Meet Allison Spooner | Author

We had the good fortune of connecting with Allison Spooner and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Allison, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
When you’re trying to “make it” as a writer, it’s tempting to consider giving up. There are already so many writers out there, no one would notice if you didn’t write your next book, there are probably already stories out there like the one you want to tell…is there really even a point?

But when you have a calling, you know it. If you have an idea that won’t go away, you are the one meant to share it. If you can’t imagine yourself NOT doing the thing, do it. Only you can tell the story you want to tell. There may be others like it, but none will have your unique perspective. This is true for most creative pursuits or goals. You are unique so whatever you share with the world will be unique. And if this is your calling, whatever you’re considering giving up on, you’re giving up on yourself. So whether you “make it” or your project or book is seen by 10 or 1,000 or 10,000 people…if you give up, you’re not only denying those people your story or perspective, you’re denying yourself.

Listen to your gut. It will tell you whether you can live in a world where you don’t write (create, dance, draw, perform, speak, etc). If you can’t, don’t.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a self-published author with three published books. I just released my first novel, “The Lost Girl: A Neverland Story,” which was a huge achievement for me. Before that, I published two books of flash fiction. I would not have been able to write and publish my novel if it weren’t for my journey writing and publishing flash fiction. For many years, even though I’ve always known I wanted to be a writer, I was stuck in a deep creative rut. I thought that to be a successful writer, you had to write a novel, get picked up by an agent, get published, and make it big. Because I was stuck and couldn’t seem to find an idea for a novel that went any farther than a few pages, I didn’t feel like a writer. And even when I got an idea, I felt forced to make it into a trilogy because that’s what writers did… and that didn’t go well. I was stuck and suffering from Imposter Syndrome.

Then, I discovered some tools that helped me get unstuck (tools I now call The Creative Warrior P.A.T.H). I won’t go into too much detail, but through different events, writing groups, and a lot of trial and error, I realized that by using prompts, taking action by setting word goals and deadlines, utilizing my tribe, and making sure I was taking care of my health through yoga and activity, I could find more ideas and write more. This is also when I discovered flash fiction and realized, with my new mental clarity, that I was a writer no matter what I wrote. I didn’t have to have a novel to have a “book.” I suddenly found myself with dozens of short stories, so instead of wallowing in Imposter Syndrome, I published them. And I kept writing, so I published more. This momentum gave me the confidence and the brain power to finally find my “big idea”—an idea I was excited about and couldn’t wait to write. That’s when “The Lost Girl” was born.

The world of self-publishing opened up so many opportunities for me, especially since I found myself writing in a niche many publishers won’t touch (flash fiction). My journey of doubt and my discovery of the P.A.T.H gave me the confidence, knowledge, and experience I needed to forge my own path, and I would encourage other writers to do the same. We live in a world where you don’t have to sit around waiting for someone else to recognize your genius in order to get discovered. Yes, it’s a lot of work to publish your own books, it’s hard to fight through writer’s block and face down Imposter Syndrome, but with the right tools and a good community around you, it’s not impossible, and it’s definitely worth it.

If the world takes anything away from my story, I hope it’s the fact that you can’t just sit around and wait for inspiration or opportunity. You have to FIGHT for your creativity. I have done that as a writer and author, and now I help others do it through my program, Creative Warrior. I am ridiculously proud of “The Lost Girl,” not just because of the story but because of what I had to overcome to get the story out into the world.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Lansing has a lot of great hidden gems. My best friend and I love drinking coffee, strolling, and antiquing so… We would start by grabbing breakfast in ReoTown at The Good Truckin Diner. We will probably have to wait so we can grab a cup of coffee from Blue Owl just down the street and window shop at the cute shops along the same street (they might not be open yet) or just hang out and enjoy the adorable interior of Blue Owl.

After an awesome breakfast, we will stroll and shop through stores in the Reo Town Marketplace (books, antiques, soaps, and more! Hit Soulful Earth Herbals, Thriftque, and of course shop for books at Deadtime Stories.

Then we will move toward Old Town and probably spend most of the afternoon browsing the cute shops there because there are so many, Metro Retro, Thrift Witch, October Moon, Absolute Gallery, and oh so many more. Whether we’re in the mood for Meat for lunch or need vegan meals, we’ve got options. And if we need a pick-me-up, Blue Owl has another location!

When we’re ready to go out for the evening, there’s most likely a good band playing live music at The Green Door or The Avenue and we can pop into Everybody Reads and check out their amazing selection of books!
Throughout the week we could see shows at the Wharton, walk along the riverfront, hit even MORE bookshops like Hooked (where they have coffee and wine!), and hike some trails.

There are awesome spots to shop and experience the local business and arts scene downtown so really, we’ll stay pretty busy!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Someone called out that I tend to write strong, female characters. I do not do this intentionally but I 100% attribute that to the women in my life, especially my mom. Angela and all the strong females I write would not exist without her influence.

Also to my writing friends; I probably would have given up a long time ago without a solid community around me.

Website: https://www.allisonspoonerwriter.com/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/authorallisonspooner

Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorallisonspooner

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CreativeWarriorClub

Image Credits
Main photo: Ryan Charles Photography