Sam Eaton of Recklessly Alive: Inside the Seven-Year Strategy to Overcome Publishing Rejection and Launch a Bestselling Suicide Prevention Movement

Some writers and authors have a knack for using language that can really move people. Some writers and authors have been able to influence millions with their words alone. What does it take to become an effective and successful author or writer?

In this interview series, called “5 Things You Need To Be A Successful Author or Writer” we are talking to successful authors and writers who can share lessons from their experience.

As part of this series I had the pleasure of interviewing Sam Eaton.

Sam Eaton is an author, speaker, and founder of Recklessly Alive, a suicide prevention organization sprinting toward a world with zero deaths by suicide. Sam has spoken at over one hundred events throughout the U.S., where he shares his story of battling depression and suicidal thoughts. Sam’s first book, Recklessly Alive: What My Suicide Attempt Taught Me About God and Living Life to the Fullest, was released in January 2021 and reached the top 200 best-selling books on Amazon. He has amassed more than 35,000 followers on Instagram and over 80,000 followers on TikTok under the handle @RecklesslyAlive.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?

For twelve years I taught music in a large, affluent school district outside of Minneapolis, MN. Seven years ago, we lost three students, a teacher, and a principal to suicide. At that point, I had only told two people about my suicide attempt. I suddenly felt a deep call to do something to help.

Can you share the most interesting story that occurred to you in the course of your career?

In 2016, I released a three-minute video about my suicide attempt. The video reached over 300,000 views in its first month and was largely celebrated in my hometown. A ranting parent of one of my students called my boss to say I was mentally unstable and should be removed from the classroom. My employer strongly encouraged me to take the video down and make all my social media private — to which I replied, “Not a chance.”

What was the biggest challenge you faced in your journey to becoming a writer? How did you overcome it? Can you share a story about that that other aspiring writers can learn from?

I spent seven years writing my first book and fighting to get it published. Seven arduous years. At one point, a large publisher made a conditional offer, and we spent fourteen months crafting a new book together. I never loved their suggestions; however, I told myself they were the experts. In the end, they dropped me because their team felt nobody would buy a book about suicide.

I couldn’t touch the project for six months until a friend asked to read both versions. We both preferred my original book and got to work on a draft. Recklessly Alive was published in January 2021 and ended up reaching the top-200 best-selling books on Amazon. Turns out quite a lot of people were very interested in reading a book about suicide.

In your opinion, were you a “natural born writer” or did you develop that aptitude later on? Can you explain what you mean?

Nobody is born a natural writer. Writing is both a skill and an art form that requires extreme amounts of practice and caffeinating. I spent years publishing monthly blog posts that received even less praise than my widely panned third-grade presentation on World War II. But in the end, my desire to write was always greater than my desire for attention.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

I am currently recording the audiobook for Recklessly Alive and am releasing a mental health journal this summer. In addition, I will be speaking at suicide prevention events all over the U.S. (I would love to bring my inspirational story to a community near you.) Visit RecklesslyAlive.com/speaking to learn more about how to book me as a speaker. My second book is in its early stages and is slated for release in 2024.

Here is the main question of our interview. Based on your experience, what are the “5 Things You Need To Be A Successful Author or Writer”? Please share a story or example for each.

1. An Audience — Every publisher is going to ask how many email subscribers you have and how many people follow you on social media. It’s stupid. But if you want to be a successful author, it’s basically required. I had several publishers rave about my writing, only to say, “Reach out again when you’re more famous.”
2. Confidence — Anyone who is brave enough to create will be mocked and ridiculed. I suggest annual viewings of Mean Girls or the early bullying years of American Idol in preparation for a career as an author. Even if you are lucky enough to be published, there’s no guarantee your book will be loved. Write anyway. You have an important perspective the world needs to hear.
3. Grit — There is nothing sexy about sitting in a room by yourself for years with no guarantee anyone will ever care about your work. Keep going. Most people give up, but your dream is worth fighting for.
4. Companions — You will need at least one person to cry into a taco with when your book gets rejected for the twenty-seventh time. Even better if they challenge you and help you grow in your craft. The writing life can be a lonely one, but it doesn’t have to be. Pursue a few kind souls for mutual support and commiseration.
5. Consistency — Just keep writing. Write poetry or science fiction. Write stories from your childhood. Write a life-changing haiku about a depressed octopus. Whatever your little heart has to say, make time to let it out. Your voice and your message will find you.

What is the one habit you believe contributed the most to you becoming a great writer? (i.e. perseverance, discipline, play, craft study). Can you share a story or example?

The most important habit for any writer is humility. I was blessed to find an editor who both complimented my writing and ripped it to shreds. During the final stages of my manuscript, we killed off nearly 20,000 words and deleted an entire chapter. Later I was told most authors take edits of that magnitude personally. I didn’t sweat them for a minute.

(It’s worth noting that after the book’s release we resoundingly heard from people, that hadn’t read a book in years, who said they appreciated being able to read Recklessly Alive in one or two sittings.)

Which literature do you draw inspiration from? Why?

Donald Miller has been one of my favorite authors for nearly twenty years. His books taught me about rich storytelling with humor and heart. In addition, Brené Brown’s work on courage, shame and vulnerability empowered me to own my story and share my struggles with depression and suicide.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

Six years ago, I started Recklessly Alive — a movement fighting for a world with zero deaths by suicide. I learned early on that talking about suicide doesn’t make it any more likely that someone will attempt and makes it much more likely they will seek help. I want everyone to know no matter how hard life gets, everyone is worthy of a life that is fully and recklessly alive.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

I post daily encouraging messages on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook @RecklesslyAlive. My book, Recklessly Alive by Sam Eaton, can be found on Amazon. My website, RecklesslyAlive.com, also provides more information about my life and my speaking.

Thank you so much for this. This was very inspiring!