Pay It Forward

“When you leave, teach. When you get, give.”
-Maya Angelou

Welcome to part three of my #PayItForward article series. The last two were very well received and I thank every reader for that. Here’s a third batch of writers that continue to inspire me and so many other independent writers among the online writing community.

Stuart Buck: This requires some context. Around mid-March, I lost a very close friend of mine to suicide. My depression seizures, which I hadn’t had in close to eight or nine months started coming back. In short, I was in a very bad place emotionally and psychologically. Around the same time, I came across Stu’s chap book “F*ck The Apocalypse.” While I had always been a fan of Stu’s poetry, this was the first time I took his writing and imbibed it from within. I embraced and bonded with every word. My first thought was, did Stu read my mind and write this just for me? That’s when I realized his greatest strength. Stu writes about inner turmoil we all go through but does so in the most eloquent and personable manner that it feels like each stanza, each line is written just for you. He makes both the positive and negative aspects of human psychology alluring via his words. Amidst a potpourri of tears, anger and frustration, I found my solace. I immediately forgot all thoughts of negativity like self-harm and started living vicariously through Stu’s poetry. Stu’s an excellent writer and an excellent artist as well. Follow him on Twitter @stuartmbuck and on http://stuartbuck.co.uk.

JD Morganne: Very often, especially on social media, when I come across writers who dabble both in poetry and fiction, one usually is better than the other. That’s not to negate their talent but we all have our strengths and weaknesses. I myself have had my fiction writing published more often than my poetry because very often, my poetry falls short. JD Morganne is one of the rare exceptions to this. She writes poetry and fiction and not once have I seen one format better than the other. Her poetry is beautiful, lyrical and evocative. The same adjectives seamlessly carry over to her fiction. And I just recently discovered that she’s a digital artist as well. Admittedly, I’m not that familiar with her artwork as I am with her writing but the little I’ve seen strongly suggests that it will soon form the perfect trifecta in her repertoire. Follow JD on Twitter @jd_morganne and on http://jdmorganne.com.

Bert Edens: Bert Edens has to be on any list I make because he’s co-editing my anthology as well as contributing to it as a writer. All jokes aside, Bert is one of the strongest writers I’ve ever known. Everything he writes creates an immediate impact and lingers in the mind long afterward. The punch he packs in every piece is amazing. What I’ve learned from Bert’s writing is the art of creating the perfect context for every word on paper so not once, does the significance dwindle. Follow Bert on Twitter @AuthorBertEdens and on http://authorbertedens.com.

Sara Siddiqui Chansarkar: When I first came across Sara’s writing, there was a connection and resonance I felt but couldn’t quite describe in words. It was only a little later that I found out what it was; both of us lost our fathers relatively early in our lives and several of her pieces allude to it either directly or indirectly. That aspect of her writing also led to one of my greatest accomplishments as a writer: receiving a Pushcart nomination. Following Sara’s lead, I too decided to write about the passing of my father in a semi-autobiographical story which gave me the nomination. Something I’ve tried to emulate from her writing but have fallen short in doing so is how to make pain and melancholy beautiful. Sara has an amazing ability to take the most heart-wrenching stories, real or fiction, and glue them to the readers minds, even as they’re blinking back tears. Follow Sara on Twitter @PunyFingers and on http://saraspunyfingers.com.

Carol Beth Anderson: Beth is the epitome of what every independent writer dreams to be. When her earliest books were out on the market, I had no idea that they were self-published because everything about them from their cover design to the platforms they were available on suggested a mainstream release. In fact, I only found out that they were self-published when she specifically mentioned it to me. Beth is probably the finest example of never underestimating the reach of a independent writers and how far they can go. In more pessimistic times, her success stands as one of the biggest motivating factors to keep going. And to boot, Beth is the exact same person that I started following before her earliest publications. She’s always supportive, helpful and providing nudges to aspiring writers exactly when they need it. Follow Beth on Twitter @CBethAnderson and on carolbethanderson.com.

Who are some independent writers you’re fond of or find inspiring? What specifically about them motivates you? Share your thoughts and experiences by commenting below on our secure servers.