Before @stellabelle agreed to answer my 20 questions, she made me do something I, previously, had sworn I'd never do.
“If you give half of the SBD you earn to @anca3drandom - I will do the interview,” @stellabelle wrote to me.
My first thought was, “No. Absolutely not.”
When I started the “20 questions” series, I decided I wouldn’t do two things:
1 - Allow the interviewee to re-post the same 20 questions interview. My thought is that the goal of Steemit is to have as much original, interesting content as possible. If multiple users post identical content, my concern is that it dilutes the platform’s quality.
2 - Split any SBD with those whom I interviewed. This might be a controversial decision; however, it is one that was influenced by my journalism background. At the newspaper where I worked, the quality of stories were impacted any time the advertising department tried to steer the direction of the editorial team. I didn't want to interview Steemit influencers who were just doing the interview for financial gain.
But @stellabelle explained her request (see answer #18), and it reminded me why she has the #1 reputation on Steemit.
So, with your up-vote today, you are supporting me and my “20 questions” series. But you are also supporting @anca3drandom - an incredibly talented Steemit user who has given a lot to the community. And both of us have the amazing @stellabelle to thank for that.
Plus, who doesn’t want to learn more about the most reputable secret-writer Steemit has ever seen, whose résumé has 19 different jobs on it?
20 questions with @stellabelle
1 - What can you tell us about yourself in one sentence?
@stellabelle - Unrestrained curiosity has enabled me to experience vast quantities of surreal elation, death-like terror, art and pure love.
2 - Your website biography lists 19 jobs you've held in the past. Which was your favorite? Which was your least favorite?
@stellabelle - Favorite: a tie between writer and inventor's assistant. Least favourite: high fashion model.
3 – Your Secret Writer posts have been connecting with a lot of readers. Is it challenging being the keeper of all these secrets? Do the stories affect you emotionally?
@stellabelle - It's not a challenge to be the keeper of the secrets at all. It is, in fact, a dream come true. When Post Secret came out a number of years ago, I was hurled into a depressive rut, because that idea felt like one I had already conceived. I was intensely jealous of the Post Secret creator because my affinity for that Post Secret project bordered on madness.
I am not affected negatively by the stories at all. Some of them do make me cry a little, especially the stories about childhood abuse, but overall, I see myself as a sad person who kind of enjoys suffering vicariously through others. It's a weird affliction to have actually. I see the secret writers' stories as fulfilling a need of mine: to suffer and learn the truth. Without experiencing other people's pain, my life would be empty.
People don't know that in 2009, I was also the world's only Patron Saint of Postcards (
). I made hundreds of postcards and either gave them away or sold them. I am a messenger. I have always thought of myself as a messenger of secrets, art and arcane information. I've struggled for many years trying to fuse all my passions together into a solid business idea. This is mainly due to the fact that the motivating factor behind much of the art I do is to help ease the suffering of other people. I like the collaboration aspect of the Secret Writer. It's collaboration that has always fueled my creativity. Artists seem to be ego-driven, and I could never quite identify with that image.
4 – Your Steemit post about the Secret Writer series explains that you are very good at sniffing out a fake story. How do you truly verify that these stories are real? Have you rejected any stories to date?
@stellabelle - Well, I have rejected several stories so far. I am operating on the honor system. So if I feel that a story is fake, I confront the writer and ask directly, "Is this a real secret? If it's not real, I will not publish it." This direct approach seems to work because people then confess that it's fiction or whatever. Stories are actually really hard to make up to sound realistic. And I always mention that if a story is so good that it feels like a true secret, then it deserves to be published. I appreciate good writing. I have yet to come across such a story. The way I know these secrets are real is because the writers and I have a little conversation during the process. They are so appreciative and happy. That kind of emotion can't be faked, I don't think.
5 – You've been open about your own history with addiction. Do you regret your past, or are you thankful it has helped shape you into the person you are?
@stellabelle - I am so thankful that I'm an addict. (I still consider myself to be an addict even though I don't really drink anymore). Being an addict has made me really connect with a wider group of people. And because I solved 92.5% of my own addiction problems, I feel I have a lot to offer people in the way of sharing recovery methods.
6 – Now for a few lighter questions... If you could travel anywhere in the world that you've not yet been, where would that be?
@stellabelle - Barcelona, Spain to see Casa Battlo. I have an ongoing fantasy of visiting Antoni Gaudi's architecture.
7 – What is your favorite movie?
@stellabelle - Total Eclipse.
It's the story about the relationship between French writers, Arthur Rimbaud and Paul Verlaine. Arthur Rimbaud's character has shaped me in many profound ways and I have watched that movie too many times to count.
In this scene lies one of the most profound and fascinating insights from Rimbaud: 
Rimbaud asserts, "Love. No such thing. Whatever it is that binds families and married couples together, that's not love. That's stupidity or selfishness or fear. Love doesn't exist. Self interest exists. Attachment based on personal gain exists. Complacency exists. But not love. Love has to be reinvented."
That one scene has shaped my entire way of thinking about relationships.
But, there is also a 3-way tie between these three movies: Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory, The Matrix and Amélie.
8 – What is your favorite song?
@stellabelle - The entire soundtrack to Amélie.
9 – What is your biggest pet peeve?
@stellabelle - Small talk. I avoid it at all costs. This means I rarely go to parties.
10 - You get to have dinner with three other people, living or dead. Who are you eating with?
