Location: From South Carolina

  • Madison Wu

    Madison Wu

    “The best outcome is when I’m not worried about how it’s going to be professionally, we need rawness, weirdness, and vulnerability.”

    Madison Wu is a self-employed author based in North Carolina, crafting poetry, fantasy, and contemporary stories centered around inclusivity, vulnerability, and self-discovery.

    Interview

    Transcript

    Nora Smith

    Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me. I’m super excited. So just to get right into it, what do you do for work and where are you currently working from? 

    Madison Wu

    So where am I currently working from? I work from home. I work from my room most of the time. And what do I have to work? I write. I write literally anything that I can think of, usually stories of some of some sort.

    Nora Smith 

    So cool. Do you work for yourself, or do you work for a Smart Company at all? 

    Madison Wu 

    Yep, I work for myself. I am hoping to, um, become traditionally published in the future, but I am currently self employed.  

    Nora Smith 

    Awesome, awesome. Um, how long have you been doing that for? 

    Madison Wu

    Since 2022 so I started my first full book manuscript in 2022 and and then I just didn’t stop. 

    Nora Smith 

    Awesome. What kind of, what kind of like, what kind of the genre do you write? 

    Madison Wu

    So poetry, right now, my only publish published work is poetry. I have a poetry book that I started writing because I saw something that said, if you’re afraid to get published, write 100 Poems and publish it on Amazon for free, and then you’ve been published, and you can’t tell anyone that you’re afraid to put your work out there anymore. And what was supposed to be 100 Poems turned into a lot more than that. I can’t remember the exact number, and what was supposed to be an ebook with a cover made on whatever free version of Photoshop ended up being an actual book that I self published through Kindle Direct. And so there’s that my one of my manuscripts that I have finished is fantasy, and I am currently working on a contemporary piece. I really like to explore genres. I really like to not fit myself in a box. I’m also working on a Spotify as a plot for a James Bond esque type thing that I want to do. But more than genre, I like to focus on themes. So themes like diversity and inclusivity, and the one I’m working on right now is is really about is really about being a woman in a man’s world and growing up and getting your first job and all that kind of stuff? 

    Nora Smith 

    So cool, so cool. I’d love to read some tone time. What is one? Do you have one specific thing that you love about working in a creative field, specifically in South Carolina. Like out of all the places you could be, is there something that you love about being in your specific area?

    Madison Wu 

    I think the thing that I love about my specific area is that I actually am located in North Carolina, but like most of my community is in South Carolina, so the I think the people that are around me, even though I don’t even if they aren’t in The creative community, or they don’t work in creativity themselves. They are so supportive. I don’t know if that answers the question. I can’t. No, that’s great. That’s great. I think that when you’re a writer, you’re constantly exploring the world and constantly meeting different people, and learning about different things, and being able to take all those experiences and put them into stories is such a fun thing. 

    Nora Smith 

    Yeah, great, great. I love that. Do you think the area has contributed in any way to your work, like has it had a unique influence of any kind on the work that you do. 

    Madison Wu 

    Um, I think that I live in, I live in a an area where if you go 30 minutes north, you hit the city, and if you go 30 minutes south, you hit rural area, and I think that, I think that you know, for me being I’m Asian, American, I’m disabled, I’m I’m part of the LGBTQ community, all those things. Things, and the lack of representation that I generally see just around really contributes to me wanting to put more representation out there. But it also when you find those people in the area, makes it and they’re excited about that kind of stuff. It makes it really cool and really fun and really special. 

    Nora Smith 

    Yeah, I Yeah, that’s a great way to go about that, to look at that, to have it turn it in or inward, or do something great. So this is kind of a similar question to sort of what we were just talking about. But do you have, like, a specific way that you would describe the local community around you?

    Madison Wu 

    Um, the local community around me, or the local community that I live in? I feel like those are two different things.  

    Nora Smith

    Oh, I would just say, like, the local professional, like, who you work with, the people who you kind of, if you have any, like, networking you know, other writers, that sort of ordeal, just like the general census of, like, your relationships with, like your other professionals, if you know any people, maybe, 

    Madison Wu 

    yeah, so, um, Actually, my, my cousin is about she designed my, my book cover, and she’s just been, like, super, super helpful and in that, and just being a creative presence. And she, she’s about to graduate from Clemson, wow. And she, she’s a she does graphic design, and being able to work with her, because our our families, our families, are not from around this area, so being able to work with her is really cool in the fact that it was, it’s say, away from home connection that makes any sense.  

    Nora Smith 

    I totally get that. I totally understand exactly what you’re talking about. Great. How would you yourself define success? Like, what points have you reached? Or what points do you think you will reach in which you feel you’ll be like, Oh, this is it. I’m successful. Do you have any examples of that? Or how would you define that? 

    Madison Wu 

    I think that, for me, I think success is finding joy in what you do. And I definitely, you know, I think there’s, like, there’s, there’s little things of success everywhere. When you reach a word count in a book, when you reach a stage where you’re, you know, ready to start working with other creatives so that you can take your work a step further into the world. I also think that there’s something really successful about connecting with people through through anything pretty, through art. So I remember my, uh, someone had, uh, gotten my poetry book and actually told me that they got extra copies because they liked it so much they wanted to be able to keep extra copies in their car so when they go to different places. If they meet a cool person, they can give them my book. 

    Nora Smith 

    That was, yeah, I was like, Oh my God, that’s the cool like, that is the coolest thing ever. I think that’s I would love that. I’d be like, oh my goodness, really. Okay, great. Um, so did you have any really big fears when you decided to pursue a career in the creative field? Or what if you had fears? What was your biggest fear? 

