Writing Is The Key To Freedom: A Conversation with Chántelle Adanna

By Asha Elaine

Sitting comfortably in her bed, surrounded by pink walls and various shades of pink decor, Chántelle Adanna flipped her long braids behind her and greeted me with a beaming smile after our Zoom call connected. Before beginning the interview, we chatted about our pathways and interests, almost as if we were already good girlfriends. Realizing that as Black women writers, we had so much in common, we smoothly began to dive into conversation about writing, expression, being a Black woman, and generational curses.

Chántelle Adanna is a Maryland based writer, who through vulnerability uses her words to share her story and relate to Black women. With themes of wellness and self-love exuding through her work,

Chántelle inspires others to find the beauty in all parts of who they are. Chántelle believes that self-alignment is what has created avenues of opportunity for her. Learning to honor herself with patience and kindness, Chántelle Adanna built the courage to be her truest self. Sometimes the best way to find healing is to look within ourselves and share our own stories.

Asha: What made you choose writing as your medium of expression?

Chántelle: Writing has always been a form of release and therapy for me. When I was younger, I wasn’t an effective communicator in terms of expressing how I feel and allowing myself to just feel. I am a sensitive person. I would harbor feelings and not share. I had to learn that the action of communicating feelings to people was normal and okay.

There were events and tragedies that affected me. My grandmother died of breast cancer in 2008. When I actually began writing and publishing, that process triggered things. A lot began to unfold for me. Writing was something that I could do where I was able to put my words on to paper. I could see them. I could read them to myself. It all made sense. It was exactly how I felt. I never saw myself as a “good” writer. I never saw myself as an author. I needed something to carry my load, and my burden. That was writing for me.

I liked the feeling of taking the pen and being able to go and go and not have limits or boundaries, no judgment. Nobody was talking back to me. My thoughts were just flowing. It felt comforting and felt like home. Because of that, writing took the winning spot over other art forms for me. I felt it complimented me the best.

A: Writing is so personal, so what made you actually want to let people into your world?

C: In 2015, I was a sophomore in college and that’s when I felt like I was going through my midlife crisis. I was still emotionally dealing with the loss of my grandmother. A lot of other people in my family had also passed away. I also didn’t know my worth as a person. I got into a situationship that lasted too long. Friendships going in and out. I didn’t always understand them and vice versa. Because of that I started to blog. I shared it with family and friends and the feedback was so positive. Of course, there was constructive criticism that I took into consideration and applied some of it. As you grow, you have to be receptive to how people are receiving your work. It doesn’t have to change your style, but you should be mindful.

I was going through so much mentally and emotionally, and I’m also an overthinker, so there were things that I could’ve overplayed in my head that made me go crazy. Writing was that therapy. People suggested I write a book. And I was like “what?! I’m just tryna get this out!” I started to think about it a little more, and as I continued to write, I realized the topics I was writing about struck a deep chord within me. I had more to say. I downplay a lot, so the thought of writing a book didn’t seem so dynamic to me. It took me so long to write it, but I was able to take my blog posts and use them as the foundation.

A: How do you balance honoring yourself but also riding the encouragement people give you?

C: I’m still trying to find that. Before I published my book in 2019, I did not write consistently for two years. I am just starting to do so now that I have my second book in my head. When my first book was published, I was focused on gaining traction. I underestimated how much work it would take. I didn’t do a good job balancing it all. I wanted to keep putting content out as extensions of my book, like the audio book. I started working on a personalized journal, and COVID-19 prolonged that process. I have calendars that come out each year and I used that as a way to get people excited about the book.

Thinking of my book as more of a brand required a mental shift that I didn’t necessarily expect. I felt like I was sinking creatively. I wasn’t taking time for myself to sit and write. Now I have less on my plate and I am able to get back in the flow and rhythm of writing just to write. I now write without expectations or because people think I should be writing about certain topics. In honoring myself, I learned that it isn’t about the next connection you make. I got so wrapped up in that. My book related to people because I was being true to myself. I didn’t start writing for likes and comments. I began this for me and it was a way for me to put myself first. Honoring myself, my craft, and purpose in its entirety, I had to revisit my “why” and remember that. I had to redefine what succeeding meant.

A: You had to redefine success, so what is that? What would be steps you can offer for others to take when thinking of success for themselves?

C: Success for me is being healthy throughout my entire trinity, mind, body, soul. And heart. Having a healthy family and supportive foundation. People who celebrate you when you aren’t your prettiest, inside or out. Success is portrayed by what we see on the outside. A person could be wealthy and have access, but not be successful internally.

...You have to allow yourself to be whole, be broken, to heal, to feel, especially Black women.

Once I realized that getting my mind, body, soul, and heart aligned, it would reflect externally. I’ll be able to go after the things I want, or attract them. But you have to face yourself first. For others, you have to know yourself and spend time with yourself. Learn how you think, how you act, and why. People don’t take the time to know themselves. You have to allow yourself to be whole, be broken, to heal, to feel, especially Black women. Then you have to be honest and transparent with yourself. You’ll be able to work through things without a wall being up. Having that crucial sense of awareness is something people don’t always get to experience because of not knowing themselves.

A: How do you hope to evolve as a writer or creative?

C: I want to work in the entertainment industry. I want to ghostwrite music, write screenplays and movies. I want to do voiceovers. Maybe even modeling and fashion.

A: So what does being a Black woman mean to you?

C: Being a black woman means persevering despite the odds set against me. We are fighting from every angle: sexuality, colorism, sexism, generational curses. We have so many things we are arming ourselves against. Being a Black woman means we are warriors, being focused. We are not defined by our past or misconceptions people have of us. We are multidimensional.

A: How does your identity as a Black woman influence how you write and how you navigate life?

C: When I first started writing, I did not lead with that. I lead with the fact that I was a female who was sensitive and went through things. Once I unpacked more and learned my ancestry, I came to the conclusion, almost an epiphany, that I am a woman and even though I have tried to count out the fact that being a Black woman doesn’t affect me, it actually does. We are built different - mentally, spiritually, emotionally. That realization

A: I noticed that you have a memoir. Most people would think you had to have lived this long life in order to write something like that. You’re only 25. Why was this project special to you to put out at this point in your life?

C: I published it at age 23! But I want to make a note - before my writing is for anyone else, it is for me. I had to honor the fact that I had a story. I had a voice, and I was allowed to put this out. I wrote it so that I wasn’t carrying the load. I was at peace with everything. When it came to concepts and messages I wanted to relay, I had to create a balance between what I felt and how it translated to other people. Doing this at 23 was terrifying because of outside influences questioning my life and experiences. But I knew my story was going to relate to at least one person, and that was important to me. It isn’t about age. It’s about your journey and your path.

A: Before you said Black women are fighting generational curses, so what would you tell your younger self in an attempt to prevent those?

C: I would want her to realize what she’s worth. I would tell her to honor her mental and emotional spaces. Currently, I am trying to break the cycle of unhealthy communication. I would tell her to communicate effectively and efficiently how she felt, even if it is not easy at first. It is important to learn how to communicate because that openness can lessen the amount of strife. I would tell her not to overthink. I tell myself this everyday. (laughs). I would want my younger self to know that there may be people who may not physically continue the journey with you, but they are always with you internally. I think that’s important, too. Be open to saying I love you. Try the things that are on your mind.

Embracing the limitless possibilities of what she can do and who she can become, Chántelle is looking forward to what’s to come in her life. To learn more about Chántelle and to purchase her books, visit chantelleadanna.com.