Meet Sai Marie Johnson

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sai Marie Johnson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sai Marie below.

Sai Marie, thank you so much for joining us and offering your lessons and wisdom for our readers. One of the things we most admire about you is your generosity and so we’d love if you could talk to us about where you think your generosity comes from.
Choosing just one topic for this discussion was a challenge. I found myself hovering over “Finding My Purpose” and “Overcoming Imposter Syndrome” because both have played such heavy roles in my evolution. However, I realized that those are the chapters of my story, while generosity is the ink. Kindness is innate to me; it is my primary driving factor and the lens through which I view my work. Ultimately, everything I do is fueled by a desire for a kinder, freer world for everyone.

My generosity doesn’t come from a place of having “extra” to give; it comes from a deep-seated belief that our stories are our most valuable currency. When I first started writing, I struggled with a massive sense of imposter syndrome. I kept asking myself, “Who am I to take up space in this industry?” But then I looked at the world around me—a world often starved for empathy and freedom—and I realized that holding my words back was actually an act of stinginess.

I found my purpose the moment I stopped writing for my own ego and started writing as an act of service. I began to view my stories as a way to offer someone else a place to feel seen, to escape, or to find their own brand of freedom.

To me, being a “generous” creative means “bleeding words” (as my tagline says) so that someone else doesn’t have to bleed alone. It means sharing the hard-won lessons of my journey—even the parts where I felt like a fraud—so that the next person in the room who looks like me knows they belong there. My generosity comes from the understanding that when we are kind enough to share our authentic selves, we create a ripple effect. We don’t just tell tales; we build a world where freedom isn’t a luxury, but a shared reality.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
About Sai Marie: Bleeding Words into Tales At my core, I am a storyteller who believes that words have the power to liberate. I operate under the brand Sai Marie, where my mission is to “bleed words into tantalizing tales.” While that might sound intense, it’s a reflection of the emotional honesty I pour into every page. I don’t just write to entertain; I write to create a mirror where readers can see their own strength, their own shadows, and their own capacity for freedom.

What Makes My Work Special
What I feel is most exciting about my journey is the bridge I build between the fantastical and the deeply human. Whether I’m navigating the complexities of identity or the thrills of a “tantalizing” plot, my focus is always on empathy. In a world that can often feel fragmented, I use my art to foster connection. I want my readers to finish a book feeling more “free” than when they started, free from their own doubts, free from the weight of the day, and free to imagine a kinder reality.

What’s New & What’s Next
I am currently in a season of incredible growth and expansion. Building on the momentum of my previous features with CanvasRebel, I am doubling down on my commitment to my readers:

New Releases: I am currently working on the sequel to “The Softer Side of Texas” final edits. The title of that book is “Dust Traces Never Fade,” which dives deeper into themes of resilience, love, and liberation than anything I’ve written before.

Expanding the Narrative: I’m focusing on creating more spaces for interactive storytelling, ensuring that my Amazon Author Page isn’t just a shop, but a destination for those seeking stories that stay with them long after the final chapter.

Community Connection: I’m looking forward to continuing work on my podcasts, where I can connect directly with the community that makes this journey possible.

Ultimately, I want people to know that when they engage with my brand, they aren’t just buying a book; they are joining a movement toward a more authentic, generous, and liberated way of seeing the world.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

The Three Pillars of the Journey
Looking back, my journey hasn’t been a straight line; it’s been a series of deep dives into the self. To get to where I am today, bleeding words into tales that actually resonate—I had to cultivate three specific things:

1. Emotional Intelligence (The Gift of Empathy)
In the world of storytelling, your “technical” skill with grammar matters far less than your ability to feel what your characters (and your readers) feel. Because kindness is my driving factor, I’ve had to hone my emotional intelligence to ensure my work is a safe harbor for others.

Advice for Beginners: Don’t just study “how to write.” Study people. Listen more than you speak. Practice radical empathy even with people you disagree with. The better you understand the human heart, the more powerful your words will be.

2. Resilience (The Muscle of “The Only One”)
As I mentioned earlier, navigating spaces where you are “the only one in the room” requires a specific kind of mental toughness. Resilience isn’t about never feeling the sting of rejection or imposter syndrome; it’s about having a “purpose” that is louder than the noise of your doubts.

Advice for Beginners: Find a “Why” that is bigger than your “I.” When you write for a kinder, freer world, a “no” from a publisher or a bad review doesn’t stop you; it just becomes a pivot point. Build a support system of people who see your light when you’re struggling to see it yourself.

3. Vulnerability (The Skill of “Bleeding”)
It takes a specific kind of bravery to be honest on the page. I had to learn that my strength wasn’t in being “perfect” or “polished,” but in being vulnerable enough to share the messy parts. That vulnerability is where true connection happens.

Advice for Beginners: Stop trying to write what you think “looks” like a book and start writing what feels like your truth. Vulnerability is a skill you develop by doing the thing that scares you, one paragraph at a time. If it doesn’t make you feel a little exposed, you probably haven’t gone deep enough yet.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?
Absolutely. Because my primary driving factor is fostering a kinder, freer world, I believe that the best stories and the best impacts are never made in isolation. I am always looking to connect with fellow “heart-first” creatives, advocates for freedom, and local business owners who believe that empathy is a superpower.

Specifically, I am looking to collaborate with:

Visual Artists & Illustrators: Who want to bring “tantalizing tales” to life through cover art or mixed media projects that challenge the status quo.

Community Leaders & Nonprofits: Who are working to create real-world freedom and kindness; I’d love to explore how storytelling can amplify your mission.

Podcasters & Fellow Authors: Who aren’t afraid to “bleed” a little on the page or the mic and discuss the raw truths of the creative journey.

If you believe that words have the power to liberate and that kindness should be at the forefront of everything we build, I’d love to hear from you. You can connect with me through my Amazon Author Page or find me on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok to start a conversation. Let’s see what kind of world we can build together.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Sai Marie Johnson.

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