    Madison Wu 

    I think my, my biggest fear that I’m still getting used to is criticism, and not from a not from a like, oh, I don’t want to learn more. I don’t want to explore more. But I think that anytime anyone does anything creative, it puts you in a vulnerable position. It’s like, if you really put your your heart and your soul into your art, and then someone says something bad about it, from a a perspective of not understanding the artwork for what it is. Um. You know that that’s hard, and I think that that will I think that’s just something that is constantly present in life, and I am slowly but surely always working on on closing that gap until one day I can just be like, I’m writing whatever I want, and I don’t care what anyone says, 

    Nora Smith 

    right, right? Yeah, criticism is hard, especially with art. It’s so it’s so vulnerable. And you you know, it’s so scary doing stuff like that, it’s actually terrifying. So have you had a defining moment in your creative journey, like a particular project or something that had a specific impact on you, that really showcased your creativity. 

    Madison Wu 

    Oh, god. Oh gosh. That’s how do I pick one?  

    Nora Smith 

    You didn’t give any of them all. 

    Madison Wu

    I think so I had to, I I had to stop going to school because of my disability, and that was really hard. And the moment that I decided, like, okay, you know what? That’s fine. I’m gonna give up science, and I’m gonna do art, I’m gonna do that. I think that that in itself, was a defining moment. I think it’s, it’s the moment that, the moments that I decided things, um, when I decided that I was gonna publish a book, when I decided that I was gonna start writing a contemporary novel, because I never pictured myself writing a contemporary novel. I think all those moments of stepping into something that was uncomfortable. Great, anything. 

    Nora Smith 

    Oh, sorry, were you gonna say something else? 

    Madison Wu 

    Oh, no. Just like any, anything that involves stepping out of the comfort zone is definitely great, great. 

    Nora Smith 

    So going into the kind of artistic, creative career field, what was the the best and the worst advice you’ve ever received from someone? 

    Madison Wu

    The best advice that I’d ever received was to make bad art and make it often, um, I think that we focus on perfection so much. And when you’re sitting there staring at a blank computer screen or a blank piece of paper and you’re trying to put the words together in the perfect way, it just slows you down. And as soon as you as soon as I was like, You know what? Throw everything out the window. Throw all the grammar rules ever like, you know, plotting all that, throw it out the window, and I just wrote, and I allowed myself to be myself. Best advice ever received, right?  The worst advice I’ve ever received, gosh, feel like, I feel like that’s that’s hard. Because I feel like even if a piece of advice doesn’t work, it’s valuable for me to learn that that doesn’t work. Yeah, I get that. That’s really hard. Maybe, oh, I think the worst piece of piece of advice is you’ll only feel good if you go viral. I think, like you know, you can, you can make as many as many social media posts as you want, but it’s more important to focus on, on the actual art. A lot of times 

    Nora Smith 

    I agree, I agree. So if you could please just walk me through your typical work day. What does your process look like and like? What kind of schedule do you have for yourself with your work like on a daily basis? So 

    Madison Wu 

    I usually, I get up, I take care of my dog, and then I come upstairs, and I sit down, and I typically try to get myself into the writing mood beforehand. So usually, when I’m, you know, when I’m taking care of my dog or eating breakfast, I will, you know, either look at Pinterest or listen to a playlist that I made that reminds me of a character, something like that, to just kind of get everything brought up, um and then, uh. I sit down, and I usually have a timer. I don’t like to let let myself write for more than 10 minutes, because if I do get stuck just staring at a screen and time just passes. So if I can’t, if I sit down and I can’t seem to get something down, I stop and I go do something else. I go do a chore, or just literally anything else, and then I come back to and then after that, I come back to it, and I usually right until about 11 o’clock, and then I train my dog and take a lunch break. And then my afternoons are usually depending on how I feel. Sometimes I sometimes I will write in the afternoon, sometimes I won’t, but I do really enjoy after dinner, getting in bed and sitting in bed and writing. I’m the most productive writing at the end of the day, I feel like the pressure of the day is off. Yeah, I just get to, like, put everything into what I want to do. 

    Nora Smith 

    I totally understand that. So with kind of your creativity and artistic skills being a part of your professional career. How do you separate creativity from like professionalism, like art and like enjoyment from like, what you like your career? 

    Madison Wu 

    I think the beautiful thing about art is that you you don’t have to, I try to help out my friends with little things like, admit, like administrative work or little things like that. Because I, I have friends who own their own businesses and, you know, I just, I help them out with that kind of stuff. So I feel like I’m doing a job and that kind of, you know, sidetracks to me being able to be like, Okay, that’s my job. Now I get to work on my calling and going in to going into anything creative, kind of reminding myself that the best outcome is when I’m not worried about how it’s going to be professionally, because we already see too much of that we need. We need rawness and weirdness and vulnerability, and that’s what the world needs. Kind of a cliche answer, 

    Nora Smith 

    but no, that’s good. That’s good. That’s good. Do you have any advice that you would give someone going into your field, wanting to become a writer or an author. 

    Madison Wu 

    Don’t let whatever one says scare you. I think that there’s a lot of pressure nowadays about writing to the market, or, you know, needing to feel like writing has become more about how much money things can bring in than the actual art of writing, and I think that takes away so much of the humanity of of writing and story storytelling in any capacity, and so not worrying about that, because when you focus on, oh, this is what I want to do, because this is what feels right, that’s when you reach Another level.

    Nora Smith 

    Great, great. That’s some great advice. Do you have any questions that you wish I had asked at all? 

    Madison Wu 

    No, those were all amazing questions. Great. 

    Nora Smith

    Do you have any creative that you would like to nominate to be interviewed at all, anyone that you know in the field? 

    Madison Wu 

    I think I’m going to say my cousin Natalie Bell. I was thinking of her, yeah, she, she’s amazing, she’s she’s amazing, she’s so talented. She’s so wonderful to work with.  

    Nora Smith 

    Okay, great, great. This has been great. I’ve had such a great time talking to you. 

    Madison Wu 

     Yeah, thank you so much. This was awesome.  

    Nora Smith 

    Yeah, thank you.  

    Madison Wu 

    You did a great job. I can’t believe this was your first interview. 

