Bill Conrad's Blog, page 5
February 12, 2025
Play Stupid Games, Don’t Win Stupid Prizes
My house was constructed in 2007 on a small plot of land surrounded by other houses. The advantage of building on a small parcel is reduced price, but I lack room to play with big toys. Such as? Dump trucks, tractors, excavators, bulldozers, cranes, forklifts, pumps, generators, and graders. I love them all! However, the most significant piece of equipment I ever owned was a lawn mower, and I had to sell it because it took up too much space. Tractor? Ha! I could not even fit a tractor tire in my crowded garage.
The closest I get to owning big equipment is watching YouTube videos. These content creators buy, restore, fix, modify, and use their equipment for fun activities. I devote at least an hour daily to seeing what they are doing.
One of my favorite YouTube channels is Ants Pants. Andris lives in Estonia and works on all kinds of fun projects. I have determined that the attraction to reality shows involves the host’s personality. Some viewers are looking for drama, mystery, and macho goodness. I prefer down-to-earth people with watchable interests, and his channel fits my bill.
https://www.youtube.com/@Ants_Pants
You are probably thinking, “Hey, you normally write about books and stuff. What does a YouTube guy playing with tractors have to do with that?” I am glad you asked. Andris said something the other day that has been rattling around in my bonkers mind. “Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.”
I participated in my fair share of stupid activities as a kid. I rode my dirt bike without a helmet and used scraps of wood to jump over shopping carts. And my bike? It was so bad that I could still see the labels from the recycled beer cans it was made out of.
Fast forward to today. We know so much about safety, medicine, health, and physics. Plus, there are endless videos about poor decisions. Spoiler alert! Concussions have lifelong impacts. (That was a pun.) As a result, we instituted laws, quality controls, government department, rules, and lawyers to enhance safety. Yet, it seems now more than ever that people are doing stupid things. Why? To be famous, do something extraordinary, or relieve boredom.
I recall the precise moment when I became aware of this trend. Around 1995, I was watching an obituary on the local news. They had been following the antics of a local teenager who had become a minor celebrity. It started five years prior when his friend borrowed his father’s video camera to record a stunt.
The kid rode his dirt bike as fast as he could down the walkway of a three-story apartment building, jumped off the top-floor steps, and did a twist with the idea of sticking the landing on the railing of the second-floor steps. He came within inches of success and crashed hard on the cement below.
The friend submitted the video to the local news, and they interviewed the kid in the hospital bed. He confidently proclaimed something like, “I am a true champion! When I heal, I’m going to stick that landing!” A year later, history repeated with another spectacular video of him crashing and an interview. The following year, the kid crashed again. I was unaware of the first three crashes, but the news only showed the kid speeding toward the top steps on the fourth. They stopped the video because the resulting crash was fatal. I thought, “Man, that kid was an idiot. Why on earth was he so dedicated to doing something that dangerous?”
Today, the internet is full of videos where people intentionally do stupid things, but what does this have to do with writing? Pondering Andris’s statement made me realize that the main characters should never win stupid prizes. Let’s jump (another pun) in with an example.
It’s a teenage romance with a hard-core punk who wants to be the world’s best bike stunt bike rider. And the girl… Umm? Wait a minute. Is she going to fall (another pun) for a kid dumb enough to jump his bike off a three-story building? That story is a non-starter for everybody.
How about a coming-of-age story where the mother of the hard-core punk biker does not know what to do? Umm? She raised an idiot. How will readers ever sympathize?
The doctor who saved a brave child… Umm, no. The kid is a bonehead. Let’s hear the story of saving a normal kid.
The only salvageable aspect of this mess is a story about the kid who videotaped the biker. He could grow up to be a reality television producer—still, not an entertaining foundation.
Well, how do we fix the problem? People and characters will always engage in stupid activities, and authors should not avoid these flaws. My solution is to prevent the stupid prize. The kid sticks the landing. “Wow! That could have gone bad. I was a real bonehead and better make good decisions in the future.” Positive outcomes from stupid activities have a higher story impact (another pun). Essentially, I recommend riding above (a fourth pun) our foolishness.
What am I trying to avoid? What is the central problem? Readers like to cheer for the main characters and relate to their situations. They want something better than reality and empathize with success. Even in a horror story, the despicable villain has solid goals. Can you imagine Hanabal Lector crashing on a dirt bike? That would bring the story flow to a dead stop (almost a pun).
