite/least favorite part of writing 100 Days?
My favorite part – that’s such a hard question! I loved writing 100 Days. It was a writing experience like no other, really. I woke up every morning genuinely excited to write. And I finished the first draft in 27 days (which is still my personal record!) I loved every part of writing this book, from the research to the backstory to outlining to drafting. My least favorite part was probably the first round of edits, but that’s always my least favorite part.
How did you decide that 100 Days was the first book you wanted to publish?
I always knew there was something a bit special about this book. I felt that way before I wrote it, as I was writing it, and after I finished the first draft. It felt like a story that had been in my heart for a long time, waiting to blossom. I consider it my best work and I always knew it would be my debut novel.
Do your reading tastes influence your writing life? How?
I think so. They say you tend to write what you gravitate towards reading, and I know that to be true in my own life. I love reading contemporary romance with a bit of comedy, drama, and lots of friendship/family themes. Incidentally, that’s also what I love to write. I think one of the best pieces of writing advice is “write the book you want to read.”
What are some of your favorite contemporary reads?
- Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanan
- Wonder by R.J. Palacio
- Restart by Gordon Korman
- The Sun Is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon
- The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanan
How does it feel now that people are reading, reviewing, and sharing your writing? Does it feel like a dream come true or a bit scary? Or both?
A bit of both. It does feel like a dream come true – so surreal that people all over the world are reading the book! Like, what?! But of course it’s always a bit scary to put yourself out there and let people judge your creative work. I’ve been learning a lot about myself as an author and creative through this whole process. It’s been very cool, sometimes challenging, but altogether enlightening. :)
What advice can you give aspiring indie authors?
Dream big, work hard, and vividly imagine your success. To be an indie author is to be a diligent entrepreneur – make sure you’re ready for the challenge you’re signing up for. Study as much as you can about indie publishing. Listen to podcasts and watch videos, stay on the cutting edge. Learn, learn, learn. But don’t just be the student. Be the author. Put in the work and you’ll see amazing results.
What, for you, is the most challenging part of storytelling?
This probably sounds cliché, but dealing with self-doubt. I do my very best with my writing, and in my heart I know it’s good, or at least can be good with some editing, but there’s always that little voice of self-doubt lingering in the back of my mind: what if it isn’t good enough? I think every creative faces this on some level. It’s a challenge to constantly silence that voice of self-doubt and find confidence in your art.
Have you always wanted to be published or is this a recent dream?
I think I’ve always wanted it, but it wasn’t until 3 or 4 years ago that I really knew I wanted to make writing my career. As a teenager I floundered back and forth between what I really wanted to do with my life. For a while I ran a food blog and thought I would pursue that forever – but I soon realized that my heart wasn’t truly in it. Writing is the art I keep coming back to, something that has been a part of me since I was six years old. Of course, I consider myself a multi-talented creative and I will also continue to make music, blog, travel, train karate, be an activist, and do anything else that brings me life and fulfillment. Life is an adventure and I believe we should always be exploring it!
I have to ask (cause you know, me and soundtracks ; ) what were your favorite soundtracks to listen to while writing 100 Days?
Yes, soundtracks are THE BEST. I wouldn’t have been able to write this book (or any book!) without a good arsenal of soundtracks to set the writing mood. Here are some of the scores I had on rotation while writing 100 Days:
- Gifted by Rob Simonsen
- Hidden Figures by Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch
- Stronger by Michael Brook
- The Spectacular Now by Rob Simonsen
- Brooklyn by Michael Brook
- Many Beautiful Things by Sleeping At Last
(Especially Gifted. I listened to Gifted so much there are now scenes in the book that I hear that score when I read them!)
*nods vigorously* Gifted is AMaZing...
Being an indie author, do you find that it’s easier to be distracted from writing because there are so many other things you could do – marketing, replying to emails, social media branding, etc. .? How do you balance it all?
Definitely! There are so many different tasks to juggle as an indie author, it really demands all of your attention. . .and then some. For myself, I’ve found that it’s more important than ever to carve out time to write. I have to work and at some point say, “that’s enough for today.” so that I take that time to create and refill my cup, so to speak. There will always be something to do, and it’s so important to control your time so it doesn’t control you.
What is the best writing advice you’ve been given?
A piece of advice that I learned from Lisa Cron’s mind-blowing book, Story Genius (which I know you’re also a big fan of! *high fives*) :
"Story is not about what happens.
It’s about how what happens affects
and transforms the characters."
It’s about how what happens affects
and transforms the characters."
THAT TOTALLY CHANGED MY LIFE.
I most definitely am
a fan of ANYTHING Lisa writes.
a fan of ANYTHING Lisa writes.
What are some writing doubts you’ve had to overcome and how did you overcome them?
Before I ever started to pursue publishing, I had doubts about whether my writing was good. Like I said before, every creative struggles with this feeling: too scared to show the world (or even one other person!) your work and so you keep it under wraps, hoping that you’ll feel better about it eventually. The thing is, your feelings aren’t necessarily true. It has more to do with the way you’re looking at your art.
I think something that really helped me to overcome that fear was to write fanfiction and post it online. Just receiving positive feedback from readers helped me to come outside my comfort zone and find the confidence to share my art with others. In fact, I have fanfiction to thank for making me the writer I am today. (And, of course, my mother, who always read it and helped me make it better. Thanks, Mom!)
Thank you so much for interviewing me today, Keira! It was such fun to be able to chat all about writing with you.
Thank YOU, for doing this! *hugs*
follow Abbie in all the places
ALL PHOTOS CREDIT
TO ABBIE EMMONS
TO ABBIE EMMONS
. . .
As this is a book party, feel free to scream and gush in the comments and wish Abbie all the goodness. LET'S CELEBRATE PEOPLE.
