LITERATURE. Pressure of perfection. Cult of appearances. Addiction to social networks. The author Sophie Montminy addresses these themes through her first novel entitled imperfect.
The native of Drummondvilloise embarked on the writing ofimperfect six years ago. She tells the story of Anna, an editor who works in a major fashion magazine. She is trying to carve out a place for herself in the industry, while juggling the vagaries of her personal life.
Even if it is a fictional story, the author was inspired by her professional experiences to write her book. Among other things, Sophie Montminy has spent six years immersed in the world of Quebec magazines.
She wanted to portray this reality, speaking as much of the positive as the negative. “A lot of people think it’s really glamorous. Those who work in magazines seem to have access to everything. For example, they go backstage at the Katy Perry show. This intoxicating side represents only 5% of the job. Behind, it’s chaos. The chaos of pressure, deadlines and hard work. For me, it was important to show behind the scenes,” she says.
At the same time, the author is interested in the notion of perfection and the pressure that can result from it. “We always want to look perfect. We build an armor of personality, without revealing ourselves. It can help us at certain times in our career, but by dint of putting on so many armors, we get lost in it. In trying to be perfect, we don’t really respect who we are. Personally, it hurt me in my professional career, ”says the one who went through burnout and depression.
Social networks
The story is articulated in a world where social networks are omnipresent. The use of these platforms is not without consequences for Anna, while she is inhabited by the obsession with the perfect image. Just like her character, Sophie Montminy has developed an addiction to social networks. The writing of the book allowed him to walk on the subject.
“Anna’s quest was the same as mine. I was trying to figure out why I was so addicted to social media. Why do we need to be seen by others? I realized that you need to be approved. When we are seen, we exist. In my opinion, one can quickly become dependent on the gaze of others. It can be difficult to get out of it because we are looking for this attention there, ”she brings.
The book is aimed at young adults, but the author specifies that older readers can also find their account. “There are people from my parents’ generation who have read my novel. They tell me that this book has given them a better understanding of the world in which their children and grandchildren live,” she says.
The publication of her first novel represents a dream come true for Sophie Montminy. She had the sting for literary writing and she does not intend to stop. “Is my next novel the second volume ofimperfect or do I turn to another story? It is to be continued. I jotted down a ton of ideas in my cell. There are several things I want to address.”
In any case, several projects animate Sophie Montminy. A few years ago, she created the podcast iron womento highlight the women she admires.