What does it take to get your brand noticed? While I have been writing for nearly 40 years, I didn’t get professionally published until I had the opportunity for a couple of short stories to be published in anthologies. That began in 2011 – ten years ago. I dipped my toe into the self-publishing waters…
Tag: writer
What Inspires You?
What inspires will be variable but is always important. No matter what projects I am working on, I often look for inspiration. Even when I am striving to inspire – I need to find things to inspire me. This is especially important when you are not in a good headspace, or otherwise contending with unpleasant…
Content is King
Ignoring content will be to your detriment. Yes, I write a lot. I blog 6 days a week, plus my podcast and my fiction works. I probably write on the order of 3000 words a day. Six days a week that’s 18,000 words a week. For the sake of argument, let’s decrease that to 15,000…
Book Smarts Versus Street Smarts
Book smarts and street smarts both have a place in our lives. I think I was in high school when I started playing Dungeons and Dragons. Given my deep love of sci-fi and fantasy, D&D fueled that. I mean, c’mon, who doesn’t want to roleplay a mighty warrior wielding a sword, a sneaky thief, or…
Getting Comfortable with Getting Uncomfortable
Leaving the norm behind and stepping out of your comfort zone can be uncomfortable. Since college, I have held a LOT of different jobs. I have been an administrative assistant, tech support for two different companies doing four different types of support, benefits administration, sales, retail management, paralegal, marketing assistant, IT manager, and all-around guy-Friday….
Why Should You Read My Stuff?
I would love for you to read my stuff. But how do I get you interested? I have been writing for most of my life. My first illustrated, sci-fi book was written when I was 9. The next, when I was 13. Then, on and off, I continued to write various fictions. In 1998, I…
The Challenge of Plausibility in Writing
When it comes to science fiction, plausibility is an interesting question. For the most part, the fiction I write is in one of three genres. Fantasy, science fiction, and Steampunk. When it comes to fantasy, I get to make shit up. The worlds you create can operate with nary a thought towards certain scientific laws….
The Need to Balance Perseverance and Patience
Perseverance and patience are the keys to getting where you desire to go. Patience has never been my strong suit. That’s why, after 24 years, I finally named my primary fencing sword Patience. This is important because it is a reminder that it takes not only perseverance – but patience to get anywhere with anything….
Art and Money
Learning not to be afraid of money and its relationship to your art. When you do a hobby, it is entirely for your own edification. You do the thing you do for fun, because it makes you feel good, and because it stirs creative juices and produces life-affirming endorphins and so on. There are almost…
Working from a Plan: Progress Report
I had no idea working from a plan could so drastically increase my productivity. For most of my life as a writer, I have been a pantser. My friend and fellow author Val Griswold-Ford introduced me to the notion of planners vs panters. Though I have defined this before, let me clarify – a pantser…