James Watts Interview
- Angel Ramon
- Jan 5, 2018
- 4 min read
James Watts has stopped into the Hybrid Nation for an interview, I’m sure our fans would like to get to know this upcoming novelist a lot better. He currently lives in Alabama. He also likes plenty of other things besides writing. He is an upcoming Horror writer trying to get his footing in the industry and we wish him all the luck in the world. Anyway let’s quit the small talk, hehehe. James Watts, welcome and let’s get this interview started!
1. When did you decide to become an author/writer?
I was around 11 or 12. I had been reading Hardy Boys Mystery novels for a few years until I stumbled across Stephen King's THE STAND. It was at that moment I realized what I wanted to be.
2. Why did you decide to become an author/writer? I was the youngest of five children, the nearest to me in age was my youngest sister with a ten year gap between us. All my older siblings left the nest and I was the only one living at home. That combined with living in the woods gave rise to a very healthy imagination. I read everything from comic books to novels and one day after a reading Mr. King's work I decided to become a writer and tell my own stories.
3. What genres do you plan to write for the future or will it be mostly horror? Horror/Fantasy/ Science Fiction
4. Besides writing what else do you like to do and what are your hobbies? I like the outdors. I like to go camping or fishing. I love watching movies, playing video games, woodworking, bowling, and playing on the Trombone when I find time.
5. Who’s your biggest inspiration for your writing? As a child it was Stephen King as his work inspired me to push forward. As an adult it is my son, Bailey, as he is my drive in everything I do.
6. How much time do you dedicate to writing your books? I try to do a couple of hours a day. However, the odd way my job schedules me makes it difficult sometimes.
7. How important do you think writing is to the young generation? Very important. Writing has always been a great way to express yourself or to just escape the trivialities of the world. As with reading, writing is place to relax your mind and get away from the clutter brought forth from reality. For those writing non-fiction, writing becomes a tool to voice your concerns or to share with the world information of importance.
8. How excited were you when you finally publish your first book? Extremely. After all these years that have passed me by, I was finally getting to see my work in print. It was one those moments where it became hard to sit still. I had even considered calling off from work that day just to email all my friends and relatives to give them the news. Then my stomach growled at me and reminded me to go to work. But even that day at work it was near impossible to contain.
9. What is the easiest part of writing in your opinion? First draft. Developing the characters and settings. This is also the fun portion of writing.
10. What is the hardest part of writing in your opinion? The final edits before I submit the book. Going over every word searching for errors, plot holes, and any other inconsistency. A very important and needed step, this can be annoying when you are excited and ready to get the book in the hands of your publisher.
11. What is your favorite and least favorite part of writing? Having to trim the fat. I hate to watch a piece of my story, which I thought was brilliant when writing it, get removed because either my editor or myself found it not so brilliant.
12. What can we expect from you next in the short term? I have two horror novels in the works and I plan to finish a sci-fi/fantasy in the near future with hopes on submitting to TOR books.
13. How do you deal with writers block? At first, I just close my eyes and kick up the music. If that does not help I just walk away from the story for a bit to gather my thoughts and come back to it the next day with a fresher mind.
14. How much more do you prefer writing short stories over an actual novel?I prefer longer works as I have an issue stopping short. My stories tend to want to be larger. However, I do plan to work my short story game.
15. What video games do you like playing and what are your favorite books? I love Rpgs, survival horror(Loved the Last of Us), any open world environment with a great story, and old school classic NES and SNES games. One of my favorite modern games is Fallout.
16. If you like to say anything else such as advice, shoutouts, or just whatever’s in your mind say it now. The stage is yours! As far as advice goes, I am still getting my feet wet so I cannot offer much advice other than to write not for money and fame but for the love of your craft. Write as much as possible, read as much as possible, and polish your skills. And have fun with it!
Well that’s a wrap ladies and gentleman. It was nice talking to this brilliant and kind-hearted man. James Watts it was an honor talking to you and once again congrats on your upcoming books and achievements, that is certainty an honor to be proud of! I wish you the best on your future endeavors and may your success continue for years to come.
If you enjoyed this interview leave a comment on our Facebook page “The Hybrid Nation” or drop us an email on our Contact Us page.
Hybrid Nation Website: http://www.hybridnationrevolution.com/contact-us
He is the admin of a cool horror group called, Realms of the Damned Horror Society. It’s a great place for horror lovers and writers. There’s not enough horror groups on Facebook, so check it out if horror is your cup of tea!
Social Links:
Realms of the Damned Horror Society: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Realmsofthedamned/
