simpathetic devil

Simpathy for the Devil?

The sympathetic devil trope has become such a mainstay of popular fiction as to be a Pop Cult zombie meme. Audiences - even pro writers  - now take for granted that a demon could choose to do good or even repent and gain salvation. Few people see anything weird about…
November 28, 202320 Comments

Two Big Reveals

Thanks to our awesome backers, the Burned Book campaign is blazing bright on Indiegogo. In anticipation of reaching Stretch Goal 5, which as of this writing is just $21 away, I thought we'd start the party early with two big reveals from the project. First up, friend of the blog…
November 22, 2023
Spear

Work-a-Weapon 3

Special Announcement: Yep, the Burned Book campaign is doing a Black Friday sale, too. I think we've come up with some pretty exciting offers. Read to the end for details. I told you that Work-a-Weapon 3 would rock your world. But you didn't believe me. WHY DIDN'T YOU BELIEVE ME!…
November 20, 20237 Comments
WaW 2

Work-a-Weapon 2

If you've been following our whirlwind Neopatronage campaign, you know that the Work-a-Weapon perk gives you the chance to commission your own living item for The Burned Book! The first worked weapon turned heads. Now feast your eyes on WaW 2:   Soul Razor, the Magian Saber From the backer: This legendary saber manifests…
November 17, 2023
Work-a-Weapon 1

Work-a-Weapon 1

Having read author JD Cowan's post about the back-to-back paradigm shifts that have upended legacy publishing, it occurred to me that most of the discussion surrounding previous book industry revolutions focused on authors and publishers. Lost in all the controversy was any thought of how the fall of oldpub -…
November 10, 202311 Comments
Pacing Watch

How to Master Pacing

The Burned Book is now funding. Get the highly anticipated dark fantasy before launch, plus a ton of awesome perks. Pledge now. Writing is an art, and like any form of art, it requires skill, practice, and patience. For aspiring writers, one of the most crucial elements to master is…
November 6, 2023
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
HollywoodInToto

Hollywood In Toto

The Neopatronage concept has been making waves lately. Thanks in large part to a number of high-profile crowdfunders that have buried the needle in newpub circles. Despite the 33% stagflation that's beset most Americans and the mid-October slump that plagues all crowdfunding campaigns, independent creators are finding patrons to back…
October 30, 20234 Comments
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