James Wade

How did you become a writer?

It was probably a clustering of things. I like to read, to listen to and tell stories, and I grew up around a lot of characters in East Texas. I have an ego, all writers do-- how else would we convince ourselves that someone needs to read what we have to say? There's also so much pain and poetry in the world, I can't help but be affected by it. And at the end of the day, like many Americans, I have terrible health insurance and writing is cheaper than therapy. 

Name your writing influences (writers, books, teachers, etc.).

I believe Cormac McCarthy is the greatest writer to ever live, and I don't think the race is very close. I also love Flannery O'Connor, Walt Whitman, Larry McMurtry, William Faulkner, and Thomas Wolfe. I'm influenced a great deal by nature, as well as by textbooks on philosophy, geology, and astronomy. 

When and where do you write?

I have a home office with a desk by the window. I write best in the mornings, before the day has beaten me down. I also write at the dinette in my travel trailer, when my wife and I are on the road as we often are. The routine is pretty simple: coffee, read a few paragraphs from a writer I admire, then dive into the work. I equate reading good prose before writing to a musician tapping their foot before beginning to play. Reading is an excellent way to get "in rhythm" when you sit down to write. 

What are you working on now?

I just finished the third novel in my three-book deal with Blackstone Publishing, so right now I'm weighing a handful of different ideas before beginning novel number four. 

Have you ever suffered from writer’s block?

I haven't suffered from writer's block, but certainly I've faced writer's indecision on several occasions. A novel takes months, or even years, to write-- so, I get a little apprehensive when it comes time to start a new project. I want to be sure I choose a story and subject that keep me interested. If you get bored writing something, the reader will likely be bored reading it. 

What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever received?

Joe Lansdale, a fellow East Texas writer, told me to write every day. I believe his exact words were, "put your ass in the chair." That philosophy works well for me, because I respond better to routine. Stephen Graham Jones once said in an interview that he tries to read so much fiction that he has no choice but to vomit it up. I abide by that principle as well.

What’s your advice to new writers?

Try to make a habit out of writing. Waiting on inspiration or waiting for perfection are two things that can kill the desire to write. Write as much as you can, especially on days when you don't feel like it. You may find that forcing yourself to write on a "bad" day will result in good writing. If not, at least you flexed your self-discipline muscles. You have to self-motivate. You also have to have thick skin. You'll get rejected. You'll doubt yourself. That's okay. Cut yourself some slack. Be kind to yourself and be kind to everyone else you meet in this industry. You never know when you'll need someone's help, or when your support might make the difference in someone else's career. 
Bio: 

James Wade lives and writes in Austin, Texas, with his wife and daughter. He is the author of the novel, All Things Left Wild, as well as numerous short stories. He is a winner of the Writers’ League of Texas Manuscript Contest, and a finalist of the Tethered by Letters Short Fiction Contest. Before his fiction career, James spent time as a journalist, water conservation lobbyist, and a legislative director at the Texas State Capitol.