We recently came across Isabelle on Instagram and immediately fell in love with her and her words. Not only are her words relatable but, hopeful and inspiring. So we were thrilled when we found out she joined our community. She's a beautiful Dutch writer and poet that lives in the south of the Netherlands. She also enjoys reading, vegan food, music, movies and bouldering. And on April 11, 2020 she released her debut poetry collection "Learning to Look Up". Here's our interview with her.
When did you start writing poetry?
I started writing poetry when I was very young, around 10 years old. I remember being sick at home from school and lying on the couch writing in this flimsy red notebook. It was the first time I started putting down my feelings into words (Dutch at the time) and it's been a part of my life, ever since.
What made you decide to start sharing your words on Instagram?
I didn't write my own poetry for a little while, but thanks to some personal circumstances, I suddenly got back into it at the start of this year. It was like coming back to the house I grew up in. After I started working on my own book, I quickly realized I wanted to publish it. I already knew Instagram was a great place to connect with and discover other writers. Sharing my own work helped me become part of the Instagram-poet-community.
What platform did you use to self publish your book? Was it an easy process?
I used KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing - connected to Amazon). The reason I chose them is because I owned a few books by other poets that had used KDP. It's also a relatively easy way to get into publishing with a print-on-demand publisher while immediately having access to a huge market. I wouldn't say it was easy. I did a lot of research and, being from outside the United States, I had to figure out a lot of the tax/legal-stuff on my own. But it was definitely easier than I initially imagined it would be.
What advice would you give to other poets wanting to self publish?
Two main pieces of advice: don't be afraid of everything you have to learn and connect with people who have done it before. Buy other writers' work and see if you like the way their work looks. If it's something that relates to how you want to get your book out there, send them a message on Instagram. I've found that most people (including myself) are more than willing to help newbies out.
Where can we find your book?
My book is available on all Amazon websites (paperback and ebook). This link will direct you to my book on each website: https://linktr.ee/isabellekooreman
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