Am I guilty of not taking my advice? I only put this thought together recently, but I had a similar rule over the years. During story development and editing, I identified segments that read stupid. My solution was to delete them or rewrite them to read more intelligently. I felt this made a better story that readers had a better chance of relating to and enjoying.
My rule would unlikely make it into a writing guide or textbook because it falls into the “what a solid plot should contain” category. Still, I find exploring areas that cannot or should not be written about fascinating. Readers are a fickle bunch. We like what we like and will put a book down in a heartbeat for tiny reasons.
You’re the best -Bill
February 12, 2025
The closest I get to owning big equipment is watching YouTube videos. These content creators buy, restore, fix, modify, and use their equipment for fun activities. I devote at least an hour daily to seeing what they are doing.
One of my favorite YouTube channels is Ants Pants. Andris lives in Estonia and works on all kinds of fun projects. I have determined that the attraction to reality shows involves the host’s personality. Some viewers are looking for drama, mystery, and macho goodness. I prefer down-to-earth people with watchable interests, and his channel fits my bill.
https://www.youtube.com/@Ants_Pants
You are probably thinking, “Hey, you normally write about books and stuff. What does a YouTube guy playing with tractors have to do with that?” I am glad you asked. Andris said something the other day that has been rattling around in my bonkers mind. “Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.”
I participated in my fair share of stupid activities as a kid. I rode my dirt bike without a helmet and used scraps of wood to jump over shopping carts. And my bike? It was so bad that I could still see the labels from the recycled beer cans it was made out of.
Fast forward to today. We know so much about safety, medicine, health, and physics. Plus, there are endless videos about poor decisions. Spoiler alert! Concussions have lifelong impacts. (That was a pun.) As a result, we instituted laws, quality controls, government department, rules, and lawyers to enhance safety. Yet, it seems now more than ever that people are doing stupid things. Why? To be famous, do something extraordinary, or relieve boredom.
I recall the precise moment when I became aware of this trend. Around 1995, I was watching an obituary on the local news. They had been following the antics of a local teenager who had become a minor celebrity. It started five years prior when his friend borrowed his father’s video camera to record a stunt.
The kid rode his dirt bike as fast as he could down the walkway of a three-story apartment building, jumped off the top-floor steps, and did a twist with the idea of sticking the landing on the railing of the second-floor steps. He came within inches of success and crashed hard on the cement below.
The friend submitted the video to the local news, and they interviewed the kid in the hospital bed. He confidently proclaimed something like, “I am a true champion! When I heal, I’m going to stick that landing!” A year later, history repeated with another spectacular video of him crashing and an interview. The following year, the kid crashed again. I was unaware of the first three crashes, but the news only showed the kid speeding toward the top steps on the fourth. They stopped the video because the resulting crash was fatal. I thought, “Man, that kid was an idiot. Why on earth was he so dedicated to doing something that dangerous?”
Today, the internet is full of videos where people intentionally do stupid things, but what does this have to do with writing? Pondering Andris’s statement made me realize that the main characters should never win stupid prizes. Let’s jump (another pun) in with an example.
It’s a teenage romance with a hard-core punk who wants to be the world’s best bike stunt bike rider. And the girl… Umm? Wait a minute. Is she going to fall (another pun) for a kid dumb enough to jump his bike off a three-story building? That story is a non-starter for everybody.
How about a coming-of-age story where the mother of the hard-core punk biker does not know what to do? Umm? She raised an idiot. How will readers ever sympathize?
The doctor who saved a brave child… Umm, no. The kid is a bonehead. Let’s hear the story of saving a normal kid.
The only salvageable aspect of this mess is a story about the kid who videotaped the biker. He could grow up to be a reality television producer—still, not an entertaining foundation.
Well, how do we fix the problem? People and characters will always engage in stupid activities, and authors should not avoid these flaws. My solution is to prevent the stupid prize. The kid sticks the landing. “Wow! That could have gone bad. I was a real bonehead and better make good decisions in the future.” Positive outcomes from stupid activities have a higher story impact (another pun). Essentially, I recommend riding above (a fourth pun) our foolishness.
