Check Out Rachel Adams’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Adams

Hi Rachel, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I’m a Southern Girl (meaning the Southern United States) who grew up in the “Bible Belt.” I was born and raised in Alabama, an adopted only child. My writing grew from having to entertain myself as a kid and then exploring the culture (good and bad). I had a vivid imagination for as long as I can remember and told stories to anyone who would listen. But I began writing it down around the age of 11. As a GenXer, my original writing was done in notebooks and on an old-fashioned typewriter. This was before the internet existed. Though a very conservative mother destroyed most of that writing, I continued to write. I didn’t just write fiction or about fictional characters. I wrote stories about places and people around me, usually fictionalizing as I went. My characters are often entangled and downtrodden by their place in life, yet willing to reach forward and either adapt to survive or find hope and strength to keep moving. I love collaborative writing, and many of my works are co-authored with partners who share my passion for deep character development. To that end, my co-author, Dawn, gave me the go-ahead to share the stories we write. It ended up on Kindle Vella, a serial platform. Then, we pulled the first book from Vella while continuing to edit our older writing for novels. This writing is becoming our first series (urban fantasy & paranormal romance) and the prequel series. We also released one as our free book, which people receive when subscribing to my newsletter. That way, we can keep in touch with the people who love our writing and give them updates. Now, I have an author substack where I provide advice about things I’ve learned and what I’m learning on my professional indie-author journey. With Dawn, I’ve released 2 books in each series from the same world – The Dragon Tasker Series and The Life & Loves of a Dragon. I’m also providing serial fiction to Ream Stories (a subscription platform where readers enjoy stories in my worlds for feedback, or they can get exclusive content with a subscription). I want to open a publication in Medium for my passion project, “Untapped Sound,” which started when I picked songs for my writing playlists. I now can confidently offer a few author services, as well. I even help out with The Authortuber Writing Conference and stream productivity sprints live weekly. I’m trying my best to juggle all this with helping my husband with web design, helping other authors grow, and also with novel writing. So far, it’s working!

Let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
Well, for one thing, when you’re poor, you get trapped. So, I went into my writing career, never thinking of it as a career; instead, it was a hobby. I wrote in roleplaying/fanfiction/collaborative writing forums on MSN Groups and Yahoo Clubs back in the day. This is how I met my co-authors and tested some of my ideas for settings and stories. We had children to raise, so this was never seen as my full-time job. I’ve always written on the side, and it wasn’t until my husband pointed out that I should try blog writing that I even considered it more. We were in a bookstore a few years ago. He was upset that I was spending so much time writing. I thought it was about time, but he said, “You know why I’m upset? Because I don’t see your book published and on one of these shelves yet.” He was right. I realized I should take these characters and stories in my head and share them with the world. So far, everyone who has read my work enjoyed it. Whenever we had a roleplaying group, other writers wanted to write with my characters. So, why not take the next step? Financially speaking, I’ve had to struggle with this. However, we made the plans, set the goals, and agreed to see this through together. We no longer have the children to care for so much. I’ve budgeted using the hubs’ income so that we can continue to pay our bills and live life while I can devote all of my time to this new entrepreneurial pursuit. I knew going in that this was the long game. We’re patient, and I make money handling gig work with professional writing while the novels take off. Things are turning around, and I plan to make an income from writing the stories I love.

Thanks for sharing that. So, tell us more about your work next.
I’m a writer and self-published author. I learned the how-to’s independently, and I’ve published 4 books so far. I’ve been writing as a side gig for years and helping other authors since diving into the deep end, warning them about the pitfalls and the truth about what might happen. It helps make them better prepared. I specialize in several things. That’s the rub. Like many creatives, we must diversify our work to gain experience, network contacts, and keep a steady flow of income. When you are creative and have not hit it big in your industry, you must remain a Renaissance Soul – learning everything you can. I’m most proud of publishing the books, something I never thought I’d do. There is more to come to be proud of. You must understand that even though there are tons of books being published daily, only a few people accomplish this goal. Also, being able to help boost other creatives through my work and my following feels lovely. We’re not in competition; we should be helping each other.

What sets me apart from others? I’m still determining. Since becoming part of the author community, I see more things we have in common than things that set us apart. Sure, our topics and work set us apart, but at heart, we’re all chaotic-minded people with beverage addictions (most of us drink tea and coffee these days, less liquor), a computer, and a dream. I make the most of it. I do not limit my characters to a specific situation or genre convention. Since being influenced by great fantasy and horror writers, I have managed a cast of characters in a multi-POV 3rd-person style. Even though this isn’t the trend, I do it. I also love collaboration in writing. I’ve written articles about it, and I was interviewed about it. There is an art to it; if you have a trusted writing partner, I suggest making the most of it.

How do you define success?
I’m already successful in life. Everything else is like the whipped cream on top of the dessert. Let me explain. I genuinely embrace Ralph Waldo Emerson’s definition – To laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children, to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you lived. This is to have succeeded. You see, I was told I had succeeded by a patient I helped while working for the UNC Pharmacy Assistance Program in Oncology. I never realized it. My patient, who shall remain unnamed, told me I didn’t have to worry about anything else. I asked her why she felt that way. She said, “You’ve made my life easier. My family breathes easier because of your work. So, according to the expert, you have already succeeded.” She pointed out the quote on the cover of her journal. When it comes to my writing, no matter what version – non-fiction, articles, blogging, or fiction, my goal is to touch people and get them to feel something. According to the feedback I’ve received, I am succeeding.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://racheldadams.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/racheldadams_writer
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gypsydruidess
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/RachelD_writer
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RachelDAdams
• Other: https://substack.com/@racheldadams