Hi, I’m Sam Rose. I mean, you already know that, right? This website is crawling with my name–That’s how author websites are supposed to work right? He’s the guy that likes to write, here are some of the things he wrote, here’s a couple of blog articles he did so that he can keep you engaged with his content and signing up for newsletters and email lists. Standard, self-publishing, self-promoting stuff you’ve seen on pinterest or tumblr pages.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not pointing all this out to suggest I’m here to break molds or shift paradigms. It’s probably the best thing about the internet–Giving everyone a chance to show what they’re about, and sharing the things that have made other people successful. As long as you have the calling and don’t mind driving yourself crazy with web traffic and social advertising metrics, it’s all there for the taking.
I bring all this up because I want you to know why I’m doing this, what is driving me–I like writing. It’s probably been the only thing I’ve ever done creatively that I would be able to put in this much time and effort. I’m not getting into the self-publishing novel writing world cause I think that it’s going to change my life more than it already has. The way I hoped it would have changed me has already occurred.
A couple of years ago, following my transition from college to the real world, I suffered through depression and anxiety in silence and ignorance of what it was I was going through. I just thought that I was bummed because the degree I had studied all 4 years (political science) was totally not what I wanted to do. I figured I’d just find a job, any job, and work hard, save money, and eventually, I’d be happy. Suck it up, buttercup; the world doesn’t have enough dream jobs for everyone.
It took a couple of things to finally happen after leaving college to bring me to where I am now–some family drama, a few of my own mental breakdowns, as well as doing some traveling and making some new, inspiring friends. I’m grateful for it all though, the good and the bad, the struggles and the victories. Without it, I would have never got to a place where, after years of being the moon eyed kid in the back of glass, stuck in his own world’s full of magical adventures, heroic battles, and romantic tales, I stopped telling myself that I am not a writer.
Here are the facts: writing is a tough gig to break into and be successful in. Millions of first time authors’ books go nowhere but the bins of traditional publishing companies. Even with self-publishing on Amazon and other reading platforms, if you are measuring success by six figure sales numbers per year, your expectations might be a bit lofty.
I don’t know if the books–that’s right, plural–are ever going to make me rich and famous. Luckily for me, that’s not why I am writing them. I’m writing them because I’m done telling myself that I am not a writer. I’m writing because I’ve always enjoyed telling stories to myself and whoever will listen since I was 11 years old living in rural East Texas. I’m writing because the world we live in is kind of broken and weird, and sometimes so are the people in it.
And, more importantly, I’m writing because writing (and reading) brings us all together. That’s why I want to write and do more as well. I see a future where I’m not just publishing and marketing my own stories, but those of people who I believe need to be heard. Writing saved my life a few years back, it could save yours as well.
That’s some of the loftier, big picture details about me, so how about we get to something a bit more fun? Below are links to a couple of fun, interesting anecdotes about my life, my childhood, and my own personal journey in writing. You want to see some of the more formative experiences of my life, click below and read. Otherwise, if what you read above has you doing that fun little eye squinting, head bobbing that jazz cats do when listening to a smooth bass line, sign up for my newsletter to hear about my upcoming projects and book series.
Thoroughly impressed. I think I’ve only met two authors. The guy that wrote Hank The Cowdog and Don Henley. Well ok Henley writes songs and I may not have actually met the guy that wrote Hank but Hotel California was a great song….