    Nora Smith

    Thank you. Well, so did you.  

  • Cynthea Kelley

    Cynthea Kelley

    “Even though it’s in the arts… being able to afford taking a day off has been huge for me lately.”

    Cynthea Kelley is a Nashville-based audio engineer and performer. She balances technical work and artistry in the dynamic worlds of music and gaming.

    Interview

    Transcript

    00:02 

    Emma Plutnicki: So, to start, what do you do for work and where are you currently working from?  

    00:06 

    Cynthea Kelley: So, I’m based in Nashville, Tennessee, and I am an audio engineer and musician, performer. So, primarily what I do is edit audio from home, and I also run live sound. In addition to performing, I sing and play guitar. 

    00:27 

    Emma Plutnicki: Cool! And how long have you been doing all of those? 

    00:30 

    Cynthea Kelley: I’ve been performing since I was like, I grew up in a musical family, so I grew up performing, but I guess kind of doing my own thing since I was 14, so about 14 years now. And then, as far as engineering goes, I really started doing it more seriously when I was a student at Coastal. So, I got to work at the Wheelwright Recording Studio for like, two and a half years while I was a student, and got to really understand and learn more about like how to record various types of ensembles and different kinds of projects. 

    01:10 

    Emma Plutnicki: Amazing, and so what would you consider, if you had to boil it down, everything that you do, what would you say your official job title is? 

    01:20 

    Cynthea Kelley: I would say musician and audio engineer, or just musician. 

    01:28 

    Emma Plutnicki : Amazing! And so, what does your day to day look like? What’s expected of you on a daily basis? What kind of things do you get into? Just kind of describe what your days look like. 

    01:39 

    Cynthea Kelley: So, I am self-employed, and kind of have, like, a lot of different work that I do as an independent contractor. So, day to day, it kind of varies, but I, about a year ago, started doing audio editing for the video game Fortnite, and so that’s, like a very specific thing in Fortnite, with Fortnite Festival Jam Stage. So that’s like music editing. So, I get to set my own schedule, which is really cool. I have, like, a certain amount of hours that I’m expected to work every month, but there’s flexibility there so I can kind of decide, like, you know, I wake up and then I have my tea and then sit down and get to audio editing and that might be between like, three and seven hours a day, and so that’s kind of like an audio editing day. On days where I run live sound, that’s at a venue, and so I’ll get there in the evening, early evening, and set up, and then be there for maybe like five to eight hours, working with a band and running sound for an event. I also sing with a wedding band, and so that usually involves some travel, maybe, like, two to three hours one way. So, I’ll like, you know, get up and kind of take it easy, and then in the afternoon, drive to the location, perform like three to four hours and then drive home. So, it kind of varies a lot. There’s also, I’ll assist at recording studios, and so those are typically like, longer days where I’ll arrive at like 9am and be there until anywhere between like 6 and 8 or 10pm so it kind of varies. Sorry, that’s not a super specific— 

    03:54 

    Emma Plutnicki: No. Totally fine. So, when you have events, you’re traveling, you have things late at night that you’re working on. How are you able to manage kind of a work life balance? Because it seems like the work kind of consumes a lot of your day-to-day life. So how do you manage that? 

    04:11 

    Cynthea Kelley: Yeah, that’s something I’ve been learning a lot about in the last two years, and I feel really grateful because doing the audio editing from home, having that flexibility, I’m able to, like, if I have a day or two or three in a row where I’m just like, going, going, going traveling, performing, usually I can, like, take a day or two to just, kind of like, relax. And as a musician, usually we’re working on the weekends. And so, I feel grateful that I kind of get to compensate for that through the week and just like, take a couple days off. But yeah, I’ve like, really been learning how to prioritize sleep in the last few years, and like, eating healthy food that’s going to give me energy and like, not make me feel lethargic. So, yeah, it’s been, I think I’ve been learning how to, like, prioritize resting as well. And just like, started bird watching and Zelda, like, I’ve never been—I wasn’t allowed to play video games when I was growing up. So now I’m like, okay, I’m just gonna chill and fun thing and like, not feel like I have to, like, go, go, go all the time. 

    05:30 

    Emma Plutnicki: Yeah, I love that. And within a creative career, I feel like a lot of times it can be hard to figure out what success looks like. It’s different for everybody. So how would you define success, both personally and professionally? 

    05:43 

    Cynthea Kelley: I think for me, since I moved to Nashville at the beginning of 2022, I’ve been doing music full time. And I think when I was a student, that was like, really, all that I would have said is like, “Oh, I’m doing music full time. That means, like, I’m a successful musician”. And now, I think especially being surrounded by so many musicians in Nashville, because it’s Music City, it’s given me the opportunity to see, like so many different lifestyles and like careers like, what different types of careers as a musician can look like. And so, for me, I feel like I’m very grateful to be doing what I love full time. And so I think that that feels like part of it, for me, is like, that’s part of the definition is that, like, obviously, like, it’s not 100% of any job that you’re gonna love, like that everything has its tedious parts, or it’s things that you don’t love as much, but, like, I would say, like, 90% of it, I’m just like, really, I really enjoy and really love, and so that feels like success to me. And then also being able to, like, just put money in a savings account for the first time, it’s like, “oh, this is really cool.” That feels like building on success. And so, there’s, like, even though it’s, you know, it’s in the arts. And so, it’s not like crazy, you know, extravagant, but being able to, like, afford things like, you know, like I was saying earlier, like healthy food. Being able to afford taking a day off that, is, has been huge for me lately. And then another part of it has been being able to decide and prioritize what kind of projects I want to work on, especially as an independent contractor. If there, you know, maybe I took a job and it ended up being way more stressful than I expected, and so being able to say no when things like that come up in the future, or if, you know, maybe I wasn’t treated the way that I wanted to be treated, or it was unprofessional, being able to yeah, just like, decide who I’m working with. 

