Meet Willow Ford

We recently connected with Willow Ford and have shared our conversation below.

Willow , 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?
Creativity is a living thing and must be tended to accordingly. We must feed it with experiences that will nourish it. We must hone it by exercising our expression everyday. We must give it new goals and help it evolve and grow. If we treat creativity like something static or like something that can be kept in a box, we will find ourselves facing blocks and mounting frustration.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
As the founder of Dark Flame Productions LLC, I strive to keep inclusion and and joy at the forefront of the content I create. Dark Flame Productions is an independent publishing imprint that provides minoritized readers who love scifi, horror, romantic suspense, and historical fantasy with books that feature main characters they identify with and find relatable. The highlight of the 2023 publication schedule is the Timeworn series set to rapid release in the spring. The Timeworn series follows the women of the Pelletier family as they struggle to walk the line between universe-altering power and the rule of patriarchy. I’ve even planned a surprise novella exclusively available for free to those on my mailing list. You can sign up on my website farbackroom.com.
2023 marks the third year of my Innate Inclusion Series. Students will learn ways to modernized their writing by exploring the incisive elements that are already in their orbit. Together we expand their authenticity in a gentle, non-judgmental environment. I teach the first class in conjunction with Indie It Press. You can check out Introduction to Inclusion on Indieitpress.com.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The skill that has helped me most is the fine art of networking. Networking is an exchange, but when you’re just starting out, it may appear that you have very little of value to offer. This isn’t true and for many months it will seem like you’re giving more than you get, but keep going and soon you’ll find your niche. Once you set your niche, you’ll find more people gravitate to you to assist and collaborate. Another skill you need managing stress. Any endeavor that gets you out of your comfort zone will generate a certain level of stress. If you don’t learn to manage stress and difficulties you’ll burnout and lose progress.
The final skill is tied to managing stress and it is time management. Without a way to keep track of tasks and goals, you’ll find yourself working hard yet accomplishing no progress.

The best way to cultivate these skills is to read. There are a plethora of books on all three of the skills. Try the techniques out and keep what works.

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy was the book that jump-started my motivation. The best piece of advice is: “Success is the result of small, smart choices, completed consistently over time.” I strive to have no unscheduled zero days where nothing gets done toward my goals.

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