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Raphyel M Jordan on Why Writing Isn’t For Everyone

I can’t count how many times I’ve read a post from a fellow author calling it quits, and they always give the same reason: “It’s too hard, and I’m not making any sales.” I think we humans build up these vivid fantasies, imagining that we’ll champion overnight success stories like other people in the news. The problem is, the media doesn’t dwell too much on what was going on before these successful individuals made it big, or how long it took them to get that miraculous big break. Why? Because it ain’t pretty, that’s why! 😛 Why can’t authors just write an amazing story, publish it, and watch the swarm of people – who have apparently been sitting around, patiently waiting for someone like you to just flop into their laps – come in running, doing everything in their power to ensure that you make it to the New York Times Bestseller list?

The people we see on the book shelves and front pages of sites like Amazon understood that they had to do more than just write a good book to get such a stature. I wish I had known this sooner, otherwise this wouldn’t be my very first blog tour for a two-year-old book! Now I’m just grateful for finding numerous authors that are pointing me in the right direction.

Here’s one thing I learned from these fellow authors: Not everyone can make this lifestyle a living due to the very unique self-discipline and sacrifice required. When we come home after a tiring day of work, we need to squeeze in some time to write instead of crashing on the couch and watching TV. When the kids and spouse are all in bed, we might have to stay downstairs with the crickets as our only company while we research a particular era for our next fantasy story. When we’re done with our homework and studying for finals, we may not get to put in the two hours we want into that scene we’ve been dying to get to, but chipping away piece by piece is better than not doing anything at all. Maybe, before the birds are even up and chirping, we’ll put the alarm clock on an hour or two early so we can at least get 500-1000 words in before we have to perform our daily obligations. And this is only the writing part!

Today’s authors also need to build their network, get in some blogging time, make some updates on social network we’re connected to because we need to build a following. We do this because fans don’t find us. We have to find them, and boy, does the behind-the-scene stuff take a lot of that little ounce of free time we cherish! However, if we want to be a successful author, we’ll have to learn how to make time on our own because there’s so much to gain by doing so.

See, I don’t think there’s any cooler thrill than seeing a classroom of fifth graders’ eyes light up after I show them images of my alien protagonist, Aly, from my Prossia novel. To have a seventeen-year-old girl, who’s the same age as Aly, want to take a picture with me because my story inspired her is the most humbling experience I ever had. To have my boss, a grown woman, come to me during my work hours, wanting to talk about how Aly reminded her so much of herself when she was younger is so assuring. To get hassled by people begging to know when the next book will come out. . . is terrifying.

To know that I have, if even a handful of people, who were moved by this piece of myself, that I spent days and nights putting my everything into. Sure, I’ll get some royalties from these individuals that bought my book, but the priceless payment in being a writer comes when we hear a five-word phrase that makes our heart skip a little: “I REALLY liked your book.” So, being a writer is another job, one that may not even offer a check for a while. Still, I think it’s totally worth it.

Raphyel
Montez Jordan
(Author website) grew up in a household sensitive to the creative arts. As
a child, his hobbies were drawing favorite cartoon and video game
characters while making illustrated stories. This passion for art never
left and followed him all the way up to his high school and college
years.


It
wasn’t until college when he underwent a personal “renaissance” of
sorts that Jordan took his interest in writing to another level. When he
was 19, he started writing a novel for fun, taking inspiration from the
constant exposure of different ideas and cultures that college showed
him while staying true to the values he grew up to embrace. However,
when the “signs of the times” influenced the story and the characters to
spawn into universes of their own, he figured he might possibly be on
to something.


As
he studied graphic design at Armstrong Atlantic State University in
Savannah, Georgia, Jordan also used his
electives to study sciences like Astronomy, Psychology, and Biology in
order enhance the reading experience in his story. He eventually made it
a goal to have the story published after he graduated, and dubbed the
goal “Operation Prosia,” the very same project that would develop into
his first published book, “Prossia.”


