Seven Story Publishing

Written Author Interview

Tell me about yourself. What do you like to do outside of writing. What is a day in the life like for you?

I hate to report that my day to day is fairly boring. I write full-time so I go to work like everyone else. I do art and acting and those happen around writing. I’m also caretaker for my dad so I spend a lot of time with him, so my workday starts around 2 or 3 in the afternoon, after we’ve had lunch and whatever else needs doing that day. I don’t get out much unless it’s for a convention or event. I do like to read and watch TV/movies when I can. That’s usually how I wind down my nights before bed. The days are pretty routine.

What inspired your first novel? What was the thing that got you into writing in the first place?

I really wanted to see if I could do it. I was writing comic book scripts and the idea of writing a novel was intriguing. My first attempt was sci-fi adventure as I am a fan of the genre. My first attempt was not great, but I finished it and that prompted me to try again. My second novel went more in the suspense/thriller direction, another genre I love. This time, it turned out better than the first attempt. Eventually, I sold the manuscript. It became Evil Ways, my first published novel. It took around six years to find a publisher. Not a great experience there, unfortunately, but I had a published book in hand and that helped break the ice when talking to other publishers. I used it as my resume.

My dream as a kid was to be a comic book artist. Turns out my skills in that department are lacking. I started writing to have things to draw. Then, other artists started asking me to write scripts for them. A friend of mine gave me some advice that really helped set me on my course. He suggested that if I focused on either the writing or art, I would get better. At the time, I wasn’t giving either the time or attention they deserved. He might have suggested writing was the way to go. I don’t recall that part as clear. It was tough love and, thankfully, I was in the right headspace to hear it that day. And he was right. Focusing on the writing improved my work and a couple of years later, I got my first comic scripting gig.

How do you come up with characters? Are they spontaneous or meticulously planned?

They start out pretty spontaneous. I like to do a little free writing when creating a new character. It’s almost like an interview. I get to know them well enough to write them. Then, as the story unfolds, they continue to reveal things to me. It’s like peeling an onion. I continue to learn things about my characters years later.

This method works for characters and story. I have plots, but they are loose enough to allow the characters to lead me into interesting places I might not have been consciously planning. I’ve had some wonderful moments come out of that spontaneity. Like I always tell people, my characters are smarter than me.

What are some of your favorite genres to read? Are there any books you’d recommend to first time readers or people looking for something new?

I love crime thrillers, murder, mystery, suspense, and action. I also read sci-fi, media tie-ins, horror, and whatever strikes my fancy on any given day.

I am a fan of the Michael Connelly books. Harry Bosch, The Lincoln Lawyer, Renee Ballard, all good stuff. Alex kava’s Maggie O’Dell and Ryder Creed thrillers are good reads. Van Allen Plexico’s two heist books, Vegas Heist and Miami Heist are must reads. Lori B. Duff just released her first thriller, Devil’s Defense, which I really enjoyed.

What’s the most difficult thing about being a writer?

There never seem to be enough hours in the day. The writing part is actually pretty easy, but writing is just a small part of the job of being a writer. I spend time on admin work, writing press releases, updating websites, contacting cons and stores, doing events, promotion, marketing, interviews, setting up podcast appearances, designing and purchasing items for events. It’s a lot and sometimes it’s hard to schedule so everything that needs to be accomplished actually gets accomplished. Finding an audience can also be difficult. There are a lot of options for readers out there. I have to find ways to make my books stand out.

What is your process to completing a novel from outline to final product?

First, I skip the outline. I can’t outline. I’ve tried. It just doesn’t work for me. If I write an outline, I find it hinders my writing the story because I feel like I’ve already told this story so my brain is ready to move on. I start with a loose plot. I know there are plot points or things that need to happen in the story. I call them signposts. I point my main character(s) toward the first signpost then follow them to see how they get me there. That’s why knowing the characters is so important for me.

After the first draft is completed, I give it a second pass, making changes as I go along until I’m satisfied (or I’m on top of the deadline). From there, it goes to an editor. Publishers provide their own. For books I release myself, I have freelance editors to help. Then, once those notes come back, it gets another pass just to make sure I haven’t missed anything. Then, the book goes into production. Publishers handle this. On the books I release, I handle it. Back cover copy is written. Cover is created. Book is sent to press. I start promotion before the book is released, working to build some buzz or interest. When the book is out, I kick the promotion up a bit, write and send out press releases, do podcasts, interviews, etc. Meanwhile, while doing all this, I’m working on writing my next book. Writing is juggling.

What’s the most unhinged thing you’ve written in your novel? Don’t worry, we don’t judge here.

Writing crime stories often means gruesome murders. I try not to be too gory, but murder is an ugly business and I try to reflect that. There was a short story that was rejected once for being too dark. Odd, considering it was a hard horror type book. Part of me took a little pride in that. I was just trying to give them what they asked for so… I like to write rough scenes in a way that lets the reader fill in part of it themselves, which often makes horrific scenes even more so because of the reader’s imagination.

What’s one thing about being a writer that absolutely drives you up the wall?

Writing is a lot of work for very little return on investment most of the time. You don’t do this job for the money. It’s also a job that gets little respect. I meet people often who put it down because they think anyone can write. I know how to write sentences so I can write a novel. How hard can it be? Or the phrase “your little stories” pops up. And the advice. “Just have Netflix make a movie out of your novel” is one I hear a lot that makes me laugh. I pretty much know bad advice is coming when it starts with “Just…” “Just sell more books” is another old favorite I hear from time to time.

What does being a successful writer look like for you? What type of life do you want to live as a writer?

I would love to make a decent living as a writer. I’m not quite there yet. It’s a very feast or famine career. It’s a career I love. I feel very fortunate to be able to do what I do. Writing has allowed me to travel, to meet interesting people, and make up stories. I’ve made many lifelong friends of people I’ve met because of writing. All of that is success.

That said, I think of success as a sliding scale. When I started out, getting published was a sign of success. When that happened, the definition of success changed. Getting published a second time. Getting fan mail. Winning an award. Being invited as a guest to conventions and conferences. One of my future success goals is to see the words “New York Times Bestselling Author” in front of my name. If and when that happens, success will slide further out.

Describe your writing journey. If you had to write a story centered around it, do you think you could pull it off?

I wish I could say my life story was worthy of being written, but it’s mainly a lot of hard work, long hours spent alone in front of a typewriter, then a word processor, then a computer, laptop, tablet, and lots of frustration, rejection, and yes, a lot of fun. I love what I do, but I there’s a reason reality shows aren’t focused on watching writers go about their day. I sit at the desk for long stretches of my day.

I love my job. That can’t be understated. I feel lucky to get to do what I do and I hope to be able to do it for many more years to come.

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About

Bobby Nash is an award-winning author, artist, and occasional actor. He writes novels, comic books & graphic novels, novellas, short stories, audio scripts, screenplays, and more. Bobby is a member of the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers, International Thriller Writers, and Southeastern Writers Association. From time to time, he appears in movies and TV shows, usually standing behind your favorite actor. Sometimes they let him speak. Scary, we know.

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Website: http://www.bobbynash.com

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