Today we’d like to introduce you to Kim Renner.
Kim, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
In college, I was one of those (many) people who didn’t know what they really wanted to do for a living. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life at all–I only knew that I wanted to travel, learn languages, and immerse myself in different cultures.
I’d loved expressing myself through the written word since I was a kid. The world had pushed me away from pursuing a degree related to that passion, though. I’d never make money, they said. It’d be a life of struggle.
So, I graduated with a B.B.A. in International Business. I figured it was broad enough to help me out, and maybe even allow me to travel one day.
The best job offer I got out of college ended up being completely unrelated to anything I enjoyed doing. It was basically a data entry position at a financial institution. I told myself it was only temporary until I found something more close to my actual interest in business–marketing. That was what my classes had been concentrated in.
I ended up working that job for two years. I was miserable. I felt unfulfilled, unchallenged, and unhappy. I thought long and hard what I’d rather be doing, but every time I worked the equation out in my head, I always got the same answer: I wanted to write.
About a year into my time at that job, I started my small freelance writing business. I was amazed. I could finally make money off of what I loved doing!
I made decent side-money writing blogs and scripts for the few regular clients I’d acquired, but I still felt creatively suppressed. I got introduced to screenwriting and film and started writing my own scripts. One short film script I wrote, I produced and submitted it to film festivals.
It competed in one but didn’t win. I didn’t plan on stopping any time soon, and I took it as a good first learning experience.
Soon after, I came across an opportunity to go to Spain for nine months and teach English. I was still so unhappy with my job that I took it as a merciful escape and immediately accepted.
While I was there, I continued working on freelance writing for a few months, but I eventually got tired of ghost-writing. I wanted to write things I’d actually get recognition for. I wanted to put my own ideas into something. I decided to devote all my energy into a novel I’d started writing when I was 18 years old.
I spent most of my free time (when I wasn’t traveling around Europe on the weekends) finishing the book, editing the older chapters, and brainstorming the missing pieces.
By the time I left Spain to come back home, the novel was mostly finished. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do next, but I knew for sure that I didn’t want to go back to working a 9-5 kind of job that I had no interest in like before. I never wanted to go back to that.
I’d always been pretty into yoga, so I decided my next side gig until I made it somewhere bigger with my writing, could be to become a certified yoga instructor. Of course, I wanted to do it in India, the birthplace of yoga. Not only was it another adventure that would prolong the inevitable reality check I’d eventually have to face, but it was an investment into myself.
Sure enough, it ended up paying off pretty well. Becoming certified allowed me to travel through Asia teaching yoga for the last five months. I met some incredible people, saw amazing places, and had unforgettable adventures traveling around with no plans except the next place I’d be teaching.
I always taught in exchange for free accommodation and meals, and my freelance writing and remote assistant work I’d started doing earlier this year allowed me to cover the costs of most of the flights.
Some of the projects I was able to finish this year while traveling abroad include a feature film script (it was awarded “Best Screenplay” by Beyond Earth Film Festival) and finally, my novel–yes, the same one I started at age 18–was finally fully complete. I started submitting my manuscript to agents and publishers in the last few months.
My overall goal is to positively affect others, whether with yoga or my writing.
I’m still working on finding the right representation for the book, but now that I’m back in Atlanta, I’ll be working on even more projects.
Soon, I’ll be teaching yoga through a counseling office that focuses on treating people with anxiety. I’m working with the counselor to help treat her patients’ anxiety and other issues through yoga and meditation, and I couldn’t be more excited. I think it’ll be very fulfilling to be able to use yoga to help people in this way.
I’m going to start writing my next novel soon, and will definitely be writing plenty of scripts, both short and feature, that I’m hoping I can either get produced or recognized by film festivals.
My main goal now has been to find a way to be able to continue supporting myself while I continue working on my dreams, with a job I moderately enjoy. With my yoga business (Refresh & Calm Yoga) and various other side-hustles, I’ll keep working until I can get my writing out there in a bigger way, and have my stories seen by the world.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It hasn’t been smooth in the sense that I’ve had to feel a lot of rejection along the way. It’s not a feeling I’m used to, and I actually realized it’s one I’ve been trying to subliminally avoid like the plague.
Not everyone will value your ideas or your creativity. It’s hard to accept at first. I will say though, that it does get easier the more you feel that rejection, You honestly get used to it.
It’s also difficult because I went to school for International Business, not writing, so I’m still working to build up enough experience in order to be considered for steady, consistent writing jobs.
I think my best advice with this would be to simply maintain your self-love and confidence. Don’t look for others for that validation we all crave. You have to get used to giving it to yourself. And ironically, no one will usually give it to you unless they see you’re confident enough to already have all the validation you need.
The struggle is convincing everyone else that your idea IS that great.
We all have a message for the world. It comes out in a myriad of ways. Whatever your soul’s medium is for conveying it, you have to believe that your message WILL get out there, and be accepted. Embraced, even. Keep putting it out there over and over. Don’t stop until something sticks.
I believe in the Law of Attraction and Manifestation. I believe that the universe will create a way for you if you put all of your energy into it, and don’t stop.
What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
I’m a yoga instructor and a writer. I’m passionate about helping people balance their emotions and thoughts through yoga and meditation in order to feel more at peace in their lives. I’m proud to be able to say that I’ve taught yoga in over 7 different countries! I also specialize in guiding my students through meditation in a style similar to Yoga Nidra, or yogic sleep. I tend to focus the meditation on practicing manifestation techniques.
I’m also passionate, of course, about writing and telling stories! I write SEO-optimized blogs and articles for small businesses, and scripts for short films and music video storylines. I specialize in creating original, high-quality content. The natural ability I have to write great, original material with a quick project turnover is what sets me apart from other content creators.
What advice would you give to someone at the start of her career?
Always follow your dreams. I’m a perfect example that shows how most of us end up right back at the doorstep of our original endeavors, desperately trying to break our way into that best version of our selves (that truly does exist). No one wants to have regrets or feel like they didn’t have a fulfilling life.
Don’t value money over passion. Find a happy medium between both. In other words, don’t give up your dream because you think you’ll struggle. If your dream isn’t something that makes money you can live off of very easily, figure out the best strategy for you to be able to survive and still work toward your true interests. If you give up, you will most likely regret it. Go after it with all your being.
Pricing:
- $20 per yoga class, or $50 for a month unlimited classes
- $30 per blog or article, SEO included
- $15 per script page
Contact Info:
- Address: 5425 Sugarloaf Parkway #1101, Lawrenceville, GA
- Website: www.refreshandcalmyoga.com
- Phone: 678-350-3662
- Email: krenner55@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimthescriptwriter/?hl=es
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/refreshandcalmyoga/
- Other: www.kimrennerfreelancewriting.com
Image Credit:
Marian Vesely in Protaras, Cyrpus
Laura Sherwood Photography (took the first photo)
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