 In this inspiring author interview, we sit down with Wall Street Journal and #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author Barbara Nickless. With a career marked by award-winning novels, TV/film options, and an unwavering commitment to craft, Barbara shares candid, hard-earned wisdom from years of navigating writer's block, endless revisions, crushing rejections, and the unpredictable publishing market. From the power of simply putting words on the page to embracing deadlines, her insights provide actionable strategies and genuine encouragement for any writer determined to finish strong and build a sustainable creative life.  If you could go back to your early writing days, what one piece of advice would you give your beginner self? Don’t get sidetracked. Write as much and as often as possible. I would tell my young, naïve self: “If you believe in a book, finish it. Then move on. Don’t endlessly revise.” What rituals or tools help you stay productive without burning out? When the writing session is over, stop. Let the subconscious work it’s magic. Go for a walk. Read. Get enough sleep! How do you tackle writer's block when you're stuck mid-plot or with a flat character? Writer’s block can stem from not knowing where the story or characters are going. Since I wrote my way in, I have to write my way out. I’ll go for a walk, think about the problem, and then return to writing, even when I don’t know how to fix the problem. The physical act of writing (plus whatever thinking I did in the interim) seems to break the logjam. Writing longhand also helps. Do you have a go-to technique that's saved a manuscript? Rolling up my metaphorical shirt sleeves and tackling the problem head on. Think, write, repeat. Our brains are amazing with the solutions they can come up with—we just have to turn inward and pay attention. I think it was David Mamet who said that no writing problem is unsolvable. You just have to keep at it. The truth is, if writing was easy, everyone would do it. Be willing to burn through some brain cells. What's your secret to creating characters that feel alive and unforgettable? Do you start with backstory, flaws, or something else? For me, the act of creating a character usually comes from the writing, not trying to figure it out beforehand. I don’t ever do character worksheets or iron out the details before I plunge into the work. The characters will meet me on the page. Sometimes, it takes a good chunk of the novel before a character find her voice. That’s what rewrites are for.  Revision can often feel endless. How do you know when your book is done? When it’s due and I have to send it to my editor. Otherwise, I might never finish. Before I had an editor and a contract, I revised endlessly. Deadlines have given me discipline. If you don’t have a contract, give yourself an artificial deadline and stick with it. From querying agents to hitting bestseller lists, what was your biggest publishing hurdle, and how did you overcome it? Before I sold a book, I kept endlessly revising the same novel. When I finally let it go and put it aside, I sold the next book I completed. (There were a few false starts before I found the book.) How do you balance writing with the business side—marketing, social media, or day jobs—and still protect your creative energy? Oh, boy. This is a tough one. I outsource what I can. I’m realistic about my strengths and weaknesses, my likes and dislikes. I don’t like social media, so I don’t do it. I love to write, which means writing articles for outlets or blogs is fun for me. I enjoy podcasts, but I don’t actively seek them out. The most important thing is writing the next book. That’s what I save my energy for. That and teaching. What's one book or author that transformed your writing? So many! For craft, Stephen King’s On Writing. For inspiration, Hilary Mantel’s trilogy on Thomas Cromwell. The characters, the prose, the setting—she created something brilliant. After years in the industry, what keeps you excited about fiction writing? There are an endless number of stories to tell. So many characters to explore. So many corners of the globe to shine a light on. Thinking about and writing new stories is like opening a gift every day.  Every writer faces self-doubt. What’s a moment in your career when you questioned your work the most, and how did you overcome? You mean I shouldn’t still be questioning my work? I wish! In that regard, I’m a work in progress. I just keep my head down, stay in my lane, and do my best. How do you reconcile the tension between writing what you love and writing what the market demands? Have you ever regretted following (or ignoring) trends? Ooh, another tough one! I have some books of the heart that have gotten shoved to the back burner. Something for older age, I guess. As for trends—I have both regretted and relished not following them. The truth is, I’m slow. By the time I realize there is a trend, the world has moved on. What’s the hardest storytelling lesson you’ve learned—perhaps a technique or perspective you initially resisted—and how did embracing it elevate your fiction? I love learning, and I can’t recall resisting any technique or perspective. With each novel, I try something new, try to push myself just a bit. When crafting a novel, how do you decide which themes or messages to weave in without making the story feel preachy or heavy-handed? I hope that I’m never preachy. I certainly don’t go into a story with a message to share. Themes appear all on their own. I do notice, looking back, that I’ve been impacted by what’s going on in the world while writing—that awareness often finds its way into my stories. If I had more time (longer deadlines or if I was a faster writer), I would love to go back and refine the story once I know what the theme is. Was there ever a time when you had a project fail—a book that flopped, or a rejected manuscript? Did that setback teach you something unexpected about yourself, your craft or your career? When I got an agent based on my first book—the one I kept endlessly revising—she was sure it would sell. Probably go to auction. I got my hopes up. The book didn’t sell. Disappointment struck again when a producer wanted to option my first series. He’s (still) a big name with some big hits, and he’d been contracted by CBS to produce a crime series. He expected to have everything signed in a couple of days. It never happened. Like all writers, I’ve had some books do better than others, and sometimes I’m happiest with the ones that haven’t sold as well. What can I take from all this? The market is unpredictable. Readers and producers are unpredictable. I’ve learned to shrug off the disappointments and keep going. Resilience is a big part of being a writer. Buy Barbara's most recent book here: https://www.amazon.com/Drowning-Game-Barbara-Nickless/dp/1662510012  A woman’s investigation into her sister’s death exposes the dark side of a secret life in a gripping novel of power, money, and murder by a Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Sisters Nadia and Cass Brenner are heirs to Ocean House, a decades-old empire that builds superyachts for the rich and powerful: emirs, oligarchs, and titans of industry throughout America and Europe. They’re a next-generation success with the design of their soon-to-be-commissioned megayacht for a Chinese billionaire. But the sisters’ entrée into the coveted Asian market is tragically cut short when Cass falls from a fortieth-floor hotel balcony. A Singapore detective rules suicide. Nadia’s been in the yacht business too long not to be suspicious. Especially when she discovers Cass’s involvement in dangerously illicit activities. Pulled into the same web of betrayal, lies, and secrets that trapped her sister, Nadia is on the most perilous mission of her life. Because uncovering the truth behind her sister’s death could tear the Brenner family apart—and it just might get her killed. From Seattle to Austria to the South China Sea, Nadia must hold on to the one thing that can keep her safe. It’s the Brenner family motto: Trust no one. Looking back on your career, what are you the most proud of? That after my first book didn’t sell, I persisted in the face of the (previously mentioned) crushing disappointment. Success can be as daunting as failure. After a major win (like a bestseller or award), how did you handle the pressure? There is a lot of pressure that comes with success. But there’s also the knowledge that you’ve done something, accomplished something. No one can take that away from you. To paraphrase Rick in Casablanca: You’ll always have Paris. No matter what comes next. Or doesn’t. What advice would you give new writers chasing their first big break? Go to conferences. Meet editors and agents. Finish the current book and move on to the next—a lot of publishers like to see a big back list, especially if you get your rights back or are indy pubbed. Looking back, what’s one choice you made early in your career—about your writing, publishing, or mindset—that you credit for your longevity as an author? I decided to work hard at my craft. To challenge myself. To understand what wasn’t working. I wrote a lot of awful stuff while I was learning. But I loved the process. Embrace the bad on the way to the good. And never stop trying to get better. If you could leave one word of advice for future writers, what would it be? Write from your soul.  Barbara Nickless is the #1 Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the “blisteringly original” Sydney Parnell crime novels featuring a railway cop and her K9 partner. About the series, Jeffery Deaver promises “you’ll fall in love with one of the best characters in thriller fiction.” The series has been optioned for television and has won two Colorado Book Awards and twice won the prestigious Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence. The first book in the series was a Suspense Magazine “Best of 2016” selection. Her second award-winning series features Dr. Evan Wilding—a forensic semiotician who analyzes the signs and symbols left by killers at their crime scenes. Barbara’s essays and short stories have appeared in Writer’s Digest, Criminal Element, Penguin Random House, and other markets. She also teaches creative writing to veterans at the Lyda Hill Institute of Human Resilience at the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs. Barbara is often in the Rocky Mountains where she loves to hike, cave, and drink single malt Scotch—although usually not at the same time. Find more of her writing at Living Against the Dark, and connect with her at barbaranickless.com.  This post was complied by Brandy Vallance, a literary agent with Barbara Bova Literary Agency, an award-winning author, and a Story Consultant for Writing Day Workshops. Brandy is the winner of two national writing awards, one of which included a $20,000 prize. Her novel, THE COVERED DEEP, has been featured in USA Today & Writer’s Digest. WITHIN THE VEIL has been called “passionate and riveting” and Publisher’s Weekly encourages those who like sweeping Scottish sagas to dive in because “the journey is wonderful.” Brandy loves helping writers break the chains of fear and self-doubt. You can find out more at brandyvallance.com.  Attend a Writers Conference in 2026:
Check Out Other Great WDW Articles & Resources:
Comments are closed.
|