From Adversity to Success: J.B. on Writing All For Show for Galatea

The Beginning: Finding Writing Through Adversity

Inkitt: What inspired you to become an author? Was there a specific moment that sparked your passion for storytelling?

J.B.: There wasn’t a specific moment, but I definitely felt compelled to put my first book on paper. My second child was born with some potentially scary medical issues that I found myself struggling to cope with, and I turned to reading as an escape. Then I realized I had stories of my own I wanted to tell. At the time, I didn’t really have any idea where it would go, but it was fun and gave me a creative outlet that really helped me through a difficult time.

Inkitt: What was the first story you ever wrote? How does it compare to what you write now?

J.B.: The first story I ever wrote was The She-Wolf Alpha (also on Galatea). I think anyone will tell you that writing is a muscle and you get stronger the more you do it. I like to think I’m able to better bring my stories to life now than when I first started.

Discovering Inkitt

Inkitt: How did you first discover Inkitt, and what was your early experience like on the platform?

J.B.: I got sucked into The Millennium Wolves through a Facebook ad. From there I found Inkitt. I think it was about a year or so later that I decided to give writing my own story a go.

Inkitt: What was it like seeing your story gain traction? Were there any key milestones or reader interactions that stood out?

J.B.: It was really surreal. I posted my first book in its entirety and then didn’t open the website until the next day because I was so nervous everyone was going to hate it.

Or worse, no one was going to say anything. When I finally did log back in, I had hundreds of notifications of people liking, reacting, and commenting, and I was floored at how many positive responses there were.

Inkitt: Did Inkitt’s analytics or engagement features help you shape your story?

J.B.: My guilty pleasure is reading through comments in my down time. I love when my book makes people feel the exact emotion I wanted them to, and I think the comments really help me ensure that is happening. Reviews are also a really great way for readers to help other readers decide whether or not to read, which in turn helped build my following.

Inkitt: Have you participated in any Inkitt writing contests? What was that experience like?

J.B.: I’ve participated and I think All For Show did really well in the handful that I submitted her to. It’s definitely a cool experience to see your story trending, and I think it gives readers and writers alike a chance to discover new books that may not have come up on their feed previously. And who doesn’t want the chance to win a prize here and there?

The Galatea Journey

Inkitt: When did you find out you were going to be a Galatea author? How did that feel?

J.B.: I found out last year that Galatea wanted to publish the She-Wolf series and I literally called my husband crying. It was so exciting and felt like I was actually successfully reaching people with my books. Sometimes it can be hard to know where you stand when you don’t have any type of baseline, so it was nice to have that confirmation I was doing well.

Inkitt: What are you most excited about readers seeing in your book on Galatea?

J.B.: I’m really excited for Galatea readers to see my writing in a new genre. Everything I have over there right now is werewolf/fantasy romance. I think Gavin and Anna’s story feels somewhat more realistic in the sense that there isn’t magic and shapeshifters.

Inkitt: What advice would you give to other Inkitt authors hoping to sign a Galatea contract?

J.B.: Oh gosh. Just stick with it. Be super proud of what you’re writing and be loud about it. I had zero following when I started, so I knew that I needed to find a way to reach as many readers as quickly as I could. I tried to be as engaged with anybody reading my story as I could to let them know “Hey, I’m serious about this story. I love these characters. And I want you to like it also.“

Inkitt: Were there specific moments on Inkitt that paved the way for your Galatea signing?

J.B.: For The She-Wolf, I think it was just the fact that I continued to keep the sequels unique and gave readers something to look forward to. When I got the email to sign with Galatea, it was honestly a no-brainer because I wanted to expand my audience and have the opportunity to monetize my work.

Overcoming Challenges

Inkitt: What are the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your writing journey, and how have you overcome them?

J.B.: With All For Show it was a little bit more difficult to make that decision to sign it over. My youngest child is two years old and was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the beginning of the year. While it’s not necessarily life-threatening, it is life-altering. My entire focus shifted to learning the best way to care for him and keep him healthy.

