Meet Jamey Altizer

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jamey Altizer a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jamey, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
That’s a really great question. I would say that keeping my eyes open and taking in everything I can, is the first step. Through observation and learning more, I keep my mind moving.

I am, what my wife thinks, is very odd in the fact that I will drive for hours with no music just to let ideas and stories form and play themselves out in my mind.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I work a “regular” job, but that isn’t what this is about. In regards to my writing.

I write, publish (have edited and illustrated), merchandise, promote, and attempt to sell my books.

So, in essence: I write the story by coming up with the idea, writing a draft, re-writing, editing, another re-write and then I send it off to the professional editor. She goes over the book with a fine-tooth comb and sends it back with any corrections or edit suggestions. Then I re-write again with the suggested corrections. She gives it another look and sometimes gives me more suggestions or says it is good to go. Now it’s off to the illustrator with the illustration notes attached. This is a step used in the picture books specifically.

Once the book is illustrated, it’s set up in the correct format, sent to the printer and assuming it gets approved, it goes to print.

Now, I know all of this sounds super exciting. How do I contain all this and not burst? Well, this is the process of being a self-published writer. I need to do all of the above and then, manage the LLC I had to set up to take care of the business side of publishing.

At the moment I have 3 books in publication, I have 2 with the illustrator and several in the creation process.

On the promotion and marketing side, I am setting up book signings at Barnes and Noble as well as many local booksellers. Also, I’m running several social media accounts to promote and sell the books.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Skills or qualities that got me to this point in my writing/publishing adventure would be:

1) Courage- Finding the strength to trust in yourself and take a chance on your dream. Do it as soon as possible, don’t waste time second guessing.

2) Love- The love of writing, the love of others, the love of being weird. Embrace it all, go with it. Accept it. There is a certain skill in knowing love, accepting love, and loving others.

3) Patience- The skill of patience is sometimes forgotten, not everything you want will be handed to you and sometimes you not only have to work hard to get the things you want, but you also may have to wait for them. Don’t expect everything to come to you all at once. Books will eventually sell, or they won’t. Money will come or it won’t. But, be patient, be diligent, and be forever moving forward.

All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
This is many things. Time is one, finding time to work your 40 hours a week to keep the bills paid and then time to write, promote, market, and do all the items required to get the books in front of the correct audience. Then add making sure you spend time with family and time to take care of yourself. I even wrote a blog piece called The Time Monster to get myself focused and back on track.

Finding platforms to advertise, getting signings, and being available to the people who need me for different things throughout the week.

To overcome all of this, I have to be very organized. I have to trust that the people I surround myself with will all do what they say they will and do it well.

And then force myself to get to the gym. This keeps my body and my mind ready to go by keeping my energy up and my mind as stress free as possible.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Photos taken by Jamey Altizer Illustrations by Clayton Bouldin

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