Today, we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Nicole Wilkins.
Hi Ashley, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My story starts from the ages of 4 to 6. During these ages I was learning how to write and my parents started the process of gifting me diaries, journals and notebooks for holidays and birthdays in order to encourage my writing.
From 7 to 12, I was inspired by shows like Moesha and movies like Harriet the Spy, where the lead characters were avid writers, documenting the events of their lives, emotional revelations, secrets of confidence, and overcoming fears of adolescence. I began to write in my diary every night, keeping note of the characters in my life and my emotional expressions.
My uninhibited version of the truth spread across those pages became my refuge and habit. By the time I made it to my freshman year in high school, I had written my first poem during a writing exercise in class. The ease and finesse of being able to curve words, phrases, and sentences into my own personal language came easy to me and began to take over my writing style from then on. I would write essays, short stories, discussion responses, and all writing assignments in poetic form without asking for permission and, in turn, received some of my highest grades in high school.
After high school, I decided to collect every poem I had ever written and place them into a scrapbook for safekeeping. It wasn’t until after my service in the Marine Corps that I was inspired by my mother and countless friends that I should consider putting together a book. I went along with the idea of using Google and Amazon to guide my path along this journey. After the completion of putting together 20 poems onto 77 pages, followed by a copyright from the Library of Congress.
I held onto the proof version of my book as a silent moment that I only cared to share with close family and friends. When I was 25, living in a studio apartment, I was sent a credit card offer from my bank at the time, and this sparked the idea that my first purchase should be 1000 hardback copies of my book. The books arrived weeks later in the middle of the night at my front door, and I brought them into the house and left them in their boxes in the corner of the room as a reminder of something I was proud of. As an academic coach who worked at my former high school with no work in the middle of the summer, I was invited to set up a table at my first festival.
I was offered a table for $25 and a 10-minute performance slot. I took on that offer and had the experience of selling my books to strangers for the first time. I was opened up by this experience and became inspired to sell my books on the street in the middle of North Park across the street from a pretty popular open mic. I set up for a week by myself, receiving help from the community, the business owners that I set up in front of, and even the homeless.
I was very successful but understood that I needed business partners who would be equally invested in promoting their business and selling their products. I came across some childhood friends who were sisters who both had several businesses of their own. We agreed to set up together, from that first set up in Northpark to major festivals and private events. We set up together for years, realizing the power of teamwork and then the even stronger power of destiny when it comes down to the individual.
After several years of success, we gently drifted apart, leaving a legacy of what black women can do when we worked together and decided to pursue our personal adventures outside of one another, and we are all still very successful to this day. After our separation, I went on to work on a fourth book; I am currently pregnant with my second child and continue to perform and speak on public forums in my city. Not to mention I completed a state wide tour in 2019 to commemorate the signing of my first outside author to my publishing company.
Today, you can find me at your local toddler meetup, on a family vacation on the other side of or outside of the country, or performing at a venue near you. All while anticipating the completion of my fourth poetry book, I am determined to address financial readiness to my community of readers and beyond.
We all face challenges, but would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
90 percent of the time, while pursuing something that you love it is easy to slide into the flow of happenings that pop up and blossom, building up your resume without a second thought of organization nor premeditation. However there are times when you come up against challenges in other people, your product, your emotions, physical health and most of all yourself.
When it came to people that I would work with or alongside, I would occasionally experience feelings of being misunderstood because of differences in opinion. Or lack of cooperation. I would sometimes lose confidence in my product or my poems, wondering if they were enough, over-performed, or even necessary. I would sometimes lose sight of my purpose and doubt my contribution to the community or feel less than because my business acumen was not strong enough to build my business bank account the way I wanted; I would even discount my worth for fear of coming off as demanding or confident beyond my actual talent.
Sometimes, I would be having so much fun going from event to event, city to city, and state to state that I wasn’t mindful of the rest I was missing or the toxic company I was keeping. Overall, when it came to constructive criticism, unsolicited advice, lack of belief, or support from the people who were closest to me, I shut out all thoughts and opinions that were not my own because of pride. Unfortunately, not every outside contribution was harmful, and this led to me missing out on some opportunities, some progress, and some productive relationships.
No matter what, good, bad, or indifferent. I would always “keep calm and Carry on” to the next stage, event, relationship, opportunity, and through all oncoming challenges. Thankfully my longevity in my business has guided me to know that having a next move is always the best move. Smooth or rough, I have the living experience of being an Author and Poet for almost 10 years, and I will always be ready for 10 more.
I appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a performance poet and the Author of 3 books, “The Death of a Serial Monogamist”, “The Author of Legacy”, and “Other People’s Problems”. I perform where I am needed and sell books to community members across the world who may need help or understanding when it comes to relationships with others vs. the one we have with ourselves.
I am an advocate for growth and learning, and I aspire to graduate my business to a platform of leveraged resources and guidance that goes beyond what I can do as an individual (coming soon!). I specialize in Sharing my truth through the written and spoken word while encouraging the writing world around me that it is safe for them to do the same if they would like. I am most proud of becoming a mother because writing and performing poetry helped me find my life, but giving birth to my son saved my life.
His life encouraged me to keep going along this poetic path while incorporating more boundaries and making better and healthier decisions. So now I get to do what I love, and in front of the person (people) I love the most, setting an example of what it means to live as your authentic self while setting up tools for the financial responsibility that allows me to have a poetic career but most important, carves out time for me and my new family to learn each other, teach each other, explore with one another, and love each other.
I believe that being a popular loner is what sets me apart from others because I have always known the comfort and pleasure of friendships, but I have always had the privilege and luxury of time to myself. In the time I spend alone, I enjoy reading, stand-up comedy, balancing my bank accounts, catching up on conspiracies and Akashic knowledge, sharing growth ideas with my best friends, watching interviews/documentaries, and talking to myself at great length.
I know that when I dare to venture off anywhere that I will aways be there, to turn every piece of space that I occupy into something comfortable inviting and lovely to experience, parallel the the feelings I experience when I am alone.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you, and can you share any important lessons or epiphanies with us?
The most important thing I learned during the Covid-19 crisis is that space and health are golden. All relationships are not meant to last. Being a veteran is beneficial to your peace of mind, and you should always know where your resources are located.
My life completely changed during the course of the pandemic, but God kept me close and helped me through my decisions no matter how hard life became. There was joy and a good time coming to me, and the ease of knowing that no matter what I will always have the courage to own my life and the choices I make.
I am grateful that God watched over my family, and I am sympathetic to anyone who may have lost someone or something that was important to their survival. Life is precious and I am grateful for the opportunity to be able to live and share mine with the ones I love and those I have yet to discover.
Pricing:
- $24- “Other People’s Problems” by Ashley Nicole
- $18- “The Author of Legacy” by Ashley Nicole
- $12- “The Death of a Serial Monogamist” by Ashley Nicole
- Link to Author page – www.amazon.com/author/ashleynicolew
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.amazon.com/author/ashleynicolew
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorashleynicole?igsh=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAshleyNicole12?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-nicole-b3a713111
