Meet Greg Anderson Elysée

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Greg Anderson Elysée. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Greg, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?

When I’m the only one of the room, I’d say my measure of success falls into if the project is complete and if I am satisfied and happy with it. I’m not someone who hates my work or puts myself and work down. But if I get to that point of generally enjoying both the process and the finished product, I would say I am successful. A follow up measure of success would be if readers are satisfied and enjoyed it.

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 am a comic book writer and creator. Disclaimer: I am not a comic book artist. I do not draw. I come up with and write the story and scripts which then goes to the illustrators. Common mistake people have about comic book writing.

But yes, I have been writing practically all my life. Essentially since first grade. Second grade I discovered comic books. By middle school and high school, I realized I wanted to make comic books. I used to actually illustrate and was a fine arts major in high school but that was when I realized I much preferred writing and pursued that ever since. I

’m a huge fan of mythology. Growing up I was obsessed with anything to do with Greek myths and fairy tales. In high school and college I started to learn a lot about Black mythologies and Black traditional beliefs and realized I wanted to tell stories about that. I didn’t like that we were required to be educated on European myths and stories but if I wanted to learn about the Black equivalents, I had to take them as electives. I decided I wanted to try to change that narrative and the best way I could do that is by writing. My comics tend to focus a lot on Black culture, in particularly Black folklore, traditional beliefs, figures from stories, etc. I feel it’s a great way to educate, entertain, and hopefully get people interested in what we can do with our stories. While I am a huge fan of horror, I want to showcase that Black culture (and spirituality in particular) can be the power of combating the horrors… rather than Black spirituality being the source of the horror.

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

1. Being a general fan and appreciator of whatever it is you’re pursuing. That helps A LOT. I say that because there are people who take a casual interest in something and think that’s all it takes because it seems like a good and fun idea. But when its a medium you actually care about and have enjoyed for years as an appreciator, it will make understanding the process and what works and doesn’t work so much easier.

2. Being a sponge for knowledge and growth. Studying what makes what you’re enjoying work and where they could have improved upon. Study what makes something “poor” or a less than stellar product. When you can break down some of that, you can apply it in your work as well. You have to learn how to analyze things you enjoy and don’t enjoy. That’s a skill in and of itself and can help you realize your own personal weak points. What do you need to work on based on what has come before? How can you grow as a creative?

3. Being open to criticism and suggestions but also knowing when you don’t have to apply it. This is a hard balance to be honest with you. Because not all criticism is beneficial. Some times that comes down to opinion and also, there are times when it flies against what you’re trying to do thematically. Some of the best advice and suggestions help improve your work and make it stronger. It helps to be open to them. But if something is making sense and disregards entirely what you’re doing, sleep on it and maybe let it go if it still doesn’t fit or make you feel good.

If you knew you only had a decade of life left, how would you spend that decade?

Aww man. Bit of a loaded question there. I’d say finances could be a lot better. My partner and I have recently purchased a house. So now we have mortgage, taxes, and utilities to think about on top of the prior bills we have individually. Being a comic book writer doesn’t really pay the bills, especially a self published one who has to do a lot of work for self. One has to constantly hustle, do shows, market, amongst other things and not everyone is great at all of them. At this point, everything I make has been towards the house and productivity on my projects are starting to take a slight backseat in the process. So right now I’m trying to also find more gigs that will help, be it writing for others or other jobs. That’s been my current challenge.

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