Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Abby Duran. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Abby, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

I never had the confidence to say I am a writer or that I am a poet. I wanted people to see me, but I struggled for years to express that. I studied Arts Management, not writing. I held a fear of pursuing writing in a school setting. At the time, I didn’t face rejection well and felt I would get the most experience by working. A former music professor once said, “Every gig is an interview for the next gig.” That’s exactly how I see my writing. It’s also why I prefer to allow my work, profiling creatives and business and poetry, to speak for me. Word of mouth is still the best referral and opportunity maker.

Prior to now, I spent twelve years shadowing music industry professionals as a journalist. It took me all over The States and even Hong Kong, but it’s not an industry for everyone. I noticed many artists labored to be heard correctly, me included, as many editors and labels wanted a certain tonnage that ignored the individual. Moreover, many artists lacked vital administrative tools to manage themselves.

Once I reached a point where I had an established network, I started VeraNation as a music blog to give musicians a platform. Furthermore, I provided a DIY marketing and management package for those who wanted to have an in beyond the creative realm. (I’m happy to report that many of them keep in contact, and I’m always excited to see them thrive in many facets.)
Deep down, a part of me wanted to write full-time, and it took another year or so to realize that my niche was narration. When I started surrounding myself with business owners/professionals, I knew no one would take me seriously with a blog. I had to completely rebrand and continuously ask myself: what problems could I solve for businesses equal to my creatives?

By profiling the person behind a brand, business, or craft, I visualize who they are and what they stand for. I also took notice that I work well with clients who don’t know what or how to interpret what they wish to convey. It’s a chance for my journalistic side to dig deeper and bring their story to life. This has been most apparent with international clients, which gives me the eyes into their cultures. The best part is seeing them use the biographies beyond their socials: grant writing, school applications, presentations, and podcasts.

VeraNation finally became a full-writing service specializing in professional biographies and editing but building that financial momentum has been challenging.

Enter my partnership with poetry. In May of 2022, I attended a Free Verse open mic. Believe it or not, I signed up first and didn’t understand why people got nervous, it’s only words! I had NO idea what I got myself into. Poetry poured out of me for five months, releasing trauma, expressing success, and reconnecting with a sense of community. By the end of that year, I sold everything, and went from North Carolina to Nebraska, and then to New York. I had the notion that I could book enough remote freelance writing gigs for various companies until my business took off and network poetry in the evening. By February of 2023, I had to accept defeat, living out of a musical connection’s basement with a negative income, and return to South Carolina.

The travel adventure wasn’t a complete failure because the connections I went out of my way to join turned into referrals and a paid poetry feature by November. Despite these strong relationships, I had to see that value within myself and where it was most effective. I started working at a local restaurant to get out of debt, taking the bus, which isn’t that efficient here in South Carolina, but returning to zero, is what got me to independence of where I’m at a year later. The flexibility of food and beverage gave me time to focus on the opportunities that came my way with clients or being more active in my circles. I leaned into my Free Verse family who, among others, propelled me into the writer I am today. They helped me self-publish, and I found the confidence to be an active speaker for my brand and values through business platforms such as 1 Million Cups. I also began curating writing workshops for schools/libraries, and hosting art events by bringing in other creatives. It truly takes a community to build success and one that I’ve been able to offer more collaboration services be it photography, poetry, or simply a client referral.

This journey has provided me with new financial outcomes and a way to bring the power of writing and a sense of collaboration into the spotlight. It was a ton of tough love and labor in a short amount of time but most importantly, brought more self-awareness and self-love. Our experiences are fabrics to our tapestry, and our stories are the mosaics that shape our world. Now I’m helping to build confidence in others pursuing their crafts and ideas through narration. It’s also pouring into the community I’m representing. I’m finally bridging the gaps of creativity and business, which is what VeraNation is all about.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Absolutely! I’m a professional biographer, spoken word artist, musical director for Creative Mornings CHS, OhmRadio 96.3 host, and event curator out of Charleston, South Carolina. Recently I was nominated for Charleston City Paper’s Best Local Poet of 2024 and was one of four South Carolina Poets to collaborate with HALO (Holy City Arts Lyric & Opera) for an international art-song debut. Moreover, I’m a proud cat companion, a newbie to plant parenting, avivid tea drinker, part-time radio host, and a lover of travel.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

It truly takes a community to build success on any level. I’ve made mistakes by entrusting the wrong persons and networks with my time and effort. The right communities listen and advise but also provide resources outside their expertise.

One of those groups has been 1 Million Cups, a national networking board that provides a platform to share your business background and connect. One of the things they pride themselves on is asking, “What can 1MC do for you?” The amount of constructive criticism and referrals have led to opportunities with other businesses and a boost in public speaking; I’ll give poetry some credit here :)

I also leaned into collaborating more with my fellow creatives of all facets and curating events. It’s not the most promising financial alley, but it brings people together and gives a spotlight to all of us. “Every gig is an interview for the next gig”, a former music professor once told me.

The more time I spent with the mindsets of business professionals, it gave me the advantage of selling a creative service to a non-creative audience. I believe this is a flaw for many artists. Professional biographies and poetry on their own aren’t strong selling points. Who I’ve written about and how we used the final product speaks volumes.

Be open to learning outside of your niche and invite other professionals to tea or lunch. This shows your willingness to know them as a person and not waste their time. Establishing relationships early on can turn into a powerful ally later on.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Being a writer allows me to paint and weave the mosaics of other lives. A tap into worldwide view, otherwise never explored.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.veranation.com
• Instagram: veranationgirl or veranationwriting
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/veranation/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdDrZn6tkAoczbxuZjq7JTA

Image Credits

Taylor Lee Czerwinski, Falando Jone, Lone Wolf Photography, HALO (Holy City Arts, Lyric, & Opera),