Interview with James D. Best [jimbest] on Whohub

James D. Best [jimbest]

WRITING

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

The first thing I remember reading was the back of cereal boxes when I was in elementary school. I especially liked Nabisco Shredded Wheat boxes. Cool stuff for a ten year old.

The first stories I wrote were in high school English class. My teacher was not impressed. The first novel I attempted was so bad, I wrote non-fiction for many years: journal articles and magazine columns. My first book was also technical non-fiction. It took time for me to get up the nerve to try fiction again. Now, that's all I want to write. I love storytelling.

The first to read my first writing was Diane, my wife. And she is still the first to read anything I write.

You can find a complete list of my publications at:
http://www.jamesdbest.com/

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?

I write historical fiction. Since my best selling books are Westerns, many probably think my favorite genre is Westerns. I see it different. To me, historical fiction is telling a story that took place in the past. I imbed nineteenth century history in my Westerns, but the stories are nonetheless fiction.

My published novels include:

The Shopkeeper
Leadville
The Shut Mouth Society

coming soon: Tempest at Dawn (A novelization of the Constitutional Convention)

You can read portions of my novels with Google Preview or go to one of my websites.

http://www.jamesdbest.com/
http://www.stevedancy.com/

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

I can write at any time, in any place, and for any length of time. I've written in noisy restaurants, with babies crying, and in rattling trains. I've written for as short as two minutes and for as long as ten hours. Basically, I write whenever there is nothing else I must do.

My sense is that you either love to write (and revise) or you should try another creative endeavor. Successful writers write because there's nothing else they'd rather do. How many rich writers quit writing after they reach retirement age? They don't need more money, but they can't quit writing because they love what they do.

What type of reading inspires you to write?

Writing inspires me to write. But I do read a serious book on writing about every three months. These books inspire me to improve my skills.

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

I wish I remembered where I read or heard this, but it's the best description I've encountered on storytelling.

In the first fifth of the story, you get the hero or heroine up a tree.

For the next three-fifths, you throw rocks at the hero or heroine.

In the final fifth, you get the hero or heroine down from the tree.

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

I've written in both. In fact, I've written the first chapters of books in both first person and third person to see which felt right for the story.

Are you equally good at telling stories orally?

Nope. Lousy.

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

"Your voice" is not something you find. It 's especially illusive if you search for it. Tell a good story, and then tell it better and better until it compels the reader to keep going. If you achieve this goal, you'll have found your voice.

If your primary or sole goal is to find "your voice", then you may become a technically good writer, but few people will read what you write.

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

I write on a computer. My first revision is also on a computer. When I think I got it right, I print it out and invariably discover that I was wrong. There's something different about seeing a manuscript on paper.

What are you working on now?

I'm working on four books at the moment. Actually, I'm doing a final revision on one, researching two, and outlining a non-fiction book that I agreed to write with a friend. (My research is primarily reading historical non-fiction on my Kindle.)

My next novel is Tempest at Dawn. This is a dramatization of the 1787 Federal Convention in Philadelphia. Today we call this the Constitutional Convention. I probably have another month of revisions ahead of me, but I like polishing a manuscript. It's kinda like shinning up the nooks and crannies in a restored antique car. There's always more to do, but each spot you rub out makes you feel better about your work.