We had the good fortune of connecting with Kevin Tyler Norman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kevin, do you disagree with some advice that is more or less universally accepted?
Often we are told that we should be able to do everything solely on our own as if there is glory in the idea of being the sole hero, but I can’t entirely agree with this concept. I think it’s important to collaborate and ask others for help, which needs to be normalized. When starting a project, it’s okay if you need assistance in the execution. It’s important to surround yourself with a tribe who can help you bring your dreams to reality, and I think people must remember that.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
As a kid, my mom would take me to the bookstore, and we would spend hours shopping and reading. I think this was the start of my obsession with collecting books, creating my own personal library, and becoming an avid reader.

When the pandemic hit, the amount of free time it allowed for me reminded me how much I loved books, so I started to read a lot of the unread ones I had in my library. As a creator and performer, I felt so inspired by the stories I was reading that I wanted to find a way to share them with others and create ways to inspire people to start reading. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, my focus was to highlight these types of books.

When I started to create videos for TikTok featuring my favorite books, I never imagined the number of views, positive feedback, and followers I would gain. It’s been crazy to see how many people love reading, and I discovered a brand new community while creating some amazing friendships in the process. I now have a group chat with some fellow creators to discuss books, life, and any brand deals we get. It is such a supportive and diverse community, and I am so thankful to have found them.

Once you start to see videos’ virality, it becomes addicting, and each video after feels like a competition to try and reach those numbers again. But I have come to learn this mentality is so dangerous and bad for my mental health. When I started posting, and my videos were viral, I was so thankful, but as I started to post more, I would feel a wave of disappointment if I created something that didn’t get a lot of interaction. It would throw me in a funk and completely blind me as to why I started creating in the first place; to inspire people to read. I think this has been one of the biggest challenges I’ve had to face as a creator, and I know I am not alone in it. It becomes difficult when you start to work with brands, and people pay you to make content because you want to get them views, and if you don’t, it feels as if you’re failing. So I remind myself every day that my worth isn’t in how my videos perform and that my purpose for doing this is because I love it and I have fun. At the end of the day, that is all that matters.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
The amazing thing about living in LA is that you are only a couple of hours away from any type of terrain you might want. If you want the desert, beach, or mountains we have it. I live in Santa Monica, so the beach is practically in my backyard, and nothing beats watching the sunset on the ocean. I like to say it’s like watching water swallow fire in a whirlwind of colors.

LA is home to some amazing restaurants, and If I were to have guests visit I would make sure we went to a rooftop dinner overlooking the ocean followed by drinking and bar hopping in West Hollywood to dance the rest of the night away. Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to give a big thank you to my friends, family, and my boyfriend. They have never faltered in their belief in me and my wild passions, and they have stuck by my side every step of the way. It’s their belief in me and my talents that help me remember to chase my dreams no matter where they might take me.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ktnorman/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-norman-65a3a128/

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@kevintnorman?source=h5_m&_r=1

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