What am I trying to avoid? What is the central problem? Readers like to cheer for the main characters and relate to their situations. They want something better than reality and empathize with success. Even in a horror story, the despicable villain has solid goals. Can you imagine Hanabal Lector crashing on a dirt bike? That would bring the story flow to a dead stop (almost a pun).
Am I guilty of not taking my advice? I only put this thought together recently, but I had a similar rule over the years. During story development and editing, I identified segments that read stupid. My solution was to delete them or rewrite them to read more intelligently. I felt this made a better story that readers had a better chance of relating to and enjoying.
My rule would unlikely make it into a writing guide or textbook because it falls into the “what a solid plot should contain” category. Still, I find exploring areas that cannot or should not be written about fascinating. Readers are a fickle bunch. We like what we like and will put a book down in a heartbeat for tiny reasons.
You’re the best -Bill
February 12, 2025
February 5, 2025
The Ten Awful Book Publishing Truths
I recently came across an excellent summary of the harsh realities of modern publishing and thought it would be interesting to discuss the findings.
https://ideas.bkconnection.com/10-awf...
1) The number of books being published every year has exploded.
Today, anyone can use a free online word processor and free eBook/print-on-demand tool to self-publish anything. Readers can verify this fact by seeing the 30 new entries per hour on the Amazon Kindle eBook’s new release section. The article concluded, “2.3 million books were self-published in the US in 2021.”
While I have no inside knowledge of the publishing numbers, it is clear new books are being released by the truckload. This onslaught results in intense marketplace competition and low chances of success.
2) The book marketplace has become over-saturated.
The article quotes, “There are 40 million ISBN registrations,” and concludes, “The marketplace simply cannot absorb all these books. At the same time, people are getting more and more of their information from the internet and from social media.”
In any venture, there is bound to be competition. My mistake was assuming that a good book sells itself and that companies like Amazon would work hard to promote new authors. Nothing could be further from the truth.
How do readers choose what next book to read in the sea of available books? Comb through a million book reviews? Look at the total positive reviews? Read internet recommendations? Turn to social media? See what book Amazon recommends? Only buy books from established authors? Get a book that was made into a movie?
The book market was limited to a few bestselling authors and choices. For kids, it was The Hearty Boys or Nancy Drew. For adults, it was epic adventure novels by James Michener and romance books by Kathleen Woodiwiss. Now, thousands of authors compete for scraps in each reading category, which is only getting worse.
3) The book marketplace has hardly grown at all in the past 20 years despite the explosion of books published.
The article quotes data from the Association of American Publishers, but I found a chart from Statista that graphically sums up the situation.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/4...
From the graph, book sales have not changed since 2004. This is despite the incredible online sales growth, payment options, and hundreds of new books coming out daily. Simply put, the core group of readers has increased the number of books they buy even though the market has radically expanded.
4) Average book sales are shockingly small—and falling fast.
The article quotes, “Even if e-book sales, audio sales, sales outside of the US, and sales outside of retail channels are added in, the average new book published today is selling much less than 1,000 copies over its lifetime in all formats and all markets.”
Wow, that is depressing, but it makes sense. Reading a book requires time, money, and effort. Watching a YouTube video? It is a lot easier, and the visuals make the experience better. I cannot blame people for not wanting to read.
5) A book has far less than a 1 percent chance of being stocked in a particular bookstore.
The article quotes, “For every available bookstore shelf space, there are 100 to 1,000 or more titles competing.” “Millions of business books in print are fighting for that limited shelf space.”
I admit to being quite naïve when I first started writing. I thought, “If you create a good book, it will be popular enough for bookstores to carry.” Days after I put my first book on sale, this idealistic concept was smashed. I cannot imagine a future where one of my books would ever be found in a place like Barnes & Noble. Yet… My four books are available print on demand and eBook on their site. So, I am still fighting my way to the top.
6) It is getting harder and harder every year to sell new titles.
The article quotes, “In 2005, sales of new titles accounted for 48 percent of retail book sales in the US, but today, new titles sales have shrunk to only 32 percent of retail book sales.”
I certainly know the reality of trying to break into this competitive market. Getting a reader to pick up one of my books is a big ask. And I admit it. I am a nobody author, and my books have a limited hook. Why? There are so many books, making it astoundingly difficult to carve out a new plot. Romance, spy novel, fantasy, or vampire? Been done to death.
