Today we’d like to introduce you to C.M. O’Brien.
Hi C.M., thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I spent much of my childhood and young adulthood reading, scribbling in notebooks, and getting caught up in daydreams. In fifth grade, I wrote my first book (and then completely erased it because it wasn’t “perfect enough.” My mother still hasn’t forgiven me for that). In high school, when I found myself writing a second book, I ended up turning it into my Senior Project—and realized writing stories was more than just a hobby: it was what I wanted to do with my life.
I attended Southern Oregon University and graduated in 2017 with my BFA in Creative Writing. From there, I went straight into a Master’s in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on arts and business. During the pandemic, I took advantage of the time at home to work on developing “Nocturnal Mind,” my personal blog and website where I share my writing and thoughts on stories and the processes of telling them. “Nocturnal Mind” was also built on the idea of teaching and inspiring new generations of artists, and provides writing tips and various creative writing prompts while also asking questions that will hopefully spark debate and deeper conversations about storytelling.
Since graduating, I have published three books: “Don’t Bully Buster,” a children’s picture book about friendship and empathy in the face of bullying (under Caley O’Brien); “The Wishtalker,” a young adult fantasy novel with elements of the “Narnia” series and “The Hunger Games” (C.M. O’Brien); and “Do Bats Eat Spaghetti?” another children’s book about asking questions and exploring the world around you (also under Caley O’Brien). Many more stories are currently in the works, including several children’s books and a sequel to “The Wishtalker.”
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Not in the slightest. Especially since reaching adulthood, there has been that huge, horrible monster of Self-Doubt looming over me in my day-to-day life. And, like all artists, I tend to suffer from extreme cases of imposter syndrome and perfectionism on occasion. But most of all, creative work is just a tough field to “make it big” in. Unless you really know what you’re doing with marketing, or were just born with high charisma, nobody outside of your immediate family and friends will even know you exist. And that, I think, has been my biggest personal struggle: trying to just make people care that I—the quiet little introvert who hides behind their computer screen—am here. And especially with the Self-Doubt and Imposter Syndrome and Perfectionism Monsters constantly hanging over my head, adding the feeling of “nobody cares” to the mix can be absolutely devastating. And devastation is a very intense roadblock to deal with for anyone who is trying to be creative.
The trick, I have found, is to just keep doing what you’re doing. Because if it makes you happy, if you enjoy it, then who cares if nobody cares? And, also, someone DOES care. You just haven’t found them yet—and you certainly never will if you let yourself stop.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
For so many years I struggled to call myself a “writer” (note the previously mentioned imposter syndrome). But when I finally started accepting the title, my identity had already started to shift. Now, I prefer to use the term “storyteller” to officially describe myself. It is where my true passion lies: telling stories in any form or medium that simply feels right for the content. Up to this point in life, my focus has been entirely on books—however, my interests cover a whole range of different mediums, and my visions for the future of both my career and my company include branching out into theater and cinema, and possibly even video games as well.
Having such a wide range of interests has also meant that I have a hand in a little bit of everything with my projects: I write, of course, but I also format, edit, design, and occasionally storyboard. Frankly, if I had the budget and the tools required for it, I would probably print and bind my own books as well. And while I frequently seek help from professional editors and collaborate with professional illustrators when it comes to completing larger projects, at the heart of things I am one independent artist reaching out and pulling something together that they think is worthwhile for others to see. And being at the forefront of so many amazing projects, and getting to work with some extremely talented fellow artists for the sake of putting something new out into the world, is something I am immensely proud of.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://nocturnalmind.net
