W.R.I.T.E. with HL Tinsley

 HL Tinsley (Holly) is an indie author, podcast host, and GM. She is the author of the Vanguard Chronicles series, which includes the SPFBO 7 Finalist novel We Men of Ash and Shadow and its sequel, The Hand that Casts the Bone, along with the standalone fantasy noir, The Hallows. She has been part of several successful anthology projects and works as a lead editor for multiple magazines. When she’s not busy curating everything that runs through Spotlight Indie, she spends her free time running homebrew DnD campaigns and admiring dice.

Holly found time to join me in this interview which, when you read about her lifestyle and hectic schedule, you'll appreciate what an achievement that was! We used my highly inventive (not at all contrived!) acronym: W.R.I.T.E.

1.      HL Tinsley is the creator of the Vanguard Chronicles, the highly-praised grimdark gaslamp fantasy series, its first book featuring as a SPFBO finalist in 2021. Beyond that, this dynamic force of nature curates the features on Spotlight Indie – the home for independently-minded creative types such as writers and artists, features that include online and real-world conventions. All this leads to the obvious question – how do you do it, and why?  

"Easy, I adhere to a strict cycle; periods of unshakeable optimism combined with boss-level energy followed by total burn out and emotional collapse. I’m a ‘project’ person which means I always need at least three things to work on at any one time. I’m always focused on the next thing I need/want to take on. I’m also a solution driven person – I need to fix things and fill gaps."

I started Spotlight Indie because I could see there weren’t enough platforms that specifically focused on indie creatives. I was also feeling quite low and struggling with imposter syndrome and I figured if I could find a way to help other people get through that, I would be contributing something valuable to the community. The first Spotlight event was a day of pure joy at a time when a lot of us really needed that. That said, I released the last book in the Vanguard series in 2022 and I’ve only just this week finished the first full draft of book 3 – so maybe I’m just really, really good at procrastinating?

2.      Now, to address the hopelessly contrived acronym that drives this interview: W.R.I.T.E.   W is for World Building. Your books, not only the Vanguard Chronicles but also your standalone novel, The Hallows, can be defined as Gaslamp fantasy. What does this mean and how does it define your world?

I never specifically set out to write gaslamp (or grimdark for that matter) but I am naturally drawn to modern history themes and aesthetics over the more traditional medieval fantasy settings. The Hallows is 1920s inspired, and Vanguard was originally based on technologies and inventions that started appearing between 1850 and 1900, so – in real world terms - you’re looking at a span of almost 100 years, during which time there were colossal technological changes, societal upheavals and cultural revolutions. Yes, my writing has the aesthetics expected – the smog-filled air, the oppressive workhouse-esque buildings – but for me it will always be about encapsulating the emotions and the undercurrents that were driving those huge changes. People were starting to think differently about things like faith, class, work and their place in the world. All of my books share a common theme of looking at political and societal shift through a street level lens.

3.      R is for Routine: having established that you squeeze many more than twenty-four hours into a typical day, what is your routine and how do you find time for writing?

It depends on the day. I have a day job as an editorial lead, so I work from around 8am to 5.30pm Monday, Tuesday and Thursday – on those days I tend to finish work, eat and then I’ll either write or (more likely) work on Spotlight Indie. We’re still a baby platform, so it’s an enormous amount of work while we’re growing. I try to be strict with myself, but it’s not uncommon for me to switch off around 10/11pm. Even then I’ll most likely be lying in bed with my kindle, editing or taking notes until about midnight. Wednesdays and Fridays are my Spotlight days at the moment, but I try to do less hours – I’ll start around 8am(ish) and switch off by around 3pm(ish). I use the weekends for my own writing. I have a private writing group and more often than not, we’ll do a 9am writing sprint on a Saturday. I’ll do a few hours in the morning and depending on how I feel, maybe a few in the evening. Sunday nights I’m usually DMing for my D&D group, or I’ll spend a couple of hours planning the next session. Generally speaking, I’ll spend about 25 hours a week on the regular job, 30 hours on Spotlight Indie and around 15 to 20 hours on my writing and other projects. I am trying to get better at doing things that might not be considered ‘work’ but it’s a work in progress. I go to the gym on a Tuesday and Thursday and we walk dogs at a local shelter, otherwise, I don’t have much of a social life aside from D&D. I’m fortunate to be in a position where I have a lot of control over how I spend my time. I don’t have young kids, and my lifestyle is quite flexible in that I can work from anywhere which helps. 

4.      The I in W.R.I.T.E. refers to inspiration. What is your individual wellspring of inspiration that provides the ideas for your stories? How does it manifest? Is it a reliable source or does it dry up and leave you parched?

I’d be lying if I said there weren’t times when I didn’t feel inspired. As mentioned previously, I do suffer from burnout sometimes, and during those times I barely feel inspired to put socks on, much less anything else. But generally speaking, I take my inspiration from people and history – and the history of people. I know this is the cliché writer thing, but we really are fascinating. I love looking at the small, mundane parts of life and how they weave together to make this tapestry full of connections. I like to think of it in terms of breaking human life down by increments of time – the wars, the revolutions, the empires – those are the days. The lives, the deaths, the loves and the friendships – those are the hours. All the way down to the small, seemingly inconsequential seconds - the haircuts, the stubbed toes, the headaches, the eating of chips and the fixing of table legs. They all deserve exploration. I’m pretty sure that makes me sound outrageously pretentious, but it is what it is.

