We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Cerece Rennie Murphy a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Cerece, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?
Honestly, I never think about being “the only one” in a room. I grew up in Washington, DC at a time when it was 65%-70% African American. Being Black was so normal, I didn’t even know that I was supposed to feel self-conscious about it. Of course, as a child there were times when I was in rooms where I was the only one, but I knew that was just a temporary state. I was surrounded by my community in almost every facet of my life so the “only one” status was contained to that room or that place, it was never my overarching reality.
I think growing up like that made me feel like my community was always with me. I’ve carried that same feeling into my adulthood. I know my very existence makes me a representative, evidence of all that came before me. I’m never alone in a room. My ancestors, all their hopes and dreams, their strength and courage come with me every where I go. It is my legacy and I never leave home without it. I wear that knowledge proudly and do my best because they showed me how.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
For over 11 years, I’ve had the immense privilege of being an independent author and publisher of science fiction, fantasy, and children’s books. As a business owner, it’s certainly a challenge to manage every aspect of the process, from writing, editing, and design, to production, marketing, and sales of my books, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I’m deeply grateful for the privilege of bringing the stories I’ve been given (I dream all my stories) to life with all the integrity, boldness, and care that my characters deserve. Every decision, every misstep, and every triumph is mine.
In 2020, I also launched an online sci-fi and comic culture convention called Virtuous Con which celebrates the excellence of independent BIPOC creators in speculative fiction across the media of books, comics, film, visual arts, and graphic novels. What began as a 3-hour pilot has blossomed into a 3-day event with dozens of panels and vendors and hundreds of fans who come to support our independent artists, learn from masters within their craft, and be inspired. Our next event is February 23-25, 2024.
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?
I think the three most important qualities that I’ve developed are my ability to persevere through difficulty, trust my path, and manage my headspace. When things get hard, you must develop a practice of pushing through your fear and doubt. Sometimes that means taking a break to rest (it’s easy to lose perspective when you’re tired) and sometimes that means just grinding it out. The most important thing is never to give up on your goal. Keep moving towards it no matter what.
Trusting your path, means understanding that you are on a singular journey. You will never find where you’re supposed to be by following other people. Take advice from people who know what they’re talking about. YES! Learn from the mistakes of others! Please do! But in the end, it’s your life. You have to do what’s right for you.
Managing your headspace is something that I’m passionate about because I know I can’t create if I’m in a negative place. So many things in daily life are designed as distractions. The urgent gets in the way of the important every day. Make sure you feed yourself the things you need to grow and block out the rest. You must actively guard your peace if you want to create from a place of stability. It’s not easy, but it is worth it.
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?
My biggest challenge is time. I do a lot of things, as a mother, a daughter, a writer, a businesswoman, and an employee. Yet, there are only 24 hours in a day. I’ve learned to ask for help. I’ve learned to accept my limitations, and I’m learning that right now isn’t always the right time.
I’ve never been a patient person, but fighting off exhaustion and overwhelm is something I’m still learning to do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://cerecerenniemurphy.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cerecermurphy/