    08:28 

    Emma Plutnicki: Yeah, no, it definitely makes sense. And, I’m sure you’ve worked on a wide array of projects throughout your career. So, has there been one that’s had a significant impact on you, or one that sticks out in your head as being, you know, exceptionally meaningful to you? 

    08:45 

    Cynthea Kelley: Absolutely, yeah, this, this job with Fortnite. I started in February of 2024, and it’s kind of been like ideal for me, because I’m super introverted and a homebody, and so the fact that it’s from home is really cool. And I’ve never worked on a project with like, such a big name before, so that’s felt really exciting. And what’s been really cool about it, too is like, not only do I really enjoy the work, but the teams that I’m working with are just like, super solid, and I feel like they really value the people who are working on their teams. And so it’s just like a really good support system. And in addition to being really fun, so I feel like it’s, it’s like a little bit of a dream job. So I’m really grateful to be— 

    09:45 

    Emma Plutnicki : Yeah, and so are you able—when you play, I assume you play in some aspects, are you able to, like, hear the pieces that you’ve worked on? Like, how does that feel? 

    09:55 

    Cynthea Kelley: So, my specific job is for the Jam Stage in Fortnite Festival. So basically, what that is players can choose an instrument, like drums, vocals, guitar or bass, and it takes loops of different songs, and you can, like, mash them up together. So, like, you could have the guitar part from a blink 182 song playing with the drum part from Metallica and vocals from Lady Gaga. And so, my job is basically to make the audio from those songs flexible enough so that they can all fit together at the same time. So, I’ve worked on, I don’t know it’s like, maybe definitely dozens of songs at this point in the last year, maybe upwards of 100 but yeah, so they’re, like, featured in the game now, and players can, like, use them. And yeah, it’s fun to fun to hear and see it like implemented in the game. 

    11:02 

    Emma Plutnicki: Yeah, that’s very cool. So, did you have any fears going into this job role, or just fears in your career as a whole? 

    11:11 

    Cynthea Kelley: Yeah, I think something that feels difficult in the arts and in music and as an independent contractor doing so many different kinds of jobs. I feel like in something that’s more, maybe more like typically structured in the job world, like you might be able to say, like, “Oh, I did sales at this place for five years, and now I’m like, this in this management position, and so that’s why I’m qualified to do this job,” you know, like with the arts, it’s like, well, I did this thing and I did that thing over there, and I did this over here, and I think they all relate. But like, am I qualified, you know? So, I was super nervous that, like, I thought I knew what I was doing, and then all of a sudden I would start doing the job and wouldn’t have what I needed. You know, so I think definitely, like some imposter syndrome played into that for me. But yeah, I think again what’s been really cool about this team is that it’s super supportive and just really great people to be working with. And so even with things that you know, I needed to learn or like needed to brush up on, the team was just, like, really welcoming and really supportive, and like, we all help each other out. 

    12:42 

    Emma Plutnicki: Amazing, and having lived in South Carolina, has that had any influence on your work at all? 

    12:49 

    Cynthea Kelley: So, I lived in South Carolina basically for high school and college years, then moved after that. But I will say that my junior year, I went to the Academy for Art, Science and Technology, and was able to major in entertainment technology and learn a lot about like production and video, like video production, and got to do some music production for those as well. And then being in the songwriting community in Myrtle Beach too was just like, huge for my development. And I’ll give a shout out to Brian Ressler, who’s just like, you know, like the Papa of the music community. I felt in the songwriter community and so, and then being at Coastal too, I just learned so much and made a lot of, like, really great connections with my professors and with my colleagues and fellow students and so I haven’t had a lot of work in South Carolina since I graduated, but I do think that, like a lot of the educational elements that were offered within the arts in South Carolina really played a big part in my development and like getting me to where I am now. 

    14:09 

    Emma Plutnicki: Yeah, amazing, and hopefully those programs continue to grow. Well, thank you so much. Just wrapping up here, is there anything else you want to speak on, maybe advice or anything else about your career? 

    14:25 

    Cynthea Kelley: Yeah, I think, as far as advice goes, I think that the biggest thing that I’ve taken with me is just being persistent, especially again as an independent contractor, where you might not know where your work is going to come from, like week to week or month to month or year to year, just like being persistent in making connections and networking and reaching out to people. And I think advice, just like for me, that I feel like I’ve been learning is we ask ourselves and get asked the question too, so much like from when we’re kids, like, “What do you want to do? What do you want to be when you grow up?” and we’re thinking about what kind of opportunities we want to take and what I’ve been kind of trying to learn how to ask myself more in addition to that, question is, like, “how do I want to be treated in those as well?” So like, being able to set boundaries and recognize when it’s like a healthy working relationship and a professional one. So, I think those are kind of the biggest things. 

    15:37 

    Emma Plutnicki: Definitely. Yeah, thanks for sharing that. It’s great advice, and a lot of times people can’t find that, so I appreciate that. But yeah, thank you so much. 

  • Cynthea Kelley

    Cynthea Kelley

    “Even though it’s in the arts… being able to afford taking a day off has been huge for me lately.”

    Cynthea Kelley is a Nashville-based audio engineer and performer. She balances technical work and artistry in the dynamic worlds of music and gaming.

    About


    Cynthea Kelley is a Nashville-based audio engineer, musician, and performer who has steadily built a multifaceted creative career. Whether she’s editing music for Fortnite Festival’s Jam Stage or performing with a wedding band, Cynthea’s days are shaped by adaptability and artistry. Since graduating from Coastal Carolina University, she’s been on a mission to forge a sustainable creative life.

    Her work with Fortnite editing tracks to seamlessly blend vocals and instrumentals for in-game mashups, is one of her proudest achievements. “It’s kind of been like a dream job,” she said of the experience, noting the prestige: she’s working with a globally recognized brand.

    Success, for Cynthea, is defined by doing what she loves while sustaining her well-being. That means financial stability, creative control, and learning to set boundaries in professional relationships. “How do I want to be treated in those [jobs] as well?” she asked.

