60. How a First-Time Author and Accidental Advocate Wrote and Published Her Story: JJ Elliott

JJ Elliott is an advertising copywriter with a degree in English from UCLA. She lost her mother to suicide as a teenager and spent over two years volunteering on the suicide hotlines in LA. One of the reasons she wanted to write this book is because she finds herself increasingly frustrated by the way suicide is treated in print and on-screen, as a mystery to be solved rather than a multi-layered, complex mental health situation that can rarely be boiled down to one specific "reason." ​ A native of Northern California, JJ now lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, two teenage kids, and two poorly trained bulldogs. She loves to read, drink wine, play tennis, and eat cheese. There Are No Rules For This is her first novel. In this episode, Nada sits down with JJ to discuss her newly published book. After ten years of crafting the story, JJ decided not to go with a traditional publisher and shares why that was an important decision in telling this very personal story. She helps us understand a hybrid publishing model and explains the benefits of choosing that path. JJ advises aspiring writers to join a writing community and to reach out to authors they admire. She reminds us that writing is a solo venture that requires us to have others who understand the process and what we are going through. Head to JJ's website to grab her book, There Are No Rules For This. Check out She Write's website if you are interested in the hybrid publishing model. Also, if you are interested in joining the Round Robin JJ mentioned, check out The Writing Salon. JJ also recommends adding One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid to your bookshelf! Follow on Instagram: @jjelliott, @shewritesdotcom Please follow us at @thisislibertyroad on Instagram--that's where we hang out the most and connect with our community. And please rate and review this podcast. It helps to know if these conversations are inspiring and equipping you to consider what’s now and what’s next.