Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Joi Miner. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Joi, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
The biggest risk I’ve taken is betting on myself. Being an artist, most of us do it as a part-time thing, never fully diving into it. I always used writing and my words to generate income, but there’s this thing called Imposter Syndrome that kept me at bay. Even when I saw that my writing/teaching/performing career was generating real income, I still couldn’t convince myself to give it a real go. Friends and fellow artists encouraged me. I was still fearful.
One of my favorite words of encouragement came from a dear friend, Kyle Tyree of Intoto Creative Arts Forum, who told me “I believe in your crazy.” This was during a conversation about feeling crazy enough to actually try it. One day, I was talking to my publisher, Nikki Brown of Nikki Brown Presents, and said, “what if it doesn’t work out?” She responded, calmly, “But what if it does?”
Even still, I was hesitant.
Then, I had an aneurysm rupture and stroke in 2020. I had to relearn pretty much everything: walking, talking, my children’s names, etc. The one thing that I could do without a struggle, was write. I leaned into that. Not fully, but more. And doors started opening. Opportunities arose. And before I knew it, I was a full-time entrepreneur, writing generating the majority of my income. Now, my side gig is supplemental. The roles reversed.
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 background and context?
Hey y’all!
I’m Joi Miner, an author, educator, storyteller, and creative entrepreneur based in Birmingham, Alabama. Writing has been the center of my life for more than two decades. What started as a young girl trying to make sense of the world through poetry eventually grew into a full creative career. Over the years I’ve published more than fifty books across multiple genres—including psychological thrillers, paranormal fiction, romance, urban fantasy, and literary works in verse.
In 2023, I was honored to be named America’s Next Great Author after winning the national pitch competition for my psychological thriller If Walls Could Talk. That moment was a huge milestone for me, not just personally, but professionally—it affirmed that the stories I’ve been telling for years have a place on larger stages.
But writing for me has never been just about publishing books. It’s about connection and impact.
In addition to being an author, I’m also a teacher and workshop facilitator. I’ve taught creative writing and life-skills classes through organizations like the Alabama Prison Arts & Education Program and other community programs that work with people reentering society after incarceration. In those spaces, writing becomes more than craft—it becomes a tool for reflection, healing, and self-definition. Watching someone realize that their story matters is one of the most powerful experiences I’ve had as an educator.
My work as a writer often centers voices and experiences that are underrepresented or misunderstood. Whether I’m writing psychological thrillers that explore the complexities of the human mind, supernatural stories rooted in folklore and culture, or essays about identity and lived experience, I’m always interested in the emotional truth of the characters and the worlds they inhabit.
I also host creative platforms like my podcast “Main Character Energy: The Joi Miner Experience,” where I talk about writing, life, identity, creativity, and personal growth. Through that space and others, I try to encourage people—especially writers and creatives—to see themselves as the main characters in their own stories.
What sets my work apart is the way I blend genres and emotional depth. I’m just as comfortable writing a gritty psychological thriller as I am crafting a poetic literary piece or building a paranormal universe. That versatility allows me to explore themes like power, identity, survival, love, and transformation from multiple angles.
I’m particularly proud of the way my career bridges both art and service. Publishing books is one piece of the puzzle, but mentoring writers, teaching workshops, and helping people discover their voices are just as important to me.
At the heart of everything I do is a belief that stories matter—because stories shape how we understand ourselves and each other.
What I want readers, clients, and collaborators to know about me is simple: I take storytelling seriously. Whether it’s a novel, a workshop, a speaking engagement, or a creative collaboration, my goal is always to create work that is honest, engaging, and meaningful. I want people to walk away from my stories feeling something, thinking differently, or seeing themselves reflected in ways they might not have before.
If my work does that—even for a moment—then I’ve done my job.
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
One thing I think non-creatives sometimes struggle to understand is that creativity is a real job. Because creative work often looks like something people do out of passion or enjoyment, it’s sometimes treated like a hobby instead of labor. But the truth is that behind every book, painting, song, or piece of art someone enjoys, there are hours—sometimes years—of skill-building, practice, and work.
Most people wouldn’t walk into a store and expect the clothes on the rack or the art on the wall to be free or discounted simply because the creator enjoyed making them. Creative work deserves that same respect. For many of us, this is how we make a living. This is how we pay our bills, support our families, and build our futures. The passion is real, but so is the labor.
Another thing people sometimes struggle to understand is that creativity isn’t just something we do—it’s something we live with. It’s not a switch we turn on when it’s convenient. It’s a constant conversation happening in our minds. We’re always observing, processing, imagining, connecting dots that other people might not even see.
People often romanticize the creative life, thinking it’s just bursts of inspiration or sitting down when you “feel like it.” In reality, it’s discipline. It’s showing up to the page when the ideas aren’t flowing. It’s rewriting the same paragraph ten times. It’s holding onto a vision for a story, a project, or a message long before anyone else believes in it—or even sees it.
There’s also a deep emotional investment in creative work. When you create something—whether it’s a book, a poem, a performance, or a piece of art—you’re not just producing content. You’re putting pieces of yourself into the world. That can be incredibly rewarding, but it also means you’re vulnerable to criticism, rejection, and misunderstanding.
At the same time, creativity is deeply practical work. People sometimes see artists as dreamers, but the reality is that most creatives are also entrepreneurs, marketers, editors, project managers, and community builders. There’s a lot of invisible labor behind the work people see.
What I would want someone who isn’t a creative to understand is that creativity is both a gift and a responsibility. For many of us, creating isn’t optional—it’s how we make sense of life, of joy, of pain, and of the world around us.
And if someone reading this feels the pull to create but hasn’t given themselves permission yet, my advice would be simple: start anyway. You don’t have to have it all figured out. You just have to begin.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
At the core of my creative journey is a simple mission: to tell stories that make people feel seen, understood, and challenged to think a little deeper about the world around them.
I’ve always believed that stories are powerful. They shape how we understand ourselves, how we see other people, and how we process the things we experience in life. Through my work—whether it’s novels, poetry, teaching, or speaking—I want to create spaces where people can recognize pieces of their own humanity in the stories being told.
Another part of my mission is representation. I’m intentional about creating characters and narratives that reflect the complexity of real people and real communities. There are so many voices and experiences that have historically been pushed to the margins, and storytelling gives us a way to bring those perspectives to the center.
Beyond the stories themselves, I’m also driven by a desire to help other people recognize the power of their own voices. Through teaching, workshops, and conversations with other creatives, I try to remind people that their stories matter. Writing and storytelling can be tools for healing, reflection, resistance, and connection.
Ultimately, my goal isn’t just to publish books—it’s to leave behind a body of work that resonates with people. I want readers to feel something when they encounter my stories. I want them to think differently, question something they hadn’t questioned before, or feel a little less alone in whatever they’re carrying.
If my work can do that, then I feel like I’m fulfilling the purpose that started me on this creative journey in the first place.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.joiminer.com
- Instagram: @joiminer
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/joiminer
- Other: TikTok: @joiminer
Link to all of the above, the podcast, etc: https://linktr.ee/JoiMiner
