We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Christine Macdonald a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Christine, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?
I once heard a saying: “If you want to be a better writer, read, read, read.”
Growing up with undiagnosed dyslexia in the ’80s, I had a difficult time with reading comprehension in school; it was frustrating. And even though I dreamed of becoming an author, I approached reading with trepidation. I didn’t understand why the letters I saw on the page or screen were flipped (was = saw). This made reading less pleasurable and more of a task. Once I was older and diagnosed, I learned tools to help my brain recalibrate the words and I was off!
I discovered my love for all things memoir and autobiography by reading Augusten Burrows. I devoured Running with Scissors, Dry, Sellevision, and Possible Side Effects to name a few.
But learning to write takes more than becoming a reader. To better understand the craft, I researched local colleges, took creative writing classes, and attended as many conferences as possible. I started writing daily (a tip I learned) and created a blog (remember those?) called, “Pole to Soul” which was a place for me to share snippets of my story and gauge readership interest. There was. In less than two years I garnered over 25,000 followers (mid-2000s, pre-TikTok). Google then awarded “Pole to Soul” as a Blog of Note in 2010, which expanded viewership even more. Some of those early blog posts have evolved into chapters in FACE VALUE.
The biggest obstacle I’ve learned to navigate is self-doubt. We all have those voices in our heads that can lift us or tear us down. Whenever I feel like I’m not good enough, I remember how far I’ve come.
Christine, 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 a Los Angeles-based GenX author from the Hawaiian island of O’ahu.
At age 13 I was diagnosed with Stage IV Acne Conglobata, a rare skin disease that left over 80% of my face severely scarred. The trauma I endured subsequently led to working as an exotic dancer in Waikiki at the age of 19 in 1987. The first time I felt beautiful was after receiving my first dollar bill on stage; validation of my looks.
Through my writing, I use my voice, a unique blend of cutting truth and self-deprecating humor to inspire others to release their shame and tell their story. I’m public about my struggles with addiction and mental illness (Clinical Depression, PTSD from childhood abuse). It’s my passion to speak to people with self-esteem issues and rather than judge them for their choices, help them find value in embracing what they consider to be their flaws. Face Value: From Working the Pole to Baring My Soul (Wordeee/March 2023) has been out for a year now, and I’m thrilled to see that it continues to gain momentum. People are connecting with its universal message of embracing our flaws (“Your Flaws are Your Flavor”).
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
Yes! After surviving my choices in my twenties and seeking therapy in my thirties, I started to get serious about making sense of my past. When the novelty mask peeled off after digging deeper into my Why, I realized I wasn’t the only person (stripper pole or not) who struggles with self-esteem. From the moment I stepped on stage in that topless bar in Waikiki, wearing my six-inch stilettos in 1987 at 19, I knew there was a story, and I wanted to share mine.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
I built my first social media page 20 years ago on MySpace (GenX alert!), with no thought at the time that my followers were anyone other than friends and family. As the years ticked by, and I self-educated through trial and error, the marketing opportunities through connecting socially via additional platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter were endless. Through hashtags and engagement, I became part of a virtual writing community (O.G. Algorithm), and I’m still connected with some people today.
If you’re new to social media (marketing yourself), prepare to invest time and patience to build up a following (what publishers call a platform). Some people get lucky with a random post going viral, but this is like winning the social media Lotto; it’s cool if it happens but don’t expect it. My advice is to get to know your community. It doesn’t matter if you’re into writing, filmmaking, tarot card reading, or Mindcraft, if you connect with like-minded people, your community will find you. Keep at it, use hashtags, and connect, connect, connect (don’t be shy).
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.poletosoul.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatgalkiki/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorChristineMacdonald/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thatgalkiki/
- Twitter: https://x.com/thatgalkiki
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/ChristineKikiMac
- Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thatgalkiki1
Image Credits
Professional Bio photo (Pink top):
Photo: Sascha Knopf https://knopfoto.com/
MUA: Kevianno Guerrero https://www.kevianno.com/
All other photos are owned by the author (me).