About J.D. Ruffin:
J.D. Ruffin is the author of multiple bestselling novels, including the epic fantasy Kingdom War series.
Ironically, he never really enjoyed reading until a friend loaned him a dog-eared copy of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Fellowship of the Ring. From that day, he was hooked, discovering fantasy authors Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson, R.A. Salvatore, Terry Goodkind and many, many others.
Becoming an author was never part of the master plan, but…
As a fourteen-year-old bespeckled and befreckled boy, J.D. and his friends would gather around the D&D dice for hours on end, trading reality for fantasy, if only in their minds. In his quest to “stump his friends” with an impossible campaign, he dreamed up a storyline that captured his imagination.
Then… well… nothing happened. He grew up and went to work in a completely different world.
Too many years later, that story pulled at the corner of his mind, demanding to be heard… to be written.
Hence, an author was born.
What inspires you to write?
Who didn't dream of being able to fly or shoot fire out of their hands as a kid? I love losing myself in a fantasy world.
From a writer's perspective, authentic, complex characters who I want to know in real life . . . and stories that take me away from real life and drop me into a fantastic world I wish really existed. More than anything, though, I'd say readers inspire me.
When I started writing, I wasn't sure how I would enjoy interacting with the folks on the other side of my books. I'm not shy, not by a mile, but when it's your own work on the line, it's personal-and nerve wracking. What surprised me was how much I love the emails and messages from readers. I answer every one personally, and have been caught laughing at my desk, many times, as I read something a reader sent. They crack me up. And sometimes, they come up with crazy ideas that make it into books!
What authors do you read when you aren’t writing?
Joe Abercrombie is a master. One day, I hope to write a tenth as well as Joe.
Brandon Sanderson, Michael Webb, Michael R. Miller, and about ten thousand more.
Tell us about your writing process.
I always have an end-point in mind, where I want the book or story to wrap up.
I spend a lot of time plotting out the story, chapter by chapter, before ever writing anything; but, once I've started typing, the chapters evolve and change. Sometimes they split into several chapters; other times, they vanish altogether. I usually know the main points I need to happen in a chapter, but rarely plot out more than highlights.
I've tried being more structured, but the writing felt forced. It needs room to breathe and grow.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
Oh, it's worse than that. They whisper to me while I'm mowing the lawn.
Characters become real as I write. There's a part of me reflected in each one, so it's hard not to want to talk with them.
What advice would you give other writers?
I think the best advice I can give is:
1. Write every day. This sounds so intuitive, but so many who aspire to authorship don't. The only way to get better is through practice. Even if you don't publish the work, the exercise is worth it.
2. Don’t edit while you write. Get the story on paper and know it’s going to need a lot of work. Finishing the manuscript is where most people get stuck because they get distracted with things like “making the chapter perfect.”
3. Writing is only a tiny part of being successful. Become a student of the game and learn marketing, social media, publishing, and the other hundred things involved in being an author.
4. A lot of people will offer advice. Learn who to trust and who to ignore but know there’s something useful in almost every bit of guidance.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I tried the traditional route, emailing agents for months. Unfortunately, my writing career started during the height of the pandemic, and trad houses/agents weren't accepting many unknown or new authors.
That made going indie easy, and I'm so glad I did. Sure, you give up some of the "done for you" perks that come with trad publishing, but you gain so much more (control over your work, better royalties, flexibility in everything, etc.).
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
Wish I knew.
The trad houses have consolidated in to less than a handful, while indie publishing has exploded. That's not news.
The explosion of indie publishing has made quality work more important than ever. An author might sell a few books with a catchy cover, but readers will abandon them quickly if the writing isn't up to snuff.
It's also become more vital for indies to be great at marketing. I know, we hate it. Too bad. If we accept being just okay at marketing, our books will never get noticed. It's that simple.
I expect the indie boom to level out at some point. The market can only take so much saturation.
What genres do you write?: Fantasy
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print, Audiobook
Website(s)
J.D. Ruffin Home Page Link
Link To J.D. Ruffin Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
YouTube
All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.
