Conveyor Belt rapid release

The Pros and Cons of Rapid Release

Because many of my valued neopatrons are newpub or newpub adjacent, my deep dive indie publishing tips usually get reserved for them. But every so often, I part the veil to give regular readers a glimpse of my patrons-only material. Today's post originated from a patron request to lay out…
August 21, 20241 Comment
Book Shelf

Why Authors Need Wide and Varied Influences

A big temptation for new authors is to immerse yourself in a narrow selection of books, often within the genre you're writing. You may feel that keeping exclusive focus on your genre will give you the best chance of mastering its conventions and satisfying your readers. But limiting your reading…
August 19, 20246 Comments

Why New Authors Should Master Genre Conventions Before Breaking Them

One of my cherished neopatrons called my attention to this post by The Brothers Krynn, which itself is a response to another piece by author JD Cowan. After spending some time retreading the "Are fantasy and sci fi separate genres?" debate, it brings up an issue that's running rampant among…
August 15, 20245 Comments

We Won’t Let You Slip Through the Cracks

There's no two ways about it. The situation is tough out there. If current trends keep going the way they're headed, it's going to get worse before it gets better. But it will get better. Because the only way to give meaning to suffering is faith in God, and God…
August 5, 20245 Comments
Editing

How to Edit Your First Draft

From time to time, I cross-post an item from the exclusive archives to give regular readers a sample of my insider content. If you find value in today's post, you can access weekly subscriber posts through my Patreon or SubscribeStar. You've completed the first full draft of your book. Congratulations! You've achieved what…
July 25, 2024
Writing: The Amateur vs the Professional Path

Writing: The Amateur vs the Professional Path

When new writers come to me for advice, I make a point of asking them one question: Why are you writing? That question catches most people off guard. The number of would-be authors who've never stopped to consider why they want to write is surprising. Because writing as a side…
July 12, 20246 Comments
Small Town

Take the Small Town Pill?

A recent trend online involves social media accounts giving aimless, despairing men advice on how to find the American Dream. What's noteworthy about this new brand of advice is that it urges Millennial and Gen Z males to leave the cities and venture into the heartland in search of the…
July 9, 20247 Comments
Publisher

How to Think Like a Publisher

Uncomfortable conversation time. You may not want to hear it, but a lot of folks in the newpub scene shoot themselves in the foot by calling  themselves "indie authors." Don't feel bad. I made the same mistake at first. And it is a mistake. Because as the name implies, newpub…
May 15, 20241 Comment
World Building 1

How to Handle World Building

The one element that distinguishes science fiction and fantasy from the other flavors of adventure fiction is world building. If you’re a new SFF writer, learning how to craft vivid secondary worlds is a crucial skill. And mastering it takes finesse as well as creativity. But it’s not as daunting…
April 19, 20245 Comments
Sam Hyde

Bayou Bomber Contra Sam Hyde

Many of this blog's readers will be aware of comedian Sam Hyde. He's spent his career straddling the line between the rightward edge of the Overton window and the mainstream. He's also something of a Jack of all trades, having crashed a TedX talk, had a now-cancelled show on Adult…
January 29, 20246 Comments