Meet Jacklyn Mcqueen

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jacklyn Mcqueen. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jacklyn below.

Hi Jacklyn, so happy you were able to devote some time to sharing your thoughts and wisdom with our community. So, we’ve always admired how you have seemingly never let nay-sayers or haters keep you down. Can you talk to us about how to persist despite the negative energy that so often is thrown at folks trying to do something special with their lives?

I persist by constantly creating. Each day is a new opportunity to make a story that stems into adventures. Painting, coloring, writing, experiencing things both good and bad inspire me to keep going. No amount of people telling me that I’m not good enough will get me to stop creating.

Publishing a book came with people who loved it and disliked it. That’s okay! Nothing worthwhile has ever been done without some opposed to it. Persistence is about getting better. I’s about improving your skills. That best comes with practice. You can’t give up creating just because a few people out there weren’t a fan of the creation.

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?

Writing is an exciting form of expression! Every time you pick up a pencil or open a laptop, a different creation begins. I focus on the topics of my personal life experiences, particularly inspiring young girls to go after what they want. Bad relationships hold so many of us back–they held me back! But overcoming the pain of the past and plowing forward is a gospel of mine. We have to keep doing the best we can.

My next creation is a series of children’s books about my cat. Leo is the light of my life. I hope to use my precious kitty to teach kids about animals and the wonderful things pets give us.

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

I started writing Angel in Red at nineteen years old; it finally got published two years later when I was twenty-one. Looking back, determination, practicing your craft and passion got me through it.

You have to be determined to try. Not necessarily succeed, just to try. To do your best and go for whatever goal you have, no matter the hurdles and how many people clap at the end. So many days were spent crying on my bedroom floor, wondering if I was good enough and debating on giving up. But even if no one read it, I had to publish Angel in Red for me. It was a symbol of seeing my tears turned into a tool for others. I was determined to see this project through.

The first draft of anything is terrible for me. Not even bad, terrible. I have more rough drafts laying around my desk than finished pieces. Practicing your interests and continuing to improve is the only way to reach the end result you want. I practice how I want to express my emotions and constantly analyze how things I write will come across. I practice things from various viewpoints in order to really get a holistic view on what I’m creating.

Without passion, I would have nothing. I wouldn’t have the job I have today without dedication to my passion(s). I have a passion for bettering my life and creating things. Together, I spend my days drawing concept art for potential stories. Lists live in my brain of ways to turn simple plots into lengthy dramas. If you’re passion is real, immerse yourself in it!

I encourage everyone to find something they’re passionate about. Something that makes them work every day to experience it. If you’re passion is sports, then play, watch, practice, immerse yourself in that passion with the biggest smile on your face. Don’t give up until you have Superbowl tickets or are playing the game.

For those out there feeling lost, know that we have all been lost. We’ve all been staring at a wall waiting for something to happen. But once something does happen, try it. Try it, practice it, practice something else until that’s all you want to do. That one thing that makes you determined to succeed will change your life.

Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?

As an avid reader, there have been many. On average, I read six books a month and a dozen articles a day. My reading interests have no boundaries. Any genre by any author will pique my interest. Doctors have called me a bibliophile.

The first book that comes to mind is 1984 by George Orwell. “If there is hope, it lies in the paroles,” is one of my favorite quotes. It tells the reader that if there is hope, it doesn’t lay within the person most expected. It doesn’t even lay with one of the characters. If there is hope, it lies in the reader. Readers consume knowledge that powers our world. Readers tell writers what they want. Writers can have dangerous jobs. Anyone can post or publish anything nowadays.

1984 was published in 1949, but the messages are still disturbingly relevant. It’s a novel that tells the audience not to believe everything presented to you. As a writer, it reminds me that I have a responsibility to be honest. I create with a responsibility to tell my readers the truth. The truth of the good, the bad, the ugly, and the beautiful.

Orwell told society the truth even when they did not want to hear it. Sometimes, I don’t want to acknowledge my own faults. The book is a reflection of people and ourselves. I’ve read 1984 three times in the last ten years, and the impact it has on how I perceive knowledge is constant. If there are good people out there, I have to believe that they will speak up, that they will write.

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Image Credits

all images were taken by my mom

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