I wrote and emailed a newsletter on life purpose for close to twenty years and pretty much knew what my readers wanted to receive. Now, as an author of visionary fiction and nonfiction, I'd like to provide readers as much as possible with what they want to receive. So, help me out by checking ALL the items below that you'd like to see in the OJB/WBS Amazingly Awesome Newsletter. Feel free to make additional suggestions in [...]
From Pantser to Hybrid Plotter Over the past twenty-five plus years as a writer of visionary fiction (stories that entertain and also inspire), I've moved from being a pantser (writing by the seat of my pants) to a hybrid plotter. Nowadays one of the most enjoyable parts of the writing process is planning what it is I want to write; ie, the plotting part. Then, once I feel confident I have a story worth telling and one [...]
Kindle Scout - American Idol for Indie Authors Will you help me be discovered? Yep, my dog, Argos, and I are doing our happy dance today. Why? Because my newest supernatural thriller, Babble, has just been accepted into Kindle Scout! This book has been a joy to write in collaboration with many awesome Launch Team members who were so kind and generous with their time and talents helping as proofers and beta readers. (Thanks, once again.) [...]
Over a year ago I had, what I thought at the time was a brilliant idea to weave together the Kindred Series (Seeds of a New Birth, etc.) with the FreeForm series. After all, both storylines have at their core the mishaps that can take place with genetic engineering. The more I looked into this the better I liked the idea. I figured I could connect the two by sharing characters and merging them into the [...]
I'm resuming my research and "pre-writing" for book #3 of the Zak Bates Eco-adventure series with the working title of Ivory (also considering Blood Ivory). Still trying to come up with a palatable way to share about the terrible crime of ivory poaching that is endangering the elephant populations of the world in a way that will inspire young people without totally grossing them out or giving them nightmares. Your ideas and suggestions are invited. Leave [...]
A Blog for Readers & Writers Alike Really? Yes, and here's why. As an indie author, I realize readers are the lifeblood of what I do. Recently, I also discovered how much I enjoy connecting with people who enjoy reading, especially when they enjoy reading my books. And while not all readers are also writers many are, so this blog is for both avid readers and writers (and even readers who aspire to become [...]
2015 was an exciting year for being an indie authorpreneur. I made great strides, had a lot of fun, and had more than my share of successes. But just like it takes a village to raise a child, success as an indie author takes more than one person. It also takes the help of other people and resources like the ones listed below. I'm not going to list the obvious ones like Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or [...]
As hundred of thousands of writers around the globe move into the second half of NaNoWriMo, I want to give my update and observations. My update: over 35,000 words and counting. My observation #1: My characters have taken over my story and I love it. TJ (also known as Todd) has turned out to be a most interesting character in book two of the FreeForm Series, FreeForm Reborn. Of course, it doesn't hurt that he's part [...]
Here's a short and sweet update #1 as I and some 300,000+ writers from around the world enter week 2 of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). I'm pleased to report that I'm ahead of schedule (see graph below) for reaching the 50,000-word count before the end of the month as well as on schedule to reach my personal goal of either 75,000 words of the end of the rough draft of my sequel novel, FreeForm Reborn. [...]
Okay, tonight is Halloween, but for hundreds of thousands of writers across the globe, it's also NaNoWriMo Eve. That's right, tomorrow, November 1 kicks off National Novel Writing Month when those hundreds of thousands of writers will start to write their 50,000+ novel from scratch. I'll be one of them, and my plan is to also chronicle my progress and what I learn along the way here on my blog. Today's entry is short and sweet. [...]
