Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Summer Robinson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Summer thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

Silver Bangles Productions (SBP) is a multi-disciplinary storytelling agency that uses books and film to help the everyday person reclaim narratives and take control of the beauty and power in their own story. Basically a publishing + production company combo. Books and film are two of the most powerful tools in the world of storytelling. We like to say that we help people write and publish books during the week and are on set producing your next favorite documentary on the weekend. I created SBP because I am passionate about truth and authenticity. Writing is a gateway to connecting to that within. When given the resources and guidance to write and share your unique story through a published book, you not only gain the tools and information to become a better writer, but you engage in a journey of remembrance. A journey that leads to healing and a reconnection to self. ​At Silver Bangles, we recognize art as a sacred tool that can be used to deepen our understanding of and our relationship to ourselves and each other.

Summer, 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 have always been a writer; I had a diary when I was a little girl, I wrote short stories in elementary school, I’ve written scripts, articles, and now, books. In 2020, I started working for a Black woman owned publishing company as an author coach and manuscript editor. I worked with clients to write and develop their manuscripts. Most of these clients were writing their authorial debut and most of them were writing memoirs. Through the process of working with them, I saw them transform within a matter of months. I saw them heal as they remembered and reflected on parts of their life story. I was so inspired by witnessing the power that comes with reconnecting with your past and recognizing the ways in which it impacts your present, and deciding on if and how you want it to impact your future, that I decided to build into my business. Silver Bangles Productions (SBP) was originally a production company as I am also a filmmaker. However, I am a storyteller first and foremost. In 2021, I decided to expand SBP into a storytelling agency that offers writing and book publication services.
Books and film are two of the most powerful forms of media. They have the ability to shape how we view ourselves, each other, and the world we live in. Therefore it is crucial that we have professional tools to take control of our own narratives and the stories we want to tell.
I offer three different services: author coaching and publication, manuscript editing, and publication. I also lead writing workshops for schools, businesses, and organizations.

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

Author coaching and editing was my side hustle for two years before I decided to incorporate it into my business. SBP was originally solely a production company. I have been an independent filmmaker since 2016. I’ve written, directed, and produced documentaries and short films, some of which have been recognized at film festivals and community events. I am passionate about using writing and film to tell diverse and nuanced stories of the diasporic Black community, with a specific focus on intergenerational Black women’s stories. This was what SBP was centered around. I wanted a production company to house my films. However, on the side, I worked as a contractor for a publishing company as an author coach and manuscript editor. Through the process of helping clients write their books, I recognized the shared power both books and film have in their ability to inspire, educate, empower, and heal.

Writing is something I’ve always been good at and through my job and various opportunities, editing and author coaching are things I became good at and grew to love. So I decided to expand my business beyond production into storytelling by offering writing and publication services.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I wrote and self published my first book during my senior year in high school. A few months later, I was the ghost writer of the autobiography of Sheila Baltazar, a woman who lost her stepson, Patrick Baltazar, to the Atlanta Child Murders. Then in 2019, I wrote and published a book with two of my Agnes Scott College 2019 classmates. I had written and published books for years before I finally decided to incorporate it into my business. I was able to build my reputation as a reputable writer and publisher through creating and promoting my own work for years, so by the time I launched Silver Bangles, I was able to secure clients who knew my work. I think it definitely helps to practice your craft and explore your passions before fully launching your business. This gives you time and space to build a portfolio and a community of supporters who will hopefully become future clients.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.silverbanglesproductions.com
• Instagram: silverbanglesproductions
• Linkedin: Summer J. Robinson
• Youtube: Summer J. Robinson

Image Credits
Marcus Gunn @marcusoptics