We were lucky to catch up with Ruth Anna Evans recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Ruth Anna thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

I think being successful requires finding something that you can really enjoy doing. It’s work, and not every bit of it is fantastic, but you shouldn’t dread it. When you find something to work on that taps into your inner joy, it allows you to work those long hours and pay attention to those million details. If you don’t have that joy, it will be drudgery, and either you won’t do the work, or you won’t do a good job because you just want it to be over. So success means finding your joy and then pouring all you can into it.

Ruth Anna, 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?

I am a horror writer, anthologizer, and cover designer. I’ve been writing and publishing for almost three years, and have been making covers professionally for a little over a year. That feels like so much less than the actual time I’ve put in, though, because I work at my crafts every day. The published work people most associate my name with is OOZE: Little Bursts of Body Horror. It’s 21 super-short stories of grossness that also strike an emotional chord. I’ve also published two collections of my own work and three novellas, as well as several stories in anthologies sprinkled around the horror scene. I like to say that my work is emotionally extreme: short, sharp, and painful.

My cover design business has just about taken over my life! I make both premades and commissioned pieces using composite art. In the past year, I’ve probably made at least two hundred covers, aiming with every one to improve on the one I did before. I’ve always been an artist in my heart, but it wasn’t until I found cover design that I truly discovered my niche. I love studying the best covers and current trends, and learning new tricks in Photoshop. I’m always excited to see what pops out next.

How did you build your audience on social media?

My social media crowd drives all of my cover design sales and most of my book sales. I have built it by connecting organically with people, not being afraid to self-promote, being present, and doing good work. Social media is complex. Stay out of the discourse and above any infighting that happens–it’s not good for your business and it’s not good for your mental health. As long as you do that, social media can be a remarkably positive part of your life. I didn’t bother with a group until I had built a solid following on my personal page. You should always seek to have a relationship with your clients, and social media is great for that. Find the groups that speak to your brand, and be active there. One drawback to social media is that there is an ocean of people trying to promote pretty much what you are trying to promote. You have to stand out in terms of quality or you are wasting your time.

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

It’s a little humbling to say, but I want to be great. I want to create books and art that people read or look at and go “Wow, that was truly something.” I don’t want my work to be amateur on any level. Though I am self-published and self-taught, I feel I have the potential to stand with the best. I’m not there yet, but I’m doing the things I need to do to get there.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ruthannaevans.com
• Instagram: ruthannaevanshorrors
• Facebook: Ruth Anna Evans
• Twitter: @ruthannaevans
• Other: Facebook Group: Ruth Anna Evans Cover Design

Image Credits
All images by Ruth Anna Evans