And I get it. I am an avid reader, and finding something good is challenging. For example, I enjoy WWII themes, but every new book I learn about looks unappealing. Why? All they do is retell established stories. So, it makes perfect sense to me why the market is shrinking.
7) Most books today are selling only to the authors’ and publishers’ communities.
The article quotes, “People are reading only books that their communities consider important or even mandatory to read. There is no general audience for most nonfiction books, and chasing after such a mirage is usually far less effective than connecting with one’s communities.”
Society has become a collection of islands of interest. There is so much media out there that we must form communities to protect ourselves from the title wave of new and old material. Thus, if your favorite YouTube personality recommends a book, you will likely read it.
Take the Walking Dead franchise that began in 2010. It was wildly popular with spinoffs, other zombie media, and merchandise. But… What if you do not enjoy this kind of story? Readers and television watchers must go far out of their way to avoid zombie-themed media. How? By watching channels or going places online where such topics were not popular.
Great, we have avoided zombie media. But what if I wrote a fantastic zombie book and that is not your interest? How could I convince you to buy a copy? Wow, getting you to jump off your island and swim to mine will be challenging. Quite simply, it is an impossible ask.
8) Most book marketing today is done by authors, not by publishers.
The article quotes, “Publishers have managed to stay afloat in this worsening marketplace by shifting more and more marketing responsibility to authors—to cut costs and prop up sales.”
I have said it before, and I will repeat it. “Being an author is 99% self-promotion and 1% other.” Nobody is helping me sell my books because it is not cost-effective. I envision this trend worsening, and companies like Amazon will intentionally relegate new authors to the lowest rung of book searches. Why? It is in their best interest.
9) No other industry has so many new-product introductions.
The article quotes, “The average new book generates only $10,000 to $50,000 in sales.” “This limits how much publishers can invest in any one new book and in its marketing campaign.”
The problem with a book is that it must stand on its own. Take a new car. A family can buy a new car, use it for errands, and get the kids to school. Or that same car could be purchased by a business and used to deliver legal documents. Or that same car could sit in the garage and never be used.
A book is vastly different. It has the single purpose of conveying hyper-specific information. The effort a self-published author or publishing company must undertake to get readers interested is epic. For 99.999% of the new books, it does not make sense for a publisher to invest.
I see the problem getting far worse because the number of choices is rising. Simply put, publishing is a losing game se.
10) The book publishing world is in a never-ending state of change.
The article quotes, “The thin margins in the industry, high complexities of the business, intense competition, severe supply-chain disruptions, churning of new technologies, and rapid growth of other media lead to constant turmoil in bookselling and publishing.”
This is the one area that I disagree. Life is constantly changing, and I do not see the publishing world to be any different than the car companies, the stock market, or politics. Yes, eBooks and the internet have crushed traditional publishing, resulting in many new books, but the path is not changing. People buy books they want to read and ignore the other junk.
Authors face great competition, new authors are trying to break into the game, and millions of excellent books are available. And it gets far worse. “Hey, Siri. Use AI to generate a story about horses.” Then, some computer churns out an excellent story. This is being done now and will only get better in the future.
My point is that this pattern is not changing. If a reader likes a story about horses, there are many books to choose from, and will be more in the future. I cannot envision a “new” book market, readers running out of books, or something that will replace books.
Seeing the blunt publishing facts in this article made for a depressing read, but I was not surprised. I have been attempting to be a successful author for a while, and while the light at the end of the tunnel is visible, there is a long journey ahead.
Yet, this leaves an open question to me. What if I had read this article before I went down this path? I would have known that the chance of success was microscopic. I began writing with the idea, “If I write a good book, it will sell.” So, I am not sure if the article would have been a big enough slap in the face to convince me not to have perused writing.
What I can say is that I have enjoyed the path. I have met several wonderful authors online, created something I am proud of, and learned a lot. So, the journey has been rewarding even though the meager money I have earned is nowhere near covering my editing costs and likely never will.
And that is fine. Want proof? Hey, you just read my words. That is all the proof I need.
You’re the best -Bill
February 05, 2025
https://ideas.bkconnection.com/10-awf...
1) The number of books being published every year has exploded.
