We recently posted about Isobella Jade's new modeling memoir, Almost 5'4". Trashionista spoke to Isobella about her modeling dreams, her graphic novel and aspirations. Isobella also offers some tips for not only authors but aspiring models as well - read on for more!Please describe your latest book in 15 words or fewer.
A short girl's turbulent journey of striving as a model and overcoming the odds.
Tell us a little more about yourself.
The way to my heart is high heels, and I could climb a tree in high heels. However there was a time when I was pulling my running shoe out of the mud on the X-Country trail. I love mascara and grill cheese, movies of the 1940 and 50's, one-of-a-kind jewelry and limited edition art, and Anthony John Gray's oils intrigue me. I am a crazy history buff; and fascinated by stories of the 1800's and early 1900's and how things were made and done then. Seabiscuit is my hero. I love my iPhone. And although I am very tech savvy, I still use a pen every single day. I am a coffee addict. When I meet someone I don't ask "what do you do?" I ask "what do you like to do." I'd rather eat dessert before dinner. Want to buy me dessert?
When did you start writing Almost 5'4"?
I started writing the memoir in the fall 2005. I was really broke and since I was already using the Apple store as a place to check my email; and as an office, I figured it would be a perfect place to write. I decided to include that experience in the book as well. By March 2006, I had a manuscript, and I told the store manager what I had done in an urge to thank someone for letting me use the store and wear it out. The result was being asked to do a reading in the store. It wasn't until I had about 300 pages and a reading at the Apple store, that I thought, "Maybe this could be a published book."
I first wrote it as a source of therapy, I guess, and relied on my journals as a sequential timeline and reference. Looking at my older photos also helped. I'd look at a photo and write about that experience, or I'd see a certain date and location scribbled in my journal and the details of that experience would come alive again and I'd write. I was writing about a lot of not so glamorous modeling experiences that I hadn't told anyone about, and things I even hid from my family and friends. So although the book is now one of my greatest achievements, at the time of writing it it was a way to move on from my modeling mistakes. Get it off my chest. I felt that by writing I was putting some gritty things I had encountered in the past. Like a period at the end of a sentence. While writing I found that there was an inspirational message in the book about not giving up even when others doubt you, which wasn't obvious to me when I started writing it, but now that message IS the purpose of the book for me.
What made you decide to be a model?
My journey as a model was at first a curiosity and something for my ego. After first Googling the word model and making a lot of mistakes in front of the wrong lens, I spent years striving to work with good agencies, photographers, products, magazines and brands. At the beginning, the idea of "calling myself a model" was appealing and the first part of Almost 5'4" is about this mindset, but calling yourself one doesn't mean you truly are one. After I realized modeling is about "modeling something," I started to notice that models are not all tall, and although I might be the tiniest girl out there, if I marketed what I did have, I could make my own opportunities. It has been a day by day process, year by year growth. Being a model when you are a short girl is really based on the person's want to be one, and the will to try. There was no guarantee I'd find any of the success I eventually found, but I thrived on the chase and the challenge of it. I was willing to do the work, and accept the rejection.
Every product out there needs a model and height isn't everything. But you do have to have professional photography that highlights your assets, you do need a marketing mindset and you do need to be realistic. Only a small percent of working models are tall giraffe Supermodels, but most models in ads and in TV commercials are not fashion height, and no one talks about that, so I started blogging, podcasting and writing about it.
You have a graphic novel out about your modeling life - tell us more!
While writing Almost 5'4"I had a lot of visuals come to me, so putting an illustrated book out there that was inspired by my adventures as a short model made sense. Also I noticed how there weren't many graphic novels with a female heroine, I thought bringing the fashion world and a model character to the graphic novel world would be a trendy way to inspire girls of all shapes and sizes about the highs and lows of being a model. What developed was my fashion illustrated graphic novel called Model Life: The Journey of a Pint-Size Fashion Warrior.
I worked aside illustrator Jazmin Ruotolo, who I reached out to because of her background in fashion illustration. Model Life is a mixed media graphic novel. It involves photography and hand written journals and there are many Internet-age elements in the graphic novel. Communication between characters is done mostly through email, text messages, and social media is a big part of the story for the reader to engage in.
Where do you write your books?
I write everywhere. Inspiration is everywhere. The start of my writing normally happens in my journal. I will write down ideas, a concept, a plot, an experience, and then evolve it in front of my computer at home. I write at night usually.
Also, I sleep next to my journal and my phone. Often after a long day if I am too tired to hold a pen I text myself the words, sentence, or thought. I write all the time and everywhere, there is not a certain hour that I write, it is an all the time thing, whether it be on street corners, inside retail stores, on airplanes.
What is your favourite book?
I Pass Like Night, by Jonathan Ames. I love books that are not afraid to be honest, he does that well.
Do you have any tips for readers who would like to become published authors?
Yes, the more you know what is interesting about you or your book and why a newspaper, magazine, radio or television show would like it, the better. I think an author has to wear many hats, especially at the start of the marketing that goes into getting an agent, a publisher and selling a book, especially in this Internet-age. I think the more of a marketer the author is the better. The world has become one. It's based on connectivity, and communicating and self promotion is a major asset for an author.
What about models? Do you have any advice for those who want to get into modeling?
My biggest advice is to skip the Internet. For modeling, what's on the Internet is mainly amateur-ville. It is best, hence the experiences I share in Almost 5'4", to not rely on a model site, or social site or website as a launch pad to be discovered as a model. Most of the people who linger on these sites are amateur. Anna Wintour of Vogue and Sarah Doukas of Storm Models are not looking for models on amateur modeling websites. In many ways the old fashion way is still the way. And for a shorter model it comes down to snail mailing print modeling agencies your comp card. Mainly, you have to know what is marketable about yourself and ask yourself "how does what I have translate into modeling products and for ad campaigns," and "what products and ads could I realistically model for?" You have to be realistic, and you have to understand that a shorter girl has to do a lot more hands-on work behind the scenes than a fashion model. A shorter model can find opportunities working with a commercial print modeling agency or talent agency, however getting in the door involves her making her marketing material; comp cards and portfolio.
What are you currently reading?
On my iPhone I am reading Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls. I mainly read non-fiction or biographies; I usually don't get excited about fiction. I look at and buy a lot of coffee table photography books. I also read a lot of newspapers including The Wall Street Journal, WWD, and tons of magazines. Also I read through my Google stats often.
Are you working on anything else at the moment, and if so, can you tell us?
I am working on a how-to-model book, and planning to turn Model Life into a series, along with some screenwriting as well. The beat goes on.
Thanks, Isobella!
You can find out more about Isobella Jade and her books by visiting Isobella's website.