    Through her journey, Cynthea has embraced the balance between rest and hustle. She encourages other creatives to stay persistent and remember that professional fulfillment includes both passion and self-care.

  • Brandon Snider

    Brandon Snider

    “If you’re not willing to compromise, you might not have the same opportunities. But always advocate for your vision and seek out the people who say, ‘I see what you’re doing, and I want to work with you.’” 

    Brandon T. Snider is an actor and author working in licensed publishing. He is originally from Ohio, earned a B.A. in theatre from Coastal Carolina University, and has lived in Astoria/Queens, N.Y., for 25 years. His work includes the award-winning Dark Knight Manual; Avengers: Infinity War: The Cosmic Quest series; and the Rube Goldberg and his Amazing Machines series. Snider has also written books featuring characters from Adventure Time and Regular Show, Marvel’s Spider-Man and Black Panther, and the Justice League, in addition to many character-themed Mad Libs games. 

    Interview

    Transcript

    Brandon Snider 

    There we go. 

    Sara Sabota 

    First, can you tell me your name and spell it please? And your title, your job title? 

    Brandon Snider 

    Yes, my name is Brandon. Schneider. B. R. A. N. D.O. N, middle initial T. S. N. I as in iris, D. E.R. And I am an author and actor. 

    Sara Sabota 

    Okay. I’m sorry about my dog in the background. 

    Brandon Snider 

    By the way. Is that a beagle? 

    Sara Sabota 

    No, she’s a foxhound. She’s like a beagle Dulux. 

    Brandon Snider 

    Got it. My partner has a history with beagles and also believes that I’m partially reincarnated his childhood, Beagle. 

    Sara Sabota 

    I can imagine. All right, so um, where are you currently working from? 

    Brandon Snider 

    I’m currently working in Astoria, Queens in New York City.  

    Sara Sabota 

    Okay, and how long have you been working there? 

    Brandon Snider 

    I have been in Queens for 25 years. I moved here in September of 1999. 

    Sara Sabota 

    Okay, okay. How did you end up in this field? And how did you hear about it? 

    Brandon Snider 

    I ended up being an author, as a. So, I moved here to be an actor. I have a degree in theater. And you know, moving to the city and wanting to be an actor is something that a lot of people do. And creatively, I had all this energy, but I was relying on opportunities to come to me, you know, via auditions and things, and it just wasn’t, you know, wasn’t, I thought people would be waiting too, you know, for me, I’m here. But that really wasn’t the case. So, writing became this thing that I had always loved and always done privately for myself, that I was like, maybe it’s time to work that muscle because I have all this creative energy. And so, I started doing sketch comedy. And then that dovetailed into one-act plays. And then the one-act plays that I produced, were seen by people in publishing. And that’s how I kind of segway into the publishing world. 

    Sara Sabota 

    Okay, okay. Well, you kind of answered this, but what background did you have that helped you land that role? 

    Brandon Snider 

     I think of my acting background, as really the thing that that did it. For me, you know, getting into a character’s head through, you know, script assessment and all that stuff. Similarly, with writing, right, you know, you have to know the motivation, and you have to know what you’re doing. And, so I had this, like, toolbox as an actor that I was like, let me like, apply that to writing. And it worked out well. 

    Sara Sabota 

    Yeah, yeah. this might be hard to do. But can you walk us through a typical workday? What does your work process look like? And what is expected of you on a daily basis? 

    Brandon Snider 

    So, a typical workday for me workdays for me tends to vary; it depends on the project, and it depends on what I’m working on. You know, if I’m at the beginning of a process, you know, idea generation can be sort of gelatinous. But once I, once I am started into an actual process, once I, you know, I’ve submitted an outline to an editor for approval once I’m in the writing process. I tend to say this: my process is the same every time, but I never I never have like the muscle memory for it. So, I’m, oh, you know, hit that place where, you know, it starts off and I’m like, I’m loving it. Everything’s great.  

    Brandon Snider 

    This is great. And then I’ll start to go okay, well, let me just let me question this. And then I’ll get to Oh, my God, everything I’ve written is horrible. I’m a hack, like, and I will forget that that’s how it is every time. And so, all I have to I don’t really have to just like wait it out a day. You know, I can go to bed being like, this is disgusting. And then if I just wake up the next day, like, oh, actually, it’s fine. Now it’s fine. I just, I know how to fix what I thought I needed, you know.  

    Brandon Snider 

    For me, it’s about sort of setting. When I have a deadline, I’m working towards something, so I know what the structure needs to be to hit that deadline. So, waking up and knowing that I’m going to be working on chapter X and that I need to finish chapter X, but also, I am a tinkerer. So, if I start to, you know, in chapter five, something new emerges, then I need to make sure that let me go back to chapter one, and layer in some things so that chapter five has the payoff that we want.  

    Brandon Snider 

    So, I’m always tinkering, I’m tinkering in the evening. And it’s been hard for me sometimes to set an actual daily schedule. But again, when I have a deadline, it makes it a lot easier because I just work my way backward. So, if I want… if the deadline on this Monday, I need to know that the previous Monday is when I need to be done writing. And then I take that week to, you know, Tinker, and finish and, do whatever. But yeah, giving myself space, but not too much space. 

    Sara Sabota 

    Yeah.  What was the defining moment in your creative journey? Was there a particular project that made a significant impact on you, or something you produced that really showcased your creativity? 

    Brandon Snider 

    Oh, that’s a good one. I’ve had a few over the years, you know, having written characters, that I grew up reading their adventures, that has always had a really nostalgic… that has always been really powerful for me to be able to say, these characters that I loved and grew up with that I dreamed of writing, I’m actually writing, and but you know, but there’s also a lot of work involved. So, I can’t sort of simmer in nostalgia for too long because there’s work. And I’m also not trying to recreate my childhood. But I think a lot of times, especially with superheroes, and the kinds of characters that I’ve written, that for some people they like, just want to get back to when they were a kid and tell the stories, but I’m like, No, it’s 2024. We need to do as new things as we can. For you know, with these characters. 

