We recently connected with Christian Cook and have shared our conversation below.
Christian, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.
Confidence and self-esteem are characteristics that take time to develop. Carving out the time to practice my craft and curating spaces that allowed me to feel safe presenting my ideas helped me to build confidence over time. Being good at what I do plays a major role in why I feel as confident as I do today, but also keeping people around me that challenge me and encourage me helped too!
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am a Young Adult fiction author, who has recently published “Growing in the Gray”- a classic coming-of-age tale with contemporary twists. It stars a bold female lead who is struggling with creating her identity away from her family, moving home to start college in a city she barely understands, and the rollercoaster ride that modern dating typically entails.
I was excited about publishing this body of work because the main character was eccentric, the story incorporates flashbacks to piece the narrative together because she struggles with living in her head. You can find “Growing in the Gray” on Amazon, Target.com, Barnes & Noble, indie bookstores throughout the U.S., and on craftedbychristian.com.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
As I look back over the journey of becoming an author and having my debut novel published, one quality I’d say you would need is to be strategic in choosing your team to help you market it. Having a well-written book isn’t what gets books to sell, of course, focus on telling your story well but take extra time to think about what avenues you’re going to use to reach your target audience. Also, focus on personal branding because your readers may be interested in you as well as your book. Don’t forget about building relationships along the way, you might want to work with them again in the future and it feels amazing when you have an idea that you can execute with people you are comfortable working with. The best way to develop these skills is to stay proactive in the scene you want to be in, being known for producing quality and doing your research!
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
Both of my parents play a major role in who I am today. My mom was my first teacher and is the reason I’m so curious, love reading, and have a knack for wordplay. My dad instilled the importance of hard work and being a hustler, he actually relocated to be with my mom and it was hard to find work at first but he didn’t give up. Watching both of them has helped me develop into the go-getter I’ve grown up to be.
Contact Info:
- Website: craftedbychristian
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/champagnechrissy_/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-cook-554000bb/
Image Credits
Ashley Baranczyk
