Authors Outpost

On Author’s Outpost

Take even a passing look into the online newpub scene, and you'll find the X threads, Facebook groups, and YouTube chats abuzz with talk of Neopatronage. It's not hard to understand why. Those who've kept even cursory tabs on the state of publishing are aware of two indisputable facts: Amazon…
November 2, 2023
Fantasy Genre Setting

Genre vs Setting

Friend of the blog author David V. Stewart's recent stream on speculative fiction settings uncovered a curious phenomenon. It seems a lot of people, even some new authors, have trouble telling the difference between genre vs setting in speculative fiction. It's a worthwhile stream, covering a range of topics from…
October 26, 20232 Comments
Amaranth Angels

Neopatronage Ascendant

Big news broke in the indie comics world this week as the upcoming manga Amaranth Angels met its ambitious funding goal. The brainchild of Ascendant Fiction writer Yakov Merkin and artist Philip San Gaspar, this sci fi adventure features all you could ever want ... Cute girls in space. Watch…
October 20, 20234 Comments
Writing Spiral

Escape the Writing Spiral

Look around the pop culture moonscape, and you'll notice that former titans of entertainment like Lost and A Game of Thrones have become bywords and lolcows - grim warnings to writers about the price of failing to deliver. Everybody says that these shows disappointed viewers because their storylines devolved into…
October 19, 2023
Twitter X Ban

Burned Book Banned?

A year ago, I went on record speculating that Elon Musk may have bought Twitter to destroy it. If the latest wave of censorship on the embattled platform - including dissident account ban waves and the apparent implementation of a subtler "social credit" style policy are any indication, Twitter's demise…
October 13, 202311 Comments
Influence

How to Manage Your Influences

The influences that shape your writing can be a boon and a challenge. Striking the right balance between drawing inspiration from others and staying true to your unique voice is an essential skill for new authors. Let's explore some practical ways to help you manage your influences while writing without…
October 12, 2023
IndieScan 11

Ironage IndieScan

One unexpected but welcome windfall of my recent public commitment to neopatronage is the number of fellow authors who have likewise embraced the concept. Launching my patron pages and my latest crowdfunding campaign has given me the chance to talk with many other authors. Once they understand the new model,…
October 11, 2023
Book Opening

How to Open a Novel

Every writer knows that the first few pages of a novel can make or break a reader's interest. Author David Stewart's recent stream about the best novel openings ever inspired me to explore how to write an effective beginning that will hook readers from the start. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrxKB3WeaoE Here are some…
October 5, 2023
Burned Book Campaign Card

Burned Book Early Access

I plunged readers into a haunting world of dark magic and deep mystery with my Dragon Award-winning Soul Cycle. Now I'm revealing the secret history behind this captivating epic in its highly anticipated prequel, The Burned Book. Dark intrigue. Blood magic. Vicious Battle. Who can move a world standing on these pillars? An…
October 3, 20232 Comments
outline

How to Outline

Authoring a novel is exciting, but let's face it, few writing projects are more challenging. The key to a successful novel often lies in the preparation – and that starts with creating a well-structured outline. Let's explore how to craft an outline that will serve as the blueprint for your…
September 29, 20237 Comments