    Brandon Snider 

    I will say that a powerful moment that I had in my career was the first time that I had to say no to a project. Because, a lot of times, especially in the type of work that I do, which in some cases, is called licensed publishing. So, its characters are being licensed out for, you know, by bigger companies for different types of work. And years ago, and not a ton of people did licensed publishing. So, there’s, there’s there, when somebody needs something done quickly, you know, they might go to another editor. And that’s how I got a lot of jobs. Go to Brandon Snyder, he can do it, he’ll do it in three days, whatever. And I’ve taken jobs that I was overwhelmed. And I’m like, I’ll just say yes. But sometimes, the first time that something came to me that I needed that money so badly, but when I looked at the specs of the job, I was like, this is not doable. I will lose my mind trying to write this. 

    Sara Sabota 

    Wow. 

    Brandon Snider 

    It was, um, it was Ripley’s Believe It or Not book. And it was about… I had to, like, work in an outdated database and try to take things and make them sound fun and fun. And it was just like all of the specs, like the money was fine. But all these other specs, I was like, I’m going to lose my mind. And I didn’t have support from the licensor or the publishing company the way that I needed it. And I was like, but I need that money so bad right now. And I started to work, and I and I went to my editor, and I said, you know, this actually, is not the way that you explained it to me. It was misrepresented.  

    Brandon Snider 

    And in order for it to work for me, it would need to be this and this. This will need to be fixed at your end. And the editor was like, so are you going to stay or what? And I was like I am not, thank you so much. I’m going to step out. And I hadn’t signed the contract yet, it was I’d sign an NDA, and I was just sort of like if she was sort of gave me all this stuff and was like, see, you know, check it out. And I had started to work, and it was so freeing. Cuz, I recognize my value as a writer and my time is valuable. 

    Brandon Snider 

    So, like, so any, you know, and since then, I have turned down things that were sort of not what they needed to be. But the second part of that was very empowering was when somebody came to me with something that I liked and wanted to do, but I couldn’t because of time and energy to be able to give that editor another writer to put people who needed that opportunity in front of them. And to, you know, to lift them up. That was another part of that moment that I realized the power that I had, and to watch authors that I know go and run with the ball, and then like, it’s just like, amazing.  

    Brandon Snider 

    And so, fulfilling was, so I know what it means for people to have been like, oh, you don’t call Brandon Snider for that job. And then for me to do it and be like, oh my God, now I’m working for this company, and I’m going to add more for them. So, for me to be able to be like, you know, sometimes with timing and with deadlines, and things are so tight that people don’t have time to look. So, they’ll be like, right, you know, if I have to say, no, I love to be like, I cannot do this. However, I’ve got the perfect person. This is what they’ve done. This is who they are. This is their contact information. And like, there’s no, in some ways, there’s no other choice but to go with that person. 

    Sara Sabota 

    Right. Right. Right.  

    Brandon Snider 

    Because not just because the person is perfect, but because of all these other factors. And so that was a time that I recognized. There was, like, a turning point.  And, you know, as far as work, turning points, I would say working with like Marvel Studios, okay, working with Warner Brothers. These giant corporations and find it, you know, their cultural institutions, so be allowed to see secret things and read secret things. And I’m saying we trust you to, you know, interpret our beloved and highly guarded characters.   

    Brandon Snider 

    It’s very exciting and flattering, you know, getting to go to Marvel Studios. Getting to go to Warner Brothers, like, people fly your places. And I’m like, yeah, like, all of a sudden, like, you know, a Beverly hillbilly where I’m like, oh my God, I can’t believe it I’m out here in Hollywood. But it’s like, you know, and then at the end of the day, it’s work. So, you can’t sit in that. You can’t sit in the fanboy ness of it; you have to get to work. So, you have that moment of recognition, and then you turn around and you dive in. 

    Brandon Snider 

    Bust yourself. Yeah, I’m going to have to ask your forgiveness because my computer is going to die if I don’t plug it in. So, I’m really sorry. Just really quick. 

    Sara Sabota 

    Okay. Thank you. Okay, great. Um, okay, so next question. Now I have lost. Okay, we go, here we go, here we go. Okay. The next question is: what kind of skills do you have that a person who wants to go into this field should have if they’re interested? 

    Brandon Snider 

    You should be able, you should. You need to be able to roll with the punches. 

    Sara Sabota 

    Okay. Yeah. 

    Brandon Snider 

    Especially if you’re writing other people’s characters that you don’t own, okay. They’re closely guarded. And there’s a lot of money riding on them. So, you might want to take a risk and do something that’s a little bit outside the box and just know that somebody may be like, absolutely not. So, you know, there are things that you have to sort of be able to know what risks you’re taking and then advocate for them. And sometimes, you know, if you get to a certain point in your career, well, where you are, you know, a name, they’re going to be more receptive to letting you do something with Batman that other people haven’t done. But, you know, but if you are a younger writer, if you’re somebody who, you know, you’re just a hustler, they’re not going to say let you, you know, blow up the world. 

    Sara Sabota 

    Yeah, yeah. 

    Brandon Snider 

    But I also think, you know, not taking things personally. Okay. You will get told no. And one of the things that I used to think as a younger writer, when I, when I, when I, when I, when I would read stuff about comic book writers, I thought that, you know, it was like, they would pitch their ideas and it was all beautiful. And now that I’m in that world, and I commune with my writer, brethren, about certain things, you recognize that sometimes even big-name people have to deal with a lot of bullshit. Like, people who move units, and I think too, in this day and age, sometimes you think like, oh, well, this person is so big. Yeah, they don’t have to worry. No, big people are worrying.  When you see actors doing commercials for Candy Crush, it’s not because they love it. 

