We recently connected with Ivy Blacke and have shared our conversation below.

Ivy, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

When I was little, I loved having stories read to me. When I was older I started to love reading then in school I started developing a love for writing. Originally it started as book reports, then onward to creative writing and short stories.

I’ve been writing pretty much since I was in middle school.

Ivy, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I enjoy writing a story that takes you on an emotional journey. I tend to write stories that will run you through emotions of happy, sad and sometimes angry but always a happily ever after and some spicy content.

I wrote my first true book many years before I self-published it. I had a friend read it and she said do something with it. At that point I was an avid reader, but no true idea how to publish a book.

After reading a particularly touching book by an author Leah Holt, I reached out to her, never truly expecting a response and …. she responded. We developed a friendship and she helped me publish my first book. Her being an indie author herself, she wanted to give back and help someone else.

I have found the majority of indie authors have that same mentality. I too love to help new upcoming authors and often do. I’ve helped out Lonnie Mounts. Rick Serrenti and often meet at a local bookstore, Book Bar in Palmyra, PA with the above mentioned authors and Jackie Paxson where we share ideas, write and hang out meeting readers and letting our creativity flow.

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

Meeting readers is my favorite part of what I do. Hearing a readers excitement over my words and them telling me about my story or asking about my concept for the book is my absolute favorite part of what I do.

I have to say also that meeting other indie authors is part of what I love. There have been many times I’ve had my own fan girl moments meeting authors such as Liberty Parker, Darlene Tallman, Willlow Winters and Stasia Mars.

When I meet readers and get to talk about my books or books they’re reading or have read, it helps me to understand what they like, what they’re looking for in their stories and also sometimes they’ll tell me that my words helped them through a particularly rough period in their lives. Those are the things that help fuel me to keep writing and to tell the stories, all the stories. The happy, the sad, the funny and to always make sure I write my characters strong and driven, because the women I speak to want to feel empowered, understood and heard.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

The thing I hear most from family, friends or readers is ‘I don’t know how you do this’. Meaning how I create a book.

For someone who is not of the creative mind it’s hard to explain the thought process behind it. Heck, sometimes I don’t even understand it, but when a story comes to me I let it float in my mind for awhile. I let it take shape and I see how it makes me feel. If it’s something that makes me say, wow this needs to be told, then I sit and write it.

When I create a story I generally have an idea for the basis of the story, but then I allow my characters to run wild, pivoting and guiding them to the basic plan of my story. There are times I allow the characters to run wild and the story plot changes and I change my plan because where it’s going is a direction I didn’t see coming, but it is good and I like the extra depth.

A non-creative type person will read that about letting the characters tell the story and think, wow, she’s a but crazy. To their credit, maybe I am, but in all honesty we all have that voice in our head that plays out the what ifs or the how to’s. Quite honestly that is the same voice in my head that navigates the story. Dreams that are still there when you wake up are your creative brain making you see something possible, or something fabricated that is needed to help you through something hard in your life. When you let your mind just wander and let go, your creative brain will take over and run wild giving you an escape from the reality that has you bogged down.

So in a sense, there are no non-creative people, just people who allow their creativity to flow and grow and those who harness it and close it off because they don’t understand it or are afraid of where it will take them.

My advice is let it flow. Enjoy the creativity within yourself and aĺlow it to soothe the part of you that needs it in that moment.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://authorivyblacke.godaddysites.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ivy.blacke/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/ivy.black.100046/about
• Other: https://linktr.ee/authorivyblacke

  https://www.amazon.com/Ivy-Blacke/e/B0825FWTHM%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share?ref_=d6k_applink_bb_dls&dplnkId=e01d3ce5-d6ac-472e-b01a-0687f7d1817b