"Be patient with yourself."
Denny S. Bryce on how fan fiction, entrepreneurship, and bad acting led to "The End."
Denny S. Bryce burst onto the historical fiction scene four years ago with Wild Women and the Blues. I remember seeing the cover reveal on Instagram, and loving the whole vibe—jazzy, bejeweled, and with a gripping dualCan’ timeline story. It was on pretty much every single Much Anticipated list, including Oprah Magazine’s—and with good reason, because the music of the pages inside is as enticing as the cover. She’s also been the recipient of a prestigious Tin House Workshop Fellowship, and an RWA Golden Heart.
Since Wild Women and the Blues, she has become an indispensable member of the histfic community, championing other novels about remarkable women in history through reviews, blurbs, and social media posts. She’s a voracious and generous reader, and her observations are as incisive and important as her own novels. When I heard that my friend and agency sister Eliza Knight would be co-writing a novel with her about Marilyn Monroe and Ella Fitzgerald (Can’t We Be Friends), I’ll admit I was a little jealous! But I’m over it, and cannot wait to read it—it’s out in just a few weeks, on March 5.
VITAL STATS:
Your age when your first novel was published, and the title of that novel: Wild Women and the Blues. Over 50 (that’s all you get from me!)
Your age now: Three years over that. I published it in 2021.
How many novels have you published to date? Wild Women and the Blues (March 2021), In the Face in the Sun (April 2022), The Other Princess: A Novel of Queen Victoria’s Goddaughter (October 2023)
What’s your next novel? My fourth novel will be released on March 5, 2024, co-authored with Eliza Knight – Can’t We Be Friends: A Novel of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe. My fifth novel will also be released in 2024 on July 23 – The Trial of Mrs. Rhinelander. All are historical fiction.
INTERVIEW:
1. How many novels did you complete before the one that became your first published novel?
The magic word in this question is complete. As I think through my past writing history before publication, I likely started a dozen or more novels. I also devoted a lot of time to writing fan fiction before I began writing original fiction. But conservatively, I've finished ten novels but may have started as many as 50.
2. What kinds of jobs did you have to support yourself while you wrote? Are you still doing one of them?
I am a full-time writer now. Before achieving that goal, I wouldn't say that I had jobs to support myself, however. I had full-blown careers that I loved tremendously. I’ve been a professional modern dancer who performed in New York and Chicago. For a short stint, I was a bad actress who also worked in New York. After that, I began my career in public relations and marketing and fell in love with publicity, event planning, and event production. So, I’d rather say I moved from one career to the next and then the next organically with a smile and eagerness. So, I’ve been blessed with fabulous careers—and this one—writer—is top of the list.
3. What was the writing routine in which you wrote the novel that became your first published? How long did it take to write that book?
That first novel, Wild Women and the Blues, I must confess, had no writing routine. It was written in fits and starts and took over six years to finish. It also had a strange journey in that it began as a historical romance novella. It next moved on to the historical fiction with romantic elements category (I entered quite a few contests). In its final phase, it became a dual timeline story, set in 1920s Chicago in 2013 Chicago. So yeah, six years.
4. What was your darkest moment before selling your first novel?
I didn't have a dark moment (knock on wood). I studied the publishing industry for years before I began my search for an agent or thought seriously about the submission process or any of it. I even turned down contracts because they didn't fit my vision of where I wanted to land as a writer. For me, it was about expectations, and I expected to keep working hard until I achieved my goal: to be a published author and write many books. Some of that attitude I credit to running my own marketing and PR firm for two decades—and how business flows uphill or downhill, and sometimes, it was out of my control. The same goes for dance auditions or getting or not getting an acting job. You just have to keep doing the best you can do.
5. What advice about writing helps you stick with it?
Be patient with yourself as a writer. Rushing into publishing or judging your accomplishments against other writers only adds stress, and writing with a ton of bricks on your back doesn’t make for the best writing process. When you’re in story mode, be in story mode. When you’re in publicity mode, be there. The same goes for the agent search (or picking your indie team of editors, art designers, etc). As for submission, if you are seeking traditional publishing, write the next book. Also, don’t forget to read, read, read. And please read diversely.
6. What is your favorite part about the writing life?
Right now, I am working on a new book. And that means developing the main characters. In particular, that’s the protagonist. He/she is the one who will grow and change through the obstacles they face, the people they meet, and the decisions they make. That's one of my favorite things. But my very favorite thing is typing The End. Then, I can move on to the next book, which also is another one of my favorite parts.
Thank you so much, Denny! What you said about not comparing ourselves to other writers really resonated for me. I can’t wait to see what comes next for you.
ICYMI: Steven Rowley & Zibby Owens.
Next up: Janie Chang!
I loooooove this series, thank you so much. It helps me keep a healthy perspective on my writing 🥰
Love this and Denny's books. ❤️ Thanks, Kerri!