Meet Zorina Frey: Poet, Publisher, & Content Writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Zorina Frey and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Zorina, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
As an editor, publisher, spoken word artist and writer, I’m always juggling more than one goal because frankly, one is usually not moving quick enough for me. So, I start another task and so forth and so on. After a while, I’m spreading myself so thin, that I’m not investing enough time on any of my goals. As a result, it doesn’t look as if anything is working. The obvious solution would be to just give up, but here’s the thing: Every idea that comes to mind isn’t necessarily a bad one! It’s all about timing. So anytime I feel like giving up on one of my projects, I pull out my notebook and remind myself, “What do I want?” Then I make a list of all the projects I have going on. Next, I list each project according to which ones will expedite my goal of being a successful writer. The projects that don’t apply are hobbies that need to be tabled. Then I figure out if the remaining projects are long-term or short-term, which ones incur the most expense, the least, and which of these projects will provide the greatest ROI? I promise if you do this, your vision will become clearer and you’ll find that you’re not giving up, just reprioritizing your tasks.   

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My talent as a spoken word artist turned into a business the minute I discovered I could get paid for it and the second I realized how hard it is to snatch up an agent. I had to learn how to promote myself. While doing that, I also invested in my writing by taking classes to get better (always taking classes). I eventually taught myself how to self-publish. That opened doors of opportunity for me to help other professionals design and publish books of their own. Then came the art of promoting digitally—a skillset I’m always re-learning. I got certified in Google Analytics to help increase my online presence. My work as a professional copywriter helped immensely with that. Nothing is ever easy! I know this sounds cliché, but it really does take hard work and the determination. My business is IWA Publications. I.W.A. stands for “I Won’t Apologize” which is based on my debut book of poetry, “I Won’t Apologize for Being a Woman”. That’s basically my story in one sentence!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
It really depends on the visitor, but I’d take them on a drive across the causeway to Miami Beach for dinner on the water, then we’d catch a movie or a show at the Arsht Center…shop, then probably a comedy show at Just the Funny, check out some open mic spots for spoken word, take a drive down to the Keys, do some kayaking, check out Biscayne Bay and go for a boat ride—probably take a boat ride in the everglades, find an outlet mall and shop, then bar hop in Coral Gables (I’m not a clubber), and just be lazy and beach hop—oh, there’s the guitar casino! Definitely going to Books & Books because I’m a nerd like that. Also, if I have a friend performing anywhere, we’re doing that. Can’t forget Disney and if he or she is feeling really adventurous, we could take a day trip to Bimini! I feel like I’m on a dating show. Did I win?    

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
South Florida Writers Association
Writing Class Radio
Lip Service Stories: True Stories Out Loud
Everyday Folks Radio Podcast

Website: zorinafrey.com
Instagram: zorinaexie
Linkedin: zorinafrey
Twitter: zorinaexie
Facebook: zorinaexie
Youtube: zorinaexie
Other: iwapublications.com 45magazine.com

Image Credits
All photos and images are provided by IWA Publications.