    Sara Sabota 

    We talk about that all the time. Yeah. 

    Brandon Snider 

    Writers with big names are using Kickstarter because it’s just easier. And it’s, you know, working with giant companies is more difficult for them. And, you know, I ultimately, what I think is, you know, if you have a story to tell, you’ll find a way to do it. And it sounds so open-ended. Kind of, you know, be kind to yourself and be patient with yourself. And the business. Because there are a lot of beautiful success stories of people who have put together stories that took them a long time to craft with love. And sometimes they don’t get made, and sometimes they do.  

    Brandon Snider 

    And you know, who’s to say how it all shakes out in the end? You know, as far as you know, some people, um, how do I put this: you have to think of things practically; you can’t; you have to sit in a very state of like equilibrium, where you are understanding of the business of these things, and then also understanding of the creative. In the creative space, you have to advocate for your vision but know that you may have to compromise and what that compromise might mean to you. Because if it’s something that you’re willing to compromise, then you might not have that opportunity with that company. But it doesn’t mean that there isn’t somebody else that sees that vision and says: See what you’re doing. And I want to work with you. 

    Sara Sabota 

    Yeah, that makes sense. Okay. Okay. 

    Brandon Snider 

    And also, yeah, to go back to taking things personally, you know, um, because writers are so invested in the stories that they tell and put so much of themselves in their stories, it can feel very dismissive to have somebody say, No, it didn’t do this. It didn’t do that. I didn’t feel this because you’re like, that’s me. You’re saying it to me. But it’s important to know that, you know, people in business are looking for different things. And it’s not a reflection on you as a person. It is also just this, this business. 

    Sara Sabota 

    Yeah, okay, good. Um. Are there any organizations, programs, or events in South Carolina that you recommend for expiring creatives? I know you haven’t been here in a while. 

    Brandon Snider 

    I don’t know of any in South Carolina. Um. Yeah, I don’t know any in South Carolina.  

    Sara Sabota 

    Okay. Any national ones that you would recommend? 

    Brandon Snider 

    I mean. I think there are, I guess it really sort of just depends on, I think it just depends on where you are in your career. You know, for things like, like comics, you know, at Comic-Con people mingle, and they, you know, there’s a creator community. So, you know, places like Comic-Con, you can sort of find your people. As far as writing goes, you know, I always say like, it cobbled together a writer’s group. It’s hard sometimes because people will be at different levels. Right. So, like, you know, ideally, you want to be surrounded by people who are better than you, who can challenge you, and who are not just there to be heard, you know.  

    Brandon Snider 

    Sometimes, with writer’s groups, people are just trying to be heard, they don’t want critique, or they don’t want criticism. You know, they just want whatever. But at the same time, you know, being a part of those communities can be comforting. So, yeah. Hit up people that you like, and say, you know, I’ve had, I have had people who I’ve sent my work to who are not necessarily writers, who I’m like, I trust her.  

    Brandon Snider 

    I like the way that you think, and I like the things that you are into, you know, and I think that I would love to hear what you have to say. I have a friend of mine, who used to be a casting director. Back in the day, she cast SVU [Special Victims Unit], and she was cast House, and now she’s a big fan of, like, my Rube Goldberg series. And so, like, she also works with LGBTQ, like at a camp and I want to say, North Carolina. So, she just likes there’s certain things that I go to her and I’m like, can you? Would you just read this? And let me know if this sort of hits all the marks. I guess or of these types of stories. So, things like that, I think, are also, you know, really valid. 

    Sara Sabota 

    Yeah. Okay. Okay. That is the last of our questions.  

    Brandon Snider 

    So, let me also say that when you put all this together, I know that I ramble and whatever. But if you put this together, and if you send it to me, I can also like… I prefer. I’m a writer, as opposed to, like, I can do this. But like, when I’m like writing, I can be like, let me craft-Not craft it to where it doesn’t sound like me. But just to make it sound like it to fill it in. So, if you, when this is over, and you have something written, please feel free to write and send it to me because I’m happy to fill in any gaps or give a little bit of elaboration. You know that I can sit with and be like; let me give this a bit a little bit more. 

    Sara Sabota 

    Yeah, no, I’d be happy to do that. It’ll be in the next week, probably.  

    Brandon Snider 

    Okay, cool. 

    Sara Sabota 

    Okay, good. Good. And we need to stay in touch as writers, I think too. 

    Brandon Snider 

    Absolutely, I would love to, like, keep in touch as writers. Because, like, what you just told me about your story is like, really amazing. And I think that it’s like, yeah, I would love to write or read that. I would love to get down to see it, so I was communicating with Easton Selby about us, the collective, coming down. But now Kevin Kane is on Law and Order, SVU [Special Victims Unit]. So, I’m like, I don’t know that he’ll ever have time to do that. But I’m like, I’m going to see him in a couple of weeks. And so, I’m going to be like, What? What can we do? Like, because yeah, I would love to get down to college, like, Coastal.  

    Sara Sabota 

    That’d be amazing. That’d be really great. 

    Brandon Snider 

    I really had a great time coming in the fall last year, so thank you again. Yeah, like it just to see how much it’s how much it’s grown is amazing. 

    Brandon Snider 

    And to meet current students, I always think that’s so fun. Able to do that.  

    Brandon Snider 

    Yeah. I mean, even now, like some of the students that we worked with, when we were there back in, like, 2017.  Have gone on and done things that I’m like, Oh, my God, like Wes Williams. He’ll post things on Instagram, where he will be, like hanging out with somebody who I know; it was part of the Broadway game. And I’m like, look at him. Moving and shaken, like, it’s just, it’s really, it’s really wonderful. 

    Sara Sabota 

    That’s very cool. Okay, good. Well… 

    Brandon Snider 

    A couple of them do actually reach out to me sometimes just for little bits of guidance.  

    Sara Sabota 

    Good. 

