Interview with Clayton Clifford Bye [claytonbye] on Whohub

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What did you first read? How did you begin to write? Who were the first to read what you wrote?

I grew up reading The Hardy Boys and The Wizard of Oz series. Then I found my uncle's stash of 1950's and 1960's space operas and sci-fi books; there were garbage bags full of them in the loft above my grandfather's garage.

It was during this period that I tried writing. No luck. I tried again in my early 20's. Same thing. I didn't actually begin writing until I was 32, and it was the hardest thing I ever did. I had to force myself to do it every day.

The first people to read what I wrote were toastmasters - and they actually heard it in speech form. They ganged up on me and told me I should write a book. I listened to them. Wasn't sci-fi that I wrote, though: it was a self-help book.

What is your favorite genre? Can you provide a link to a site where we can read some of your work or learn something about it?

Well, I'd have to say my favourite genre to read is horror, but that's not what I've spent most of my time writing. I think I was intimidated by guys like Stephen King and Robert McCammon. In fact, I didn't write any fiction until I reread my favourite book, The Man in the Tree by Damon Knight. His story inspired my first novel, The Sorcerer's Key. Excerpt...

http://www.claytonbye.com/modules.php?name=Sorcerers_Key&o (...)

The book is classified as fantasy, but there are elements of horror to be found within the covers. The sequel, which is being written now, is just as much horror as it is fantasy. The proof? The following link will take you to a short story which will become the first chapter in that book...

http://www.claytonbye.com/modules.php?name=Short_Stories (...)

What is your creative process like? What happens before sitting down to write?

I really identify with Stephen King's description of story as a fossil you remove from the earth. Sometimes great chunks of a story are unearthed. Other times you must chip at and brush away the smallest pieces of dirt and stone just to get a glimpse of what might be lurking beneath the surface.

Straight talk? My life has been so busy, I've taught myself to sit down at my computer and type whenever the opportunity presents itself. What comes to me comes to me. Sometimes it comes fast; sometimes it comes slow. But it always comes. I don't have a problem with writer's block.

What type of reading inspires you to write?

Good writing. The kind of stuff that draws you in and makes you forget where you are. Characters you can believe are real. Scenery you can touch and see and smell. Plots that really run! Themes designed to make you bleed or soar or that scare the hell out of you. Get the picture?

What do you think are the basic ingredients of a story?

I believe in structure, something to hang your hat on, so to speak. If you've got plot (I tend to think in terms of related scenes), a place to begin, some terrible trouble with which to confound your characters and an ending to work toward, the rest will take care of itself. I rarely worry about theme; it comes from who I am as a person and writer.

Do you know what's strange? This works for non-fiction just as well as it does for fiction.

What voice do you find most to your liking: first person or third person?

First person. If it's non-fiction, I talk. If it's fiction, my characters talk. Although, I've been known to switch point-of-view for example, when a character is in danger of dying, just to ease up on the reader and to allow for better exposition.

Yeah, I know. Shame on me. But in 15 years of writing, no one has complained.

What well known writers do you admire most?

I already mentioned three (Damon Knight, Stephen King and Robert McCammon). Here's a very small and partial list of others: Ray Bradbury, Peter Straub, Clive Barker, John Sanford, James Burke, Robert Parker, Joy Fielding, Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, L. Ron Hubbard, Ayn Rand, Horatio Alger, Marcus Aurelius, Richard Bach, Louis L'Amour, Taylor Caldwell, Robert Frost...

What is required for a character to be believable? How do you create yours?

He or she has to be consistent or true to who they are (flaws and all).

Example:

My protaganist/hero in The Sorcerer's Key, Jack Lightfoot, has a tendency to swear when he gets flustered. I didn't intend for this to be the case. It's just who he is.

This caused me a lot of grief. The novel was (and is) very popular with teenagers (even though it was written for adults). When it came time to do a second run, I was asked by a number of people if I would remove the foul language. Couldn't do it. That's not who Jack is.

Are you equally good at telling stories orally?

Deep down inside, who do you write for?

Is writing a form of personal therapy? Are internal conflicts a creative force?

5 out of 7 of my books are, in some form, self-help. What do you think?

Does reader feed-back help you?

With respect to writing, rarely. I believe ideas are fragile things. No one gets to see my work until it's at a point where feedback isn't going to fundamentally change anything.

On a motivational level, yes; both criticism and kudos get me going.

Do you participate in competitions? Have you received any awards?

Do you share rough drafts of your writings with someone whose opinion you trust?

Only my current fantasy novel. My oldest son enjoyed the first one so much, he hasn't been able to wait for the finished product.

Do you believe you have already found "your voice" or is that something one is always searching for?

My writing has always been in my "voice." I find it's something that grows as I do.

What discipline do you impose on yourself regarding schedules, goals, etc.?

For most of my writing career, I wrote for a minimum of 1 hour per day, no matter what. Recently that has changed. I have moderate to severe Rheumatoid Arthritis and I'm Bipolar. My primary doctor tells me to consider myself retired (I'm 47). There are days I can't get out of bed, let alone write. 15 minutes of writing a day is all that I can manage with any kind of consistency.

What do you surround yourself with in your work area in order to help your concentrate?

I've trained myself so that if my computer is in front of me I'm doing something that's related to the business of writing. It doesn't really matter where I am.

Music used to be a great help. But now that I've lost much of my short-term memory, it tends to distract.

Do you write on a computer? Do you print frequently? Do you correct on paper? What is your process?

Everything is done on the computer until I can't find anything else to fix. Then I print out out hard copy and start editing all over again.

What sites do you frequent on-line to share experiences or information?

What has been your experience with publishers?

None. I've been an Independent Author since the beginning (1994).

What are you working on now?

I'm spending most of my time on two things:
1. A North American email campaign
2. Increasing my internet presence through networking and online bookstores

And, as mentioned, I try to spend at least 15 minutes a day writing. The projects? Book reviews, poetry, short stories and a sequel to The Sorcerer's Key, called TechnoMage.

What do you recommend I do with all those things I wrote years ago but have never been able to bring myself to show anyone?

Go back to them every once in awhile. You never know when an idea will strike you. An example? I wrote a two stanza poem when I was about 20. I just resurrected it, added 3 more stanzas and published it on my website.

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