Member Spotlight: Aaron Ryan

Why is writing important to you and why do you think it’s an important medium for the world? I MUST create, or I’ll self-destruct, haha! I absolutely love leaving legacy behind me and writing stories that provide memorable escapism. Through all of my different genres, I absolutely love the process of creation, making my mark, and leaving behind compelling stories in my wake that bring people joy, scares, horror, delight, excitement, adventure, and more. My latest book, The Darkness Within, is a modern-day reimagining of Jekyll & Hyde, with a self-published author as the protagonist! Every single self-pubbed author will be able to relate to the struggles faced by our protagonist, and the stresses he endures as he desperately attempts to stay relevant!

What are your tried and tested remedies to cure writer’s block? Usually I’ll experience writer’s block when writing fiction, so I take an off-ramp from the fiction highway, and write something NON-fiction: something I’m passionate about, such as my wife, my two sons, my faith, etc.. That process reminds me that my fingers, heart and mind STILL work, and it supercharges me to get back in the game.

What is your favorite time to write? During my workday. I’m a full-time author and voice actor, and I treat it like a business – so it’s during working hours, naturally. But that’s not to say that in the off-hours I won’t spring into action if inspiration strikes me!

What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received and would like to impart to other writers? Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. That’s fantastic advice from Oscar Wilde, and I believe it! Develop your own signature style; the world doesn’t need copycats of Tolkien, Asimov, Lu, Collins, Crichton, Grisham, King, Clancy, etc.

What excites you most about being a writer in today’s age? I LOVE the self-publishing process and prefer it to traditional publishing. So much creative license and control, so much delight in putting out quality books and novels in an age where AI is slowly nipping at the corners. I continue to provide authentic escapism that has NO help from AI in hammering out my narratives. I just won’t do that. My latest book, The Darkness Within, is a modern-day reimagining of Jekyll & Hyde, with a self-published author as the protagonist! Every single self-pubbed author will be able to relate to the struggles faced by our protagonist, and the stresses he endures as he desperately attempts to stay relevant!

Aaron Ryan’s The Darkness Within is out now.