Do You Pay it Forward as a Writer?

Life newsletter 19 features an interview with writer, poet, and independent self-publisher, Warren Brown and a special surprise for those who want to know more about me, Yana BG

Oh yes, I know of some writers who think they are so good that all they need to do is hit publish and retreat to Mt. Olympus or wherever it is that they disappear to never be heard from again until their next post.

I know, I know, I tend to exaggerate. But let me tell you, many of us bloggers here are not doing this full-time. We juggle jobs, families, and what have you and still make time to write, engage and yes, pay it forward.

What does that mean?

Let me explain. Once upon a time, there was a masked blogger who was trying to find her way on Medium. Some writers ignored her, perhaps because she hid her face behind a mask, or maybe they didn’t think she would amount to much. But fortunately, many other writers were very kind and supportive, and therefore if she is popular on Medium today, then it is all thanks to those writers.

By them I mean you.

And I do my best to pay that kindness forward.

So next time you read a new writer, do clap and leave a thoughtful comment. Who knows, that may very well make all the difference!

With that, we now come to the person I am interviewing today and that is none other than someone I am sure most of you are familiar with — Warren "Storyteller" Brown.

So without further ado, I present Warren!

Me: Thank you for being part of the interview. Tell us a little bit of yourself and what got you into creating — be it books, poems, or art?

Warren: I was born in India in Calcutta and moved to London a number of years ago. My Dad is a writer and he inspired me to take up writing. I wrote my first poem, “Lady of the Sea”, about a mermaid when I was seventeen after a crush I had as a teenager.

I am married to my college sweetheart. I am also very fortunate to have found a soulmate and companion who understands and encourages me with my work. I love to say that ours is a marriage of equal partnership, we both have a vital role and we complement one another beautifully.

I started self-publishing my books in 2010. I have since published a number of books on fiction, novel, poetry, and self-improvement over the years. I am an independent self-publisher and use several publishing platforms like Amazon, Lulu, Draft2Digital, and Smashwords.

Me: Which are some of the personal favorites that you have crafted?

Warren: A few of my favorite books that I have written are “Impostor Assassin”, “Travel Man” and “On Writing Magic”.

“Impostor Assassin”, is my special book, as it focuses on the world of independent self-publishing. I grew up in the world of publishing with my father, who was involved in newspapers as a writer and publisher. “Impostor Assassin” is a futuristic novel based on the future of publishing in a world where there is one corporation controlling the lives and destinies of everyone. Can one man and his creation of automated book generators, change the world of publishing?

“On Writing Magic”, is the book I wrote based on my time writing articles, stories, and poems on Medium. In the book, I present ideas and concepts that will assist any writer in becoming a prolific writer, by opening the doors of imagination to creatively write and publish every day.

Me: You are a prolific writer/poet on Medium. How is your inspiration and how to prioritize your projects?

Warren: I love writing and so it comes easily to me. I get inspired by everything that I see, hear, and in general observe around me. It could be a line from a song, one idea from a book, or just something that flashed in my mind. I do not worry if I do not have time to make a note of the idea. This was a concern for me earlier, but I know that if I lose an idea today, it will come back more complete to me later. I call it a process of fermentation, where ideas are left to rest in my mind and then when they are “cooked”, they come back to me, ready to be prepared into a story, poem, or article.

I enjoy writing, so I find it quite relaxing. I am always giving myself challenges in life and with writing, I like doing the same thing. However, I do not put myself under pressure to complete anything, it must come naturally. The flow of creativity must be slow, and should not be rushed or the end product will be deficient in many ways. I know when an idea is complete and ready to be served to my readers. When I feel happy and fulfilled after completing a project, it is the right time for it to see the light of day.

I do not like resting on my laurels of how many stories I have completed. In my mind, every day is a fresh start and like a newbie writer, I keep that same enthusiasm in my mind and heart so that I can convey the same feeling to the reader.

I keep a number of my ideas as drafts, that I return to later to develop into stories. I always select the drafts that excite me, as those are the ones that I am prepared to write about with my literary enthusiasm.

It is always important for me to focus on my writings completely so that my understanding of the topic is delivered to the reader, who will find it interesting.

Me: What are some of the things you do to unwind after a long day’s work?

Warren: A few of the things I do to unwind after a long day’s work would be to listen to music and watch some of my favorite television shows. I also enjoy cooking up a meal for my wife and myself. Relaxing and looking out of the balcony is something I enjoy while sipping a cool drink.

I love dancing to fast music and that is something I also enjoy doing. Typing out my ideas for future stories, poems or articles is something that I find enjoyable. I also enjoy sketching, drawing, and designing images. I have also created a few NFTs. As a creative individual, I am happiest when I am creating something using my artistic skills and imagination.

Me: It was great knowing more about you, Warren. Wishing you the best in all your future endeavors!

I invite you to check out Warren’s Medium page. He also has a website, a YouTube channel, and is also on Red Bubble & Saatchi Art among other things.

🌸This week’s story pick for Coffee Times Life Substack is by The Sober Vegan Yogi — “Why Is Wine an Automatic Gift for Moms?”

🌸I invite you to check out this heartbreaking read by Deb Fiore about adoption — “Confessions of An Adopted Parent”

🌸Want to learn more about the fun side of me?😀 Then check out this short and sweet 👉interview I did with Witchy (Liberty Forrest, Author) 💙

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