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David Hough

David Hough was born in Cornwall and grew up in the Georgian City of Bath. He spent forty years working as an air traffic controller in Northern Ireland, Scotland and England before retiring early in 2003 and becoming a writer.

David has written over 30 novels and enjoys writing "a rattling good yarn with a dose of hard grit".

He now lives with his wife in Dorset, on the south coast of England.

Website: www.thenovelsofdavidhough.com
Blog: www.acloudofbooks.blogspot.co.uk

Novels

Aviation thrillers
(Danger in the Sky series)
Prestwick
Heathrow 
Dead Reckoning

Non-fiction

What readers say about David

"Mr. Hough is an immensely gifted writer with a unique voice and he never disappoints. If you want compelling action, riveting dialogue, and characters you will remember long after you've closed the book, I highly recommend anything by this unforgettable author." Katherine Smith, an award winning writer

"If you enjoy a book that rattles along with no boring bits in the middle then the author has plenty of stories in a wide variety of genres for your delectation." Janet Dickson, Amazon

Author interview


How did you become a writer?

I have been a writer for as long as I can remember. I recall my secondary school English teacher asking the class to write a half page story as homework. My pals would write half a page and stop. I would write at least six pages. The big step forward was in becoming a published writer and that came much later in life.

My first two novels were romances, written purely as an exercise in learning how to write commercial fiction. Shortly before my fortieth birthday I had a heart attack and I subsequently began to reassess what I wanted to do with my life. Being a writer came top of the list.

When I retired from Air Traffic Control I set myself the task of writing a full-length gritty novel. The outcome was a story called A Tangle of Roots. It is now re-issued by Cloudberry as The Long Road to Sunrise.


What is the best thing about being a writer? And the worst?

The best thing about it is being my own boss. I write what I want to write, when I feel like it. In short, I run my writing day my way, with no one to tell me what to do next.

The worst thing about it is… you know, I honestly can’t think of anything bad about being a writer. I enjoy what I do and I get great pleasure out of seeing my work in print.


How long does it take for you to write a book?

It depends upon the book. I once wrote a "quickie" novel for an American publisher in one month. That was most unusual.

Most of my books take around six months of actual writing work. However, the full time from start to finish will be longer because I usually have several novels in progress at one time. If a story goes stale on me I put it aside and work on another. By the time I get back to the stale one I will have worked out how to make it fresh.

I rely on my bank of work-in-progress manuscripts to ensure I am always enjoying my writing. I never have to worry about the so-called writer’s block.


Which do you find more challenging: the process of creating a story or editing?

It is said that writing a novel is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.

I have no trouble picking up basic ideas for a novel: the 1%. The ideas are all around us just waiting to be used. The time, effort and sweat lies in the writing and editing process.

Once I have completed the first draft, I aim to edit my stories three or four times before I even think about sending them to a publisher. Even then, they are not perfect and they demand more editing before they appear in print.

If I had to make a rough estimate, I would say that my working time breaks down into: 1% getting the basic inspiration, 9% drafting out a viable plot, 45% writing the first complete draft and 45% editing before sending the manuscript to a publisher.


What is your writing day like?

I begin the thought process before I get out of bed. I like a cup of tea and time to think about my current project before I get dressed.

Once I open up my computer I know exactly how that day’s first paragraph will work. I also know roughly how the next part of the story will work. That gets me on the roll and from then on I keep writing until I need my second cup of tea.

I use that opportunity to take a break, open my newspaper and complete the cryptic crossword. Maybe one day I’ll get around to reading the news. With the crossword complete, I go back to the computer and continue writing.

I never ever sit at the computer wondering what to write. That would be time utterly wasted. If the current project starts to go cold, I put it aside and work on another.


What kinds of books do you read yourself?

I enjoy reading a fairly wide range of books. I have read almost all of Bernard Cornwell’s historical stories, including the entire Sharpe series.

I enjoy books by modern novelists like Nicci French as well as older novelists like Nevil Shute. I reckon I can learn something from all of them.


What’s your favourite book of all times ?

The Chrysalids by John Wyndham. I first read it when I was a teenager living in Bath. I have re-read it numerous times since and it always appeals to me. The story is post-apocalypse fantasy and I am not too keen on fantasy novels… except for this one. I won’t spoil it for you by telling you about the story, but I will say that it has a very important message for the 21st century world and the problems we face.


What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Once a week I spend a day walking in the Dorset countryside with a group of friends. It’s good for my health as well as my mind. Because some of my stories are set in this part of Dorset, I can see those places again and again, and take time to assimilate the country atmosphere.

Three of my stories are linked to a fictitious village I called Hampton Warlock. While I was writing those books, our walks took us through the real village it is based upon. I always took my camera with me. At home, I uploaded the images onto my computer and I kept them in a file close to the manuscript.  Describing the village became that much easier.


What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

If you want to be a writer, knuckle down and write.

Too often I’ve heard people say, "I’m going to write a book one day." But they never do. "I’ll write it when I’ve got time," is the usual excuse. But they never find the time. If you cannot make the time now, forget it.

Writing is enjoyable, but it isn’t so easy that you can do it in an odd spare moment when you feel like it. It isn’t something to idly pass the time when you have a spare moment. It’s a creative work that demands discipline. It means dedicating yourself to the task at the expense of all obstacles.

So, write early in the morning, in your lunch break or late at night. I completed my first two novels while I was still working. I made the time to do it.

Author interview with The Proof Fairy

The Proof Fairy, aka Alison Thompson, interviewed David about his writing life and getting published. You can listed to the podcast here.
Alison offers, among other things, book coaching, proofreading and formatting services. You can find out more about her on www.theprooffairy.com.