Born January 3, 1991, Rodney Wash is a native of Gulfport, Mississippi, and is the son of Rodney Wash and Diane Wash. Graduate from Gulfport High School in 2009 and attended the University of Southern Mississippi.
Rodney wanted to pursue a career in the media and entertainment industry, so he relocated to Atlanta, Georgia in 2014. Rodney started his media journey in 2018 as a radio personality with Kluster Media Radio Station. The title of the radio show was Lipstick and Cognac. The premises of that show focus on bridging the gap between the homosexual and heterosexual black community that involved relationship topics. The Lipstick and Cognac show was later picked up by Rollingout Magazine, and that’s where Rodney gained exposure to other cultures within the black community. Now Rodney is currently working with AIB Network on his own talk show titled “Over a Cup of Coffee with Rodney Wash”. The premises of this show is to bring insight and start conversation about exposing taboo subjects within families. Rodney now has a show called Let’s Chat w/ Rodney where he is talking with some of your favorite celebrities. Rodney offers viewers an intimate conversation on a plethora of topics. Viewers can expect discussion on several serious topics that many people can relate to with the guest that comes on Rodney’s show. Rodney is also a published author. The title of his book is “Media World Through my Eyes”.
Tell us a little bit about your background and how you ended up writing a book?
I grew up in Gulfport, Ms. with a family of 5 siblings; there was always control chaos, as my parents would say. I come from a background of talkers and avid thinkers. I’ve always been fascinated with the general how and why knowledge, and I loved watching Oprah’s style of how she interviewed people. As a child I could sit in front of the tv and watch the news for hours on top of hours.
I would have never thought I would have been an Author. Being a media personality, I had people asking me questions about how I was able to quit my day job to pursue media full time. I had always given people a very vague response because I didn’t have time to elaborate on the details. Since Covid-19 literally shut down the ENTIRE world, I found myself having nothing but time, and I was continuously getting questions from intrigued individuals about my start up in media. Therefore, I was able to get to the root of those questions and complete my book “Media World Through my Eyes.”
What do you hope your readers take away from this book?
I want my readers to be inspired; by reading my book I want them to see my examples of life experiences that with hard work and determination, they too can get their foot into some doors of opportunity. In the beginning I hit many roadblocks along my journey, but I didn’t let that sway me from turning my passion into a brand. With people being so private in the media industry, I wanted to provide a guide for a novice. To let them know that it’s ok to be unsure about how to turn your passion into a brand, but don’t ever be afraid to take that leap of faith.
What are the top three tools you are currently using to write, publish, and promote your books?
I used an app called Temi to write my book, with this app you can talk, and it will transcribe your words. This app was helpful to me because I was able to expound on what I was thinking. My book “Media World Through my Eyes” was published through Kindle direct publishing. It was an easy and simple process for a first-time author like me. I promote my book on my social media platforms. It was also helpful to have meaningful relationships with a lot of media outlets. They helped me expose my book to a larger audience. The power of networking is truly a beautiful thing.
What were the top three mistakes you made publishing your book what did you learn from it them?
I wish I wasn’t in a rush to publish my book. I have the problem of broadcasting things without properly reviewing them. I had a lot of grammatical errors that could have been corrected if I would have just waited. I wish I would have read the fine print about payment. I probably would have gone in a different direction with a publisher, waiting two months to get paid is not cool. I learned that greatness isn’t made it one day. Don’t be in a rush to release things to the public until it is flawless.
When will you consider your book a success?
I already consider my book to be successful because it went #1 on new releases on Amazon, and the feedback that I am receiving is very rewarding. My book is helping people turn their dreams into reality. My success is people leaving corporate America to pursue their passion full time.
The first battle is getting started in knowing that it can be done. Now, here are some helpful tips that helped me.
- Talk to authors who have published books.
- Know your subject matter, and the audience you want to capture.
- Schedule daily time to write your book.
- Remember Rome wasn’t built in a day, pace yourself.
- Having an accountability partner is important, to help keep you on track.
- Research publishers around your book content
- Create a marketing plan
- Allow friends and family to read and critique as you write.
- Everyone isn’t going to love your book, no matter how great you think it is.
What is the one thing you wish you knew before publishing your first book?
One thing I wish I knew before I published my book is that my words are my words. Don’t let anyone else make you feel otherwise. You are the author of your book.
Some things that have helped me with promoting my book are; utilizing the people that I already have relationships within the media industry, having an established fan base, networking and obtaining resources with people who are accomplished authors, and promoting my book when given the opportunity.
If you had the chance to start your career over again what would you do differently?
I would network more with people in the industry sooner. I let the fear of rejection hold me back from many opportunities.
- Amazon has an official welcome to writing workshop
- Gotham writer’s workshop (www.writingclasses.com)
- reedsy.com offers free publishing courses for new writers
Who should we interview next and why?
Author Anna Nyakana because she is writing about the importance of diversity in schools for children. Anna is pushing her book to be apart of every school curriculum.
How can we get in touch with you?
You can visit my website Rodney Wash, phone:678-462-6263, also email me: rodneywash@amrodneywash.com. – my book available on Amazon.
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