We were lucky to catch up with K. Iwancio recently and have shared our conversation below.
K., thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?
How do I keep my creativity alive? Well, to be honest, it never leaves. Creativity is my lifeblood. I tell people all the time, “If I’m not creating something, I’ll die.” Most of my hobbies involve creativity in some form or fashion. I’m an avid crafter: I make merchandise to sell and give away at my book signings, I write: My brain is constantly in go go go mode with ideas and conversations between characters, I design: My background is in interior design but it’s also branched to graphic design as well. Having a creative background is incredibly helpful with a writing career.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I’m K. Iwancio and I write romantic comedies. I’ve always felt that being in love needs a little bit of humor. I grew up around funny movies and they’re my guilty pleasure whenever I’ve had a bad day. Romance is something that’s always enchanted me. I’ve been an avid reader since I learned to read. Romance was a genre that I denied liking but always kept coming back to. It’s ironic that it’s the one genre I love to write. Writing gives me an escape; an escape that’s of my own choosing. I get to pick the characters, the guy, how they look, where they are. It’s awesome.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The three qualities/skills that I think all writers and authors should have are: A love for reading, brilliant imagination, and self-motivation. These are all things that you should have and KEEP throughout your writing journey. As I’m writing, I’m still constantly reading. Readers want to know what mainstream books are good comps for your work. That’s how you get readers to give your work a try. Plus, if you’re going the traditional publishing route, you’ll need up-to-date comps for the manuscript you’re pitching. Imagination is key, due to the fact that you’re sculpting a whole new world for readers to enjoy. What are your characters physically doing? What are they wearing? What does their surroundings look like? If you can’t visualize it, then your readers can’t either. Self-motivation is a huge factor when writing. Some days are tough when the words don’t come. Surround yourself with a hype squad of fellow writers or fans who will encourage you to keep going when the days are hard. If you have all of these as part of your writing career foundation, then you have a great head start.
What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?
The biggest obstacle I’m facing now is the fact that I’m a one-woman show. I do everything. The only thing I’ve outsourced is character art. I write the books, I edit, I format, I design the covers, I run all my social media, set up all my book signing events, etc. If you’re working and/or being a parent, adding this full-time job on top of everything is a LOT. But since it’s something I’m passionate about, it’s worth the many sleepless nights and the stressful days. Because when you have a love for it, the good days always outweigh the bad ones.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kiwancio.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/k.iwancio_writes/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kiwanciowrites/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@kiwancio_writes
