We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Adele Edwards a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Adele, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

Regarding my writing and YouTube channel, my mission is to always show an honest and genuine look at the process of writing a novel. Growing up, I felt there were not many inside looks at what it takes to actually become an author, and for a young writer like me, that could be discouraging at times. It’s so important to me to be as real and genuine as I can be; I strive to make my channel raw and unfiltered and as true to myself as I can. I’ve been told before that my channel makes viewers feel as if they were having a sleepover with their best friend. That has been the highest compliment I’ve received and I hold those words very dear to my heart. I strive to portray those same feelings in my stories as well.

Regarding my small business Magpie and Crow, which I own and operate with my partner Alec, our mission is to reconnect people with items from their past in a way that honors the item and the person. We believe in cultivating a space in retro gaming for inclusivity, respect, and community.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

I am a writer, YouTube content creator, and small business owner based out of Denton, TX. I have been writing stories and poems ever since I was a young child and finished my first book at six years old (and no, it wasn’t good). That passion for words and storytelling only grew stronger as I got older, and eventually evolved into my YouTube channel today where I make videos and online content about my writing journey and processes in a genuine and honest way. I love combining my passion for writing and content creation (filming, editing, creating graphics, etc.) to create a space I love and feel comfortable in. I believe in building a community that is based on inclusivity and respect.

I am not currently published, mostly because I want to traditionally publish through a publishing house rather than self-publish my books, but I hope to have my debut novel out in the world within three to five years. Writing a book is hard! It’s a lot more difficult than people think it is and takes a lot longer than people think it takes. That’s something I strive to show in my videos; writing isn’t always a pretty and simple hobby that magically leads to a published (let alone finished) novel. Writing sucks sometimes. I don’t always love it, it’s often messy, and it can take years to finish anything. Showing young writers these things is my goal and what I wish I had when I was younger. So far I think I’m doing a pretty good job!

I also founded and own my small business Magpie and Crow with my partner Alec. We buy, sell, and trade all things nerdy–from retro video games to comics, from vintage toys to collectibles (although we do have a pretty big soft spot for all things video gaming). Alec has previous experience owning and operating a popular vintage video game and toy store here in Denton and we both love video games and are passionate about vintage things and media in general so we combined our knowledge and experience to create Magpie and Crow in 2021. The name comes from the actual birds; magpies and crows are both known to collect little odds and ends and like to surround themselves with their scavenged collection. In the same way, Alec and I are both huge fans of thrifting and sourcing everything (both for reselling and our personal collection) secondhand. We work so well together and I think a huge part of that is because we have common interests and passions, especially when it comes to running a business. Our visions are always aligned with each other and we fall in step together comfortably.

I love what I do and find so much joy in all the small details that make up my life. I’ve been writing my entire life and always knew I wanted to be an author but running my own business around video games is something I never thought I would be able to do (or that you even could do). I am so humbled to have these opportunities and make a living doing something I love.

How’d you meet your business partner?

Alec and I met in 2020 during the peak of COVID. I had gotten a job in a lab testing patient samples from clinics (mostly COVID but also blood, urine, and other wonderfully gross bodily fluids) and a few months into my time there, Alec started work there and we became very fast friends. We had a lot of the same interests and goals in life and got along so well. I was very impressed with his old store and business model, and he had so many qualities as both a person and businessman that I admired. We began a romantic relationship in the spring of 2021 which quickly also evolved into a business relationship. We both constantly have so many ideas for things we want to pursue–we very much have the entrepreneur spirit–and it felt so good to finally find someone who shared all the same passions and goals. We work very well together, not just because of our similarities, but also because of our differences. He’s much more logical and strategy-oriented while I lead in creativity and design. It’s been an incredible journey and I absolutely love watching how both of us grow separately and together through Magpie. I’m his biggest fan and I know he’s mine, and I couldn’t ask for a better boyfriend, business partner, and rock.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

Being an artist of any kind, in any field, is hard work. I think a lot of people have this idea that artists and creatives are laid-back, go-with-the-flow, very head in clouds type of people who can come up with ideas like a printer–as long as you just keep pressing print, the pages will just keep coming. That’s the furthest thing from the truth. It is hard work. Writing absolutely sucks sometimes. At times it feels like the blank paper or blinking text cursor are taunting you when you can’t come up with the words to put on the page. Doing any sort of creative work takes up just as much time and effort as any other job, especially if you run any sort of platform or business based around your work. Then you have to not only create the art, but also market, find your audience, build a following, make sales, ship out orders, listen to feedback, and continuously be active in your community to keep everything running smoothly.

Another common misconception about creatives is that we are just fueled by raw talent and nothing else. Any sort of art requires skill, practice, and time, even if you are naturally inclined to something in any way. It’s a skill you constantly have to work and are always growing in.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.whatnot.com/user/magpieandcrow
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adelexmarie/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/magpieandcrowllc/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/adelexmarie
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCXcmd3yu2_YqVmK8psvOHYw
• Other: Magpie and Crow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/magpieandcrowllc/