Meet C. Matthew Smith | Novelist and short story writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with C. Matthew Smith and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi C. Matthew, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
For the most part, I believe those who succeed at making art–be it writing, visual art, music, whatever–are engaged in the endeavor because they have to be. Because not doing it leaves a void in their lives that they can’t really tolerate. There may be times where other needs predominate. You have to pay the bills. You’re married or you have kids and those relationships demand time and attention. For periods of time, maybe you can’t pursue your art. But it’s always there, waiting for you to return to it. So there’s never a point at which I think you’re faced with the choice of giving up or continuing on. You continue on because you need to.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I write fiction, largely in the crime/thriller genre. My first novel, Twentymile, was published in 2021 and received nice reviews in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Foreword Reviews, Reckon Review, and others. My short stories have appeared in numerous publications and collections, both in print and online. The road to publication began many years before, with a whole lot of writing that wasn’t good enough to see the light of day before I had anything worth submitting. You write, you read, you have others critique your work, you revise, you improve. Rinse and repeat forever and ever, amen. For me, the biggest challenge has always been finding the time to write. I have a (more than) full-time job, a wife, a son with activities to attend and support, and a lengthy commute. The solution, I’ve found, is to steal whatever moments you can find, wherever you can find them, to put down words. I aim for just 250 words a day (basically, one page of a book), on average. Over time, those words add up into something that’s not good enough yet, but that can be revised and revised some more, until it is.. It’s a bit like archaeology. Just keep chipping and brushing away, and eventually the art will emerge. The other lesson I’ve learned along the way: Writing requires patience and thick skin. If writing is a slow process, the world of publishing moves at a glacial pace. And you will face rejection regularly, for all kinds of reasons. But you roll with it, you keep your butt in your seat, and you keep writing.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
For purposes of this question, I’m going to imagine this visit takes place in September or October, which is my favorite time of year in Georgia. I’d actually start in the north Georgia mountains, not too far from the city, fishing a trout stream (the Toccoa or Soque River, Noontootla Creek), maybe eating a good meal in downtown Blue Ridge (Harvest on Main is a favorite). From there, I’d take them to a Braves game, and if they’re in town, to Athens for a UGA football game. (Sensing a pattern?) Assuming this friend was staying with me and my family south of the city, I’d take them down to Big Red Oak Plantation to shoot sporting clays and treat them to a nice meal at the Cellar in downtown Newnan.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Writing a novel or a story may be a largely solo act, but any level of success at writing requires the help of many, many people. For me, that includes my writing critique group, populated by talented writers like Danielle Herritt and Linh Pham. It includes the editorial staff of every publisher or magazine who has ever seen something in my work worth publishing–especially the editorial staff Latah Books, Jon Gosch and Kevin Breen, who shepherded my first novel into the world. It includes organizations like the Atlanta Writers Club and Hometown Novel Writers Association, both of which have provided opportunities to promote my work. And more recently, it includes my literary agent, Fergus Inder. Lastly, it includes my wife, Cindy, and son, Everett, who give me the space to write and celebrate the wins with me.

Website: https://cmattsmithwrites.com

Twitter: @cmattwrite

Other: Bluesky: @cmattwrite.bsky.social

Image Credits
None.