We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Billy Jones a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Billy, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I learned that I had a gift for writing and speaking when I was at Coral Reef Elementary School. My grandparents and mother would purchase books from the Troll catalogue for me to read. At an early age, I became an avid reader. In fifth grade, my teacher, Mr. Fuller, introduced me to journalism. I started writing for the school’s newsletter and providing Thursday’s lunch menu over the school’s PA system. In brief, I grew as young writer and speaker. I thank my fifth-grade teacher, grandparents, and mother, for the experiences they afforded me. In middle school and high school, I continued to pursue journalistic and creative writing interests. I was a member of the yearbook and newspaper staffs; eventually, I became editor-in-chief of each. My teachers and peers helped me develop my writings as well as turn my weaknesses into writing strengths. And the more ideas I read from others, the more I sharpened my own writing skills.

There’s nothing I would do differently to speed up my learning process. I feel that things happened as they should have. I saw each stage of my life as an adventure, imagining what was coming next. It was fun reshaping (or escaping) my reality through reading and writing.

The most essential skill I acquired was the ability to be descriptive in writing both creatively and objectively. To this day, I see the world through different lenses no matter how often I see the same things. Journalism taught me to be concise with my word choice and diction. Creative writing taught me to be bold and inventive. Yet reading taught me to reexamine continuously my writer’s tone and voice in comparison to other writers. Somehow, to me, it all makes sense. Another important skill was learning to type at a young age. My grandfather had a Tandy computer, yes, the one with the LED screen. I would take his typing book and self-taught how to type. By the time I was a senior in high school, I could type at least 50 word per minutes. Today, I type over 80 words a minute. Typing is a critical skill that every writer should master, for it helps you generate ideas quickly and digitally. I know some writers who handwrite their entire manuscripts and then later type them; that takes a lot of time. And in each writer’s case, none of them knew how to type efficiently.

As enjoyable as my creative experience has been, there have been a few setbacks. Mainly, those setbacks were about confidence. It took a while in my early years to embrace my potential fully. I was more critical of talents than others. Somehow, I realized that the saboteur who lived in me was not right for me, so I had to get rid of him. And then things just started coming together. I haven’t become an overconfident person; instead, I’ve learned to appreciate that the gift of birthing new ideas into the world is a special one and that every moment in doing so deserves celebration. I know and run into many people who tell me about their insecurities about publishing their first book or podcast. I enjoy chatting with them and helping them realize that they have the potential and that their saboteurs do not deserve to win.

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 am an author and podcaster. I write short story fiction about people who live in major or rural places and experience unique things. I am also a tenured professor of English Composition and Literature at Broward College, where I teach Composition, African American Literature, and Creative Writing. My recognized books are Everyday Folks: Short Stories on the Common People and Everyday Folks, Volume 2: A Short Story Collection.

I am the producer and host of Everyday Folks Radio Podcast, which is available on Spotify, Apple Podcast, and Google Podcast networks. The podcast allows me to meet exciting, everyday people, amazing creatives, and incredible entrepreneurs who are doing some exciting stuff. Currently, I’m working on my first collection of horror stories and a documentary to match. In the recent years, I have enjoyed dabbling in writings about horror and suspense; they were always my childhood favorites. And now, I get to create them without reservations. I’m pretty stoked about it.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

For the past decade, I have watched school districts remove artistic and creative electives from their curricula. It saddens me because if it weren’t for these courses, I would not have been exposed to what I know and would not have aspired to be who I am today. I want society to give creatives a chance not only in the classroom but also in every community. I’m fortunate to live in South Florida (Miami to be exact) where art is celebrated. I want folks to visit major and small-scale art galleries and enjoy the exhibits. Support a local band or musician as they perform in a public space. Attend a book talk or reading from a renown or emerging author. Support local mom-and-pop bookstores and artistic venues.

Most importantly, I want everyone to promote the benefits of artistic creation in the next generation. Show our children that art has a purpose early in their lives; then they will do the same with their children in the future. Art imitates life and is a form of human expression. If it weren’t for it, we wouldn’t know what we know today about ancient or historic humanity. From a Lego block to building skyscrapers, architects and contractors probably hold memories about how they were first inspired to create. The Arts were responsible. And that’s a good thing.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn that being the color of my skin is a part of what makes me special wherever I go and in whatever I do. I love me, every aspect of my being. There were times in my early years when I didn’t. First, it was about being a black man in America. Next, it was about being a black, gay man in America. Then, it was about being a black, gay man in America in an academic discipline that did not fully represent people like me. Yes, there were a few individuals who did not appreciate me, but I didn’t let them defeat me. If I were going to make something out of my circumstances, I needed to start seeing the world through optimism. The more I did this, the more I was able to silence the voices of self-doubt, racism, and depression. Today, I feel so good and so ready for what’s next. And I can’t wait to see what’s coming next.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.billypauljones.com/ and www.everydayfolksradio.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drbillyjones/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrBillyJones
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billy-p-jones-phd-280a4a151/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/billypjones
• Other: https://linktr.ee/drbillyjones

Image Credits
Book release photos courtesy of Metaphor Heaven.