Tag: career decisions

Q is for Quitting the Day Job (or never having one to begin with)

Writing is one of those gigs where everyone expects you to have a day job, since common wisdom says that writers don’t make money. In traditional publishing, that may be generally true, but self-publishing is an entirely different game. It isn’t necessarily easy to make a living as an indie writer, but it is possible–much… Continue reading Q is for Quitting the Day Job (or never having one to begin with)

P is for Pricing

One of the most contentious issues among indie writers is how to price our books. With self-publishing, the decision is left up to the author, which can lead to some wacky rationales for pricing. Here are just a few of them: My book is worth more than a cup of coffee. This is clearly a… Continue reading P is for Pricing

J is for the Joys of Self-Publishing

Brandon Sanderson teaches an English class at Brigham Young University, and I was one of his students back in 2008 and 2009. At LTUE this year, he asked me to come in and speak to his class about what it’s like to be an indie writer, so I prepared a short ten minute presentation on… Continue reading J is for the Joys of Self-Publishing

H is for Hybrid Author

Is it worth seeking traditional publication if you’re an indie writer? Are there advantages to going with a legacy publisher after you’ve published yourself? A lot of writer throw around the word “hybrid” as if that’s their ultimate goal–the thing that’s going to make their career. A hybrid author is an author with their feet… Continue reading H is for Hybrid Author

Experimenting with prices

So now that the last Star Wanderers novella is out and I’m hard at work on the next book, I’m thinking very seriously about experimenting with my prices. I haven’t done a lot of price experimentation, especially since writing became my main source of income about six months ago. I just recently landed a job… Continue reading Experimenting with prices

Lindsey Stirling, Nichieri, Susan Boyle, and thoughts on discoverability and greatness

I saw a couple of things on Youtube that made me think recently about the importance of quality work, especially in the arts. I’m a casual fan of Lindsey Stirling–I’ve watched most of her videos, put them on in the background from time to time, and get a kick out of following her career. For… Continue reading Lindsey Stirling, Nichieri, Susan Boyle, and thoughts on discoverability and greatness

Operation Short Blitz

Primary Objective: To master the art and craft of short-form storytelling. Secondary Objective: To achieve name recognition in the speculative fiction field through publication in the major short story magazines. For some time, I’ve wanted to branch out and learn how to write well in short form.  I’ve written several novels, and I feel I… Continue reading Operation Short Blitz

3am thoughts, or why everyone says to be an accountant

I’ve been reading in bed on my smart phone recently, which is probably a bad idea because it makes it harder to go asleep.  At the same time, though, it tends to get my mind rolling, and when 3am comes around my thoughts tend to go some really interesting places.  Sharing those thoughts is probably… Continue reading 3am thoughts, or why everyone says to be an accountant

Laying the groundwork for a couple new series

So I just got back from vacation at Cape Cod, which turned out completely different from what I’d expected.  When I left, I said that I’d probably just write like I usually do, except in a different place.  Instead, I took a break from my WIPs long enough to catch a new vision for my… Continue reading Laying the groundwork for a couple new series