Today, anyone can use a free online word processor and free eBook/print-on-demand tool to self-publish anything. Readers can verify this fact by seeing the 30 new entries per hour on the Amazon Kindle eBook’s new release section. The article concluded, “2.3 million books were self-published in the US in 2021.”
While I have no inside knowledge of the publishing numbers, it is clear new books are being released by the truckload. This onslaught results in intense marketplace competition and low chances of success.
2) The book marketplace has become over-saturated.
The article quotes, “There are 40 million ISBN registrations,” and concludes, “The marketplace simply cannot absorb all these books. At the same time, people are getting more and more of their information from the internet and from social media.”
In any venture, there is bound to be competition. My mistake was assuming that a good book sells itself and that companies like Amazon would work hard to promote new authors. Nothing could be further from the truth.
How do readers choose what next book to read in the sea of available books? Comb through a million book reviews? Look at the total positive reviews? Read internet recommendations? Turn to social media? See what book Amazon recommends? Only buy books from established authors? Get a book that was made into a movie?
The book market was limited to a few bestselling authors and choices. For kids, it was The Hearty Boys or Nancy Drew. For adults, it was epic adventure novels by James Michener and romance books by Kathleen Woodiwiss. Now, thousands of authors compete for scraps in each reading category, which is only getting worse.
3) The book marketplace has hardly grown at all in the past 20 years despite the explosion of books published.
The article quotes data from the Association of American Publishers, but I found a chart from Statista that graphically sums up the situation.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/4...
From the graph, book sales have not changed since 2004. This is despite the incredible online sales growth, payment options, and hundreds of new books coming out daily. Simply put, the core group of readers has increased the number of books they buy even though the market has radically expanded.
4) Average book sales are shockingly small—and falling fast.
The article quotes, “Even if e-book sales, audio sales, sales outside of the US, and sales outside of retail channels are added in, the average new book published today is selling much less than 1,000 copies over its lifetime in all formats and all markets.”
Wow, that is depressing, but it makes sense. Reading a book requires time, money, and effort. Watching a YouTube video? It is a lot easier, and the visuals make the experience better. I cannot blame people for not wanting to read.
5) A book has far less than a 1 percent chance of being stocked in a particular bookstore.
The article quotes, “For every available bookstore shelf space, there are 100 to 1,000 or more titles competing.” “Millions of business books in print are fighting for that limited shelf space.”
I admit to being quite naïve when I first started writing. I thought, “If you create a good book, it will be popular enough for bookstores to carry.” Days after I put my first book on sale, this idealistic concept was smashed. I cannot imagine a future where one of my books would ever be found in a place like Barnes & Noble. Yet… My four books are available print on demand and eBook on their site. So, I am still fighting my way to the top.
6) It is getting harder and harder every year to sell new titles.
The article quotes, “In 2005, sales of new titles accounted for 48 percent of retail book sales in the US, but today, new titles sales have shrunk to only 32 percent of retail book sales.”
I certainly know the reality of trying to break into this competitive market. Getting a reader to pick up one of my books is a big ask. And I admit it. I am a nobody author, and my books have a limited hook. Why? There are so many books, making it astoundingly difficult to carve out a new plot. Romance, spy novel, fantasy, or vampire? Been done to death.
And I get it. I am an avid reader, and finding something good is challenging. For example, I enjoy WWII themes, but every new book I learn about looks unappealing. Why? All they do is retell established stories. So, it makes perfect sense to me why the market is shrinking.
7) Most books today are selling only to the authors’ and publishers’ communities.
The article quotes, “People are reading only books that their communities consider important or even mandatory to read. There is no general audience for most nonfiction books, and chasing after such a mirage is usually far less effective than connecting with one’s communities.”
Society has become a collection of islands of interest. There is so much media out there that we must form communities to protect ourselves from the title wave of new and old material. Thus, if your favorite YouTube personality recommends a book, you will likely read it.
Take the Walking Dead franchise that began in 2010. It was wildly popular with spinoffs, other zombie media, and merchandise. But… What if you do not enjoy this kind of story? Readers and television watchers must go far out of their way to avoid zombie-themed media. How? By watching channels or going places online where such topics were not popular.
Great, we have avoided zombie media. But what if I wrote a fantastic zombie book and that is not your interest? How could I convince you to buy a copy? Wow, getting you to jump off your island and swim to mine will be challenging. Quite simply, it is an impossible ask.
