May 15, 2018

Life and Work with C. S. Johnson

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to C. S. Johnson.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Over the course of my life, as short as it is, I have come to realize the power of stories and the way they shape us. In a fallen world, stories offer us the power of inspiration, encouragement, and warning, allowing people to be brought together and obstacles to be overcome.

As a writer, it is my job to use words and stories to entertain, to teach, to help people understand and find truth and meaning.

I take my task pretty seriously, asking myself some very interesting questions, working my way from dangerous ones that start with “What if… ?” to philosophical questions such as “What does it mean to be human?” all the way down to ones like “Do mermaids believe in humans?” and “If [insert favorite/least favorite cultural figure here] was a type of coffee, what would they taste like?”

Profound, I know.

Some of those questions have morphed into serial novels, while others have become short stories, novellas, and standalone works. Even though I have been writing for a long time, I am very grateful for my chance to reach out to people with something from my heart.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Writing is not for the faint of heart, that’s for sure. My mother says I am brave, but I don’t think I am a lot of the time. Over the past several years, I have worked to get my stories out, there are always complications. There is the reoccurring fear of rejection and ridicule by my readers. Public humiliation is never an easy thing to stare down.

If I had any advice for other writers, I would say read a lot and take a grammar course. I know that even the best books can have typos, but if it has been a while since you’ve used grammar, especially punctuation, I highly recommend it. A few typos do not deter me, but the more there are, the more unreadable it becomes.

Reading a lot will also help inspire your own stories and allow you to see how different thoughts, feelings, tone, and mood are used in literature. This is not advice specifically for women, but something that can be applied by all writers.

The last bit of advice I would say is written with the expectation everyone is going to hate it rather than the hopes everyone will love it. Taking criticism is hard, especially for the soft-hearted. Every time I publish, I feel like I am sending my book child out into the world, and I always wonder if the world will sink to a new level of depravity and sadness in receiving my work. When you write with the expectation someone will find fault with it, it often allows you to be extra-careful in its creation, and when you do get good reviews, you feel very grateful and surprised.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Writer C. S. Johnson – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
My books and stories are all answers to interesting questions, with plenty of flawed characters and fun plot twists. Every reader expects something from their time working with you, and it is your job to surprise them but not scare them.

As an author, I am most proud of the fact that my work is able to change people’s lives for the better. A number of people have reached out and they appreciate the new take on my work. My work lies between the worlds of realism and fantasy, living in the paradox of real and true but still make-believe, full of possibilities as much as realities. I am not a world-changer, but a world-bridger.

What sets me apart from others? I can only say whatever does set me apart, it’s authentic and mysterious; there’s plenty of fun and serious, and serious fun, and it is something to be enjoyed the more you understand it, even if you can’t fully understand it.

Hopefully, that’s not being too oblique about the matter.

What advice would you give to someone at the start of her career?
Disappointment will come, but it can be overcome.

The hardest thing in the world for me to face is a disappointment. When you work hard and struggle over the smallest things, you want to believe that you will get rewarded with success in the end. But the truth is, there is no guarantee that will happen. Resolve to work hard, get better, and be better despite your outcome.

Contact Info:

Website: https://www.csjohnson.me
Email: info@csjohnson.me
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/writercsjohnson
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WriterCSJohnson
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/C_S_Johnson13

Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.