    Brandon Snider 

    That’s just like, and I’m just, like, flattered that there’ll be like, hey, can you, like, T.J. little recently got in touch with me and was like looking for a writer’s programmer, writers class. And there’s a guy that does screenwriting, and you know, just like little things like that, where I’m like, oh, I’d become an elder. 

    Sara Sabota 

    And that’s how the network is supposed to work. So, that’s awesome. Good. Okay. Well, we’ll be in touch. You’re leaving Wednesday for Ohio? Right. Oh, you froze a little bit. 

    Brandon Snider 

    Yeah. One day.  

    Sara Sabota 

    Okay. Okay.  

    Brandon Snider 

    Leaving Wednesday morning and then back on Monday. 

    Sara Sabota 

    Okay. Well, I’ll be in touch sometime. And I hope you have a great trip. 

    Brandon Snider  

    Awesome. Thank you very much. And yeah, I look forward to hearing from you. 

    Sara Sabota 

    That sounds great. Thank you, Brandon. 

    Brandon Snider 

    Bye.  

    Sara Sabota 

    Okay, talk soon. Bye. 

  • Angela Thomas Smith

    Angela Thomas Smith

    “You determine your worth and set your success. Don’t allow your success to be set on what others think of you and how others perceive you. You determine that, so you won’t have expectations from the world, but you can set your own guidelines and your own expectations.”

    Angela Smith is a Georgia-based entrepreneur, publisher, and podcast host empowering global creatives through storytelling, collaboration, and resilience. 

    About

    Angela Smith is a passionate publisher, entrepreneur, and podcast host who built a global creative platform rooted in resilience and connection. Originally from Anderson, South Carolina, Angela now operates from Georgia, where she leads a vibrant virtual community of authors, educators, and storytellers through her publishing business and multimedia network. 

    Her journey began in 2012 but took flight in 2016, gaining momentum during the pandemic. She publishes books, produces a live-streamed podcast six nights a week, and collaborates with a diverse team of nine hosts across the U.S. and abroad. Her work emphasizes “connection, collaboration, creativity, and community,” values she instills in her signature initiative the 100 Authors Movement. 

    Angela’s days begin at 4 a.m. with prayer and self-care, grounding her spiritually before diving into a range of creative tasks. She defines success not by numbers, but by impact: “Seeing individuals that I’ve worked with go beyond what they thought they could do, that’s success.” 

  • Madison Wu

    Madison Wu

    “The best outcome is when I’m not worried about how it’s going to be professionally, we need rawness, weirdness, and vulnerability.” 

    Madison Wu is a self-employed author based in North Carolina, crafting poetry, fantasy, and contemporary stories centered around inclusivity, vulnerability, and self-discovery. 

    About

    Madison Wu is an independent writer whose creative work spans genres from poetry to fantasy to contemporary fiction. Working from her home in North Carolina, Madison began writing professionally in 2022 and quickly realized that creativity could be both personal expression and a path to purpose. A disabled, Asian-American member of the LGBTQ+ community, Madison brings an intersectional lens to her stories, aiming to reflect voices often underrepresented in mainstream media. “The lack of representation I see around me contributes to my desire to put more representation out there,” she shares. 

    Her self-published poetry collection born from a challenge to overcome fear became a symbol of boldness and healing: “If you’re afraid to get published, write 100 poems and publish it… then you can’t say you’re afraid anymore.” Madison sees creative success not in viral attention but in emotional resonance; “Someone bought extra copies of my book to give to people they meet. That’s success.” 

    Balancing her work through routines grounded in music, pacing, and personal discipline, Madison’s artistic life centers on authenticity. “Don’t let whatever anyone says scare you,” she advises new writers. “When you focus on what feels right, that’s when you reach another level.” 

    Media

  • Brandon Snider

    Brandon Snider

    “In the creative space, you have to advocate for your vision and know there will be compromises. If you’re not willing to compromise, you might not have the same opportunities.”

    Brandon T. Snider is an actor and author working in licensed publishing. He is originally from Ohio, earned a B.A. in theatre from Coastal Carolina University, and has lived in Astoria/Queens, N.Y., for 25 years. His work includes the award-winning Dark Knight Manual; Avengers: Infinity War: The Cosmic Quest series; and the Rube Goldberg and his Amazing Machines series. Snider has also written books featuring characters from Adventure Time and Regular Show, Marvel’s Spider-Man and Black Panther, and the Justice League, in addition to many character-themed Mad Libs games. 

    About

    Snider moved to New York City straight out of his undergrad experience at CCU. He landed some gigs as an actor but decided to try his hand at writing, starting with sketch comedy. 

    “Writing was something I’d always loved, but I’d mostly done it privately for myself. As an actor I had all this creative energy but lacked opportunity. I thought, “Maybe it’s time to really work the writing muscle,’ so I started doing sketch comedy, which dovetailed into one-act plays, and the one-act plays I produced were seen by editors, and that’s how I segued into the publishing world.” 

    The first time Snider started working with Warner Bros., and later, Marvel Studios, was a turning point in his career.  

    “They’re cultural institutions. So being invited by Marvel Studios or Warner Brothers to see secret things, and read secret things, and them saying, ‘We trust you to interpret our beloved and highly guarded characters in this way,’ is very exciting. And flattering. But then at the end of the day, it’s work. You can’t sit in the fanboyness of it. You have a moment of recognition, and then you turn around and get to work.” 

    Snider said establishing a community of creatives is important for any writer or artist. 

    “For things like comics, people mingle at Comic-Con, and there’s a creator community to draw strength from. You can find your people in places like that, and being a part of those communities can be comforting. Connecting with other writers and creatives is crucial to maintaining sanity. I always suggest cobbling together a writer’s group. Ideally you want to surround yourself with others who are better than you, who can challenge you, and who will give you the feedback you need. Sharing work with people who want each other to succeed creatively will keep you at the top of your game.” 

    Media

    Brandon Snider Interview