Meet Kimberly Amato

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

Kimberly, so happy to have you with us today. You are such a creative person, but have you ever head any sort of creativity block along the way? If so, can you talk to us about how you overcame or beat it?

For me, the first step to overcoming writer’s block is to accept it as part of my creative process. There are times that the writing would flow seamlessly one day and then I would hit the proverbial brick wall the next. I took a step back to figure out why I was hitting those walls. It turned out that I was pushing so hard, I burned out. To help with that, I now have “to do” lists next to my keyboard to keep me on track. If the writing doesn’t flow, I will go to something on my list to stay productive. If that fails, I’ll go for long walks to work through story arcs, even going so far as asking my characters why they are in that situation and how they think they can move beyond it.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I’ve always been a creative person. In simple terms, I am an author and a content creator. Before then, I was an actor and filmmaker inspired by the film “Silence of the Lambs” and its lead character, Clarice Starling. That movie led me down the path of getting my master’s degree in Forensic Psychology.

The human mind fascinates and exictes me. Why do people do certain things? What drives them? Those questions influenced my entire career as an actor and filmmaker. It is at the core of every single dystopian or police procedural book I write. I enjoy creating new worlds and stories that have an underlying theme related to current events.

As a content creator, I get to spend time with my wife. We review movies and live theater for our podcast, “Forever Fangirls”. Our podcasting led to opportunities to moderate several fan convention panels with different celebrity guests. As we expand into YouTube, we hope to include additional interviews, movie trailer reactions, and more.

Later this year, I will be stepping outside my confort zone by releasing a romance novel, ironically titled “Writer’s Block”. Next year will see the release of a cozy mystery novella series, “Grannies on the Go”.

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

Releasing something I’ve painstakingly created is the most vulnerable thing I’ve done. I remind myself that not everyone will like what I put out into the world, but there will also be those that love it. It’s hard and I still struggle to not allow the negativity get to me. Those negative reviews aren’t personal – it’s just the readers’ opinions. Ultimately, they still read the book and had a response to it. As a creator, that is the goal.

Creating something takes time – a lesson I’ve learned the hard way. Having the patience to go through all the stages of development without skipping or rushing through them is challenging. I’ve also learned when to ask for help. For example, grammatical editing is not my forte so I found an editor who helped make sure all my commas were in the proper places.

Finally, I’ve learned to listen to my insticts. If somebody suggests I change something I’ve written but it doesn’t feel authentic and true to the world I’ve created, I don’t do it.

For those just starting out, I would say this: be patient with yourself. This is a process and it will take time to find the right rhythm and develop your instincts regarding your story. Be open to learning everything about this field and understand that you may need to adapt some of that knowledge to benefit you and the stories you create. There is no “one right” answer. Just take it one day at a time and keep writing.

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?

Marketing is the most difficult aspect of being a self-published author.

It’s hard for me to ask people to buy something I’ve created, to sign up for a newsletter, or follow any of my social media accounts. How can you foster a relationship with your readers if you feel like you’re always selling to them? It’s a question I ask myself every time I post or send out an email. The reality is, marketing is part of the job, so I have purchased books that cover marketing strategies and I continue to take online classes. In the end, I am still navigating the information while trying to adapt it to my style and brand.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Book signing photo: Len Marks Photography
EH Con Canada: Petra De Jong

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