We recently connected with Jessica Mathews and have shared our conversation below.
Jessica, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
When I finally realized that you never overcome imposter syndrome, I was able to let go of the stress and anxiety imposter syndrome creates and get back to business. Imposter Syndrome will always creep in no matter if you are doing something you have done a million times in the dark with your eyes closed while walking backward and eating ramen to something you are doing for the first time. It isn’t about overcoming imposter syndrome; it is about acknowledging imposter syndrome, telling that anxiety good day, and MOVING ON. If you don’t, that stress and anxiety will eat at you until you can’t do the thing you love. Acknowledge that you have the feeling and know in your heart that feeling is wrong, then let it go. You can co-exist with your imposter syndrome and still do great things.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am an author who attempts to complete a story a few times a year and then publish that story. Sometimes, I don’t meet my goals, and sometimes, I get distracted by other characters or stories, but I am always writing. I primarily write and publish children’s picture books, but I do have several adult titles under my pen name J.L. Mathews. The most exciting thing for me is when children come up to me and ask me what I have that’s new because they love my books and want to read more. I love encouraging children to read, write, and create. For 2024, I am still writing and publishing, but I am trying to expand my brand into smaller items like buttons, stickers, key chains, etc, as well as open up the author services side of my business for new clients. I want to help people follow their dreams and publish their books like people have helped me in the past.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The most impactful thing I have done is to finish what I started. If I would never have finished my first story, I would never have been able to publish it. The next thing I would say everyone needs is courage. The courage to step out of your comfort zone, the courage to get turned down, the courage to hear the word no and try something else. If I didn’t muster my courage, I would never have found my illustrator and there would be no first book. Without a first book, there can be no second book, third book, etc. Finish what you start and have the courage to follow through. The last thing I think everyone needs is the drive to make change. If you are comfortable in your life, you will not be able to change. Change only occurs when the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of making the change.
If you need help finishing a project, get an accountability partner. If you need more courage, ask a friend for a shoulder to lean on. If you need the drive to change, really assess your life and honestly tell yourself you want to stay the same. A good way to do all of these things at once is to join your local guild or organization for whatever it is you want to do. I was not able to fully come into my own until I joined the St. Louis Writers Guild in 2011, learned more about my craft and the industry, and found support when I didn’t expect it.
If you knew you only had a decade of life left, how would you spend that decade?
My challenge is always marketing. There are not enough hours in the day for me to work my day job, run the St. Louis Writers Guild, write, and run the business side of writing. I struggle with creating online content to use for marketing and to connect with my readers online. I excel at these things in person and will do upwards of 30 shows a year to connect with my readers, but doing these things online seems impersonal and does not interest me. I was one of those people who deleted all social media ages ago because I was never on there. I only picked it back up because I thought it would be a great way to advertise my business. I still never get on social media.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jessicamathewsbooks.com
- Instagram: hey_steve_its_bucky
- Facebook: @jessicamathewsbooks
