When I first started seeing people post on Substack, I thought to myself: Great, another way to try to be interesting enough for people to follow me.
You see, I have interesting ideas and stories, but I’m a fairly boring person. I’m a homebody, I’m always with my family, and I don’t want to do anything other than read or write. I hate watching movies and don’t really want to watch anything new for that matter. If I MUST watch something, give me something I’ve already seen and know I love, like the Office or Friends. Okay, okay, I’ll also binge some Breaking Bad if you insist. But nothing new!
So trying to convince you to follow me, instead of one of my characters, is tricky. I could tell you real stories that would make your head spin—good ones and bad ones. But I just don’t really feel like doing that here. I already do that on instagram (shameless plug, follow me @gabrielewrites). So instead, I’m going to talk about someone else. For my first unpublished author highlight, I met with
.It was tad difficult to stay on topic because she happens to be really easy and fun to talk to, but I edited out the irrelevant rambling (mostly my own), so that Melody could shine and tell everyone about her project.
You can just watch the clip above, where she first answers my question about what inspired her, or you could read my summary:
Melody was homeschooled for elementary school and lived a generally sheltered life for most of her childhood. She went to college to become a pharmacist because she thought it was what she was supposed to do, after all.
All it took was one class in creative writing, with one teacher who made a profound impact in their short time together, to ignite a love for writing. Specifically, writing her memoir. She also gives a quick summary of the most impactful lesson this teacher gave her.
Melody worried that because of her young age, people would assume she hadn’t lived enough experience to earn interest in her memoir. Unfortunately, I know myself that age doesn’t necessarily indicate the struggles someone has lived through. At another time and place, I hope to have the strength to recount my own struggles in a way that can encourage other people through their own, but for now, that’s precisely what Melody is doing. She is writing to an audience about self-discovery and perseverance, with her younger self in mind.
And how is she doing this? Through stuffed animals of course!
Melody: My book is about stuffed animals but really it’s about finding your identity.
She chose stuffed animals as the thread to weave her memoir, starting with her first chapter, when she received a ten dollar bill for the first time from her parents. If you haven’t watched any of the above clip, at least skip to 8:20, where Melody reads her first chapter.
My praise to her was about clarity. So often writers care about how pretty they sound, but clarity and ease of reading is most important. Melody’s writing is unpretentious and focused. Exactly what an author needs to be if they want me to buy into reading a book about them or by them.
Melody’s manuscript is currently in the revision phase, but if the rest is anything like her intro, I can’t wait to read it.
Thanks for taking an interest in me and another aspiring writer. More aspiring authors to come :)
Share this post