Oct 25, 20222 min read

Novelist And Libertarian Tyler Woodbridge

How long have you been writing novels?

Tyler Woodbridge: I started working on All In back in 2011, but had been drafting ideas for a few years before that. It took so long to write due to confidence issues, and one fateful laptop crash before cloud use became widespread. So, a little over 10 years.

What are your influences? Who or what inspires you?

Tyler: On the literary end, my primary inspiration comes from Chuck Palahniuk, Stephen King, Michael Crichton, Ernest Hemingway, Stephen Konkoly, and Dan Brown.

I accentuate these influences with ideas from television, movies, and video games, namely Grand Theft Auto, Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul, Ozark, Bloodline, and more comedic fare like Bojack Horseman and Community.

What can you tell me about your novel All In?

Tyler: All In follows the adventures of Jimmy Glencroft, a disgraced pro football mascot who bottoms out after a breakup and a few turns of poor luck. He falls into a Columbus, Ohio drug scene, and panics his way through finding an escape plan before it's too late.

What was the writing process like for this book?

Tyler: I basically took my own lived experiences, dialed them up a few notches, threw in some fighting and explosions, and slogged my way through countless notepads (both physical and virtual), word documents, and voice memos to piece together the final narrative.

Do you create art with a specific message, or do you prefer art for arts sake?

Tyler: A combination thereof. I like to include both overt and subtle messages in my writing, but sometimes a writer just has to get out the images and concepts in their head, and maybe make sense of it later - or get that meaning from the readers in the end.

What tools and methods do you use to write your novels?

Tyler: I start with scribbled outlines and index cards, add inspiration via Tumblr and Pinterest boards to build aesthetics, create playlists for both characters and narratives as a whole, and then finally sit down and write while immersing myself in these cultivated idea spaces.

How long have you considered yourself a libertarian?

Tyler: I've been somewhat libertarian for around 15 years. I knew I was one circa 2012, during the first Gary Johnson campaign, but was all in (pun intended) for 2016, and fell in love with the party at that time.

What do you think the role of art should be in the libertarian movement?

Tyler: Honestly, with the chasm forming between different ideologies in the national party as well as members either splintering to other parties or going independent, art is the best medium via which to communicate libertarian ideas at this time.

The political system in America, infighting, and bad actors all make it difficult to change hearts and minds through direct activism right now. I'd prefer to plant some seeds via literature and music now, and hopefully watch them come to fruition within a few years' time when the environment is more conducive to our ideas.