The whole journey began with an interest in acting. I started in church plays and branched out into community theater. Then, after high school I worked as a secretary and a co-worker was working on a screenplay. This grabbed my attention since I loved theater production. I began working on a fanfiction screenplay and then began working on an idea for a Christian movie. That really wasn't a common thing back in the 80’s but I sent the screenplay to a few Christian ministries and never heard back. I was feeling a bit frustrated when a good friend suggested that I turn my stories into books.
Are there any other points about writing you would like to add?
What inspired you to write that first book?
I treated writing my novel as a hobby, so it took me about fourteen years! Finishing it was just the beginning of another phase. It would be about nine more years before I made the decision to really pursue a writing career.
How many revisions did you do?
Too many to count! Like a lot of writers (and artists) I tend to be a perfectionist. I'm learning to overcome that now. I even heard Reese Witherspoon say in an interview that as a producer she had the same problem, and she had to come to a point where she let her work go out into the world. The struggle is real.
What is the hardest part of writing for you?
Stopping, which also makes it hard to start because I know that once I start, nothing else will get done.
What’s the best encouragement you’ve had in your writing?
The editor that I work with now. She is amazing. I was looking for someone to proofread Season of Hope and she became a mentor to me and has helped me grow as a writer. Her proofreading turned into eighteen months of revisions. I was inspired to write some new scenes and add deeper POV. Also, readers have reached out to me about their love for the stories and the characters. That is priceless to me. When a reader takes the time to message me or email me, it's a tremendous encouragement for me to keep going.
Marketing is the biggest key to getting sales. What is the best marketing source you've used that has produced more sales rather than just clicks?
The bookfunnel group promos have been very helpful. Also promoting with Faithful Reads is always a good sales day for me. They're great.
What do you know now about writing you wished you had known sooner?
That no one writes a perfect first draft. I read a J.K. Rowling tweet years ago (2018 - I looked it up) where she said, "When rereading last week's work, the trick is to stop for a biscuit just before your blood sugar levels drop to 'every single word of this is worthless.'"
What is the best writing advice you’ve received or could give?
There are so many things I have learned that I can't even think of one single piece of advice. But the best writing advice I could give would be to keep writing, learning and growing as a writer.
Take care of yourself. Writers can pick up some unhealthy habits. I became a certified health coach after I started writing full time because I had picked up some of those habits—like sitting in front of the computer for hours without breaks and not stopping for a healthy meal.
What is the next book coming out? Can you give me a short synopsis?
The next book is Season of Faith. I haven’t written the synopsis yet, but I will have it up for preorder as soon as I write that synopsis!
That's all for today's interview. To learn more about Sara's writing, here's the link to her website: https://www.sarajanejacobs.com/
And here's a bonus for one of my readers...Leave a comment on this post, and we'll chose randomly choose one reader to win a FREE eBook of Season of Hope. Deadline is next Friday. So what are you waiting for? Leave a comment now!
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