8) Most book marketing today is done by authors, not by publishers.
The article quotes, “Publishers have managed to stay afloat in this worsening marketplace by shifting more and more marketing responsibility to authors—to cut costs and prop up sales.”
I have said it before, and I will repeat it. “Being an author is 99% self-promotion and 1% other.” Nobody is helping me sell my books because it is not cost-effective. I envision this trend worsening, and companies like Amazon will intentionally relegate new authors to the lowest rung of book searches. Why? It is in their best interest.
9) No other industry has so many new-product introductions.
The article quotes, “The average new book generates only $10,000 to $50,000 in sales.” “This limits how much publishers can invest in any one new book and in its marketing campaign.”
The problem with a book is that it must stand on its own. Take a new car. A family can buy a new car, use it for errands, and get the kids to school. Or that same car could be purchased by a business and used to deliver legal documents. Or that same car could sit in the garage and never be used.
A book is vastly different. It has the single purpose of conveying hyper-specific information. The effort a self-published author or publishing company must undertake to get readers interested is epic. For 99.999% of the new books, it does not make sense for a publisher to invest.
I see the problem getting far worse because the number of choices is rising. Simply put, publishing is a losing game se.
10) The book publishing world is in a never-ending state of change.
The article quotes, “The thin margins in the industry, high complexities of the business, intense competition, severe supply-chain disruptions, churning of new technologies, and rapid growth of other media lead to constant turmoil in bookselling and publishing.”
This is the one area that I disagree. Life is constantly changing, and I do not see the publishing world to be any different than the car companies, the stock market, or politics. Yes, eBooks and the internet have crushed traditional publishing, resulting in many new books, but the path is not changing. People buy books they want to read and ignore the other junk.
Authors face great competition, new authors are trying to break into the game, and millions of excellent books are available. And it gets far worse. “Hey, Siri. Use AI to generate a story about horses.” Then, some computer churns out an excellent story. This is being done now and will only get better in the future.
My point is that this pattern is not changing. If a reader likes a story about horses, there are many books to choose from, and will be more in the future. I cannot envision a “new” book market, readers running out of books, or something that will replace books.
Seeing the blunt publishing facts in this article made for a depressing read, but I was not surprised. I have been attempting to be a successful author for a while, and while the light at the end of the tunnel is visible, there is a long journey ahead.
Yet, this leaves an open question to me. What if I had read this article before I went down this path? I would have known that the chance of success was microscopic. I began writing with the idea, “If I write a good book, it will sell.” So, I am not sure if the article would have been a big enough slap in the face to convince me not to have perused writing.
What I can say is that I have enjoyed the path. I have met several wonderful authors online, created something I am proud of, and learned a lot. So, the journey has been rewarding even though the meager money I have earned is nowhere near covering my editing costs and likely never will.
And that is fine. Want proof? Hey, you just read my words. That is all the proof I need.
You’re the best -Bill
February 05, 2025
January 29, 2025
Legacy Writing Junk
Long before computers, people were building things with intelligence. Take the simple toilet. It sits patiently until a flush, then automatically turns on a valve and turns it off when the tank is full.
Today, we have devices with mechanical, electrical, and computer intelligence ranging from this simple toilet valve to an aircraft carrier loaded with planes, computers, missiles, radars, atomic reactors, satellite navigation, and even devices that toast bread to perfection.
Along this path to greatness, some less-than-perfect systems were invented, and despite better alternatives, these appalling technologies are still widely embraced. The one I dislike the most is called ladder logic, but it requires a lengthy explanation.
In the 20s, engineers began using electricity to control machines, including switches, motors, lights, and relays. Elaborate systems were developed using these basic building blocks; an elevator that services multiple floors is one example.
Long before computers, elevator control panels had 20+ relays that took information from the floor buttons and controlled the motors. But how was this complex system documented? Enter the ladder diagram.
One or more vertical lines on the left/right side of the page represent system power. Connecting these two vertical lines are horizontal lies with symbols representing motors, switches, lights, and relays. These make up the ladder’s rungs and show how the components logically interact.
Ladder diagrams are still the default for industrial products, but what if we want a more complex system? Along came the computer, which could apply far more logic than a bulky relay.
