When Life Changes the Story

When I started reading Jami Albright’s Running from a Rock Star, I laughed out loud four times in the first three pages. Janet noticed. Apparently, I was making enough noise to attract attention.That seemed like a good reason to invite Jami onto The Alignment Show. I’d also been listening to her Wish I’d Known Then… For Writers podcast for years, and I’d come to appreciate her willingness to talk about both the successes and struggles of being an author.What I didn’t fully appreciate until our conversation was how much laughter has meant in Jami’s own life.Years ago, after moving to a new city, she found herself terribly lonely. Romance novels became a source of companionship. One day, while reading, she heard someone laughing and realized it was herself. She hadn’t laughed like that in five years.That experience eventually helped lead her to writing romantic comedy.Then, just as she’d built a successful writing career, her younger sister died. For more than three years, Jami couldn’t write. She wasn’t sure she ever would again.Our conversation covers writing, romance, creativity, publishing, grief, and finding your way when life doesn’t follow the story you expected. It’s a longer episode than usual, about an hour and a half. We had a lot to talk about, and I couldn’t bring myself to cut much of it.I think you’ll understand why.The Big TakeawayYour life can change dramatically without losing its value, even when the things that once gave you purpose, identity, or a sense of accomplishment are no longer there.Jami’s story reminded me that what matters to us can change as we change. Sometimes we discover what matters through joy and sometimes through loss. In fact, sometimes we have to make peace with not knowing whether we’ll ever return to the person we used to be.What We Talked About* Finding laughter through loneliness. Jami describes how romance novels helped her through years of isolation after a move, and how laughing at a book became a turning point in her life.* Starting a writing career later in life. She didn’t write fiction until age 47, returned to a nearly lost manuscript at 50, and published her first book at 53. Along the way, she learned the value of critique, persistence, and accepting help.* Why romance matters. We explore the appeal of happily-ever-after endings, the emotional connections readers form with fictional characters, and why romantic comedy can offer something important beyond entertainment.* The craft of storytelling. Jami shares how she creates character conflict, what makes a romance’s darkest moment convincing, and why a good story needs more than a misunderstanding that a simple conversation could resolve.* When grief interrupts creativity. After her sister Joni died in 2022, Jami stopped writing for more than three years. We discuss how that loss affected her work, her confidence, and her understanding of success.* Returning to writing and rethinking success. Her novel The Summer That Changed Us, inspired by her sister’s final months, marked her return to fiction. She talks openly about the difficult writing process, the book’s reception, and learning not to measure her worth by sales or accomplishments.A Few Practical Things to Take Away1. Don’t assume it’s too late to begin. Jami’s publishing career started in her fifties. She didn’t begin with technical mastery, either. She learned as she went, with considerable help from other writers.2. Be willing to be a beginner. Jami’s account of taking her first manuscript pages to a critique group is funny, painful, and instructive. She came back the following week, listened to the feedback, and kept improving.3. If you create stories, give your characters real problems. One of Jami’s useful guidelines is that if the central crisis can be resolved through one conversation, the conflict probably isn’t strong enough. The characters need to confront something deeper.4. Respect the difficulties you’re actually experiencing. When grief left Jami unable to write, she spent a long time criticizing herself for it. Eventually, she began acknowledging that she was going through something genuinely hard.5. Leave room for your goals to change. Returning to writing mattered enormously to Jami. But she also came to recognize that she could have a worthwhile life even if she never published another book.Quote to Ponder