In a digital world, writing can sometimes feel like I’m moving ones and zeros in a virtual world where nothing is real. Even when I’ve finished the book and output it into various ebook formats, it still doesn’t feel like I’ve completed my goal until I hold the paperback novel in my hand. This week […]
Many years ago I worked in television for a bit and, like everyone else, started out at the bottom. I was a runner/gopher for over a year. That meant I had to feed the crews, get lunches, run errands, etc. Some people may think that would be a waste of time or “below me,” but […]
The first draft of Kneel & Prey has been completed. If you’ve been following along, this isn’t so much a first novel, as a reboot. 🙂 The first novel, Water & Blood, became the fifth novel. The second first novel, The Homecoming Incident, was scrapped and will be offered later as a bonus. So the […]
Independent publishing is substantially cheaper than its ever been. With Amazon and other distributors offering to distribute your ebook for a small fee and print your print book on-demand with nearly zero up front costs, publishing your book on your own has never been easier. However, to be taken seriously in the market and compete […]
I finished the first draft of Lost & Found this week and the writing process for this novel allowed me to finally find the correct voice and tone for all of the Gabby Wells novels. It was weird to me that it took two novels (that have since been trashed) and three novellas to find […]
Whether you are independently published or traditionally published, the majority of the ownership for your success falls on your shoulders. It is up to the author to write good stuff, build a fan base, establish beta readers and street teams and marketing plans. It’s why real writers treat writing as a business. It’s where the […]
I once read that successful people surround themselves with people who are strong in areas they are not. I continue to do this in the creation of the Gabby Wells novels. As I’ve mentioned on this blog, my history is writing screenplays, but am migrating my way into novel writing. This process hasn’t been easy […]
I’m in a funk. A writing funk. I’ve been working on my first novel for a long time. A LONG time. Not always in novel form, but the story itself has been in my life everyday for about four years. Four years. First as a screenplay idea. Then as a TV script idea. And now […]
I like to challenge myself. And I like to learn new things. These attributes have come in handy as I’ve focused on writing novels. When I was a kid, I was enthralled by movies. One summer in particular, the movie Raiders of the Lost Ark was playing at a local dollar theater. Back before DVDs […]
Jeff Strand, author of over 20 novels, including the highly successful Andrew Mayhem Series and A Bad Day for VooDoo shares his approach to his comedy-horror novels, the changes to distribution and his latest release, Dead Clown Barbecue. Many thanks to Jeff who suffered through a cold while recording the podcast. He’s a trooper. Enjoy the […]
Out of the plethora of publishing options available today, we’ve ranked three that fit the best. Our Gabby Wells novel series is about a teen sleuth who, along with solving mysteries, must also deal with the high demands of her faith. These stories are not written in a preachy sort of way. Though most people […]
One of the best editing advices I’ve ever heard was this… Edit your story in reverse. What does that mean? Start with the last chapter and go backwards. The early chapters have invariably been reread and edited far more than the later chapters, but, in a good novel, ever chapter has to be good. So, […]