Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Victoria Griffin. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Victoria thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?
To make a living from my creative work, I had to learn to apply my creative thinking to more than just writing. Since I was very young, I knew I wanted to write fiction, but I was realistic enough to understand that I would need another source of income. None of the cookie-cutter paths were right for me, and after school, I had no preplanned road to travel. But I applied my skills to become a freelance editor.
When I’d taken that path as far as I could and was booked solid, my choices were to be content with the level of success I’d achieved or to continue growing and finding new ways to support my writing community. I brought on other editors, and when I recognized that my clients were having a hard time finding trustworthy book design services, I expanded my team to include cover and interior designers.
Today, my editing and book design business allows me the freedom to write and pursue my goals as a fiction author. The process of growing from an individual freelance editor to a business owner overseeing editors, designers, and other industry professionals has not been fast. It’s required patience and a willingness to fail. Not all of my ideas have worked, and many have cost time and resources. I have made my greatest strides by pushing myself out of my comfort zone and making sure my day-to-day choices align with my long-term goals.
Victoria, 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 began my career as an author and freelance book editor, working primarily with fiction. As an editor, I found that many of my clients struggled to find book design services and self-publishing assistance, and many were falling prey to vanity presses and predatory self-publishing companies. These types of scams take advantage of first-time authors, and while I did my best to steer my clients in a better direction, I recognized that many first-time authors simply needed more guidance than independent freelancers could provide.
That’s when I decided to expand Blue Pen into the book design space. Today, we offer editing, cover design, interior layout, and other important author services. Each author works with a Book Boss, who guides them through the process, making sure they are informed and helping them make decisions about the best options for their book and writing career.
Blue Pen is a safe space, where authors can access services from experienced industry professionals while receiving the personal assistance they need to grow in their craft. Along with professional skills and experience, I make sure all of our team members have the positive, encouraging, author-first attitude aligning with Blue Pen’s values. We understand that when authors hand us their manuscript, they’re trusting us with a piece of their heart, and we don’t take that lightly.
Of course, I’m still writing as well! I’m represented by Sandy Lu of Book Wyrm Literary Agency, and I am passionate about writing modern Appalachian fiction. Most of my free time is spent exploring the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and much of my fiction is set in the mountains.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
This isn’t a new thought, but it’s one that bears repeating: We need to respect creative work. This takes many forms and of course includes respecting creative work financially. Creatives should be paid fairly for their time and experience. I’m sure anyone who has worked in a creative industry has been asked to work for free or for “exposure.”
One result of this is that it often leads creatives to undervalue our own work. Setting rates is challenging, but falling into the trap of underbidding the competition only feeds the cycle, leading to further devaluing of creative contributions. Where would we be without creative workers? From entertainment to advertising, every single industry requires some type of creative contributions.
Some of my personal growth as a business owner came when I learned to change my perspective on my creative talents. Rather than separating them from my financial aspirations, I needed to use them. Oftentimes, the response to creative goals is “Well that’s fine, but you need to do something practical to make money.” Imagine how it would be if the response was instead “Let’s think about how you can market that skill.” Developing a rewarding, fulfilling career based around creative pursuits requires more than dreaming, and sometimes creatives need to apply an outside-the-box attitude to more than just their creative medium. As a society, changing the way we view artists and recognizing the incredible ubiquity of art in all its forms could help young creatives take the steps necessary to develop careers incorporating their passions.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
I’ve always known I wanted to write, but beyond that, I didn’t have a clue. Like many artists, I saw my creative work as separate from my career goals. I wanted to write fiction, but I would find another way to support myself financially. When I was a senior in college, about to graduate with an English degree, I still hadn’t chosen a career path. I decided I would pursue an MFA, but before I could apply, my plans were changed for me.
I was also a Division I athlete, and a week before the start of my senior softball season, I took a hit to the head during a scrimmage. I suffered a brain injury that left me unable to speak, read, or walk and forced me into sensory depravation, when every sound and light caused searing pain. My memory from the time is spotty at best, but I do remember the overwhelming fear, feeling like I was being attacked by my own body and not understanding anything around me. This lasted four months, during which time I learned the incredible lengths to which my friends and family were willing to go to protect me when I was unable to protect myself. I won’t harp on the symptoms of a traumatic brain injury, but I will say that as a former athlete, knowing that athletes are often taught to hide concussions so they won’t be benched, I hope we will develop a better response to concussions and TBI. No game is worth an athlete’s life.
Because of preparation I had done over winter break, I was able to graduate on time, (without being able to read a word), but grad school was no longer an option. My symptoms were improving, but I could only work for short periods of time and needed complete control of my surroundings. With dwindling options and nothing to lose, I posted on social media: “Anybody need a fiction editor?” And so it began. With one project and then two, I slowly grew a freelance editing business, which led to Blue Pen’s development into a passionate team of industry professionals.
I could have stayed the course by waiting until my symptoms became manageable enough to pursue a graduate degree and perhaps become a teacher. Or I could have given in and abandoned my dreams to work in the field, with so many new obstacles in my way. Instead, I chose to take a chance on an unproven business—and on myself. After working with those first few authors, I believed I could make a living applying my skills, even with the ongoing issues from the brain injury, and because of that, the worst experience of my life led to some of my greatest accomplishments.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bluepenbooks.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/bluepenbooks
- Facebook: facebook.com/victoriagriffinfiction
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/victoriagriffinfiction
- Twitter: twitter.com/victoria_grif7
- Youtube: youtube.com/victoriagriffinfiction