- When did you first call yourself a writer?
I had started writing more seriously when I was promoting Ted (WWE’s Million Dollar Man), at first writing for magazines that had a readership but lacked writers to cover the story. It wasn’t until a few magazines later that I came across a magazine whose editor Ken Ramstead (formerly of Reader’s Digest) gave me a shot. He was more demanding, but I knew he held a wealth of knowledge and experience that could help me to grow into being a writer. So when the story came out and it was the cover, I would say that was when I began to call myself a writer.
- Your new book seems to be a departure from what you had previously written. What inspired the idea for your upcoming book “Hate”?
Hate (working title) came about when I was listening to the radio and I heard that Dolores O’Riordan of The Cranberries had passed. My heart sank. Approximately a few months or so prior Chester Bennington of Linkin Park had died. And just a couple months before Chester, Chris Cornell of Soundgarden died. Personally I feel that the book began as a way to work out my feelings about death, suicide and depression.
- What is a significant way your book has changed since the first draft?
Originally the book was written in third person, I ended up changing the view to first person to give a more personal feel, as though talking directly to the reader.
- What comes first for you — the plot or the characters — and why?
I tend to write the two together as I feel like I’m watching a movie in my head and I am just really trying not to miss anything as I type.
- When you’re writing an emotional or difficult scene, how do you set the mood?
Ah man, this book! So…ya… being this it was touching on topics like suicide, blame and deceit I had to go to a dark place so I tried what actors call method acting.
- What has helped or hindered you most when writing a book?
Method acting both helped and hindered the process, perhaps more so hindered. It was hard, I initially started the book maybe around 2018 and as I said I had to go to a dark place to bring about a scene. I was in the middle of writing it when Covid hit and my wife was stuck overseas. That really messed me up for a bit, as I was now confronted in real time with what I had been writing about. Smh, that was hard, lol needless to say I have more content now lol.
- What do you think makes a good story?
I think that is subjective, but personally it’s really how the story relates to the reader. I like honest raw emotions.
- What do you need in your writing space to help you stay focused?
You know I am so blessed, I have the support of my wife and really nothing means more than that, she has encouraged me when I’ve felt like giving up, she’s listened to me when I’ve had to work out harsh criticism. That support is everything!
- How do you celebrate when you finish your book?
I know this sounds dorky, but I love to sit on a La-Z-Boy and flip though the finished project, there’s just something about having it done and looking at it that does it for me. No fancy Champagne needed, just me, a La-Z-Boy and my book. 🙂
- If you could spend a day with another popular author, whom would you choose?
Ah how I wished I could have met Robert Evans. I know he is more known as a film producer than a writer, sure, but he wrote a powerful memoir to his son that was later published and made into a movie. And man, I would love to pick that man’s brain!
Official Website: https://www.williamjbruceiii.com
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/williamjbruceiii
Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/William-J.-Bruce-III/author/B00I2W4JKU
Penholder: https://www.amazon.com/Penholder-William-J-Bruce-III/dp/0981318312/
Demons: 150th Anniversary Edition (Introduction): https://www.amazon.com/Demons-150th-Anniversary-Fyodor-Dostoevsky/dp/198839905X/