5.      The T refers to Type (yes, it’s mega contrived!). Normally this would cover genre but you’ve talked about Gaslamp fantasy already, so let’s broaden the topic.

I’m not sure there’s a question here, Phil, was there meant to be? Or are you just giving me free reign to talk unchecked about a topic I’m very passionate about? Always dangerous. I’m going to assume you’re asking me to recommend some other excellent indie gaslamp books? In that case, for a shorter read, you can’t go far wrong with Thomas Howard Riley’s The Monsters We Feed. It has similar themes and worldbuilding to my Vanguard series, and a really interesting magic/technology system. I’ve also recently read Steve Pannett’s The Sins of Steel and Shadow – and while it’s not strictly gaslamp, it definitely has the vibe and will tick a lot of boxes for readers who, like me, enjoy a sort of gaslamp/grimdark blend. Plus, the first chapter has the main character travelling via grimy, fetid canal waters under the blanket of night. Anyone who knows me will know I love canal systems in fantasy books. 

6.      With E for Edit, we’re talking about getting your books ready to be launched into the world. How do you know it’s ready? What processes do you go through with your book to ensure it reaches the standards expected by a highly perceptive readership.

I’m very fortunate to have a fantastic group of peers who act as beta readers for me and have done for years. I’ve also worked with some fantastic editors, artists and – of course – the inimitable RJ Bayley, who narrates my audio books.

"People talk about writing being a solo activity – publishing a book is definitely not a solo activity. I’ve always been very firm in my view that we exist as a team, and the people around me are instrumental in not only getting the book ready to publish but getting me ready to publish. We’re team Vanguard."

I might have the final say on when I’m ready to go live, but they are really the driving force behind me getting to that point. I’m sure there are plenty of people out there for whom my books definitely do not meet their standards. All you can do is your best. Then, when you think you’ve got a book that is the absolute best it can be, find someone to tell you that it isn’t, and give it another pass/edit. Repeat this process until that same person gets annoyed with you and says ‘look, it’s ready, stop moving that same comma back and forth’.

7.      That I in the acronym serves a double purpose. I is for Independence. You self-publish your books. Tell us why and what you’ve learned about the publishing industry in the meantime.

"To be honest, I didn’t really give that much thought to trad. I sent out about 5 queries when I first started, because it was the thing that writers do, but I didn’t invest a huge amount of time into exploring it as an option. I didn’t just want to write books. I wanted to be a writer, build a brand, run a business and do everything myself."

I’m excited by the challenge of it. That said, you could write what I know about the publishing industry on the back of a teaspoon. I’ve worked out what works for me. I guess that’s what I’ve learnt. And yes, I am fobbing you off with that as an answer.

8.      If it had been possible to squeeze an A into the High Contrived Concept of W.R.I.T.E. it would have included A for Admire. Which modern, (current) authors do you admire and why?

In the trad space, Peter McLean and Janny Wurts both spring to mind, not just for the support and encouragement they’ve shown me personally but for the spirit of generosity and kindness they show for other writers and people in general. They’re each responsible for lighting the fire under my ass at least once. There are plenty of people in the indie space I admire (and they know who they are). It would take me all day to list them all. But if you’re going to force me to choose one, it would be PL Stuart. The man is an absolute machine. His work ethic and dedication are unbelievable, and he still manages to be the most humble, generous and warm-hearted human being (while writing absolutely brilliant books). I also have to mention my Spotlight cohorts, Frasier Armitage, Alex S Bradshaw, Tim Hardie and Amber Poppitt. They basically signed up to work with the indie writing community’s version of Lesley Knopes (“There’s nothing we can’t do if we work hard, never sleep, and shirk all other responsibilities in our lives.”) for minimal recompense, because they believe in what we’re trying to do. If that’s not worthy of admiration, I don’t know what is.

9.      What does 2026 promise for HL Tinsley: Fantasy Author?

(Editor's note: that idiot, Phil Parker, included the name of Tim Hardie in this question when he sent it to Holly. He's blamed old age and the deteriorating effect on the brain.)

The year will start off pretty great – that lottery win will come in handy and the subsequent six-month chartered-yacht voyage around the Mediterranean will mean lots of time for writing. I’m not sure Tim is looking forward to the crew mutiny or the long month spent alone on a mysterious island after he drifts off course, but he’ll have his coconut pal and that weird, ominous growling sound that carries on the wind to keep him company. He’ll make his way home eventually with three new books under his belt (literally, they’ll be written on palm leaves) and publish them to massive success and wild acclaim. (Please leave this bit in, Phil, it’s very funny).

As for HL Tinsley – I’ll do my best to finish Vanguard 3, even if I don’t publish it in 2026. Our next live Spotlight Indie event takes place in Shrewsbury on May 23^rd, and my primary focus will be on launching our promotional campaign and getting people to spread the word. We’re a small platform, so we’re still trying to build up our reach and we’re relying on people who can see what we’re trying to do - and what it could mean for the community - to boost our signal. There are a lot of people out there in the writing and creative communities who are trying to fight for indies, human creators and art in general, but they’re being buried under the algorithms. If we want to keep these spaces, events, communities – we need to fight for them and talk about them.

Tell us how we can find you on social media and the internet.

You can find me here: http://linktr.ee/h.tinsley

And Spotlight Indie here: www.spotlightindie.co.uk

Here are Phil's books - click the image for the link: