Today we’d like to introduce you to Jodi L. Milner.
Hi Jodi, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
Several years ago, I had a bit of a mid-life crisis. I’d just turned thirty and had the empowering, yet terrifying, realization that I wasn’t doing anything with my life other than taking care of my small children. Don’t get me wrong, I felt being a mom and being there for my kids was important. I just felt there had to be more I could do to help myself grow.
I’d always enjoyed writing and reading and had toyed with the idea of writing a book, but it was one of those things I felt had to wait until a better time of my life. When I turned thirty, I realized that there wouldn’t be a better time to start than at that moment.
It took years to learn all the essential parts of storytelling and pull together my first manuscript, but I was convinced that I could do it and wasn’t willing to give up until I’d done everything I could to succeed. In 2018, eight years after I started my journey, I published my first book.
At that point, I fully embraced the idea of turning this weird writing hobby into something more. I’d found a writing community, the League of Utah Writers, that pushed me to excel and gave me the connections I needed to take the next steps of starting my own business and finish my series.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Any endeavor to do something “off the beaten path” is bound to have obstacles. My experience was no different.
In the beginning, the biggest obstacle was crippling self-doubt. Not only did I doubt my own capabilities, but I also had to fight the idea that doing anything for myself, such as taking time to write, wasn’t totally selfish. I lived in a community where, unless you were under financial duress, the moms were expected to give all their attention to their kids. Working was frowned upon and writing with the intent to publish felt like work.
I’d watch these other authors finish books in a few months and be hugely jealous that they’d found the time and space to work, while I’d been floundering for years to finish the first draft in the nooks and crannies of my day. While some of that doubt faded with time and the completion of different projects, I still to this day feel like I’m being judged for taking this path instead of living a “conventional” life.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As an author of young adult fantasy books, my biggest achievement was finishing my first series – the Shadow Barrier Trilogy. I love books that have plenty of drama and danger, real emotional rollercoasters, so my books have these elements as well. One of my other specialties is creating fascinating magic systems.
This series has won two awards from the League of Utah Writers. The first book, Stonebearer’s Betrayal received a Recommended Read in 2019, and the second, Stonebearer’s Apprentice received a Silver Quill. I’m crossing my fingers that the third and final book in the series, Stonebearer’s Redemption, does well in this year’s contest.
Networking and finding a mentor can have a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
While writing itself isn’t exactly a spectator sport, a writing community is essential for a writer regardless of how much experience they have. I found my editor when I was volunteering at a local writing conference. That editor then introduced me to several fabulous authors who now serve as mentors and cheerleaders.
My advice for any aspiring author is to not go it alone. Join a writing community. Meet fellow writers. Attend conferences. Be brave!
Contact Info:
- Website: http://jodilmilner.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JodilMilnerAuthor/
- Newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/jodilmilner
