This week, we’re talking with Jordan Wells about his book, A Lonely Rose
Tell us something unexpected about yourself!
I am a professional actor. I have been part of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) for over 4 years.
Why do you write?
I truly believe that writing chose me. I didn’t choose to be a writer. And I did not want to ignore the visions that I had in my mind. So, I just wrote those stories down and shared them with the world. I write because I have thousands of thoughts and ideas in my mind, and I felt that instead of keeping those thoughts trapped inside, I should just write them out. Writing has been my therapy since my junior year in high school.
Where did you get the inspiration for your current book?
Being alone during the Covid-19 pandemic. So much time to myself gave me the opportunity to write this book.
What do you enjoy the most about your genre?
I enjoy the freedom of it, and being unpredictable.
How would you describe your writing process?
I would start off with having a vision of a person, a character, and then I would create a whole story around that character. I would see the story before I write anything down. Then after writing down a few sentences, the story would just magical write itself. I become a vessel.
What do you think authors have to gain from participating in social media?
I truly believe that authors gain much distraction from their participation in social media. Hours upon hours of scrolling up and down a screen is good for no one. I myself do not participate in social media anymore. I believe that authors, artist in general should keep some mystery about themselves. To be too accessible, is to be predictable. For marketing purposes, of course social media is beneficial. My first book, “Logged Off: My Journey of Escaping the Social Media World,” talks about my experience with social media, and why I had to escape from it. Social media is a slot machine that just rewards you with likes from random strangers that you’ll never even know.
What advice would you have for other writers?
Just start writing. Keep writing, keep telling stories. Once you finish with one book and you share it with the world, start writing the next book. Keep the creative juices flowing. However, it is imperative that writers take breaks during their writing journey. It is okay to not write for a few days out of each week. Writing is very hypnotic and you could lose your mind in the process. Also, be patient; don’t try to force the story out. It will come to you and then it will write itself.
How do you select your books’ titles and covers?
I find inspiration from certain things I see in real life. Sometimes I envision it in my mind, and I just see it through. It is rather difficult to explain in writing, but when I go to the drawing board, and when I feel that I have the right cover and book title, when I cannot stop looking at it, I know when I have the one. Being that I designed all of my covers and titles, the creative process is so much fun.
What's your next step?
I’m writing my next book right now.
What book do you wish you had written?
The book that I have not finished writing, and probably will never finish writing.
How do you react to seeing a new review for your book?
I appreciate the reviews (Good, bad, or ugly) however, that doesn’t affect how or what I write about. I just feel that everyone is entitled to their opinions. I also came to realize that I should never take reviews personally. Reviews are about my work, and not about who I am as a person. Even though I put pieces of myself in the work, but the reviews are what people think and feel about the art. When I see a new review, I always wish for a great one, but I believe reviews can be a distraction as well.
