We were lucky to catch up with Nicole Zamlout recently and have shared our conversation below.
Nicole, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
I keep my creativity alive by keeping it honed. I write something small every morning right after my cup of coffee; by doing that, my passion for writing and love for the craft gets to stretch its legs, even as my day carries me away towards the other things that need my attention. And sometimes, if I’m lucky, I take whatever stolen moments I can to write more, honing these stories further, sometimes, than even I could imagine.
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 am young and passionate indie writer who has published three collections of short stories and poetry.
For me, the most exciting part of it all is the fact that I get to share my work with others. I have always been a huge reader and was inspired by so many authors. The fact that someone out there might pick up something I wrote and potentially let it inspire them in turn (or at least let the words linger in their minds like they did in mine) is something so special to me.
If you are interested in my work, the link to my books is here: https://readfuriously.com/pages/nicole-zamlout
And while it is still a work in progress, I do have my next book in the works, so keep an eye out for that!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Creativity, discipline, and determination are the three pillars of my writing journey.
For creativity, that was finely tuned over years of reading fantasy novels and loving every lesson in English class, learning from what had been done so I could see what I could do later.
Discipline also came during those early years, but it was really strengthened over COVID, where writing was one of my solaces during uncertain times. Every day I was at my desk, a habit that still persists today.
Determination was largely inspired by my family, who taught me that if I wanted something, I needed to go for it and give my all. That inspired me to keep honing my craft and sharing it with anyone I could, giving me the many wonderful opportunities I am fortunate enough to have today thanks to those who support me.
For any young writers out there, this may come off as a cliche but it hold true, at least for me: if you want to improve your writing, just write. Let it come out of you as it wants then get down to the business of fine tuning. Starting is the hardest part, so once you have, you’ll already be halfway there.
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?
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. Her use of prose, her focus on character and building a sweeping fantasy plot from the seemingly infinitesimal choices each person makes is absolutely enchanting and something that I keep in mind as I build my own stories.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://readfuriously.com/pages/nicole-zamlout
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicole.zamlout?igsh=ZzJiN281M3BteWp5&utm_source=qr
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolezamlout?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
