We recently connected with Jade Church and have shared our conversation below.

Jade, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’ve love to hear an interesting investment story – what was one of the best or worst investments you’ve made? (Note, these responses are only intended as entertainment and shouldn’t be construed as investment advice)

Publishing, and especially self-publishing, is one of those industries where there is always money to be spent. In some cases, it even feels like there can be pressure to spend more, do more, as the market becomes saturated and, in turn, it’s harder to standout in a sea of other authors and incredible books. This is where the pressure comes in, to do the same thing as the ‘other’ authors, to do XYZ in order to show, or maintain, success. It’s an easy thing to be swept up in, but knowing what to spend your money on is just as important as spending it itself.

For me, I find that spending money within the community can never do you wrong. I’m talking artists available for commissions, small businesses that cater to the bookish, and your fellow authors too! Not only are you building connections, supporting those within the same niche both figuratively and monetarily, but you’re also building your brand. I always want my ‘brand’ to reflect inclusiveness, connection and support of others, and a generally warm environment.

The best thing you can invest in is yourself and your community. The worst is spending time or money just for time or money’s sake, or a passing fad that does nothing for you or your community in the long run.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Hi! I’m Jade, and I write smut. Or, at least, that’s how non-readers and other romance-sneerers would categorise me anyway. In reality, I write a variety of books that all centre around self-empowerment, body and sex positivity, love and pain and intrigue all doled out in equal measure.

I started in the publishing industry as an editor before really considering writing something myself. I’ve always played around with short stories, but I’d never finished a full draft of anything until I wrote Temper the Flame—my debut. I love editing, but writing and connecting with new characters and stories is my first love. I’ve always been a romance reader, ever since I was about ten and reading Twilight for the first time, and I think that books that feature romance are key in most major societal progressions—else why would governing powers try so hard to censor them?

I would love for romance to be recognised and treated with the same respect as other genres, and I can see that traditional publishing has started to make that pivot. For now, I’m happy to be part of the movement and hopefully inspiring readers with stories of inclusivity and acceptance that they might not otherwise have had.

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

Definitely getting to be part of an awesome community that literally spans the entire world. I have bookish friends from all over and I think it’s an amazing thing to be a part of. I also think it’s quite satisfying to prove people wrong—anyone who’s ever told you that you couldn’t, or wouldn’t succeed, or any other negativity. I don’t want to say that spite drives success, but there is something satisfying about looking someone in the proverbial eye and saying ‘well, I did it.’

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

Yes! When I first started out in the publishing world shortly after finishing university, I read Alexa Shoen’s Entry Level Boss. Not only is Alexa’s writing so engaging, but it also helped me change the way I viewed pitching myself, the corporate world, and interviews. Mostly, it gave me confidence in my own skills and knowledge as well as a reminder that experience doesn’t have to be ‘formal’ to have worth and you’ll miss 100% of the chances that you don’t take.

Contact Info:

• Website: jadechurchauthor.com
• Instagram: authorjadechurch