Meet Harrison Kayne

We recently connected with Harrison Kayne and have shared our conversation below.

Harrison, so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?

I am stubbornly optimistic in all aspects of my life. I like to believe there is good in the world, and I want to be the type of person who can contribute to that goodness. I love writing stories where good triumphs over adversity, particularly on a small scale. Perhaps my characters aren’t fighting great evil, but they’re always fighting to find peace and happiness for themselves.
There have been times when I’ve struggled to remain optimistic. Many years ago, I experienced an injury that resulted in a permanent disability and chronic pain. Many activities are now much harder, if not impossible, for me. I spent a lot of time very angry. Then, I realized that my limitations offered opportunities for me to grow in my craft. I could explore my difficulties through writing and connect with people experiencing similar circumstances. My first short story, “White Lily,” published in Anthea Sharp’s Feyland Tales, follows a young woman who struggles to deal with a life-altering injury. She yearns so keenly for the past that she begins to lose track of her future. Yet, she finds hope in friendship.
I like stories that end in hope. I believe it may exist in even the most unexpected places; we only have to look for it. Whenever I struggle, I allow myself time to breathe and then ask myself, what can I learn from this experience? How will I find my peace? It has greatly helped me maintain my optimism.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I love writing. It gives me the opportunity to share my stories. I imbue my writing with hopes, dreams, fears, insecurities, interests, griefs, and ideals; the list is endless. I can connect with readers, encourage them to feel and think things, to consider the world around them. Writing also forces me to slow down, take in all the small, seemingly insignificant details, and discover what makes them fascinating. I firmly believe there is beauty in everything, and writing allows me to explore that belief.
There is no aspect of writing I don’t enjoy, too, which makes me immensely lucky. I relish the early stages of brainstorming when everything is still vague, disjointed scenes. Then comes the writing, and while difficult and sometimes overwhelming, it is also exciting because I’m still learning about the world and its characters. I’m building and shaping my story. Editing allows me to revisit my work with fresh eyes and improve on it. Is it always excellent and poetic? No, but I’m very passionate about writing and lucky to have the opportunity to pursue it.
I started writing at ten years old. I needed to write a short poem for a homework assignment due early the following day. Like all good procrastinating creatives, I waited until the last moment to finish the assignment. I didn’t want to write. While I was an avid reader and daydreamer, the idea of writing down my stories sounded like an awful lot of work. So, I wandered around the house, whining and complaining, as children sometimes do, until my mom had enough. She convinced me to at least try. So, I wrote a poem about fairies, fell in love, and decided that I wanted to be a writer.
I kept writing. I moved from Florida to Missouri, started working various customer service jobs, and one day decided, under extreme duress from family and friends, that I needed to submit something. Then, in 2018, I published “White Lily” in the fantastic Anthea Sharp’s Feyland Tales anthology. Suddenly, I wasn’t only a writer but a published author. In 2021, I published “Death’s Tinkerer” in New Exterus. I couldn’t believe it. I hadn’t only gotten published once, but twice, and I did it with one of my odd little death stories. It was an incredible feeling.
I returned to college and took as many literature and creative writing classes as possible. I read and read and read some more. I kept writing and learned to share my work with my peers. I discovered so much about the craft and found my voice.
Now, I’m co-authoring SHADOW HUNTER with KJ Fieler and have a new story, “Adalyn’s Call,” in Anthea Sharp’s The Feyland Tales Omnibus.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

I think reading needs to be at the top of the list. Before I became a writer, I was a reader. Books filled my life with magic and imagination. I’ve always craved stories, and reading allowed me to delve headfirst into new worlds and experiences. Once I started writing, I turned again to books to expand my vocabulary, study structure, metaphor, characters, etc. I took literature classes in college because they showed me how people have told stories throughout history. I think reading is an essential step to developing your own writing voice.
Passion has also dramatically impacted my journey. As beautiful and wonderful as it is to write, it’s also challenging. Writing is a labor of love and requires tremendous dedication and passion to keep moving forward. Perhaps a little stubbornness, too. Many days, I spend more time staring at a blank screen than writing. The hard days are when I must remember that I genuinely love writing. I need to write.
Finally, being receptive to feedback has greatly impacted my writing journey. It applies not only to negative feedback but also to positive feedback. It’s easy to get stuck in the story, to miss things, and often, a second set of eyes helps. It’s sometimes hard to be receptive to comments on your work, particularly if the story is personal. When I started to recognize that people offered feedback to help me improve my skills, it became easier to accept it. Positive feedback is equally important, for as I like to say, I am my own worst critic. It’s so easy for writers to overlook the beauty of our stories due to insecurities.
As to advice on developing these qualities? I always find it so difficult to give advice. Despite writing for so long, I still believe I have much to learn. But when I was very young, my dad always told my siblings and me to practice.
Practice, practice, practice.
He’d always say it when we wanted to try something new or complained about not being perfect in our chosen hobby. It became a sort of motto for all of us. Something we would recite as we grew into adulthood. As an adult, I understand that he was on to something. So, my advice would have to be practice, practice, practice.

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?

I’ve always been an introvert, so I struggled to join the writing community as a young writer. Once I realized I couldn’t hide away like some sort of word goblin, I acquired a bad case of Imposter Syndrome. I missed out on writing friendships and many opportunities to strengthen my skills because I shied away from all interactions with other writers.
A few years ago, my writing mentor introduced me to the Inklings, a writer’s group run by Robin Adams. Despite our separation by a handful of states, all the members of the Inklings have significantly impacted my writing through their critical eyes and rabid support of everything I do. They encouraged me to take up space in the writing world and helped build my confidence. I started the group too afraid to speak up, and now they can’t get me to shut up. I learned my strengths and weaknesses, how to improve, tell my story to those outside my imagination, and accept feedback. They consistently pushed me to improve but also supported me when I faltered. The Inklings provide a safe place for me to ask all manner of questions, explore techniques, and make mistakes. I’m a much better writer for it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.harrisonkayne.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Harrison-Kayne-Writer-100063881957298/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlUMtr__zlU

Image Credits

“Feyland Tales” and “Feyland Tales Omnibus” images courtesy of Anthea Sharp

“Shadow Hunter” image courtesy of KJ Fieler

“Exterus” image courtesy of G. Owen Wears