Meet Jenn Leblanc

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jenn Leblanc a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jenn, so happy to have you on the platform with us today and excited to chat about your lessons and insights. Our ability to make good decisions can massively impact our lives, careers and relationships and so it would be very helpful to hear about how you built your decision-making skills.

Trial and error over a lifetime of trying and erring. Every decision I make is based on real-world experience and learning the hard way. I used to wonder what to do next or how to complete a certain task ahead, but now I just dip into my experience and move forward. If I have no relevant experience, I do as much as I can to learn before making a decision, but I’ve found that relative experience is, well, relative. Just because I haven’t done a thing doesn’t mean I don’t already have useful knowledge based on what I’ve already accomplished.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I have ten published novels out in the world, most of which are illustrated with photographs I created in a studio with real people. (I guess we have to be specific in the age of AI?) I love to do both sides of the storytelling, words are limitless in creation, you can do anything you want. And while images are mostly constrained to what’s accessible to you– one image can replace thousands of words. Marrying the two seemed the perfect combination.

I’ve always done things that were way ahead of the curve, (like illustrated novels, serializing novels, etc.) and because big business can’t move as fast an individuals can, I’ve tended to go my own way and forge ahead.

We moved to Los Angeles in 2015 and because I’m a photographer and a writer I always thought I should get into filmmaking, but never really took that leap until last year. I’m halfway through my Masters in TV and Screenwriting with Stephens College, which has been incredible. I’ve always loved learning— not exactly true because I’m neuro-divergent— I’ve always loved learning about things I’m interested in, and this program seemed perfect. There’s no lack of programs here in Los Angeles, but after researching I chose Stephens because of their female-led, female-focused ideology and the way the program is set up with an eight day residency here in Los Angeles, followed by independent study led by working mentors in their field.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

The most important skill is the art of the pivot. (Cue Ross Gellar emoji here) It takes a certain amount of patience in order to hone this skill. And forced calm. But it’s absolutely necessary especially if you’re the boss and everything falls to you. Things change at a moments notice and you need to keep up or lose your shirt when it falls apart.

I’ve learned a lot about pivoting from being a photographer, covering the Gulf Oil Spill in 2010 (for which I won an award) I had to be able to think on my toes to find the stories and figure out where I needed to be, and talk my way into and out of situations.

I moved into book cover photography where models will drop out at the last minute, because there’s snow in Colorado or because the Uber was taking to long (true stories) and sometimes they just didn’t show at all. We’d have to find a way to shoot for the client from grabbing someone off the street to hiring someone that someone in the studio knew or bringing in someone we love to work with at the last minute. We’ve even had to find a studio the day before because the studio we always used was double booked. Then that studio was 90 degrees and the costuming was extensive so we switched up the entire shot list to accommodate because nobody needs heat stroke.

Pivoting is simply about keeping your mind clear, not panicking, and considering all solutions until the best possible one for the situation locks in.

Second I think it’s important to know your position, inside and out. What I mean by this is— think of it like a book genre, murder mysteries always have a charismatic detective, a murder, a mystery, and a solve. Always. Romance novels have a building relationship, trials, and a happily ever after. You need to know your realm, your genre, the rules of where you are so you know exactly how you can work within those rules— and it isn’t to break them, these are the foundational rules of the world that cannot be changed. There is no mystery without a solution and there is no romance without an HEA. Learn the rules of wherever you are. Know them front and back and inside out, know the history of the rules, know all the opposition to the rules, learn everything so you can make strong, dedicated decisions based on knowledge and forethought.

Third, know yourself. Know what you are and are not capable of. Set rules for yourself, bake them into everything you do as though you have an allergy to onions. Do not accept the onions! Be strong enough to turn things down that don’t follow those rules, keep chasing the perfect fit. Don’t give in and don’t give up. Argue for the onions to be removed and if they can’t be, be strong enough to walk away. Do what’s best for you, ALWAYS.

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

The people who have helped me to succeed in my life—other than myself— are my independent colleagues. I’ve learned more about publishing from other working writers than from the industry, industry organizations, any kind of school, or google. People are what will help you succeed in anything. And I hate “networking.” But it isn’t networking when you also have something of value, which goes back to knowing yourself and what you do, knowing your limits and knowing your business. You can join conversations, ask appropriate questions, and learn from people when you have enough knowledge on the subject to be an active participant. Then it’s easy! When you know the ins and outs of your business, networking isn’t scary. But knowing the ins and outs doesn’t mean you know everything yet, and the good good stuff comes from the people who have been doing the thing longer than you have. They’re the most important factor to learning and growing.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @JENNLeBLANC

Image Credits

Wander Aguiar, Jess Michaels, Jenn LeBlanc