Christian Carlson
Q What do you do?
“I am a bit of a Swiss Army knife in regards to the creative process.”
I am a writer/storyteller before I am anything. I love to tell stories, and I see stories in everything. In pursuit of that, I became an actor. I got my undergraduate degree in communications with an emphasis on theatre with a minor in history because I loved the stories (this will be a theme). I moved straight from undergrad to graduate school where I recieved a Master of Fine Arts degree in acting, and from there I launched into the world. I dreamed of being a content creator and making a space where people could feel safe and add to stories that inspired them. I've grown my platform to over 60k followers by duct taping all of my talents together and drowing them in caffine.
Q What steps did you take to get to where you are now?
I spent a lot of time reading books, short stories, plays, articles, history. I also spent countless hours watching movies, shows, and cartoons. Anything I could do to ingest stories and try to figure out how they worked and why they inspired me. Then, I started writing my own. I've written short stories, created interactive stories for my friends, written short films, created content, and analyzed historical events across time and space. Which is a fancy way of saying I studied everything I could get my hands on to see what inspired people and why, and how I could use my own voice to inspire others.
Q How do you stand out in your field?
I have a much broader scope than anyone I know in my field. I have been around athletes, scholars, actors, writers, technicians, construction workers, factory workers, fast food employees, pizza drivers, deli employees, students, teachers, former and current military, activists, radicals, and quite a few I haven't mentioned. I've lived in Iowa, South Carolina, Florida, and Alabama. I have friends from nearly every state and from quite a few other countries. All of that does not even begin to take into account the vast sums of information I have spent a lifetime stocking in a mental library. More importantly than that, though, I love learning new things. I am excited by challenges that mean new information. That to say I am like Wikipedia. Whatever you need to know, I'm a great place to start. And while I can always point you in the direction of more if you need it, I probably have more than enough for you to get the job done.
Q What are you working on right now?
Lots of different forms of creative content. I have a setting book I am writing for Dungeons and Dragons, several short stories of variying degrees of fantastical, tiktok videos, Twitch Steams, and advertising for Start Playing Games.
Q What’s your style?
I would describe my aesthetic as whimsical fantasy. I love bringing in fantastical elements with jokes that are much more grounded and realistic. I find that this appeals to most people's inner child while also recognizing the reality of the world they inhabit.
Q Out of all your slashies, which one do you wish you could do more often?
I would love to focus more on my writing.
Q What is frustrating you right now?
As for most, financial problems make everything more difficult. For that reason, I find myself trying to prioritize less creatively rewarding jobs like storywriting and world building for better paying work. That said, it has forced me to sharpen elements of my toolshed that make me much more marketable in the commercial sense and given me a deeper appreciation for the work that manages to be both creative and financially rewarding.
Q If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?
They would be in charge of organization. Calander, file storage, task orentation, and daily schedule. I would hope they could allow me to focus my energy on my tasks, bringing my full creative potential to bear on a problem without wondering if that event was at 5 or 5:30. And they did say Eastern timezone right?
Q What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?
First, I would suggest bitcoin. That might solve all my problems right off the bat. However, imagining I can't just rig the game in my favor, I would tell my middle school self that the stories I lost myself in would be the purpose I found for myself later. That I should focus on my writing instead of hiding from it, and that my ability to comprehend and analyze information is not a skill everyone has. I'd tell myself that confidence isn't about thinking you're the best, it's about understanding that what you have to offer is important and deserves the space it takes up. That I deserve the space I inhabit. I think if I had known that then, my work would be so much more impactful now. People are inspired by truth and vulnerability, and those only come from people who are confident enough to be vulnerable and open.
Q If you could talk to an expert to gain more insight on something, what would it be about?
I would want to talk about psychology. It is a subject that I find myself returning to over and over again, constantly fascinated by the different ways our minds interperte information and events. I'd love to feel like I had a true grasp on why the mind works the way that it does. Obviously once I had that, I'd use my new mastery to make people cry over my stories and unable to look away from the page, but the world isn't ready for a literary supervillain just yet.
Q What kind of opportunities/projects are you looking for?
Writing positions. Copy writer, script writer, synopsis, analysis. You name it, I want to write.
Q Describe your ideal job/client/collaboration.
I'd love to work with a group that was as excited as I am about storytelling. Barring that, I'd love to work remote with a group that allows me to use my strengths to my advantage. Flexibility and positive communication are essential for me.
Q: What is your rate?
I typically work for $20 an hour.
Q How should someone approach you about working together?
Always email! All of my important people information goes straight to my gmail. I only need the project, the timeline, check-in points, and formatting specifications. As well as your favorite color.
Q Oh! and… how do you stay creative?
I look to the sky.
This member profile was originally published in June 2024.