What was the very first serious piece of literature you wrote and when was that?
I’ve written some pretty serious music, songs, and some short stories. But I would have to say my first book The Web She Wove which has gotten a killer response from the book community. It’s the first time outside of music and art I’m really throwing myself out to the wolves and making myself vulnerable.
In your writing journey till date, did you experiment with a number of other genres before settling for Psychological Thrillers or it was always Psychological Thrillers from the get go?
In the past poetry was a big part of it. I’m also a musician, writing music and songs has always been a passion of mine. I’ve written some short shorties, mainly into the fantasy realms. Stuff like Final Fantasy and Legend of Dragoon from PlayStation was a huge inspiration for those styles of stories. With thrillers, for lack of better words. Life… experiences… and things you go through, change you. Instead of dwelling on the pain, let it transform you. And use that to turn something good into the world. I take my experiences and things throughout life and utilize those into my creative process. And at moments you can take some of that pent up energy and unleash it onto the pages.
You have about four books to your name so far, from the first of them to the latest, how has your style, voice and plotting evolved through the books?
Most definitely, you start to learn more, adapt more. Especially as a planner, I was doing YouTube for awhile, making content and tutorials for sculpting and drawing. Utilizing some of the processes when it comes to planning and mapping out what needs to be done. I translated that into my writing by mapping out and storyboarding. I get very hyper obsessed with things and that’s my driving force. My style has stayed consistent, I tend to put myself into my characters’ shoes and mindset so I can really portray them correctly and accurately as I can so you get that sense of realness from them, and the situations given.
In your experience with interacting with your readers, what comment or observation from them has come as a surprise to you the most? Why?
As an indie author, I honestly didn’t know what to expect, except maybe a handful of likes and few comments here and there. I had decided to just jump into the crowd head first. And the overwhelming response from the community was so welcoming and loving. Nothing like the drama infested booktok here lately. More like feeling at home with an old friend. I absolutely love it and feel truly blessed. I swear everyday someone says something that sparks even more inspiration into me.
Which aspect of your stories and characters did you most worry about it being misunderstood by readers at the time you published it?
I think for me, it would be my first book. It really puts emphasis on what goes on behind closed doors with spousal abuse (partially abused men) through manipulation and full blown narcissistic tendencies and behavior. I want to shed light on the taboo of men being abused by their partners. We live in a world where you’re judged as a man if you show weakness, so a lot of those stories are untold. And I want it to be known that they are not alone. Despite that book being a thriller, there is that deeper undertone to it.
In modern times, there is undeniably a wider and easier access to films and TV shows as a result of mostly free and low cost streaming services. Has this affected the way people read books and expectations from book? Do you think it has also forced authors to evolve the way they tell stories to compete with the entertainment value of films?
In today’s society, it’s a definite yes. Even when I was doing YouTube, people today have evolved into having that one track mind of constant stimuli, so when you think about it, the moment someone looses interest, it’s immediately “what’s next”. Instead of soaking in the details, they’re ready for the next fix. So that easily translates into books, you don’t want to be to fast paced but you don’t want to bore the reader to death. For me, I’m not a huge fan of “fluff”. A lot of authors tend to add it just to bulk the book up. I aim to draw you in and keep you there until the end.
In films, Thrillers seem to be the most popular genre based on box office sales. However, when it comes to books, thrillers don’t do as good as romance and fantasy. Is this difference in audiences preference something you have thought about and perhaps have any way to explain it?
I’ve never given it much thought because ironically, I actually prefer reading fantasy. I’m sure the way romance has collided with fantasy and drawing all the book girlies in, and catering to their “needs” for lack of better words. Has been a driving force in my opinion, And there has been a huge spike of overly done cliched romantasy books popping up left and right. In my personal experience I’ve only encountered a handful that’s strictly one sided on what they read. I think everyone just wants a great story to give them that escape from the real world. Thrillers may not do as good. But the audience that cherishes them! Are incredible.
The writing and Publishing trade has been going through a fast paced period of changes in the past decade, since you started writing and today, what have been the major changes that have affected the industry the most?
A lot of these changes are, I would think, for the good. Yes it’s super hard to get a sign on deal with a big company, but there’s so many more avenues and opportunities for authors now, it’s mind blowing. From print-on-demand and self-publishing, but one thing that does separate a lot of us, is social media. I’ve been on social media since day one on MySpace and evolving from there. Biting the bullet and trying to essentially sell Yourself to the public can be nerve racking. And it seems a lot of literary agents want to see you have a big social standing on multiple platform rather than having a good book. I don’t let it discourage me. But it is what it is.
Looking at the current state of writing and Publishing, what bothers you the most and what excites you most?
Let me go deep with this one, when it comes to bothering me the most. You learn a lot about people’s dedication to you. The dark truth to that is, strangers are more likely to support you than your closet friends. I’ve had many people claim they’d buy or read my book once it’s published… I’m on my 5th book and they’ve never touched a page. Then you got your strangers, your READERS, your fans, obsessing over your work, and that light quickly shines significantly brighter pushing those dark truths out. It’s the readers that excite me. They probably think I’m weird when I comment on their posts, because they’ll be like, “I’m excited to read this book by JD SETZER” and I’m like, “OMG I’M EXCITED FOR YOU AS WELL” seeing them get hyped up gets me hyped up.
Judging from current trends, when you look into the near future, say 5-10 year’s time, what jumps out as your greatest fears, hopes and expectations?
Good question…that’s a toughy! Fear: becoming irrelevant, or if something is trending that you’re not a fan of tanks your work because you’re just not into it. Following trends can be very tiresome and kills the passion. Hopes: I wouldn’t say, “make it big”, but in 10-15 years, I’d love to be creative full time and spend time with my kids as they grow and if they have kids I wanna spend as much time with them. Travel with my absolutely beautiful and amazing wife, and take her to all the places she dreams of. I don’t really have expectations, even currently. The community has blown away any preconceived expectations.
If you were to give a Psychological Thriller writing masterclass to newbie writers of the genre, what major personal lessons learned in your journey would you share with them?
To just start writing, even if it sucks, just write. Get those creative juices flowing. If you struggle with characters, think about your family and friends and their different types of personalities, put yourself in their shoes and roll with it. Use life experiences to your advantage, the good the bad the ugly.
Have you started thinking about your next project already? What is it going to be and when could it be ready?
I got 2 big projects in the works as we are doing this interview! I’m working on a 5th thriller book! I’m beyond excited to share it with the world. But before it’s released, I mentioned I’m an artist, right? I do it all (lol). I’m drawing a coloring book for our “psychological thriller” community. There’re tons of horror and fantasy. But I can’t find one that solely focuses on thrillers. Maybe I’m on to something —who knows!
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