Daily Inspiration: Meet JoAnna McSpadden

Today we’d like to introduce you to JoAnna McSpadden.

Hi JoAnna, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for sharing your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
I have always been a writer at heart. When I was young, I wrote numerous short stories and developed intricate fantasy games for my sisters, cousins, and myself to play and act out. Reading was my favorite activity, and the Harry Potter books became my favorite escape. After high school, I went to college and studied Computer Science at Missouri S&T, but I still couldn’t stop writing. In college, I wrote my first full-length novel based on one of the fantasy games I made up as a child. I wrote it quickly and as a gift for my sisters and cousins, but I knew it could be more. The story has always stayed with me. I had been trying to write a better version of this book for years after college. Ideas would come to me, and I would store them in my many notebooks. I read some craft books on writing and took some time writing a few scenes here and there, but I could never manage to finish the book. Writing had remained a secret love of mine, and without any outer accountability or deadlines, writing my book was never a priority. But the story still wouldn’t let me go. There was always this prickle of the story in the back of my mind and a feeling of guilt hanging over me when I neglected it.

I finally began to share my aspirations with others, and in 2021, I got a text from my best friend asking me if I’d be interested in working with a writing coach. She had connected with a coach through her love of books and offered to introduce us. This was the push I needed. I agreed to meet with the writing coach, and after our first meeting, I knew this was the commitment I needed to make my dream a reality. I was nervous to start the program with LA Writing Coach and Ashley Mansour. It meant I would have to take this book seriously, and someone would be there to keep me accountable for my goals. But in less than 90 days of working with her, I finished my first draft of a story I loved. After completing the first draft, I took a few weeks off before making some edits. I sent the draft to a developmental editor and received valuable feedback. After taking all the notes and having a small breakdown in which I questioned my desire to finish the book, I picked myself up and wrote a second draft. The second draft was sent to beta readers, and I got a lot of great feedback. After having a long discussion about the story and the characters with two of my beta readers, I decided to rewrite the entire last half of the novel. It was a large undertaking, but it has improved the story. In 2022, I was preparing to start querying agents when my writing coach contacted me again about an opportunity to submit my manuscript to an independent publisher, Morgan James.

I submitted my work, and the publisher accepted it. It wasn’t the direction I thought I was going, but I knew that going with this independent publisher would get my work out into the world faster than I had imagined. In January of 2023, I officially signed my publishing contract, and the publishing journey began. I worked on finalizing my manuscript and sent it through a few more rounds of edits while working with Morgan James on the back-of-book marketing, finalizing the title, and cover design. In November of 2023, I held my book, Obsidian Tide, in my hands for the first time. I never thought that that moment would come so soon when I started my journey in the summer of 2021. And now I’m in the final stretch of launch activities with Obsidian Tide being released on March 5, 2024.

Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Writing is hard. Even with the greatest desire in my heart to finish this book, the road has been full of challenges. Most of the time, a single idea can spark an idea for a book, but the path to finishing a book is much more than most people realize. Finding the time to write while working full-time and trying to be a socialized, healthy human was a big challenge. When I did have the time to write, I was often too tired. Finding the right writing time took meticulous planning, sacrifices, and determination. The second big hurdle writers must overcome is letting other people read what they’ve written. That is a huge, scary thing. Having my writing coach read it along the way was one thing, but I became anxious when other people in my life and strangers began to read my writing. However, it was so rewarding to hear what others thought of my work once I ripped the bandaid off. And that leads me to the next challenge all writers must face: learning to take feedback. Getting my edit letter back from the developmental editor on my first draft was so overwhelming. There were so many issues with the story I had spent hours and hours pouring over. I had to figure out how to fix them and spend more hours fixing them; fixing the plot holes, characters acting out of character, and weak motivations is sometimes a heavy burden for writers. Taking things one step at a time at this stage was the only way I could push forward. Finally, once the book is written and edited and you’ve poured your soul onto the page and spent hours of your life perfecting this story, you must learn an entirely new skill in marketing. It’s frustrating for many authors to learn how to market their books, and it’s the most significant challenge for all introverts. I’m still trying to learn the ropes of marketing (while working on a second book).

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. What can you tell our readers who might need to be more familiar with what you do?
I’m a fantasy fiction author, and my debut novel, Obsidian Tide, was released on March 5, 2024. I’m most proud of getting this book written, published, and out into the world. I’m also a software developer by day and an avid fantasy board game enthusiast, and these things set me apart from other authors.

What makes you happy?
Books. Books allow us to explore new worlds, meet new people, go on adventures, and escape reality without leaving our homes’ comfort. Words are so powerful, and there’s no such thing as “just a story.” We can learn so much from reading someone else’s story. Books are the closest thing to real magic in this world.

Pricing:

• Obsidian Tide – $19.95

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.joannamcspadden.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/writerjoannamcspadden
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/writerjoannamcspadden

Image Credits
Carmen Seda