An Interview with Jay Green: Author of Milieu

Isaiah “Jay” Green is a writer from Monroe, Louisiana. He has been writing stories and poetry since the age of twelve and has produced three books of poetry at the time of this interview. Jay currently resides in San Antonio, TX.

Tell us about your book.

Milieu acts as social commentary on our current American culture and political discourse in the form of poetry.

Why did you want to write a book?

I wanted to write this book to “voice my opinion” in a sense. After becoming more aware of the current events I was seeing on the news, internet, and social media, I felt a sense of helplessness. After pondering on what I can do to take a first step and act, I decided that a poetry book would be the most appropriate act, as I think writing is one of my key strengths.

Why did you choose to self-publish?

The decision to self-publish came as a result of wanting to take the matters of publishing into my own hands with the tools that are available to me, rather than hoping a publishing house would choose my book to be traditionally published.

What tools or companies did you use, and what experience did you have?

I primarily used the company IngramSpark to finalize the book and get it published and distributed. My experience would be two poetry books I have self-published in the recent past, though I used Barnes & Noble Press in both of those occasions.

Would you self-publish again?

Yes.

What do you think are the main pitfalls for indie writers?

Marketing and budgeting for sure.

Creating a book isn’t inexpensive in the least. There’s costs associated with working with editors, getting your book cover designed, editorial reviews, etc. Those expenses add up quickly, so I would always advise indie authors to become aware of how much these things cost and know how much they’re willing to spend.

Marketing is its own skill separate from creative writing. I would actually recommend that most indie writers outsource marketing to a professional if they are able to. There is so much that can go into proper marketing that can make or break your book in terms of giving it the exposure it needs to be successful.
What tips can you give other authors looking to self-publish?
Perseverance is everything.

Writing a book can “weed people out” as the expression goes. It’s one thing to say “I want to write a book,” but when you look at the amount of work and sacrifice you have to dedicate to make that goal a reality (writing consistently, reading regularly, being alone for hours at a time, and receiving little to no praise or encouragement) I think many will choose to opt out.

So when you feel defeated in the midst of your journey, remind yourself why you began in the first place. Understand your “why.” Also, gather a great support system around you of like-minded individuals who share your same goals and values. This is invaluable to writing process.

What was your steepest learning curve during the publishing process?

Learning how to self-edit effectively. It’s easy to become so attached to your work that you don’t want to let anything go or admit when a piece of writing is bad or doesn’t fit the final draft, but I think it’s imperative if you want to create the best book you can. This is something I’m still learning, so hopefully I only get better with time.

As a writer, what is your schedule? How do you get the job done?

I work a full-time job in addition to writing. Every day I create a list of daily goals that I want to accomplish and reading and writing is always on that list.

After work, I make it a point to read at least ten pages of a book and write at least five-hundred words.

These aren’t impressive numbers I’ll admit, but it keeps me consistent and looking forward to getting the job done rather than dreading writing because of burnout.

How do you deal with writer’s block?

I’ve come to realize that for me “writer’s block” occurs when I am writing something I am disinterested in. So I make it a point to only writing things that consume me, things that I cannot wait to get on the page.

This is especially helpful for creating first drafts. I’m not overly concerned with getting every word and sentence right the first time, I just need to get the main ideas down on paper and I can always critique them later.

Tell us about the genre you wrote in, and why you chose to write this sort of book.

The genre is poetry. I chose this genre simply because it is the genre I am most familiar with in terms of writing experience.

Who are your biggest writing inspirations and why?

I don’t have a good answer to that question. I think for me, my biggest inspiration is having my words survive long after I’ve left this world, and by doing so, I inspire future writers to embark on their own creative journeys.

I think of people like Shakespeare, how we still study his work in this modern day and how his work is still admired for its brilliance. I want that. I want to create quality writing that can live forever.

How do your friends and family get involved with your writing? What do they think of your book?

My friends and family don’t get involved in my writing. They haven’t read my book.

It’s not that I don’t want to get them involved, it’s just that I only want to share what I do with those who are genuinely interested, and not force it on people just because they’re my friends or members of my family.

At the end of the day, friends and family still have their own personalities and interests, and if they aren’t particularly interested in what I do as an artist, I think that’s ok.

What are your plans now your book is published?

Continue work on a novel series I am creating.

Why did you write about this particular subject?

To share strong emotions I feel about what is happening around the nation on a social level, and hopefully encouraging other writers to do the same.

What did you learn on your journey as an author?

There’s tremendous meaning and excitement to be found when you are doing something that helps give your life purpose. For me, writing give me purpose. It is one more reason to get up in the morning, to keep my mind and body sharp, to learn new things, to meet new people, and travel to new places.

I hope everyone can find that in their lives, whether it’s writing or not.

What’s next for you as an author?

Write more books.