Meet Emilie Scarchilli

We recently connected with Emilie Scarchilli and have shared our conversation below.

Emilie, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

I’ll be completely honest here and say that, for me, overcoming impostor syndrome is a work in progress. When I look at the big picture and try to stack myself up against all the other creatives in my community, I tend to downplay my own gifts and skills. However, when I celebrate small victories, I become more certain of my abilities. I may not have accomplished as much as others, but I’ve learned to tell myself that my gifts are valuable. The books I publish bring delight and joy, encouragement and hope, to many people. My status as a small self-publishing press is immaterial as long as I can help others through my work. When that happens, I know that I”m not an impostor, but my own unique person.

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?

At Sparrowhaven Press, we’re committed to promoting thoughtful and compassionate examples of the written word. We publish a wide range of titles, from children’s fiction and epic fantasy to various kinds of creative nonfiction. Our goal is to publish in as many genres as possible so that we can appeal to a wide-ranging audience. Ideally, there would be something for everyone and anyone at Sparrowhaven! We’re also in the process of launching a sister enterprise – audiobook versions of our titles, posted to YouTube. Our first title dropped last week, and we hope that audiences will enjoy listening to it – we realize that not everyone has the time or resources to purchase and read a print or eBook, so these free audiobooks will allow us to expand our audience to listeners as well as readers.

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?

Perseverance – to keep developing your craft and being true to your passion, even if circumstances are weighing you down. Creative people, myself included, face many challenges, both interior (including impostor syndrome) or exterior. We have to train ourselves not to be bogged down in obstacles, but to always be true to our talents.

Happiness – to maintain a sense of joy when we’re in creative mode. Our emotions come though our creative projects. If we cultivate happiness, then that happiness will show through in our works. Of course, it’s often necessary that our sadness show through our work as well, but happiness will keep us most motivated to stay on the creative path.

Hope – to tell ourselves that the future is full of good things, including new creative opportunities. If we foster a spirit of hope, that optimism will show through our work and give our audience hope as well.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

My favorite authors have taught me and continue to teach me about the importance of perseverance, happiness, and hope – especially Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and C.S. Lewis. Each of these authors model those three essential qualities for me, and I look back on their works for inspiration when I’m struggling.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lulu.com/spotlight/sparrowhavenpress
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SparrowhavenPress

Image Credits

Sophia Baltrinic
Lulu.com
Canva.com