Bryan Asbury shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Bryan, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: Who are you learning from right now?
Screenwriters. I have more recently discovered, or maybe learned to appreciate, the art of screenwriting. It’s been very helpful to me since I’m now adapting many of my stories for film.
I read scripts for movies that I’ve probably seen twenty times or more. “Halloween,” “The Thing,” “Get Out,” “The Devil’s Rejects.” And in doing so, I discovered one common denominator: scripts are works of art in and of themselves. The most interesting thing to me was how, when I read some of those screenplays, my mind sometimes went to a place that differed from what was depicted in the movie. It just shows how different everyone’s imagination truly is. And if you’re lucky, you won’t get a director that totally misses your vision, like what Stephen King claimed happened to him when Stanley Kubrick directed “The Shining.”
Screenwriter Wesley Strick (Cape Fear, 1991), in particular, has been very inspiring to me. After reading the script for “Cape Fear,” he reinforced my belief that you have to fall in love with words. Clever narration mixed with realistic dialogue (as seen in Cape Fear), acts as a catalyst for a successful movie. It’s up to the director to be able to transfer the words onto the screen.
At this point, screenwriting comes as natural to me as novel writing.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I started out not much different than many other creative individuals who have a vision or a dream; not sure of where to start. But I did, however, have a very clear idea of what I wanted to achieve; a movie. And every move I’ve made, every contact I’ve met or obstacle I’ve overcome has brought me one step closer.
I began submitting some of my stories to the “Chilling Tales for Dark Nights” podcast in 2022. “Chilling Tales for Dark Nights” is a hugely popular global horror podcast that boasts close to half a million subscribers. I then had the good fortune of catching the attention of one of their producers, Geoff Sturtevant. We soon struck up a friendship, and I’ve since become one of their most popular authors.
My story “Son of a Bitch,” which I’m now adapting into a screenplay, has been one of the most viewed and liked stories on their network. I don’t think it’s a big surprise as to why the characters of Tammi-Lynn Parker and her autistic son, Tyrell, resonated so much with people. I write stories that feature monsters disguised in human form; the kind that actually exist (and I’m becoming known for them). The viler and more unapologetic, the better. Maybe it’s therapeutic for me, I have no idea. I do know one thing though: I love fighting back. I love inventing new ways to punish the wicked. Because that’s what most people really hope for; retribution, maybe served with a side of irony. And the kind of retribution that doesn’t always take place in a courtroom.
So, after gaining some traction in the podcast scene, I went on to publish my first book, “A Windowless Room.” I then convinced many of the store managers at Barnes and Noble to begin stocking my book on their shelves. It wasn’t an easy feat, but the way I looked at it, the more brick and mortar locations I could get my book into, the more recognition I could gain. Soon, my book was in many of the Barnes and Noble stores across the country. I intentionally used this as a platform to start a conversation with fans and the media about my long-term goal of making a feature film. It was an incredible sense of accomplishment for me, and I knew then that I had momentum.
I’ve since been professionally published by Evil Cooking Publishing, a highly respected underground horror publisher. They released my book “Waking the Dead” in June 2024. It’s enjoyed quite a bit of success. The audiobook version actually peaked in the top 20 in horror collections on Amazon for several months earlier in the year.
What’s next for me is completing my goal of successfully crossing-over from books and podcasts to film. I’ve recently signed with 3Rings Management, a talent agency out of the U.K. They’re actively pitching my script for “The Mariachi Man” to movie executives, and I look forward to seeing my work on the big screen in the near future.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who taught you the most about work?
My family. It probably started with my grandpa Frank. He was a decorated WW2 veteran, who then went on to work at a mental hospital after returning from the war. I can’t imagine the amount of chaos and trauma that he witnessed in his life. I’m sure he probably hid much of it from his loved ones. His resilience was not just commendable to me, but it was astounding. He was the epitome of a strong, well-rounded family man.
My mom and dad both recently retired after each of them worked for nearly fifty years. I never heard them once complain about the demands of working full-time, while at the same time raising me. And although we weren’t rich, they always managed to provide. I am forever grateful for that.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
You know what you want, now get busy and make it a reality!
I wish I would have gotten serious about writing sooner. It would have been interesting for me to see where I would be at today if I had started twenty years sooner. I don’t dwell on it though. I believe there’s a reason it happened now. I know I’m where I need to be at in life, and I’m ready for the challenge. And more importantly, now I have my secret weapon; my wife, Amber. She’s the magic that unlocked my potential.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
That it’s impossible to get professionally published. That it’s impossible to get your script read by a big-name producer. That it’s impossible to get signed to a talent agency. These are just a few of the fallacies that you hear people whisper amongst themselves in the writing industry. I’ve had it told to me more than once.
You have to believe that you’ve made it, even before you’ve made it. Dream big. Be fearless and delusional at times, seriously. Ruffle feathers and make as much noise as possible, because closed mouths don’t get fed. If you can’t get in through the front door, go around to the side. If the side’s locked, go in through the attic. Be persistent, but be tactful and respect boundaries. But more than anything, remember that even though this is a business, it still involves people. Foster relationships and build bridges because that’s what leads to trust and opportunities. And remember that sometimes you lose. But you get back up and you learn what to do different next time around. This whole thing is really just a leap of faith; a war of attrition.
Here’s one more that seems to be emerging, specifically as of late. A.I. is going to make writers obsolete. Now, obviously no one can predict the future, but I will give you my opinion. A.I. will always be a great tool, but it’ll always be just that. It’ll never be able to fully replicate the human experience. It’ll never have a soul like a human writer. People will recognize that and they’ll always gravitate towards authenticity. Whereas A.I. may get views, human creators will get fans.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
Many people underestimate the power of a deep belief in yourself and pursuing your passion. Never squander the opportunity to do what you love. If you naturally gravitate toward something, go all in and embrace it. Trust your instincts, and don’t deny the talent that God endowed you with. Develop that talent and project it to the world. It all starts with visualizing where you want to be and then formulating a plan on how to get there. And that goes for anything in this life for that matter.
Contact Info:
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-asbury-602b93341
- Facebook: Bryan Asbury – writer
- Youtube: Chilling Tales Bryan Asbury
