Today we’d like to introduce you to Douglas Weissman.
Hi Douglas, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’ve always loved storytelling—listening to and sharing stories. I didn’t know how to turn that into a living or whether that could ever become a viable career. I turned away from it over and over again, including in college when I chose to study history, as though that was a more viable option for a career path. But then I moved to Florence, Italy for a year, returned to Los Angeles to finish my degree, and leaned into my love of storytelling. Then, I committed to that idea in writing.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The smooth road is never the fun road. The smooth road never has its lessons. My road has not been smooth. It was unexpected, but smooth and unexpected are not the same thing. I have followed fun ideas, get-rich-quick-ideas, stupid ideas, and everything in between but they all take me to different places and have shown me new stories about myself and others. They build connections and create unique bridges I hadn’t previously noticed. The dark feels like it’s never-ending when deep inside it but reveals itself as the best learning experience once on the other side.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I specialize in fiction and travel inspiration. They may not seem disconnected, but I take inspiration from my travels and build my novels around those experiences. Travel is often over-simplified as a person or group of people wanting to visit a place. But most of the time, it’s much deeper than that. It’s about a person or a group of people wanting an experience, and the place substitutes that experience. People who want to spend time with their friends—they book a booze cruise to Mexico. A person expects the wonders of ancient history—they book a trip to Rome. A couple wants romance—Paris. Etc.
I love to take those tropes but fictionalize them for a better understanding of the human condition. In my novel Life Between Seconds, it wasn’t about where a person went but why they went there. For the two main characters, it was an escape rather than for an experience.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
I like to think I fall into the group of people who praise those around them as standing on the shoulders of giants. I learned about the importance of history from my great-grandparents and grandparents. I learned about how their lives shaped my life. I have had unwavering support from my wife along the way; and anyone who has ever had a creative pursuit understands the importance of unwavering support from a loved one in order to push through blocks, critics, or hurdles along the way.
My mentor, Martin Pousson (an incredible writer, thoughtful reader, and exceptional teacher) has always found value in my voice, even when my writing was taking shape. Support comes in all shapes and sizes. It has been as simple as someone mentioning my story was interesting to my wife pushing me into a coffee shop to write, to Martin reminding me that my voice should be heard.
Pricing:
- Detailed developmental edit – 2000
- Limited developmental edit – 800
- Storytelling consultation – 200
- Travel article – .75c per word
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.douglasweissman.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/douglasweissman/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/douglas.weissman/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglas-weissman/
