Well hello there, Reader,

My cousin’s daughter is in her “Barbie Phase.” 💅

Which might make it seem like buying her the perfect birthday present would be easy. But you’d be dead wrong. Because not every doll-loving little girl is the same. In much the same way, not every goth is the same.

Case in point, yours truly.

I’m what is typically referred to as a “Happy Goth.” 90% of my clothing is black, I have the complexion of a sparkly vampire, and I own enough mini plush to pack a sizable claw game.

And in much the same way, I have the sneaking suspicion the birthday girl in question is skewing toward Mini Wednesday territory. Mainly because her favorite movie is Return to Oz. (Yes, that super creepy movie you’re thinking of.)

So, what did we gift her aside from the seemingly impossible to acquire Camping Barbie set? Millie Fleur’s Poison Garden by Christy Mandin, which she absolutely adored.

I’m not saying this to brag BTW. Or to claim some magical gift-giving powers. But to make a point.

Most people run into problems when gifting because they’re trying to please every child instead of just the child the gift is intended for.

It’s a lot like writing a book.

If you set out to write something to please everyone, you will instead end up pleasing no one.

Or if you try to write for a specific audience, but it’s not something you’re really into, writing will inevitably become a grueling chore. And the editing process will be even worse. 😵‍💫

Instead, Reader, you should try writing the book that delights you first. Then find the people who adore exactly that.

Unique, genre-defining bestsellers don’t come about simply because the storyteller woke up one day and said, I think I’ll write something EVERYONE wants.

It’s more like the storyteller said, "Maybe I’ll write a book where 2 teen boys fight eldritch horrors in the woods and are too awkward to realize they’re into each other. Something with Crimson Peak and Pan's Labyrinth vibes. Oh, and what if it was Boys Love?"

A book like that would become C.G. Drews' bestselling Cottagecore Horror, Don’t Let the Forest In. A story Drews wrote entirely for themselves. And something that not only went on to become a smashing success, but also helped sell all their future books to publishers as well.

Or there’s Bound: The Contract by German creator Anne Luise Pätzke.

Bound started as a personal project Anne created at the start of the pandemic when one of her main sources of income—traveling across Europe and North America to exhibit at conventions—was eliminated. The comic gained a huge international following, which led to a major German comic publisher picking it up.

Bound is now sold in German in book and comic shops throughout Europe and in English in the creator’s shop.

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As you can see writing to delight yourself first is like selecting the perfect Barbie set for the birthday girl. It’s the true secret to success. 👍

Well, Reader, I hope this inspires you to go out and write something that delights you.

Until next time, this is your friendly neighborhood storytelling Kat wishing you a wonderfully creative weekend.

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Your cohort in storytelling,

Kat Vancil

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PS 👉 Remember that personalized action figure meme that was going around back in April? If you were one, what 3 accessories would you come with?

Me? I’d come with a little periwinkle notebook, a mug with a cat on it, and a snow leopard plushie (they’re my favorite animal).

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Sebastian E. Mora - Emerging Author Artist, Content Creator, and Storyteller Drawn to dark-fantasy that blurs the lines between myth and reality? Subscribe for early insights from my upcoming novel Theris: Elysium for Monsters. A story about a young woman who struggles with her failing health in a future where a Romanized empire teeters on the brink of collapse and immortals are persecuted. Subscribe​

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