Hugh H.D. Hunter
Hugh H.D. Hunter
Hugh “H.D.” Hunter is a storyteller, teaching artist, and community organizer from Atlanta, Georgia. He’s the author of Torment: A Novella and Something Like Right, as well as the winner of several international indie book awards for multicultural fiction. You can find his work online in Porter House Review.
Hugh is also the author of the Futureland trilogy, including Battle for the Park, which was named a Georgia Center for the Book 2023 Book All Young Georgians Should Read.
Hugh is an alum of the inaugural Tin House Young Adult Fiction Workshop. He’s served as both a moderator and panelist at FIYAHCON. He’s a “cocoa” founder of the Voodoonauts Summer Fellowship for Black speculative fiction writers, and his teaching credits include Clarion West Online, Catapult, and a Writer-in-Residence position with the PEN/Faulkner Foundation.
Hugh is committed to stories about Black kids and their many expansive worlds. Connect with Hugh on Instagram (@hdhunterbooks), or his website: https://thesoutherndistrict.com
What excites you about writing? How has it affected your life?
I think writing is one of the most fun, free, and powerful forms of expression. I love its breadth of utility; its ability to imbue great meaning into a singular person’s daily routine and at the same time inspire and impact masses world wide. Writing has connected me to communities where I’ve never traveled, to people I’ve never met. It has helped me learn, and grow, and find ways to make sense of this world and others that may exist.
What mindset does a writer need to continue to grow and learn?
One of the main things I think can help a writer continue growing and learning is accepting the idea that language is always transforming. The things we said don’t mean the same thing if we say them now. Context changes, society changes, and sometimes even words themselves. If we can be like language — model ourselves after this type of fluidity — then I think we’re always in a space of being able to find the best way to communicate to achieve our goals.
What makes a good writing mentor?
A good mentor has experience. They can guide you and inform you, but won’t push you to follow a certain path. They know enough to advise, but recognize that they do not know everything, and are open to learning. They celebrate with you. They recognize the down times and support you. Above all, they want you to win, on your terms, in a way that is meaningful for you.
What is your style of feedback?
I have an adaptable style of feedback. I spent years as a career coach helping students from all backgrounds. I ask questions to try to hone in on what’s most important for a mentee. And the feedback that I provide from there is mainly geared toward helping them remain accountable to their own rubric. I am tactful and kind, but honest. I will warn you. I will encourage you. And in some cases, I may disagree with you. But it’s all coming from a place of love.