The moments that transform the lives of writers are important for the journey to success. It was a pleasure to have a chance to express Joey Walker’s thoughts on the impact of being an author. Joey uses writing as an outlet for recovery and expression of life. That makes Joey’s work a breath of fresh air and something worth seeing.
“Writing is my outlet. I use it to identify and understand my emotions as well as to make sense of things that’ve happened to me. I often look back on my writing and see how its changed; I can use it as a timeline of sorts. As I’ve grown and my writing style has evolved, the deeper and further I go, the easier it is to stay honest with myself.”
It’s something about a writer pouring their emotions out and embracing life for what it truly is or can be. Joey represents that emotional connection that we all love to see in an author. Understanding confessions of the first time believing in the skills that Joey has is an emotional brace on life.
“I started believing in my skills as a writer the moment I received validation of it. Probably the first time I ever finished anything, one of my stapler bound books and gave it a once over myself. I felt very completed reading my name on the cover of something and having the pages filled. My parents applauded my crafts and one day I put a sign up in the window ‘Books for sale’ I didn’t think anything would come of it and so in the same day I’d taken all of my books I’d written and brought them to school to give to my friends. My mother told me after I’d gotten home that people had been coming to the door inquiring about the sign all day. I’m not sure why I didn’t take a chance on it and leave at least one behind, but I think the person I was at that time didn’t believe people who didn’t know me could appreciate me the same.”
Some of the first stories writers create play a part in the early careers of authors. Joey wrote about a character named Ruby Red Robinson and here is what Joey had to say about the story.
“The first story that I can remember writing was about a girl or a woman named Ruby Red Robinson. If I had to guess this was shortly after learning about alliteration and onomatopoeias in the second grade, which had been extremely satisfying to my ears. Ruby was a simple, do good, take no prisoners kinda gal. She had an ordinary life, and a lot like the women I was surrounded by that was enough for her. I made a bit of a series, each book at a different stage of her life, I had no plan or expectations; It just came to me. She may have been loosely based off of my mother except for the fact that she was blonde and white, which I also don’t understand totally why looking back. I remember the last book of her adventures, and the last the world would see of her she must’ve been in her mid 30s or early 40s. She was a single mother who I think managed her own business of some sort, the book centered around her and her little family and included some alien invasion halfway through that I cannot remember- maybe it was around the time Mars needs Moms came out. Ruby’s stories helped shape my writing career by helping me find my voice, or at least the tone I want to speak with in my writing. I’m not sure how to explain it actually, but it more-so shaped me. My first character that I was able to give life to and see through, there was nothing else like it.”
“I’ve always known that I would be a writer, growing up it never dulled and I never stopped for too long. Even though I’d become interested in different careers and envision myself doing different things writing has always been my passion. In the sixth grade I joined a Creative Writing Club afterschool with some friends, it was my first time doing anything like that and through that club I learned how to grow and exist in a space like that, with fellow writers not only completing writing prompts and presenting our work but listening to others creative processes and hearing different creative voices. I think the moment I knew I wanted to pursue writing professionally was when I was going through a depressive episode, I was maybe 14 and had filled a journal with poems and prose, an expression of my innermost thoughts and feelings, my critiques and pleas to the world. I’d completed the project and had found myself with nothing to do. After so long battling myself, I began to plan out my suicide. I no longer had need for dreams or material possessions, thus I threw out most of everything I owned. My favorite clothes, jewelry, the book I’d spent months working on and had shown my family. When I’d thrown it in the trash it took everything in me, but after so much pain and so many tears I told myself I couldn’t possibly turn back now and that I had to see it through. When I didn’t, and had time to mourn my project and what could’ve come of it, I set out on a new one: The Bearer of Bad News.”
“I think the worst enemy to my writing would have to be writers block. I can go weeks to months to even a year without writing anything new despite my best efforts. At times it’s my own fault, not being able to turn off my inner editor or hating everything I come up with. A piece of my own personal doctrine is that I have to be in the right head space to write anything that I’ll agree with later. It doesn’t have to necessarily be positive or stable, but if I’m not in the right groove I won’t sound like myself.”
“When I have writer’s block I don’t write, and when I find myself in periods of low creativity I tend to not write either. I’ll more than likely go back and look at old pieces to try and get some of its essence to rub off on me or edit until that tires me too. Some advice I received at some point was if you don’t feel like doing something, don’t do it. Take a break, reflect, recharge, and return to it. I try and follow that process instead of beating myself up about not being able to write.”
“I feel like my writing style has adopted a take on prose that I really like as of right now, I knew I wanted to write longer pieces where I could play around with my thoughts and tone and the overall atmosphere more and without knowing it I did just that. I feel like when I first started my writing style was very commercialized, in a way it felt like I was trying to fall within the borders of a certain aesthetic and not completely free to be myself.”
Joey’s ability to create space for the storytelling and the worlds is amazing. However, it’s not always on the writer to truly make a story come to life. Sometime it takes the feedback and the constructive criticism that helps further a story. Joey loves the thrill of feedback because it helps the craft even more.
“I love getting feedback and criticism, it gives me perspective other than my own and lets me know about things I could improve. I get very introspective for my writing process, and I often forget most people aren’t as often as I am, so feedback and criticism is always helpful for those times when I get lost in my own head.” - Joey said
“I try and not let the business aspect take the fun out of it, writing is one of those things I think where it is very easy to do that and get mixed up. I’m trying to be more organized and professional, stick to schedules and get things done.”
“In the past two years my writing style has done much change, I’ve gone through probably twice as much spiritually and mentally, let alone physically. I’ve started taking chances on myself, putting myself out there for the world to see in an effort to take control of my life and be an active part in my success. I’ve recently started a blog on Substack called World eater, which is just another label for myself and my content, what it looks like when that blends together.”
“Could you discuss a particular piece of work that you are most proud of and why it holds a special place in your heart?” - Shareece Williams asked
“I’d say my current favorite piece of mine would have to be the table of contents for my book The Bearer of Bad News, as it encapsulates each chapter of the book and in so many words tells the story I was hoping to from within the margins.” - Joey replied
“I would tell aspiring writers to write as much as they can, just jump into it head first and save any anxieties or judgement for your inner editor afterwards. I’d say not to be afraid of what would happen if you don’t reach your target audience or if nobody reads your work or if you keep getting rejected from publications, etc. At the end of the day you’re a writer because you believe you have something to say and enjoy using your voice to do so. So write!! Even after all of the trials and tribulations you’re still gonna be where you left off, write because no one else is going to do it for you, write so that you can see what you’ve been missing in the literary world, and write so that your dreams can come to fruition.”
Joey Walker’s impact on this world is going to be something to see but also remember. Joey has big plans to take over and to be able to be a voice for those who are in need and the representation for those who embody value.
“My goals and aspirations for my writing is to become a spokesperson for LGBTQ+ youth and POC, I hope my writing is able to inspire others, provide community , and make some sort of a difference. I want to explore different genres of writing and areas and push myself out of my comfort zone. I am an aspiring filmmaker and screenwriter as well, so I hope to push boundaries with my work as well as ask thought provoking questions, provide new ideas and solutions as well as challenge myself. I hope to be known as a visionary.”
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