Allow me to r̶e̶introduce myself…

Aug 09, 2022

Hello…! My name is Phoenix Layland. I am new here, and to a larger extent the literary/publishing world. Some months ago I learned about substack and was intrigued by the outlet it provided to people who enjoyed writing. Until recently, I really did not give it much thought. So what changed might you ask…?

To get a little more specific when I mean new to the literary world I mean as an author. As in, I am a first time author. A few years back I began writing a manuscript that I had intended on becoming a book. What followed was a period of time when I became stuck into proper nose to the grindstone sort of work. Feverishly jotting down my well curated ideas in real time. Seldom would I come up for air. For me this was like a cool summers breeze after a hot humid day. A refreshing experience if you will. Why? Well because I enjoy getting intellectually lost in such a manner of course, and it had been a while since I had done so.

However, a problem quickly developed (cue in doom and gloom foreshadowing soundtrack). You see, upon finishing and taking stock of what was created, I realized that the manuscript was approximately three times as long for a standard non-fiction book. Yikes…! Fortunately, everything I wrote about was equally focused on three different sections under the same topical umbrella. That being of wellness.

What naturally progressed was an obvious solution. Publish three books rather than one. No problem…right?! Well, not exactly. Invariably being a newcomer has its pros and cons. The pros being that I have a fresh start getting to build my exploits as an author/writer from a clean slate. In doing so, I can take lessons from those that have come before me as a sort of guide, or north star if you will. The cons are that nobody knows who I am. To my experience thus far, literary agents are more likely to pass on an unknown author. Especially since I basically have been cold emailing them, rather than being referred. If I am so obliged as to put it in a way that Austin Powers would, “Nepotism is not my bag…baby…!” Well, at the present moment anyway.

Which brings me too why I am here…for real. I see substack as an opportunity to kill many birds with one stone. Discerning readers will get to see a sample of my writing. I will be able to use this newsletter/blog as one avenue to build an audience which I sorely need. And I will also be able to give more detailed, and supplemental information about the material that you will eventually find in my three initial books.

Share Forged Alchemy

As of writing this it has been 24 years since I began embarking on a wellness journey. I am deriving this figure from the first time I started to employ a physical exercise regimen on a regular basis. So naturally one of the books will be on physical exercise. What has worked for me, what hasn't, and the philosophy I have converged on from all my years of practice and fine-tuning. Another book will be on mental fitness and to a lesser extent mental health. And lastly, one will be focusing on how to maximize flavor and nutrition simultaneously from the meals we eat. An oh so important aspect to wellness it must be said.

This is all well and good, but what makes me qualified to write about wellness in the first place…? What makes me different from the plethora of others in this space…? More on that in the following post linked below.