How You Can Find Hope After Rock Bottom (Aaron Ryan)

Two in the morning. Sitting on the toilet, clothed, bawling into a pillow, because a broken PC was the last thing standing between him and the self-employed life he wanted so badly he could feel it in his teeth. That's where my guest this week hit rock bottom: not one dramatic collapse, but months of computer problems piling on top of a dream that felt like it was never going to happen. A client shared one quote with him that day, and Aaron Ryan has carried it in his back pocket for almost twenty years since: "The temptation to quit is always greatest just before your greatest success." Aaron is an award-winning, bestselling author of the six-book Dissonance alien invasion saga (one installment is being pitched to streaming networks right now), plus dozens of other titles across sci-fi, historical fiction, and children's books, and he's also a working voice actor. We talk about the "Illuminati" he ran into at the top of the voiceover industry, the sting of writing 300 blog posts meant to encourage people only to be told they were "nothing," and why he walked away from that world entirely to go back to his first love: storytelling. Aaron also shares his best advice for anyone starting out as a writer (be authentic, steer clear of generative AI, and grow thick skin fast), and the 9/11 historical novel he wrote as an act of catharsis, imagining a world where the attacks never happened. If you've ever felt like an imposter next to people who seem to have it all figured out, or you're right on the edge of giving up on something you can feel in your teeth, this conversation is the reminder that the breakdown right before the breakthrough is often just... the process. Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHeG1Oqaspc In this episode The quote Aaron has carried for almost 20 years, and the two memory sticks that changed his entire career Why running into "the Illuminati" of the voiceover industry, and being told his encouragement blogs were "nothing," turned out to be his breakthrough in disguise Aaron's advice for anyone who wants to write a book: be authentic, avoid generative AI, and grow thick skin fast Why holding a finished book in your hands matters more than whether anyone buys it How Aaron turned personal catharsis into fiction, including a 9/11 historical novel where the attacks never happen What "breakdown to breakthrough, wash, rinse, repeat" really looks like over a creative career Timestamps (00:01) Welcome and guest intro: meet award-winning author Aaron Ryan (01:38) The Dissonance saga, Hollywood pitches, and film festival wins (03:04) The young author's club at age 10, and being "fated" to write (04:39) Advice for new writers: be authentic, avoid AI, grow thick skin (07:38) Imposter syndrome, and the 7,500 books published on Amazon every day (09:57) "The Electric Boy": writing his first "book" at age seven (13:20) Why Aaron writes sci-fi, post-apocalyptic, and dystopian fiction (16:57) The "Illuminati" of the voiceover industry, and walking away from it (22:46) 2007: leaving full-time work, and the PC that wouldn't stop breaking (24:12) Bawling into a pillow at 2am, and the quote that changed everything (26:31) Breakdown to breakthrough, wash, rinse, repeat (28:31) Aaron's favorite books: The End Omega, and a 9/11 novel where the attacks never happen (35:00) Where to find Aaron and his books About Aaron Ryan Aaron Ryan is an award-winning and best-selling author, speaker, panelist, workshop presenter, and voice actor. He's the author of the six-book Dissonance alien invasion saga (currently being pitched to streaming networks), the Christian dystopian series The End, the 9/11 historical fiction novel Forecast, and dozens of other titles across sci-fi, historical fiction, and children's books. He lives in Washington with his wife, two sons, and a small menagerie of pets. Learn more at Aaron's website, or join his free community for screenplay updates, discount codes, giveaways, and appearances. Favorite quotes "The temptation to quit is always greatest just before your greatest success." —a line Aaron Ryan has carried in his back pocket for almost 20 years "If you can steer clear of AI, please do. Don't outsource your work to a chip." —Aaron Ryan "I must create or I'm gonna blow up, I'll explode." —Aaron Ryan Resources mentioned AuthorAaronRyan.com: Aaron's website, with links to all his books and social channels Aaron's free Facebook community: screenplay status updates, discount codes, giveaways, and appearances Dissonance, Aaron's six-book alien invasion saga The End Omega, the finale of Aaron's Christian dystopian series Forecast, Aaron's 9/11 historical fiction novel Related episodes From Rock Bottom to Mountain Top: Interview with Kevin Palmieri: another guest's road from the bottom back up From Tragedy to Triumph: Rhonda Britten's Path to a Fearless Life: more on turning devastation into a fearless second act From the Edge of Suicide to the Grace of Grief: another raw conversation about finding hope in the darkest moment Subscribe & connect If this episode gave you something to sit with, follow Phoenix and Flame so you never miss an episode: all apps in one place, or jump straight to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or YouTube. And if it moved you, leave a review; it's the easiest way to help another listener find the show. Learn more about Phoenix and Flame, connect with Dana, and listen to more episodes here. Curious where your own boundaries stand? Take my free Work Boundaries Quiz: danaskaggs.com/quiz