For Three Authors and Their Partners, a Writing Career Offers a Chance to Show They Care

In the solitary world of indie authorship, where the journey of crafting words into stories is often a lone endeavor, the role of a supportive partner becomes immeasurably valuable. Beyond the quiet hours spent typing away at keyboards and wrestling with plot lines lies the crucial yet often unseen support system provided by spouses or partners.

This month, IAM spoke to three couples about how this support manifests in their lives and what it means to them. Whether their partners supported their work simply by being present, by managing part of the business, or as an indie author themselves, each couple shared their experience of creating a foundation from which literary dreams can soar.

Author HM Hodgson and her husband, Henry Epstein

Henry: I believe in people chasing their dreams. Heather supported me when I was a touring golf professional traveling the world chasing my dream, and now it’s her time to shine. Heather is obsessed with her work, and it’s her drive that motivates me to want to do better. Five a.m. starts, strategy sessions, writing everywhere and anywhere. I love watching her work constantly adapting and learning. My job is simple—bring the woman her coffee and watch her go to work.

Heather: Two years ago, when I wanted to quit my day job and turn my passion into a permanent career change, Henry said do it. He’s also helped with some of the best plot twists in the stories themselves. Maybe because we’re total opposites, he sees opportunities in stories that I haven’t considered. And while we have our differences, we also both love Action and Adventure movies with plenty of romance—don’t tell him that—so he gets what I’m trying to achieve with my books. Plus, he brings me coffee and writing snacks. The man’s a keeper.

Author Kat T Masen and her husband and business partner, Steve Teran

Kat: In 2021, Steve quit his full-time job to support my author career. From that moment, it was no longer my author career but our business and newly founded company, Masen Ink. With Steve on board, we grew to a seven-figure company within one year. His dedication to learning about the book world is ongoing, and now, three years later, he is head of our operations. Working together as a married couple with four children is challenging. Still, we make an effort to sit down regularly and map out goals, so we both understand what is needed to continue growing our company.

Steve: Working in a different industry proved to be challenging at the beginning. The book world is nothing like the corporate role I’d been in for over twenty years. The key to working together is to recognize each other’s strengths. I’m not one for social media and strive in operations and logistics. Kat is all social media with strong skills in marketing. She has a creative personality and is constantly pushing the boundaries with her ideas and eagerness to grow.

Authors and Spouses Ben Wolf and Charis Crowe

Ben: Charis’s primary support for me over the years has been her belief in me. She has never wavered in her belief that I could accomplish my goals, even if it didn’t happen right away. The pros of us being authors are that we both understand this business and what it takes to make headway in a challenging industry. The cons are that we sometimes have different expectations of each other when it comes to workflow, so we occasionally have to resolve conflicts along those lines.

Charis: One of the biggest ways Ben supports me is through his versatility. We've both been in the writing industry for fifteen-plus years, and during that time, Ben has worn many more writing-related-profession hats than I have: editor, publisher, author, writing coach, print broker, and salesman, just to name a few. The pros of being married to another author? He always “gets it.” I never have to explain the mechanics of whatever I'm going through. If I hit a wall with a plot, he can talk me through it. If we need to order out for dinner or change our plans because I'm on a roll writing, he understands and prioritizes my work. As for the cons—when you both work from home, the dishes pile up a lot faster.

Tanya Nellestein