We recently connected with Quinn Loftis and have shared our conversation below.

Quinn, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

When I published my first book in 2011 I would have never dreamed that I’d be able to make a living as an author. But, eight months later and 3 books, and I was able to quit my job as a nurse and write full time. I have been writing full time ever since January 2012. As a rule, most writers have at least two jobs because the market is flooded with books and you have to sell a lot of books to buy $200 worth of groceries. I hit the market at a time when self publishing was still very new, and readers were plenty. But now, 12 years later things are very different. I have built a fanbase that has stuck with me over the years and that is what has allowed me to continue to be a full time writer. I also release 3-4 books a year because sales drop very quickly after a release and you have to have the next book ready to go. It’s easy to loose peoples attention and they move on to their next favorite author. In my opinion, in today’s market, it would take much longer than 8 months to be able to sustain yourself as a write. Although, that also depends on your circumstances. If you’re single and it’s just you that you have to worry about then perhaps you’d be able to. I have a family of five and a bunch of animals, so it takes quite a bit more for us to keep things rolling. Ultimately, I give credit to God who has blessed us so much and I hope that I bless others through the work He’s allowed me to do.

Quinn, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

In 2009 I discovered the self-publishing industry via an e-reader my husband bought me. And I was so curious as to how the ebooks were free or only .99. So, I did a search on the internet and found out about the Barnes and Noble e-book platform. I was really shocked that everyday people were writing books and putting them up for sale. I remember Amanda Hockings being the first self-published author that I researched and she was very candid about her journey. I had always wanted to be a writer but never thought it was realistic.

I decided I didn’t really have anything to lose and I wanted to at least try to write a novel. I’d never written anything more than a short story for a college class so I had no clue what I was doing. I wrote Prince of Wolves in a week while the doctors I worked for were on vacation. And then I just held onto it for a year because I was too terrified to put it out there. In June of 2011, my husband talked me into publishing it. It’s a scary thing to bare your soul and when you’re writing, that’s exactly what you’re doing. By the grace of God, the book was well received. I put out book 2 a couple months later and by book 3 I was supplementing my nursing income.

I think some things that have made me successful are my characters are relatable. People read to escape, but they also read so that they can find someone to relate to their own life. We long to know that someone else has endured what we are or have been through and we look for connections. Books are a safe place to find that without judgment. I’ve made myself for open with my readers. I’m candid about my own struggles in life and they see me as a real person, not just an author.

Ultimately, I write because I want people to know they’re not alone. Yes, I write paranormal and fantasy romance, but that doesn’t mean I can’t make the characters relatable to real life. My books are character driven and the relationships that are built in them are the foundation of the stories. I want people to know that they are loved, they have value, and they matter. I just happen to throw in some werewolves, shifters, elementals, vampires and witches in the mix to make things interesting.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I don’t write Christian fiction, but I am a Christian. That is the center of my life what everything else is built upon. I don’t write about Jesus in my books, but there is a Creator in all of my books that I use to illustrate the Creator I believe in. I never want people to feel like I’m cramming religion down their throats or beating them over the head with a Bible. I want them to feel loved. I believe God has given me a platform to share His love in a very unique way. I pray and ask for guidance when I’m writing my shifter love stories because I believe that God can use me for His glory and that’s what I hope He does. I hope that people close my books feeling different, feeling like they’ve been seen and heard and that the God who created them loves them.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I think that I’ve managed to build my reputation by being available to the readers. I try to make sure and respond to their emails, and social media requests. I’m very open about my life, the struggles I’ve had with mental illness and autoimmune disease. I’ve shared my journey of the adoption of our middle son and what it’s like being a mom of three boys, a wife and business partner with my husband and a writer. I think that has made me approachable and what has helped create loyalty as well.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.quinnloftisbooks.com
• Instagram: quinnloftisbooks
• Facebook: QuinnLoftisBooks
• Twitter: @AuthQuinnLoftis
• Youtube: @QuinnLoftis
• Other: TikTok: @quinnloftisbooks

Image Credits
Cover design KKeeton Designs