Today we’d like to introduce you to Adam Greenfield.
Hi Adam, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
An artist’s path is rarely straight. Quite often you’re either wandering alone in a field or your path took you straight across a busy highway. That was certainly the case with my path.
The creative arts piqued my interest very early on. In fact, with a little help from my mother, I taught myself how to read around the age of three years old. Books became part of my daily joy. They also became a form of escape from an abusive father. At ten years old I wrote my first short story and before I turned 15 years old I had enough poetry to put together a full manuscript.
Sometimes, though, the path gets a little muddy. For the next 20 years, childhood trauma and depression took hold. I had no motivation, no ambition, no hope. Then, in 2008, at 33 years old, I chose to give things one more go so I packed up my car with two cats and whatever I could fit in it, and with just $500 and no job prospects drove from Iowa to San Diego. It hasn’t been easy but when I reflect on that choice, it was by far the best I’ve ever made.
These days I am a published author with more books planned and in the works, I produce and engineer podcasts for others and also for myself, I’ve been hosting or co-hosting live poetry and prose readings for nearly a decade, I moderate panels at conventions, and I’ve grown roots in arguably the best city in the country.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Writing has always been a part of who I am. I am a lover of words and how we use them so while there has been some struggle with learning how to best use them, the only struggle these days is with finding a home (aka publisher) for them. Rejection is a big part of becoming a writer. A thick skin is needed but sometimes it can’t ever be thick enough.
That said, my podcasting career has been a bit different. I did not grow up behind a microphone like I grew up behind books. So while working on figuring out my life after moving to San Diego, I started listening to podcasts and thought, “I bet these are fun to make.” So I took one audio class at San Diego City College and dove into what I call YouTube University. I learned the difficulty (and expensive nature) of using audio equipment and how fast technology changes.
Starting anything without any knowledge can be a tough mountain to climb. I made numerous mistakes along the way, and even some that cost me jobs. To make matters worse, I had no practice with running a business. I have since learned how un-fun invoices and tax preparation are but upsetting the IRS will quickly teach you things. I’m much better with the business end of my creative podcast work but that doesn’t mean I like it.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
When I meet new people and they ask what I do, my answer is author and podcast producer. So since you asked, I am an author and podcast producer.
In my past I have worked many non-creative jobs. Each one was a reminder that I was on the wrong path. Once I stepped on the path I was meant to be on, things began to fall into place. Over the years I’ve become a long-time member of the writing and arts community in San Diego. I am a regional editor for the San Diego Poetry Annual, along with hosting and co-hosting literary events.
And yet, the thing I’m most proudest of is not any personal achievement but that I belong to a vast, eclectic community of amazing art and artists in San Diego. It’s raw, it’s powerful, it’s thoughtful, it’s a family I’m proud to belong to.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
One of the many things I love about San Diego is just how colorful and artistic it is. Whether it’s obvious murals on walls or painted electric boxes in neighborhoods or even pillars behind old buildings, art is everywhere. It speaks a lot to how diverse the arts scene is, whether that’s by age or nationality or artistic eye.
The biggest hindrance, however, is the lack of financial resources for artists to live in San Diego without working jobs that get in the way of artists making art. The cost of living here is high for many people so perhaps I’m screaming in a packed arena about this subject. But the book “Your Brain on Art” by Ivy Ross and Susan Magsamen illustrate how art and nature biologically improve our lives. Imagine what powerful medicine artists could create if we just provided easier access to a laboratory.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://iamadamgreenfield.com
- Other: https://thewrittenscene.transistor.fm/
