Meet Meredith Kasian

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

Hi Meredith, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a task-focused person. In high school, I took more AP classes than I could count on one hand, all while holding down an after school job and competing on the school swim team. That’s when I first learned how to manage my time and focus on one priority at a time. But I think the truth of my work ethic goes back farther than that. It was modeled by my parents, who always managed to find time for my brother and I will working, volunteering with the PTA, and finding time for themselves, too. They’re the ones who encouraged (or let’s be real, signed me up) for multiple activities at once while fostering an environment where academics were essential. The skills I learned from those busy grade-school years carried me through college and post-grad, where time was more abundant and I had to create my own structure.
Now, as a mom to two young kids, the work ethic and time management skills have continued to serve me well. I’m able to be a strong employee for my company, spend quality time with my family, and fit in time for my own passions and interests. It’s a juggle, and it’s not always perfect, but it’s something I’m proud of and something I doubt I’d be successful at if it hadn’t been a part of me from those early years.

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?

Writing a publishing a novel has always been a dream of mine. To this day, I have stories handwritten on wide-rule notebooks that I attempted to write over the years. But life carried me down a different path, into an engineering field, and though I still loved reading, I stopped writing for a period of time.
That all changed in 2023, when a friend challenged me to write a novel and my husband encouraged me to publish it. An old flame was reignited inside me, one that dreamed up worlds and stories that were itching to be told. Writing quickly became my outlet and a way for me to chase a dream I’d long let stay dormant.
Now, as I am knee deep in the first draft of my fourth book, I’m excited to be growing and learning as a writing, constantly challenging myself to grow and develop with each revision. My books lean on my love of fantasy, romance, and science, pulling all three together in unique ways each time.

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 first skill that comes to mind is one I didn’t realize I needed until after I wrote my first book: read more! But don’t just read for fun; read and pay attention to what the readers like, how the stories are written, and what types of arcs or plot points make stories you like work. Once I started reading like an author instead of reading like a reader, I noticed a difference in my own writing, because I could draw on new influences and inspirations.
The second skill is time management, or as we call it in my day job, project management. I’ve already spoken about my work ethic but being able to not only manage my time but manage my tasks, both author-related and non author-related, has been a huge component of my success. How this skill manifests is different for everyone but whatever way it is, I think it’s so important to do it well.
The last quality or skill is one I’m still working on because, as an introvert, I find it the most difficult. Find your community. Find others who have walked the path before you AND find those who are walking it at the same time as you. Find those who will lift you up, who will cry with you, and who will celebrate you. Being an author can be incredibly lonely sometimes, but finding those who can support you or answer you questions helps make the whole journey a little easier.

All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?

This is an easy one, and I bet most independent authors would answer this the same way. Marketing! Using social media, ads, events, etc are all ways the indie authors get their names and their books out there, but it’s exhausting, time consuming, and a skill all on its own that many of us just aren’t equipped for. I’m doing the best I can now to research as many outlets for promotion of my book(s) as I can for the lowest price I can, but I do also plan to learn how to use paid advertisements soon so I can work with those. The dream would be to be able to outsource all marketing some day…hopefully not too far int the future!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meredithkasianauthor/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Author-Meredith-Kasian-61565211195223/?locale=et_EE
• Other: Newsletter: https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/954497/121951071436277688/share