Even
though his novel (Amazon  Barnes and Noble   Goodreads) is not necessarily a religious book, Jordan utilizes
his Christian faith by urging people to encourage, not condemn, in his
story. Best known for ending his PSFC newsletters with “Unity Within
Diversity,” he hopes “Prossia’s” success will inspire people to consider
and support the positive outlook in the difference human kind can
share, whether it be race, religion, or any other
cultural difference.


 

Damyanti Biswas

Damyanti Biswas is the author of You Beneath Your Skin and numerous short stories that have been published in magazines and anthologies in the US, the UK, and Asia. She has been shortlisted for Best Small Fictions and Bath Novel Awards and is co-editor of the Forge Literary Magazine. Her literary crime thriller series, the Blue Mumbai, is represented by Lucienne Diver from The Knight Agency. Both The Blue Bar and The Blue Monsoon were published in 2023.

I appreciate comments, and I always visit back. If you're having trouble commenting, let me know via the contact form, or tweet me up @damyantig !

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25 Comments

  • Brett Minor says:

    I loved this post. As someone who has just recently jumped into this game, this is the kind of information and encouragement I need.

    Stopping in from A to Z Challenge. This will be my first year participating.

  • KC says:

    Thanks so much for the inspiring post. It was exactly what I needed. This biz is not for the faint of heart. Happy writing and much success to you! 🙂
    http://www.kckleinbooks.com

  • I'm SO happy you all liked my post. It was two years in the making, come to think of it. 😛

    Never give up on the passion that takes others to other worlds, whether they're on other planets or across the street. Thank you!

  • shelly says:

    You have written the truth. It takes a lot of work.

    Hugs and chcocolate,
    Shelly

  • Tonja says:

    I wasn't aware quitting was an option. 🙂

  • Great post. Yes, before I started going to writer's conferences and workshops, I had an unrealistic view of what the business portion of writing was. I just thought I'd write my book, sell it and be done with that part, able to just keep writing something else. But there's a lot more to it.

    Shannon at The Warrior Muse

    • Welcome to the club, Shannon. Yeah, there's a bunch of us that come into the author business with that way of thinking. "Little did we know," right? LOL! However, kudos to you for not freaking out and turning tail when you saw how things really are!

  • Rena says:

    Good post, and so very true. There is so much more to writing than writing.

  • "To get hassled by people begging to know when the next book will come out. . . is terrifying." I know the feeling! But those moments when someone connects are worth it.

    • You bet! When someone connects to your story on such a level, it becomes an obligation to follow through, and that's such an assuring feeling.

  • Great post. As someone who's just finished a blog tour for a year-old book, I know exactly where you're coming from! Whenever I hear of an author quitting though, I just feel they weren't real writers – I couldn't imagine my life without creating characters and peril!

    • Authors MUST create their own engine to get to driving, and it's always in need of a tune up. It's that passion you're describing, the thought of not being able to do without, that keeps the engine running. ^_^

  • Great post! This is my first time reading it and Raphyel did an awesome job! Thanks for being a part of the tour!

  • Laura W. says:

    Well said! 🙂 A lot of people romanticize writing and don't think about the details and the work behind it. It's the same kind of thinking behind comments like, "So you're a writer? Wow, your job must be easy/you must have a lot of free time/that's not a *real* job."

    • Oh wowwwwwww. Seems like you've heard all the quotes that make us authors groan on the inside. LOL! As long as you know there's a lot of effort in what you're doing, however, the naysaying can go in one ear and out the other. 😉

  • Pat Hatt says:

    So true, you sure need a huge work ethic.

  • So true. When someone asks me: "What's to writing a book?" I burst out laughing as a rule. Maybe even a little hysterically.

  • Well stated and very true!

  • Great blog post. When I'm down in the dumps, my thoughts go to quitting, but I could never do that. I'm too stubborn and the low mood and thoughts eventually pass.

  • An inspiring blog post. It certainly is tough to keep on going, especially on our own. Thanks goodness for the Internet.

    • Don't give up, Rosalind. And nah, you're not alone. You may not see us, but there are TONS of other authors out there "fighting the good fight" as well. ^_^

  • My TBR list just grew. I like themed-books like this as I believe in Mankind's redemptive nature and am weary of the 'Chicken Little' mentality.