Today we’d like to introduce you to Abigail Franken.
Hi Abigail, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’ve been writing since I was a kid. My mother actually put together some of my early writings, which were misspelled and barely legible—so that’s how young I was when I started telling stories. However, it wasn’t until I got laid off from my corporate healthcare job a year ago that I decided to publish.
I had never really shared any of my writing with the world, other than analytical reports for my day job. A few years earlier, I had put together a poetry book for my mother’s birthday that contained a number of original pieces. I figured that was a good place to start. From there, I began compiling all of my favorite poetry and short stories I had written over the years, and I realized there was a clear theme—feminine relationships and growth.
I wrote a lot out of encouragement from the women in my life, whether friends or family members. As it turns out, everything I had written also contained an underlying sense of gratitude for those relationships and how they helped me grow and mature. It only felt right that my first book honor those connections as well.
Since then, it’s been quite a journey! I mostly did this for my younger self. Writing and publishing a book was something I had always wanted to do, and I figured, “I have the time—why not?” But when it came time to actually turn in the full manuscript, I panicked a bit at the thought of sharing so much of myself with the world. Vulnerability was never my strong suit.
I’m so glad I went for it, though. It’s brought me so much joy and allowed me to connect with people I never would have met otherwise. I always thought healthcare was the vehicle through which I could care for and connect with others, but it turns out writing had always been that medium—I was just too afraid to open myself up to it until now.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s been smoother than other roads I’ve ventured to take. What I mean by that is, there have definitely been challenges—like the whole “sharing my inner world with the public” thing—but something about it always felt right. Like, when I got through those obstacles, there was always forward movement on the other side. I can’t say that was the case with other endeavors I’ve tried. I’m a pretty spiritual person, so I kind of see it as the Universe’s way of guiding me back onto my path.
My current major challenge is just navigating which way I want to go with writing. I love it so much and could be happy writing any number of things, but I don’t want to burn out. Right now, I’m working on honing in on the opportunities I feel most aligned with.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
The Mermaid and The Moon was my debut book. It’s filled with poetry, short stories, and prose. I’m currently working on a few different creative avenues:
Spoken word poetry: I recently met someone by chance who had just started hosting open mics centered around a variety of artists, with a special focus on poetry. I discovered that I absolutely love the performance aspect, so this has been a really exciting new way to share my work.
Blog writing: I started a blog called Matchstix as a way to highlight all of the wonderful entrepreneurs and creators I’ve met over the years. Charleston is a city full of small businesses, and I think it’s so important to promote these people—especially right now.
Book projects: I’m working on two new books. One will be another poetry collection focused on grief and resilience. The second is a novel that’s still in its early stages—so you’ll have to follow my social media and newsletter to hear more!
Something that sets me apart is that I truly do this to inspire emotion in others. Everything I write is with the intention of helping someone feel something deeply. Whenever someone tells me that something I wrote made them cry, I feel elated—which sounds a little maniacal, ha! But honestly, my favorite thing in the world is watching someone tap into a deep feeling—maybe one they’ve been avoiding or needing to heal—and having the courage to face it because they don’t feel so alone anymore. That’s such a beautiful part of the human experience, and I’m forever grateful to be a medium for it.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Perseverance.
Success in any art form can be exhausting—even painful. You hear “no” more times than you can count. You get laughed at. People constantly question why you think you deserve a shot. And honestly? I don’t care.
I don’t care how long it takes or what it costs. I believe in this with everything I’ve got, and I won’t stop. I’ve shifted, adapted, and changed course more times than I can remember—but I’ve never been someone content with just “good enough.” I want more. I want success.
What that success looks like has changed for me over time. The goalposts have moved, sometimes higher, sometimes sideways—but no matter what, I keep moving forward. Nothing will stop that.
It’s just who I am.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://abigailfranken.com
- Instagram: @abbytellsstories
- Other: @poetsandparties on tiktok
