Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Christian Cook. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Christian, thanks for joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
I knew I wanted to explore a creative path professionally since I was in elementary school. Any time the class would get asked what did you want to be when they grew up, everyone would answer confidently with responses like “teacher, firefighter, lawyer, or doctor” and I would pause because I wasn’t quite sure what it would be but I knew it wouldn’t be something like that. I loved writing and storytelling and would enter short story contests when I was younger, I always remember being the happiest doing that or spending long periods of time at the Scholastic book fair or at my neighborhood library. Reading has always been a major part of my life!
Christian, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am an author, public speaker, and provide freelance marketing and PR services. I have a decade of experience in marketing and PR, which was the most traditional approach to all my career paths. I started within the industry before starting college by organizing events for local businesses and decided that Public Relations would be my major when I was at Columbia College Chicago. While at Columbia I had amazing internship opportunities with Modern Luxury Magazine, Lady Boss Blogger, Wayne State University, Chicago’s First Lady Cruises, Events to Remember, and other countless organizations that help me gain experience in content creation, pitching to the media, and the importance of building and maintaining relationships. From there, I had the building blocks needed to start my career post-grad and I even was awarded the 30 Under 30 award by the Publicity Club of Chicago, which is the largest independent public relations membership organization in the midwest.
Even while in school, I kept my love for creative writing and credit journaling to helping me write my book “I Hate Gray” and “Growing in the Gray”. Both are young adult fiction novels that are modeled after traditional coming-of-age stories but with contemporary twists. Attending literary events and exercising my networking skills helped me land my first traditional publishing deal and both ranked in the Top 20 New Release lists on Amazon. My success from my books opened the door for me to speak to help other writers market their services and help them build their brand.
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
Before I started out as a freelancer I wish I knew about membership clubs that provided guidance and resources that could connect you with promising opportunities. I feel like the clients I’ve had have been people I’ve always known, which I am grateful for but it’s always good to expand your network. For example, if you’re interested in writing and getting more connected visit sites like Qwoted or Freelance Success to get connected with businesses constantly looking for writers.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is telling the story you want to tell, the way you want to tell it. I feel so free when I’m expressing myself creatively, having others connect with what I create is the icing on the cake.
Contact Info:
- Website: craftedbychristian.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/champagnechrissy_/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-cook-554000bb/
Image Credits
Ashley Baranczyk