I was just drowning in anxiety. We were also getting up multiple times at night to check blood sugars and give insulin. It was like having a newborn again. I had just finished All For Show and knew I wanted to write a sequel, but it was so hard to imagine having the brain power to do that again.

On top of that, it’s obviously a pretty big time commitment to go through the editing process and everything, so I was worried about being able to make the deadlines and put my best work forward. When I got the email that the team wanted to move All for Show to Galatea, I wrestled with the decision for about a week before my husband sat me down and was like “You know this is something you want so bad and you enjoy writing so much. Stop being scared and try, or it might not happen and you’ll probably regret it.”

Obviously, I ended up taking his advice and it was a great decision. The editor I got to work with is amazing and super understanding. And now I’m going to get to share a new and improved version of All For Show with a bigger audience.

Writing Craft and Process

Inkitt: Is there a piece of advice you were given early in your career that’s stuck with you?

J.B.: Not really in my writing career now, but I did have an English teacher in high school tell me I should pursue a degree in writing. I straight up laughed because at the time I hated writing. Jokes on me, I suppose.

Inkitt: How do you stay motivated during long projects or tough writing days?

J.B.: When I’m really struggling I try to set a timer for like an hour to just sit and do nothing but focus on writing. I find that if I’m feeling unmotivated I will do anything to distract myself. If I just shut off everything else (ahem, no doom scrolling) and stare at my computer long enough, eventually I can find a way to work through my laziness.

Inkitt: Which authors or books have influenced your writing style the most?

J.B.: I love a pretty wide variety of books. It’s cliche but I read the Twilight series when I was a young teen and I think that really set the groundwork for my love of the romantasy genre. I also really love Nicholas Sparks, James Patterson, and Jennifer Weiner. I’m currently reading very dark romances with a friend.

Inkitt: Where do you find inspiration for your stories, characters, and worlds?

J.B.: Most of my characters are at least somewhat based on people in my life. I think that makes it easy to decide how they would react in different situations and think about their mannerisms.

There’s definitely specific storylines in my books that are based off of events in my life. For example, in All For Show, the situation with Anna’s dad is very much based off of a real life friend. I was working through how angry I was at my late friend’s husband for how he treated her right before and after her death. I thought about how their kids would have been affected had they been a little bit younger. That’s the short version sort of how Anna came to life.

When I’m facing something big and dramatic, I’m like I’m going to write about it, even if it’s not the entire focus of the story. It’s honestly as good as therapy.

Inkitt: Do you have any specific writing rituals or environments that help you get into a creative mindset?

J.B.: I laughed reading this question. As mom of young kids, I usually find myself writing 80% of the time on my phone at a park or something while they are running around like crazy hooligans. If I’m lucky, I can sit with my laptop while they are napping and after they go to bed, but it’s hit or miss. I think sometimes you just have to figure out what works for you.

Inkitt: Are you a plotter (carefully outlining your story) or a pantser (letting the story develop as you write)?

J.B.: I think a bit of both. I usually have the beginning and ending mapped out, but the path between there is ever-changing even when I try and write an outline. As long as things feel organic and flow well, I’m not against changes on the fly.

Inkitt: How do you develop your characters? Do they ever surprise you?

J.B.: I think I get surprised by how attached I am to them. I try to come up with like core values and traits I want them to have then really think about how they might behave when facing challenges.

Inkitt: What part of the writing process do you enjoy the most?

J.B.: My favorite part is going back through to edit my very rough drafts. It’s fun to start cleaning things up and getting them polished.

Inkitt: How do you overcome writer’s block?

J.B.: I try and just write SOMETHING. Usually I end up deleting it and starting over, but that gets my creativity flowing. I think the worst action you can take when you feel stuck is to do absolutely nothing, so I try to stay moving forward.

Final Thoughts

Inkitt: Are there any recurring themes or messages you hope readers take away from your stories?

J.B.: I think people, especially women but men too, a lot of times try and tuck themselves into specific boxes so we “fit in” better in one way or another. The most influential people in history had to step outside of what was comfortable in order to become who they were meant to be. So give yourself permission to do the hard thing and be unapologetically whoever you want. The people who care about you and want to support you are going to do that even if you’re being a little weird.