How long have you been telling yourself you'll write the book someday?
For author Ray Hartjen, a multiple myeloma diagnosis changed what “someday” meant.
In this episode of Finish the Damn Book, Ray joins Susie Schaefer for a candid conversation about writing, storytelling, reinvention, and what happens when life forces you to reconsider how you're spending your time.
Ray's professional life has taken him from investment banking and pharmaceuticals to consumer electronics, SaaS software, music, marketing, and writing. What he eventually realized was that those seemingly unrelated chapters had something important in common:
He had always been a storyteller.
After his cancer diagnosis in 2019, Ray began examining more than his physical health. A simple timeline exercise made him recognize how often he had taken tomorrow, and the people and dreams attached to it, for granted.
That realization helped him answer an important question: What do I want to do with my life, and who do I want to do it with?
Part of his answer was to finally tell his own stories.
Today, Ray is the author of six published books spanning memoir, sports, business, and fiction. His cancer memoir, Me, Myself, and My Multiple Myeloma, also became an extension of his patient advocacy, allowing him to connect with people facing cancer around the world.
Ray and Susie talk about trusting your creative instincts, moving between fiction and nonfiction, the power of the words we use about ourselves, books as vehicles for impact, and why aspiring authors don't need to write thousands of words every day to make meaningful progress.
And if you're still waiting for the perfect time to write?
Ray's advice is simple:
Start.
Write the 500 words.
Finish the damn book.
And then understand that finishing your manuscript isn't really the finish line.
It's your new starting line.
Because once the book is written, the work of sharing it with the world begins.
CONNECT WITH RAY HARTJEN
Website: RayHartjen.com
Find Ray Hartjen across social media and look for The Chronic Padres on YouTube and streaming platforms.
CONNECT WITH SUSIE
Ready to stop thinking about your book and start moving it toward publication?
Visit FinishTheBookPublishing.com to learn more about working with Susie Schaefer, The Book Doula, and Finish the Book Publishing.
Finish the Damn Book Podcast helps aspiring authors, entrepreneurs, creatives, and writers finally complete the book they know they’re meant to write.
Hosted by Susie Schaefer, the podcast cuts through perfectionism, writer’s block, overwhelm, and publishing confusion with honest conversations about writing, publishing, book marketing, creativity, and the author journey.
Featuring authors, editors, ghostwriters, publishers, writing coaches, and industry professionals, each episode offers practical strategies to help writers finish, publish, and share meaningful books.
Topics include:
• Writing and revision tips
• Publishing and self-publishing guidance
• Book marketing and platform-building
• Creativity, confidence, and procrastination
• Encouragement for writers stuck in the messy middle
Many episodes close with Susie’s signature “Reflection Moment”, an intuitive conversation exploring creativity, identity, purpose, and the emotional side of becoming an author.
Whether you’re writing memoir, nonfiction, business, or personal development, Finish the Damn Book is here to help you trust your voice and finally bring your story to life.
Ready to move your book forward?
https://www.finishthebookpublishing.com/
