Author Jeff Hill

Jeff Hill is a writer who helps others tell their stories. Currently pursuing graduate certificates in personal leadership and digital humanities at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Jeff holds a B. S. in education, a graduate certificate in the teaching of writing, and a M. A. in English. He became a college lecturer after teaching high school for a decade and currently works as a research associate for the Walt Whitman Archive while serving as a chapter advisor for Phi Delta Theta fraternity. He has over seventy publications for various literary magazines, available both in print and online. Jeff is also a faculty member of the Writer’s Hotel writing conference in New York City, and a freelance writing tutor. His debut novel is forthcoming from Poe Boy Press in 2024. You can find him on both Twitter and Patreon as jeffhillwriter.

Home Page

Author Q&A

POE BOY: What or who inspired you to be a writer?

JEFF HILL: I have always been a storyteller. I was fortunate enough to have supportive parents and grandparents and quite a few teachers along the way who encouraged me to put those stories on the page. But it wasn’t until my undergraduate writing professor (and later master’s thesis advisory chair), Timothy Schaffert, read my work… really read my work… and offered constructive feedback that would set me on the path to taking writing seriously. I never looked back.

POE BOY: What gave you the idea of your latest book?

JEFF HILL: I used to think ghosts were scary. Then I became a high school teacher. I loved the students and the art of teaching, but when the classroom became unsafe, I knew I had to leave before my job literally killed me. So, I dusted off this draft, cleaned it up, took some risks on the page, and set out to share it with the world. Ghosts still scare me, but guns in the classroom and administrators and districts actively choosing to value their careers over the lives of children absolutely terrify me.

POE BOY: Who is your favourite writer and why?

JEFF HILL: When it comes to horror, there’s a reason Stephen King is the master: he makes us care, he makes us cry, and then he makes us check the locks on our doors.

POE BOY: What's your favourite book?

JEFF HILL: Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley is the one book I’ve read over a dozen times.

POE BOY: Do you read a lot? If so, what are you reading right now?

JEFF HILL: In undergrad, I set a goal to read a book a week for the rest of my life. When I went back to complete my graduate degree and become an academic, I upped that number to 100 per year. I am currently on book 75 and always looking for new reading suggestions.

POE BOY: What writing projects are you working on?

JEFF HILL: I am currently putting finishing touches on my debut novel, compiling a short story collection, and working on a poetry chapbook. And I’ve always got time for a short story when the mood hits me. And then there’s grading papers…

POE BOY: What do you like most about writing?

JEFF HILL: I love when a good line shows up in dialogue and it’s also fun to see the connecting of the dots in a lengthy piece that is finally coming together after many, many, MANY drafts.

POE BOY: Where do you see you and your writing in five years’ time?

JEFF HILL: I hope to have a larger audience every time I release a new piece. My goal is to have several books on the shelves in several stores in several countries.

POE BOY: What one writing tip would you share?

JEFF HILL: Meet people, travel, collect experiences, and make friends… real friends. Because the work is lonely, and the hours are long. But you’ll never have anything worth sharing if you haven’t lived. In a nutshell: go on adventures. It’s all “work” and it all counts as part of the writerly process.

POE BOY: What would you say to educate and inspire young writers?

JEFF HILL: Write every day. Read new things. Ask questions. And most of all, be curious and seek out as many mentors as you can find throughout your formative years. The only thing writers love more than writing and sharing their stories is inspiring the next generation to tell theirs.

Follow: