Staff Spotlight: Bill Hammond
Posted by David Duhr in 
Today we’d like to introduce you to Bill Hammond, a new member of WriteByNight’s staff of wonderful consultants and coaches. Bill is a forty-year veteran of the publishing industry, and the author of, among other titles, a six-book series of nautical/historical fiction.
Below is a Q&A with Bill Hammond, followed by a brief bio.
Where are you from?
I was born in Boston and grew up on Boston’s North Shore, in Manchester.
Where did you study?
I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree (history and English) at the University of North Carolina. Ten years later I earned an MBA at Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts.
How did you get your start as a writer?
In 1973, while living with my uncle at his home in Maine, I wrote a full draft of For God and England, a historical novel set in fourteenth century England and the Hundred Years’ War. Fortunately for American letters, it was never published. But I learned a great deal about writing by doing this.
What is your favorite thing about educating writers at WBN?
I have been through the writing process and I have served the book publishing industry my entire career. I believe I understand this industry as well as anyone can. Working with authors—whether they’re novices or experienced—is a great honor and privilege for me because that endeavor, perhaps more than any other, celebrates the human spirit.
What is the hardest part of writing for you?
Finding more time to do it in the midst of demands imposed by daily life.
What is your strangest writing experience?
In my novel A Matter of Honor is a scene in which the protagonist, Lt. Richard Cutler (a fictional character) is trying to inspire a young midshipman named John Mayrant (a real sailor serving aboard the Continental warship Bonhomme Richard) just prior to the ship’s epic engagement with HMS Serapis. Six months after the novel was published, I received a short note that read, “Mr. Hammond, thank you for your fine depiction of my great-great-great-great grandfather.” The note was Tom Mayrant.
Where do you see the world of writing and publishing heading?
I have served the book publishing industry for more than forty years and I don’t have a clear answer to that question. No one does. So much has happened to books and writing since I joined the Boston publishing firm Little, Brown in 1974. What I believe is certain, however, is that people will always respect and need good writing. Without it, the future would look bleak. What will change are 1) the options for how content is delivered, 2) the ways content is marketed, and 3) the interactivity of content. But the good news is, there will always be a demand for good writing.
Any words of wisdom for aspiring writers?
You learn to write by writing. Also by reading, but writing is number one. So pick a period of time each day that you can devote to your craft and keep faithful to that schedule—whether it be for one hour, three hours, or whatever you can comfortably accommodate.
Bill Hammond has served the book publishing industry for forty years. Career highlights include seven years in sales management at Little, Brown; publisher of Hazeldon Publishing & Education; publisher of IDC (International Diabetes Center) Publishing; and principal of 2Bills Literary Agency. In 2001 Bill began researching and writing the award-winning Cutler Family Chronicles, a six-book series of nautical/historical fiction titles that profile the early years of our republic and the creation of the U.S. Navy. In 2014 Bill published The Ultimate Gift, a book that profiles his spiritual journey since the passing of his wife in 2011. He holds a B.A. in English and History from UNC at Chapel Hill and an M.B.A. degree from Babson College.
If you like Bill Hammond’s style, express interest in working with him now!