We were lucky to catch up with Lisa Hodorovych recently and have shared our conversation below.
Lisa, thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with us today. We’re excited to dive into your story and your work, but first let’s start with a broader topic that might be stopping many of our readers from pursuing their dreams – haters, nay-sayers, etc. How have you managed to persist despite haters and nay-sayers that inevitably follow folks who are doing something unique, special or off the beaten path?
I will admit, when haters, nay-sayers, pessimists…whatever you want to call them, when they talk at me, it does get underneath my skin. It hurts, it truly does. But then, I remember that what I am doing with my life (being a small business owner and an author) is for my happiness, not theirs. They have their own life to worry about; they have their own life to make into a happy one; and if they don’t like what I’m doing, that’s on them. I’m happy where I am. I’m truly blessed to be able to say I’m living my dream of being an author, of being able to help readers leave the day-to-day (even for a little bit) and escape to a new world. And I am truly blessed to be able to say I’m helping fellow writers live that dream, as well.
So, to all you haters and nay-sayers, go ahead and hate on me all you want. It’s not going to stop me from doing what I love. I actually have a sign in my room, next to my desk, that reads, “Haters are my motivators.” I look up at it every so often and smile, remembering that I may not be able to please everybody, but I know I have made a difference in someone’s life and that means more to me than anything else.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Hello, dear reader. My name is Lisa Hodorovych. I am an author and a small business owner. Born and raised in New Jersey, I knew I was going to be an author from a very young age. Even in my fifth-grade yearbook, under “Future Goal,” I wrote, “Author.”
Unfortunately, it took some time to get there, but back in 2022, I published my first book, THE DISAPPEARANCE. I took what was my college thesis (since I received my BA in Creative Writing) and expanded it into what became my first novel. Then in 2023, I published its sequel, HE’S HERE!, and now in 2024, I’m working on my third novel, and hope to have it out by the end of the year (or sooner).
I think what’s most exciting about being an author is taking a story that developed in your mind, writing it out, editing it a few (hundred) times — with help from friends, fellow writers, etc. — and turning it into an actual book that people can hold and read from. Seeing the book come together on your laptop is one thing, but when you hold a physical copy in your hands, seeing all the hard work you’ve done for however long you’ve worked on it, that is an incredible moment that can’t be fully described. It’s breathtaking; it’s heartwarming; it makes you cry happy tears and grin from ear to ear. It’s one of the most joyous experiences I’ve had in my life (after, of course, marrying my husband).
And now, with my business, Quoth the Writer, it is truly such an honor to help fellow writers encounter those same feelings when their work is completed. Quoth the Writer is a publication production company, so I help facilitate the publishing process. I help with editing and/or proofreading work as well as formatting it for publishing, creating cover art, if need be, and giving the best advice I can about how and where to publish your work, especially if you’re looking to self-publish.
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 qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful for me were perseverance, acknowledgement, and the willingness to learn.
Not to sound cliche, but I’ve been through a lot. And I know my story is not any better or any worse than the person next to me, but at the same time, through everything, I persevered. Now, I’m not going to sit here and say that there weren’t times where I wanted to through my arms up and say, “Forget this,” because there were a lot of times that happened. However, after taking a breather, after taking some time to calm down and clear my mind, I was able to get back at it. I was able to continue doing what I love.
I’m also not going to sit here and say there weren’t obstacles because there were plenty. Everything from mental health issues, financial issues, the haters and the nay-sayers, the lack of discipline and/or motivation. All of this and more played huge factors in my journey. But again, I didn’t stop. I persevered through it all and continue to do so today.
With acknowledgement, this is a two-lane highway, because not only do I acknowledge my issues and work through them on a daily basis, but I also acknowledge when I mess up and make sure to fix them. This brings us to always having the willingness to learn because if you don’t have that yearning to learn, then in my opinion, you’re not going to grow.
See, when I have friends and fellow writers read over my work and they tell me that pieces are missing in my story, I’m using the wrong punctuation mark, there’s a part in the story that doesn’t make sense, and so on, I acknowledge them. My feelings may be hurt for a hot minute — because you never want to hear that your work isn’t perfect — but I accept (I acknowledge) their suggestions. And you know what? My story grows and becomes a lot better because of it. I have learned from the mistakes I’ve made (literally learning the punctuation marks, learning different words to use, etc.) and I turned my stories into the “masterpieces” they are today. If I didn’t, then they would’ve been total disasters, I wouldn’t have learned anything, and I wouldn’t have grown.
In the end, I think the best piece of advice I can give to someone who is just starting their journey is don’t give up; be as persistent as you can with the work you want to do, even when you have the haters and nay-sayers nipping at you. This is your life, not theirs, so do what you love and stay at it. When someone reads over your work and tells you pieces are missing or you’re using the wrong word or whatever it may be, acknowledge it. Be grateful that they are taking the time to help you out and take in their suggestions. It may just be what you need to make your work complete. And never stop learning. Whatever journey you are on, know that it is ever changing and ever evolving, so make sure you are always learning new things, so you can grow with it.
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
The number one obstacle for me has always been (and still is) a lack of discipline. I know so many writers who take the time out of their day (even if it’s ten minutes) to write, meanwhile I can never find the time to write…or at least that’s what I tell myself. If I had more discipline, I know I would get a lot more done, especially when it comes to my writing.
I actually just started reading ATOMIC HABITS: AN EASY & PROVEN WAY TO BUILD GOOD HABITS & BREAK BAD ONES by James Clear and within the first few pages, it’s already starting to help. In the first chapter, he talks about doing something to make yourself 1% better than what you were and that can be anything: going to bed earlier; waking up earlier; going for a walk; and so much more. Just by doing those little things, by making those little changes day-by-day, you will see significant improvement. It may take some time, but again, you will see them.
So that’s what I’m doing now. I’m making little changes where I can to, in the long run, see massive improvements. I started with my health, since that’s currently one of my biggest concerns, and I have seen changes. Nothing massive, but I am headed in the right direction. Next will be my writing.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/authorhodorovych
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewriterslife87/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LisaHodorovych/
- Other: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/qtwreviews – My blog where I review different teas and discuss Godzilla.
Image Credits
HE’S HERE! cover was created by Mark Bailey. Quoth the Writer logo was created by me on Canva.
