We’re looking forward to introducing you to Kolina Cicero. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Kolina , thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I have a morning routine that has become unhinged in the best way. I get up at 5:15 and the first thing I do is take care of all of our pets. I feed our two 15-year-old cats and take our puppy out. Once they’re taken care of, I pour myself a cup of coffee, grab my journal, a couple of pens, and the three books I use for my morning inspiration: The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, Syllabus by Lynda Barry, and The Book of Alchemy by Suleika Jaouad. I then journal, dipping into any or all of these books for inspiration if I need it, until my children wake up.
This practice is very centering and it supercharges my creativity for the day. I explain the process at length here:
https://kolinacicero.substack.com/p/inside-my-unhinged-morning-routine
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a mom with a lot of side-gigs. I’m a freelance writer and help brands, authors, and entrepreneurs with their creative copy. This can look like sprucing up a website, strategizing and writing email newsletters, or even ghost-writing books.
I’m also the creator of The Underlined (https://kolinacicero.substack.com/) a weekly email celebrating what we love about literature. I’m coming up on my two-year anniversary and have learned so much in that time about creating community, interpreting what readers want, and pivoting based on the information I’m receiving — all while remaining true to myself. My growth has gone in waves, but I’ve built my list from zero to 3,300 subscribers in under two years by being my authentic and passionate self.
As for my most personal work, I’m working on my third novel, with the plan of having a completed draft by the end of 2025!
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
In middle school, I was assigned the bizarre task of writing an obituary for someone who was still alive. I took the job seriously and wrote one for my mother. I don’t recall if everyone was asked to get up in front of the class to read their work, but I was.
After reading my fictional obituary to the class, my teacher pulled me aside. Her eyes were teary and red and she put a hand on my shoulder. She asked if my mother really had died. I said no, that I had just followed the assignment. Her response was simply “wow.”
That was when I first learned that words were powerful and I knew how to use them. I saw then that I could use my words to express myself and connect with others. It was the most powerful I ever felt when I was young.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
When I was eight years old, I wrote the following list of goals:
1. I want to publesh 6 books
2. I want to right 20 books
3. I want to be better at righting
I’d tell my young self that I achieved goal #3 long ago and have been working on the first two goals every day since.
We’re getting closer, little girl.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
For our early ancestors, community was a means of survival. I believe community is the greatest tool anyone has in their arsenal, and yet the value of being together in person has become diluted with extreme rise of technology. Now when we are together, it’s as though some people are only half-there; so sucked into their phones it’s not as if we are truly talking face-to-face. Being with one another without the distractions of our phones is important and it’s something I try to model for my two young children. It’s hard and I mess up a lot, but it’s important to me that my children understand the importance of being present with the ones you love. Nobody is on their deathbed saying they wish they spent more time on their phones. Why are we allowing these little machines to take us away from what we have right in front of us?
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
I give everything I write my best, even if I’m seldom praised for it. Sometimes I get notes from readers of my newsletter saying that what I wrote was impactful, but most of the time I give it my all and the only reward I get is the satisfaction of trying my best. And to me, it’s worth it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kolinacicero.substack.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/kolinacicero
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kolinacicero/
- Other: https://kolinacicero.com
Image Credits
Fraîche Studio
Kolina Cicero
