Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jarius Sanford. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Jarius thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

How did you learn to do what you do?

Writing for me started when I was in middle school. In my language arts classes, most of our assignments were writing. Every opportunity I was given to write a creative story I was excited because I loved being able to freely utilize my imagination. I knew then that my calling and passion was to become a writer. While falling in love with writing, I self-published my first book in 2014 and I wrote and directed my first theatrical production in 2015 at my home Church Warner Robins CME Church.

Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process?

If I can be honest, I do not think I would have sped up the learning process. I am a firm believer in “perfect timing”, and the only timing that is perfect is God’s timing. Every single experience within this journey whether good or bad I took it to heart and learned from each lesson and experience.

What skills do you think were most essential?

The skills I believe were most essential within this is the skill of being relatable and realistic in my writing. I’ve watched many stories unfold not just in my own life, but various entertainment programs and the one thing I wanted to make sure was that people could relate to the story being told, but most of all that they can experience authenticity. That to me is how you effectively get a message within a story across.

What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I would say that the only obstacle that stood in the way of learning more was me. There were plenty of times that I was afraid to leap. I always dreamed of it, but never put things into motion. It is something about realizing when the vision and dream is bigger than you that is when you pause because the next move could change your life. However, I learned that movement is what changes your life, not being at a standstill. So, if I wanted the dream to come alive I had to get out of that place of fear and procrastination and just do it.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Jarius Sanford. I am a twenty seven year old Entreprenuer and Pastor from a town south of Atlanta called Warner Robins, GA. The name of my comapany is Jarius Sanford Enterprise, which houses the different compartments of my ministry as a preacher, writer, and content creator.

My mom introduced me to Tyler Perry when I was young. That was my first time seeing a stage play on dvd. I was highly interested, so much so that I became a fan, supporter, and I began to study him, along with other playwriters on that level and locally. My journey as a playwriter/entertainer started back in 2015. I was given the opportunity to write and direct my first theatrical production for my home Church Warner Robins CME Church located in Warner Robins, GA. I used to participate in skits and small plays at the Church, until one day three ladies: Ms. Lisa Johnson, Ms. Lenora Pinkett, and Ms. Theodora Springle who served in leadership positions at the Church pulled me to the side and presented the opportunity for me to write a Christmas play. I was honored and excited and made it a whole musical by incorporating the choir and musicians from the Church. Looking at the amount of support from family, friends, and even my Pastor Lindsey Napier Sr., I knew then that playwriting was something that I wanted to do more of. From that point on, from collaborating with people to writing solo I can say that the journey has been great so far. It is not about my name in lights, or the money, but for me it is about allowing other people to shine, while preaching in a different format.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is impacting people in a different light and setting. I am a people person, and it does my heart good when I can uplift someone in any way possible, Life is about crying, laughing, and viewing it through various lenses. Most importantly life is about growing and developing into the best version of yourself. That is what I hope my writing, and theatrical presentations do for my audience.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

For me, I had to first learn the different pathways of marketing. Social media was fresh around the time that I started my journey, so I had to learn about graphics, promotional videos, including incentives, and even word of mouth while using social media. I even had to learn how to connect with people who started before me and were successful, asking questions, and more importantly, studying my community.

Building your audience on social media starts scary. I say that because you are front and center, and you never know how people are going to perceive you, what you are offering, and whether or not they will support you. The one thing I learned about my journey is consistency is key all the way. Everything about your marketing has to be attractive. If it does not make you stop and look, then it will have the same effect on others. So being consistent, and putting yourself in the shoes of a viewer at how they might view your presentation or product will help you become the marketer that is right for you.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jariussanford.com
• Instagram: @jariussanford
• Facebook: Jarius Sanford Enterprise
• Youtube: Jarius Sanford Enterprise

Image Credits
Photo with the white and brown looking turtle neck – Lawrence Ray (Talk To Me Nice Studios) in Warner Robins, GA