We recently connected with Paula Gleeson and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Paula , thanks for joining us today. What do you think it takes to be successful?

What do I think it takes to be successful? Part luck, part timing, part talent, and a ton of tenacity. Rinse and repeat as required because success is often fleeting and highly subjective, given my idea of success might differ from another person’s.

I often thought once you reached a level of success, you stayed there. Wrapped in a blanket of comfort knowing you “did it”. Only now I know that success is something I will always strive for and even after getting the award, the book deal, the glowing reviews there is always the next project, the next failure, the never-ending climb to replicate something I once had or to do even better next time.

I’ve come to realise that success is something we are always striving for but has no limit.

Paula , 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?

G’day! I’m an Australian author whose debut thriller novel ORIGINAL TWIN is out now with US publisher Thomas & Mercer. ORIGINAL TWIN is a twisty mystery which follows a sister searching for her missing twin after discovering a link between her disappearance, their mother’s past abduction, and their own shared bloodline. Perfect for fans of Mary Kubica, Gillian Flynn, and Megan Miranda!

I have worked in the film/TV industry for most of my life and only recently decided to take the world of publishing seriously, by writing multiple novels, getting a US literary agent, and then landing my first publishing deal. Deciding to pivot careers later in life is never easy as it’s learning a whole new industry from scratch, but writing is something I have always wanted to do since I was a young girl—it’s only later in life that I finally gave myself the permission to take my dream seriously and make it into a reality.

I am currently working on my second book BONEY CREEK which is available for pre-order.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

For many decades, I had been working my way up and learning the incredibly complex and layered film/TV industry, starting when things were still shot on film—but what I really wanted to do was write books. Did I really want to pivot to a whole other professional as I was coming into my mid-forties and already had a perfectly ample career? *Whispers* I didn’t. I was exhausted.

But I knew I was starting to burn out in the industry I was in and I also knew I was looking at a “now or never moment”. So whilst doing ridiculous hours in production, I also started writing my first book. This book would become my debut novel ORIGINAL TWIN and whilst it took me another decade to fully pivot to where I am now as a published author, it was totally worth it!

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

Being a creative doesn’t mean that this a “hobby”. It doesn’t mean that my services are free because I need exposure or because I love doing it. Being a creative is incredibly challenging as it requires two sets of professional skills: the business AND the creative side. Trying to plan your day for both is sometimes impossible. Whilst I can readily check off a list filled with meetings, emails, and paperwork, I can’t simply check off a list of: write 1,000 words of my next thriller.

Why? Because sometimes those words come swiftly and kindly, sometimes they are like walking through hardening concrete, and other days they don’t come at all. Being creative isn’t simply flipping a switch or clocking in and clocking out. It is everything in between like taking walks, staring at walls, or watching cat videos. It is about hardwiring your brain to create something from scratch and knowing that it will be judged by the public in the most critical of manners. It is about crippling anxiety, poor self-esteem, and hanging around no one’s bestie: imposter syndrome.

It’s hard too when now everyone thinks they can also be a creative by inputting prompts into an AI program and claiming it as their own–not understanding that the only way AI can provide such prompts is by mining ACTUAL creative’s work without any financial compensation or appropriate attribution.

Next time try doing it without the AI and then you can call yourself a creative. Welcome. Have you met Imposter Syndrome?

Contact Info:

• Website: https://paulagleeson.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulagleesonauthor/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paulagleesonauthor/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/PaulaGleeson
• Other: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CK2V72ZP?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_S58ZNH2E5V8GBQAW0KRQhttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/43436746.Paula_Gleeson