Hugh Howey, 'Wool' Series Author, Reveals Secret To His Success And Future Of 'Silo Saga' [EXCLUSIVE]

Hugh Howey began his life working a number of odd jobs as a roofer, a yacht captain and even an audio technician, although throughout these jobs Howey was still focused on his writing. Crafting fantastical worlds, lives and stories while typing away on his lunch break, for this grind we will forever be indebted to him, because without the hours spent locked away writing, we would have never experienced “Wool.” After initially publishing his first work with a small press, Howey quickly changed paths and abandoned the ideas of traditional book publishing. “WOOL” was first published as a stand-alone short story; he decided to publish through Amazon.com's Kindle Direct Publishing system mainly due to the freedom it provided him. In 2012, Howey signed a deal with Simon and Schuster to distribute the series to book retailers across the United States and Canada. The deal which Howey agreed too, as agreed upon after notably refusing a seven figure offer in order to maintain the e-book rights, which allowed Howey to continue to sell the book online exclusively. Latin Times was lucky enough to sit down with Hugh Howey and discuss his rise to becoming a best-selling author, and what is next, not only for him, but also for “WOOL.”

LT: How did you start writing? Were you always interested in literature, or did you stumble upon it later in life?

HH: I started young, but it was late in life that I finished a manuscript. I've been an avid reader since my Dr. Seuss days. I was that kid who always had a book in his hand. I've dreamed of being a writer my entire life. I feel very fortunate that it's worked out.

LT: Have you always been attracted to the science fiction genre? Have you ever written/plan on writing something other than dystopian works?

HH: Yes, I write in a few genres. My first series was young adult space opera. I've written horror, literary fiction, and contemporary fiction. But science fiction has a special appeal. It's the best fiction genre for exploring the human condition.

LT: How did you come to the decision to publish your works through Kindle’s self-publishing?

HH: My first book was published with a small press. I saw what it took to produce a book, and I thought I could do it all myself. When the contract came for the second book, I decided to strike out on my own. It was the best decision I ever made.

LT: People have described you as the “anonymous bestseller” and I truly find that refreshing. What pushed you to be an independent author?

HH: Artistic control. I can write what I want when I want. I can price my books where I think they should be priced. I can do away with DRM, not worry about piracy, travel to whichever conferences I choose, take any interviews I want to do, all of that. I work directly for my readers, which is incredibly rewarding.

LT: Despite selling over a million copies of the “Wool: Silo Saga,” Many people have not heard of you. Do you revel in the obscurity? Or are you eager to become more of a sci-fi icon?

HH: I don't want to be famous. I'm not comfortable with it. The great thing about being a writer is that you can have a lot of fans and still be relatively anonymous. TV and movie stars are mobbed, because we see their faces everywhere. I can't imagine the hell of that.

LT: Before becoming a New York Times bestselling author, it seems that you worked a number of hands-on and labor-intensive jobs. (Roofer, Yacht Captain, etc.) After learning this, I thought more about your choice of Juliette in mechanical. Do you find beauty in the everyday labor of life? Do you admire Juliette’s fierce determination to complete tasks?

HH: Yeah. Two of the happiest years of my life were spent roofing. I love feeling exhausted at the end of the day. I like knowing I made something, that I did a task necessary for sustaining life. So many of our jobs today are luxuries. Growing up the son of a farmer and a schoolteacher, I had heroes who provided necessities.

LT: I read that you would write your novels on breaks while working at a bookstore, how did you stay focused on your work? What kept you motivated?

HH: I've always been driven to do well at whatever my passion is. That was captaining yachts for a long time. For a few years, it was playing tournament chess. I just get obsessed. But I try to do it in a healthy way. Writing can be as addicting as reading, if you really commit to it.

LT: Your story is many writers’ pipe dream. What advice would give to aspiring authors?

HH: I would say to dream of being a bestselling writer but to plan on it never happening. Write because you love it. Make sure you enjoy your day job. Appreciate every single reader and every single book sold. If you can find joy in the process, you can't lose. It's those who think they'll write a single novel and get rich who burn out and grow frustrated. You might have to write twenty novels before you have success. That long view will really help you get through all the lonely hours of writing and the years of low readership.

LT: Do you think books will stay a relevant pastime in a generation of technology?

HH: Absolutely. We are addicted to stories. Almost all of our entertainment is storytelling, from music to TV to video games to film. This won't go away.

LT: The film rights to your story have been sold to 20th Century Fox. When do you see the film adaption appearing on the big screen?

HH: Never. That's my firm expectation. I'll believe it when I see it. I'm just thrilled to have someone like Ridley Scott read a book I wrote and love it. That's insane. That's a lifetime achievement. I'll die happy just to have him and Steve Zaillian as fans of my storytelling. That's the perspective I take, and it leaves me giddy.

LT: In today’s day in age, most good movies/ TV shows are adapted from good books. How do you see “Wool” measuring up to the “Ender’s Game” film? Or would you ever consider adapting the story into an episodic format, like the hugely popular “Game of Thrones” series?

HH: I think WOOL could be a great film and an even better TV show. It's got the tension of BATTLESTAR GALLACTICA and the grittiness of a BLADE RUNNER with the mystery of a LOST. I'm also working on an original TV show right now. I would love to work in that medium.

LT: How involved do you plan on being in the film or TV show adaptation? For example, George R.R. Martin writes at least one episode a season for "GOT." Would you take a similar role?

HH: I won't be involved with the production of WOOL. I wrote the book. I'm comfortable with someone else adapting it to film.