Today we are in conversation with Jamell Crouthers, the author of 4 books and the hard hitting, America Under Mind Control! He answers some of our questions about writing:
Jamell can be found at:
Q:Â How many novels have you published? What are they about?
I have published 4 books so far and it’s been so much fun writing them.
The first book is The Struggles and Growth of a Man. It’s a story about a young man named Robert who is dealing with various experiences as he’s growing into a man. He grows up in a tough neighborhood with his younger brother Michael as his mom is addicted to drugs and his father left the family. He is saved by his guidance counselor in school and he becomes Robert’s role model and father figure and helps him turn his life around. Through it all, he learns that the world has taught him things that aren’t true about life, growth and being a man.
The second book is The World We Live In, this book is about various people who have dealt with experiences in their lives that have changed them in many ways. This book tackles on societal issues that go on in the world daily. You only get the character’s name and you do not know of their race or ethnicity. The goal is to make people understand that societal issues such as rape, domestic violence, drug addiction and other issues have no specific race or ethnicity, it can happen to anyone.
The third book is The World We Live In Part 2, this is a continuation of a 5 part series of books that will be published where the 19 characters deal with the aftermath of the events they’ve experienced in their lives. Some characters deal with their situations and head for the better, some for the worst but it’s a matter of reading the book to find out what happens.
The fourth book is America Under Mind Control which tackles all of the issues that are going on in America and how we are controlled mentally in so many ways from what we watch on TV, what we listen to on the radio, and how Corporate America along with the government do anything to keep us in control. A lot of subject matter is discussed such as the education system, television, radio, credit cards, gambling and many others.
Q:Â What prompted you to write this book?
What prompted me to write this book was I felt it was time to be blunt, honest and truthful in what’s going on in America and what are we doing to make change. I knew I had plenty of things to say and the only way I can get it all out was to write a book. It’s hard to discuss societal issues with people so a book was only fitting to write so everyone can read it. My mind is a churning motor that is full of thoughts so I needed to tackle these issues accordingly.
Q:Â Why poetry?
Poetry has always been my format of writing. I’ve tried to write the traditional format that everyone reads and it didn’t work. So I went with what what I’m good at, it’s about self-awareness and utilizing your talents and abilities. Poetry is a form of expression but to incorporate that into a storyline, format it correctly and make sure you get the point across, it was only fitting that I write it that way. I’ve managed to incorporate poetry and societal issues into one and was able to write books, it’s not something that’s ever been done before. Plus I wanted to carve out my own niche, be different and not be the traditional author who writes a certain way.
Q:Â What do you think is wrong with America today?
Where do I begin? I’ll try to formulate my thoughts without writing a biography since I tackled a plethora of issues in my recent book. I think the biggest issue is we’ve become programmed robots and we let the world/society dictate our lives and our every move. We spend most of our lives living average, buying things we don’t need, to impress people we don’t like all to prove that we have something. Perfectly said by actor Will Smith, he nailed it with that line.
Q:Â Tell me about your writing process.
My writing process isn’t anything crazy but I do have routines and things I do. For starters, I write a bunch of book ideas that I have (most of them turn into books or will eventually turn into books). Next is brainstorming sessions I have on chapter titles and what I feel I can discuss in my book. The goal is figuring out what message I want to convey and how to engage the reader and keep them engulfed in my book (the first chapters of every book are always eye openers or controversial to get the reader sucked in).
When I write, I mostly do it on Fridays, Saturdays and Sunday’s, I listen to music to allow my thoughts to flow freely. I listen to a lot of ambient/electronic music with no words. Joey Fehrenbach, Kodomo, Koan, Mokhov are a few artists I listen to to get my mind flowing and just write. Later on I re-read/edit and change sentences to make them sound better. After I write my books I figure out an appealing synopsis that sounds good, that’ll draw people in.
Q:Â What advice do you have for newbie writers?
Carry a book with you and pens to write down all of your ideas, whether good or bad. Spend time writing content and just let it flow. Set goals for yourself, find different ways to motivate and inspire yourself. Do things your way, not what other people tell you. Always do what works for you and what your vision is, no one knows it better than you.
If you want to get things done, it takes a lot of mental focus. Learn the business of publishing, creating book covers, writing a synopsis, formatting and royalties, don’t bank on a publishing company to do it all for you. Publishing companies are a business too so self-publish if you must. Ball on a budget (it means spend wisely), there are websites and places to utilize, where you can accomplish your goal for publishing your book.
Lastly, enjoy the process, embrace the grind, if you want this as a career forever, it’s all about patience and going at it everyday. You won’t make money on your first book, so plan your first 3 books that you’re going to write. More content, means more readers. Build connections and utilize your favorite social media pages to connect with people.
Q:Â What is your inspiration?
My inspiration is the world around me, the people I meet, the experiences they’ve dealt with and been through. A lot of my writing comes from experiences I’ve been through, or what others have been through. I watch the world and the things that go on and understand that there are a lot of things we need to discuss more.
We spend most of our lives not living for ourselves and others. I feel inspired to tell stories that make people emote and understand what’s going on around us. Sometimes we forget to be there for each other and take time to understand what we’re going through. There’s a lost art of feeling and emoting and that’s why I continue to write my books. I want people to be angry, be happy, cry, and bring out other emotions while reading my books.
Q:Â Any parting words or a line you swear by?
I have a quote that I made up years ago. You have a birth date and a death date, but it’s what you do in between that time that matters the most in life. It basically means, make the best out of everyday, impact someone. Make someone smile or laugh. We’re not meant to just grow up, become adults, become robotic machines with monotonous routines of working in Corporate America making others richer to not follow our own goals and dreams, pay bills, retire at nearly 70 years old to die not long after. Follow your goals and your dreams, have a passion for something and pursue it.
Thank you Jamell for those amazing pearls of wisdom. We wish you all the best.
Jamell can be found at:
Books, Food and Me!! 