We recently had the chance to connect with David Niemitz and have shared our conversation below.
David, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
I think most people don’t understand how rare it is for an author to be able to write full time – even people whose work you might recognize, even if you’ve seen their books on the shelves at Barnes and Noble. Several of my favorite authors had to go back to work in other fields to support their families. I’d love to get to the point of being full time one day, but in the meanwhile I’ll continue to teach.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m an author and teacher, currently working with Mango Media and Podium Entertainment to release my second series of fantasy novels – the Guild Mage series. The first two volumes are already available on Amazon and Audible, and the third volume will be released on December 15th.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who taught you the most about work?
My parents. I clearly recall my mother going back to school, and then building a career, and I also remember my father once telling me that he’d work whatever jobs he had to, as many shifts as he had to, in order to provide for his family.
I can’t control luck, talent, whether a reader picks up my book or whether a publisher is interested in my writing, but I can control how hard I work. Being an author is a job, if you want to succeed at it, and I probably work harder at writing than at anything else I’ve ever done in my life.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
I began writing Guild Mage as a part of Royal Road’s Writathon contest in November of 2024, which required 55 thousand words to be written in five weeks. I’d never written at that pace before, and turning out three thousands words every day of the week was brutal. I can remember having to write on a laptop, in the passenger seat of a car while my wife drive down to Pennsylvania, and in hotel rooms at night. There were definitely moments where I wondered whether I could finish the challenge.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Whose ideas do you rely on most that aren’t your own?
I value my wife’s feedback and ideas a great deal. She is often my first reader, and always asks insightful questions, or points out inconsistencies. I can’t imagine what it would be like to do this without the support of someone I trust unconditionally.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
I have so many stories to tell, and worlds to explore, that I would want to cut teaching entirely and get as many of those projects out into the world as I could, before I ran out of time. I do sometimes think about what would happen with my current series if I dropped dead tomorrow – the books in various stages of manuscript forms could be released, eventually, but the story wouldn’t have an ending. In that sense, it will be a relief when the ending is written.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.patreon.com/c/DavidNiemitz
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558007085046
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLL9OCCN_rSN8xeNnPW2BQCRO8AiT4Uui&si=97ODGK-FqaTd8z1k
- Other: Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/David-Niemitz/author/B0CX7V5MTY?
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/davidniemitz.bsky.social
Image Credits
Author Photo: Sarah Murphy
Book Covers: Ben Moran, for Mango Media
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