Member Spotlight: William Hazelgrove

Why is writing important to you and why do you think it’s an important medium for the world?
In my case I want to get the story out to people to let them know that what we are going through people have dealt with before, and through the writing of history (narrative nonfiction) I think we can take comfort in that we are not alone in our fears, desires, hopes and dreams.

What are your tried and tested remedies to cure writer’s block?
Honestly, I have never had it. But if I did I would just sit down and write anything and see where that would lead me.

What is your favorite time to write?
Well I write in two sessions. One in the morning which is a little bit harder sometimes (after many cups of coffee). Then I usually work out over lunch and the afternoon is usually better, smoother, more fluid. So I would say afternoon.

What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received and would like to impart to other writers?
Put yourself in the story and write from emotion. That is really F. Scott Fitzgerald’s advice. Write from emotion. Plot leaves the story dull and uninteresting but emotion grabs us and makes us want to keep reading.

What excites you most about being a writer in today’s age?
I think the many different mediums: audible, ebook, blogs, paperback, hardcovers, movies. There are so many outlets for the written word now. And people are still reading and still buying hardcovers which is the way all my books come out. You have to work it of course but I think that is the way it has always been.

William Hazelgrove’s Henry Knox’s Noble Train is out now with Prometheus Books.