1: Nikola Tesla
2: Joan of Arc
3: Elon Musk
(4: Arthur Rimbaud)
11 - You have the best reputation score on Steemit. How do you believe you've earned such a high score? And what is your advice to others who hope to improve their reputations on Steemit?
@stellabelle - My advice is simple: spend more time commenting and giving your real, honest opinion about other people's work. Be as human as possible in order to beat out the bots. Bots cannot compete with a real beating heart.
When I first landed in Steemit, my strategy was the opposite of everyone else's. While nearly everyone else was bickering over the rewards system, and learning the ever-changing micro rules about curation and posting rewards, I was commenting my brains out on the platform. I ignored the Steemit rules and just followed basic social media rules that I've become really good at in ten+ years: give people honest encouragement, find their strengths, connect with people in a deep way and cultivate good will in the process. But you see, I never knew there would be a reputation number when I first started. In fact, there was no number until fairly recently. I was doing all this type of commenting because I truly love to communicate. And I love it when people feel good about their posts. I also crave positive attention, so I try to comment on every comment that I receive on my own blog.
The brutal truth of the matter is that I've been quite alone for the past few years. I began my own unique mind deprogramming system 2 years ago. This system required me to disconnect myself from a lot of people. Isolation has been key in getting my mind to the next level of functioning. After several years of this self-created programming, I now operate on a plane that is almost entirely removed from my own ego. I would say that I am 85% there and I no longer operate on a foundation of fear. I operate on pure fantasy as the core energy principle, with a foundation of helping humanity become free both in their minds and finances. Without financial freedom, I believe we will continue to be slaves. Releasing people from all forms of slavery is my main mission in life right now.
12 - As a previous Medium blogger, how do you think Steemit compares to Medium?
@stellabelle - Medium is a great writing tool, but it lacks substance. Steemit is a revolutionary social media platform that has the potential to disrupt the banking system, social media, e-commerce, personal growth and creative independence. And Steem has the potential to disrupt even more things than that.
13 - What's your greatest fear?
@stellabelle - That my daughter will be molded by a superficial and vapid society.
14 - What's your favorite quote?
@stellabelle - "I have researched the magic shapes of the happiness no one escapes." by Arthur Rimbaud. Isn't it beautiful and perplexing all at once? What does it mean? I'd love it if people answered this question.
15 - Who is your biggest inspiration?
@stellabelle - Nikola Tesla
16 - Whose Steemit blog are you most entertained by?
@stellabelle - @roelandp His male makeup tutorial was groundbreaking.
17 - What do you plan to do with your share of the money earned on Steemit Secret Writer posts?
@stellabelle - Pay off me and my daughter's hospital debt.
18 - As mentioned in the introduction, half of the SBD earned through this post is being transferred to @anca3drandom as per your request. Although this isn't something I normally do, I've agreed to these terms on this occasion. Why do you want the money to go to @anca3drandom?
@stellabelle - She created some of the most incredible and unique robot art that I've seen. She is very talented and after looking at her blog, I realized she has been slaving away in utter obscurity. Her creativity and attention to detail is unrivalled actually. I believe she is the best artist today on Steemit. I saw her cry for help on Ned's Steemd account and it sort of broke me:
"Hello. I like the Steemit platform, but I am having a hard time getting noticed. I post original content: 3D pen art and pyrography. I would appreciate the feedback if you find the time.Thank you!"
Her contribution was so outstanding and so intricate, so time-consuming, creating all those little Steemd robots (these are the auto-generated Steemit robots that symbolizes users) that I felt really bad that she was not getting financially rewarded for her efforts. Her latest post did take off, but I felt that I wanted to do my part in rewarding her past efforts that went unnoticed.
19 - Tell us about your most embarrassing moment.
@stellabelle - When I was 7 years old, I messed up a play, really bad. During the play, all the kids were supposed to say "Wheeeeeeeeeeeee" and spin around in a circle. I experienced severe stage fright and my mind went blank. I wasn't able to think in a symbolic or metaphorical way. My brain interpreted the word, "Wheeeee' literally, and I took the position of peeing, instead of spinning around. Of course, everyone in the audience died of laughter, and I literally had a panic attack, and was unable to move. It was devastating and I have had severe stage fright ever since. I did overcome my fear of public speaking a few years ago, though.
20 - What is one thing very few people know about you that you'd like to share with the Steemit community?
@stellabelle - I am looking for other black swans to form a team. Black swan in this usage has nothing whatsoever to do with ballet or women, etc. Here's what black swan refers to:
"The black swan theory or theory of black swan events is a metaphor that describes an event that comes as a surprise, has a major effect, and is often inappropriately rationalized after the fact with the benefit of hindsight. The term is based on an ancient saying which presumed black swans did not exist, but the saying was rewritten after black swans were discovered in the wild." -wikipedia
The black swan team's mission will be to free people from mental slavery. It's a lot like a well-designed system to help people get out of the Matrix. I believe that humans were not meant to do everything alone. I'm now looking for 2 dedicated people who have high aptitudes in these categories: empathy, courage, dedication, time and independence. This has the potential to be one of the wildest rides in history because of this one fact: the actions will be done offline, in the real world.
If interested, please send an email to leahstella@gmail.com.
Thank you to @stellabelle for sharing her secrets with us and providing great images, as well as video clips.
Also, a huge thank-you to all of you for taking the time to read.
Is there another Steemit user who you'd like to see me throw 20 questions at? Drop me a comment below and I'll work on setting up the interview.
If you like what you read, be sure to check out my blog!
