From Crisis Communications to Crime Fiction with John David

What does decades of crisis PR work teach you about writing a mystery novel that actually keeps readers guessing?John David is a longtime public relations and crisis communications consultant, corporate ghostwriter, and debut novelist. His first novel, The Bystander, won the 2025 Page Turner Award for Mysteries and was named one of the Best Thrillers of 2025 by BestThrillers.com. The story follows a TV reporter who captures a viral, high-stakes shooting on camera, only to discover the truth is far more complicated than it first appears.In this episode, John shares his path from crisis communications and corporate ghostwriting to writing commercial fiction, how pop culture, sports, and politics shape his creative process, and what he's learned navigating literary agents, small presses, and the publishing world as a debut novelist. He also breaks down the real differences between traditional, self, and hybrid publishing.WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT:From crisis communications consultant to debut novelistThe real story behind writing The BystanderHow pop culture, sports, and politics influence his creative outputFinding a literary agent and securing a small press dealTraditional vs. self-publishing vs. hybrid pressesCurrent trends in entertainment from an author's perspectiveCONNECT WITH JOHN DAVID:Website: ByJohnDavid.comFacebook, Twitter/X, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok & Substack: linked on his profile