M. David Hornbuckle
Age:42
Birmingham, AL
Masters in Creative Writing from the University of Alabama-Birmingham
The Writer
How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. I was always a romantic, and I think I figured out by first grade that writing things for girls was a good way to impress them.
Do you have a specific writing style?
I usually categorize my general style as post-modern Southern Gothic, though I also write in other modes. The story I have in Crack the Spine is something a little different from my usual modus operandi. More on that below…
Do you write full-time?
I have made a living as a writer for almost 20 years, although the bulk of my income has come from non-creative writing. I do freelance editorial work, journalism, and business writing consultation. However, for the past couple of years, I’ve been transitioning out of that corporate work and transitioning into teaching.
The Work
Tell us about your work in Crack the Spine.
My work in Crack the Spine is a flash fiction piece called “Scrapple.” To describe it briefly would be essentially to tell the whole story.
What inspired this work?
It was inspired by my work as an adjunct English instructor and playing Scrabble online with some of my colleagues. I’ll leave it at that.
How long did it take you to complete this piece?
My initial draft took about 5 minutes. It just sort of spilled out one day. But I kept coming back to it over the course of 2-3 months and revising it a little bit at a time in between working on other pieces. It would be impossible to count the number of hours I spent on it overall, but it was probably somewhere around one.
Tell us about another project you have published or are currently working on.
I have a novel called “Zen, Mississippi,” which you can buy online from many reputable online booksellers. I also have a collection of short stories you can find in most of the same places. Currently, I am working on a novel called “The Fireball Brothers,” and that’s all I will say about it publicly at this time.
The Methods
How often do you write?
I write daily in some capacity or another. That doesn’t always mean working on my novel or other creative writing projects. Currently, I am spending the majority of my writing time on more academic projects.
What time of day or night makes you most productive as a writer?
Surprisingly to me, after being something of a night owl most of my life, I seem to be most productive in the mornings. But I will write whenever I can fit it in.
What are your thoughts on self-publishing vs. traditional publishing?
I’ll go ahead and say it… I have self-published some things, and I have had some things published through more traditional channels. My feelings about it are complex. I think self-publishing gets a bad rap. It shouldn’t have the stigma it has, but the reality is that there is a stigma. So I advise people to be cautious about self-publishing if they have ambitions to break into traditional publishing at a later time. Unfortunately, it can hold you back. I have experienced that first-hand. However, if you just want to get something out there, and it may be your only book—or if you are content self-publishing everything you write—many people have found success by going that route.
How do you react to editorial rejections of your work?
I am always disappointed, it’s a fact of life that if you decide to be a writer, you will be rejected far more often than not. So I recover quickly and get back to writing. I will probably resist sending the rejected piece to anybody else until I’ve taken a crack at revising it.
How do you react when one of your submissions is accepted for publication?
With cheers and whiskey.
What is your best piece of advice on how to stay sane as a writer?
Ha.
The Madness
What is the greatest occupational hazard for a writer?
Paper cuts? I bet everybody starts with that joke, and most think better of it, but I’ll leave it in. In all seriousness, I would say it is the loneliness.
Who would play you in the film of your life?
I would like to say Ethan Hawke or Johnny Depp, but it would probably end up being Zach Galafianakas.
How many of your character have you ended up killing off?
Oh, so many. There are a lot of burials around my work desk.
Beer or Wine?
I’ll have a Manhattan, thanks.
The Beatles or The Rolling Stones?
Beatles
Shakespeare or Tennessee Williams?
Tennessee Williams
Additional Reading
Personal website/blog: www.mdavidhornbuckle.com
Always choose Tennessee Williams. 🙂