Writing had always been on the periphery of my life, but until I wrote the novel it had been a secondary focus, mostly taking the form of journaling. I thought I might write non-fiction, if anything. My mom, knowing this, gave me a copy of Stephen King's On Writing. I'm pretty sure it stayed on the bookshelf for far too long, but as I started compiling a book I remember spotting it and thinking, "Well, even if he doesn't write non-fiction," (the title in question notwithstanding) "he knows a thing or two about writing."
I finally cracked its covers and I was hooked. Reading his memoir led me to read his novels, which I hadn't touched since high school. I had read very little fiction since high school, in fact, but picking it up at this point in my life did two things: caused me to fall back in love with the written word, and kindled a long-dormant imagination. Before I knew it, I had story ideas of my own. With little clue of what I was doing or how it was going to go, I started my first novel.
How long did it take to write? How many revisions did you do?
The first draft took about three months, once I got serious about it and committed to a daily practice. I aimed to write 500-1000 words per day. I did about three and a half revisions--the "half" being less of a revision and more of a painstaking comb-through for typos. All told, the process took approximately 18 months, from the first word to the last edit.
The first draft took about three months, once I got serious about it and committed to a daily practice. I aimed to write 500-1000 words per day. I did about three and a half revisions--the "half" being less of a revision and more of a painstaking comb-through for typos. All told, the process took approximately 18 months, from the first word to the last edit.
What is the hardest part of writing for you?
The first draft. It's scary as heck, because even if I have a general sense of the story--even if I've sat down and plotted it out--it tends to take on a life of its own very quickly, and that can feel daunting. Most of the time it feels like the story is just out of reach, that its form is just over the horizon. This, despite the knowledge that as long as I keep going, I'll come over the side of the hill and be able to see it in its entirety. I haven't figured out how to get rid of that feeling (that I don't have a hold of the story). The only thing that works is to keep writing, which feels paradoxical when one feels like they don't know what they're writing.
The first draft. It's scary as heck, because even if I have a general sense of the story--even if I've sat down and plotted it out--it tends to take on a life of its own very quickly, and that can feel daunting. Most of the time it feels like the story is just out of reach, that its form is just over the horizon. This, despite the knowledge that as long as I keep going, I'll come over the side of the hill and be able to see it in its entirety. I haven't figured out how to get rid of that feeling (that I don't have a hold of the story). The only thing that works is to keep writing, which feels paradoxical when one feels like they don't know what they're writing.
What’s the best encouragement you’ve had in your writing?
Keep going. It's as simple as that. Or, to quote the aforementioned Mr. King: "Sometimes you have to go on when you don't feel like it, and sometimes you're doing good work when it feels like all you're managing is to shovel **** from a sitting position." I always find it funny, later on, when I read back on previous work: I can rarely tell which sections of writing felt good when they happened, and which ones felt like pushing a boulder up a hill. Which suggests to me that judging it while I'm writing it is useless. What's useful is to write, period.
For encouragement, I'd highly recommend On Writing, any of Steven Pressfield's books about writing (The War of Art, Turning Pro, etc.), or Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott.
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?
My newsletter. I've tried a lot of different things, at this point! But nothing seems to replace a direct connection with a reader.
What do you know now about writing you wished you had known sooner?
That the hardest thing about writing is, as Steven Pressfield writes, never the writing itself. The hardest thing is sitting down to write. I can't explain (apart from Pressfield's explanations about "Resistance") why it's still, to this day, so difficult to sit and start doing something that I know I love to do. But if one can sit down, open the laptop (or pick up the pen) and start writing, the battle is won. (For the day, at least.)
What is the best writing advice you’ve received or could give?
If you have a story inside of you, you're the only one in the world who can write that particular tale. Even if the theme is familiar, or the trope has been written many times before, there is no one in the world who will write the story exactly the way you will. Because of that, it's imperative that you write it, otherwise it will never exist. It's not your place (or anyone else's) to judge it. Your job is to create it, in tribute to the life and story you've been given. Please, give your gift to the world.
The Crossing will be published around November of 2025. Synopsis:
"Taylor Durant is going nowhere fast. A has-been child actor turned struggling screenwriter, he’s chasing his next big idea—and a reason to believe in himself again. Then, one evening, an inexplicable encounter sets his world spinning.
She was there. Then she wasn’t.
Convinced that the fleeting encounter holds the key to his destiny, Taylor channels his energy into a screenplay that blurs the line between reality and imagination. Yet, as those closest to him start to question his grip on the truth, Taylor’s search for answers takes him to places even he can’t explain."
That's all for today's interview. If you'd like to learn more about Jared's writing, use this link and get a free eBook copy of Eleven Letters, a prequel of sorts to Of Dreams and Angels:https://BookHip.com/NFWMRGD
