Rising Stars: Meet Clay Stafford of Franklin

Today we’d like to introduce you to Clay Stafford

Hi Clay, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
As a teenager, I founded The Clay Stafford Company in 1976 (which later became American Blackguard, Inc. in 2003) to create solid works of entertainment and education. Since then, I have become an international bestselling author and filmmaker with over 4 million books sold and work distributed in 17 languages. Over my multi-decade and multi-faceted career in the publishing and entertainment industries, I have been an author, screenwriter, playwright, journalist, editor, book packager, and publisher. In the film and television industry, I have been a film and television executive, director, producer, executive producer, production manager, showrunner, cinematographer, and editor, and I have also served in multiple capacities in early-career studio support. I am a former film/television actor, primarily a live theater actor, singer, dancer, radio personality, and model. In the music industry, I have been an AM radio Top 10 producer, composer, lyricist, and musician. I have an M.F.A. in Creative Writing / Film Production. I have been a university faculty member and curriculum consultant for higher education, currently on the Parent Leadership Circle Executive Board at Belmont University, the founder of the Killer Nashville International Writers’ Conference, the streaming service The Balanced Writer, and a business consultant and speaker. I have served on multiple local and national boards because of my passion for literacy, education, equality, and freedom of the press. I have overseen, through my own companies, past donations of nearly $100,000 annually in books and funds to help numerous libraries, schools, environmental victims, educational missions, preservationist causes, minority communities, and military personnel. Mentors, passion, family, and the grace of God have allowed me to venture from being the grandson of a rural Appalachian bootlegger to a life behind the scenes with some of Hollywood and publishing’s biggest names and legends. Because of my work, I was named a PW Star Watch Honoree by Publishers Weekly, Frankfurter Buchmesse (Frankfurt Book Fair), and the American Booksellers Association as one of the Top Fifty “accomplished up-and-comers in the U.S. and Canadian publishing communities.” And Publishers Weekly said that I play “an essential role in defining which books become bestsellers” throughout “the nation’s book culture.” I live in Franklin, Tennessee with my family and menagerie of animals.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Of course, there are always struggles. Nothing worth gaining is a smooth road. But you set your eyes on what is important and move forward.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I consider myself a multifaceted creative professional specializing in fiction, nonfiction, screenwriting, short stories, and poetry for audiences ranging from adults to young adults and juveniles. My body of work spans multiple genres, including crime fiction, self-improvement, and books on writing. I teach writing techniques and inspire writers through workshops, speaking engagements, and conferences. I am the founder and driving force behind the Killer Nashville International Writers’ Conference, a premier event for writers, and the new streaming network, The Balanced Writer. I focus on themes such as moral dilemmas, survival, resilience, personal growth, cultural identity, and complex relationships. I specialize in crime and thriller fiction, exploring engaging, morally complex narratives, nonfiction writing that shares insights into writing, creativity, and self-improvement, and blended entertainment, delivering stories that I hope provoke thought while engaging readers. I think I’m most known for empowering writers through my teaching and conference leadership, encouraging writers to succeed. I’m most proud of my family, first. After that, probably Killer Nashville’s impact in helping countless writers find their voices, build networks, and launch their careers. After that, creating stories that matter built on the promise of delivering narratives that resonate deeply, entertain, and inspire. I find great satisfaction in empowering writers through my mentorship and teaching and hopefully making a lasting impact on the writing community. What sets me apart is my multidisciplinary approach, my commitment to storytelling with depth in probing themes that explore the human condition, and my support for other writers. I truly want others to succeed, and I want to empower writers to find their voice in the literary world.

How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I really think it is the other way around. How can I support others? I think that’s what we’re all about. I’m doing that the best I can through my activities. I think we really need to leave the planet having made a difference. That’s the key. Ultimately, we don’t look back on what others have given us, but we do question what we have left behind for others.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://claystafford.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claystafford/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ClayStaffordOfficial
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claystafford/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClayStafford
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ClayStafford
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@ClayStafford

Image Credits
Courtesy of Clay Stafford