We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Alix Sloan. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Alix below.

Alix, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

I consider myself an author first and foremost, but I don’t earn a full-time living at it – yet. It’s definitely moving in that direction which is very exciting. But even once that happens, I don’t think I’ll ever stop working with other creatives and clients. I’m really fortunate in that all of the work I’m involved in – working with fine artists, book marketing and advertising for other authors, copywriting – is enjoyable and also keeps me connected to other creatives, which is fun and inspiring.

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.

I’ve been very fortunate to maintain two parallel careers – one in marketing and advertising and the other as a fine arts professional – while pursuing my passion for writing and honing my craft.

In 2015, after several years working with fine artists as a gallery owner and curator, I found they asked similar career-related questions again and again. So I wrote a business of art book called “Launching Your Art Career: A Practical Guide for Artists.” My goal was simply to have a resource I could share, but I direct-published it on Amazon to make it accessible to anyone
looking for information. Since then, many artists have reached out to tell me they found it helpful and encouraging, which has been wonderful since that’s why I wrote it. It also led to some invitations to lecture and teach the business of art which has been rewarding. And it helped bolster my confidence to explore writing fiction.

I co-author The Jenna Stack Mysteries series with Amy Eyrie under the pen name Hanna Wren. The first two books, “The Deadliest Lead” and “A Dangerous Favor” are out now. The third is scheduled for a September 2024 release. We’ve gotten such great feedback from readers, and
sales are excellent. It’s really exciting. I also co-authored an inclusive middle-grade novel with Jennie Willink. “The Peonies: Summer in the City” is being adapted into an augmented reality learning experience by a fantastic company called Living Popups. We’re thrilled about that. And
I’m currently working on my first solo fiction release to be published in 2025.

I knew that to succeed as an author, I had to understand not just marketing but book marketing. So, in 2020, with time on my hands, I did a deep dive into marketing and advertising for authors. I enjoyed it so much that I now do book marketing and advertising for other authors on the side. It’s a great fit for my skills and experience, helps me keep up on trends and developments between my own book releases, and allows me to build relationships with other authors.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I like this question because I feel like my whole life has been a series of pivots. When my gallery rent skyrocketed, I pivoted to a nomadic format. When I was asked to teach the business of art, I figured out how to adapt my book into a curriculum. When the pandemic hit, I focused more on marketing and copywriting. I’ve also made plenty of proactive decisions along the way that I later questioned or regretted. But each one created a chance to learn, adapt, or reset.

When I was younger, change and making mistakes terrified me. But as I’ve matured personally and in business, I’ve realized that being nimble is crucial to learning and growth. All of that life experience makes us who we are. It’s also great material for writing different interesting situations and characters.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I’m definitely driven by a desire to express my ideas, create interesting characters, and tell stories. But I’m also very aware that reading a book takes significant time. I want readers to feel that their time was well spent and that they took something valuable away from the experience. Depending on the genre or audience that could be information, validation, inspiration, or simply entertainment.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.alixsloan.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alix-sloan-01b43240/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@alixsloanauthor