We call such computers Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), which use the same technology as in a microwave oven, dishwasher, or washing machine. But there was a problem. What about all those industrial technicians who understand ladder diagrams? They cannot read a computer language like BASIC. The solution was Ladder Logic, which uses the same visual format as a ladder diagram with additional computer logic symbols.
What’s the problem? This visual programming language quickly breaks down when a program gets complex. For example, controlling an everyday device like a printer with ladder logic would require hundreds of rungs. The visual result is challenging, even for the most experienced ladder logic programmer.
When I first saw ladder logic, I thought, “Why not use a flow chart or a standard computer language like C, Python, or JavaScript?” “It is not industry standard.” The more I looked, the more apparent it was that the PLC developers were using all means available to maintain a very outdated concept.
Despite my meager protests, technicians will use ladder logic for the next thousand years. Why am I bringing this up? This series of articles is supposed to be about writing and stuff. Let’s discuss all the legacy junk in writing, books, and publishing.
How about 3x5 cards? Where did those dimensions come from? An 8.5”x11” page? 8.5 inches? Not 9 or 8? Legal sized? Now, I sort of understand Tabloid (11”x17”) because it is two 8.5”x11” pages. A0-A10 paper sizes use an aspect ratio based on the square root of two? Who came up with that? Pythagorean? Here are the standard book sizes:
General Nonfiction, YA Dystopian, Fantasy, Sci-Fi: 5.5” x 8.5”
Thrillers/Mysteries, General Self-Help, Memoir: 5.25” x 8”
Inspirational/Spiritual: 5” x 8”
YA General Fiction: 5” x 7”
General Fiction: 6” x 9”
Why so many sizes? Tradition? Federal law? The secret paper cartel? Wait a minute. Printers use A4 or 8.5”x11”. Why not make all books one of those two sizes? Imagine how much money we could save. Imagine how nice it would be to have a book shelf loaded with identically sized books.
The Oxford comma. What the heck is that? I before E except after C. Did we base our entire spelling system on a nursery rhyme? Every sentence needs a subject and a verb. Do the police arrest writers when the subject is missing? Drive on the parkway and park on the driveway. I give up.
A sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a period. Did the cave dwellers use capital letters in their drawings a million years ago? Proper nouns require a capital letter. Who decides what is correct? The words its, and it’s are two words with different meanings. I don’t know, they look the same.
A character requires motivation. I do stupid things without reason, permission, motivation, or logic all day. In fact, I am good at it. The plot better have conflict. Can’t we just get along? A good story has a twist. Isn’t life confusing enough without writers intentionally confusing readers? Don’t make your main character arrogant. Every day, I run into arrogant people. Why can’t I write about them? Show the emotion, don’t tell the reader. So, “I’m sad” is invalid. Exactly.
Roman numerals? 1988 = MCMLXXXVIII Really? How about alternate spellings? Color, colour. Reads right to me. Disused words that are still in the dictionary? Groak – To watch someone silently as they eat. Elflock – If you have wavy hair and wake up tangled. Lunting – Go for a walk and smoke a pipe. Lethophobia – Fear of oblivion. Do dictionary editor’s keyboards not have a delete key?
Double spaces after the period? That’s a lot of wasted paper. Double-spaced documents? Even more wasted paper. How about the keyboard keys that never get used: Print screen, scroll lock, pause, and insert? Is there no end to legacy junk?
What font should I use? Arial, New Times Roman, Bookman, Helvetica, Baskerville, Times (Shouldn’t this be Old Times?), Akzidenz Grotesk (That is a thing?), Gotham (Batman’s font), Didot, Futura (Philip J. Fry’s font), Sans, Comic Sans (Superman’s font), Rockwell Monotype, Sans-Serif (If Smurfs had a font, this would be it), or Franklin Gothic. Should the font be bold, italicized, underlined, double-underlined, subscript, superscript, strike-through, double-strike-through, small, large, colored, transparent, hidden, tilted, small caps, or all capitalized?
Here is what it all boils down to. I recently emailed a friend, “The firesfighters are earning their pay this week.” Did you understand that sentence? Of course, but your eagle eyes identified a minor mistake. I made an innocent typo with the word firefighters. I corrected it, and that was it.
But… Did I have to fix the error? The original text was excellent. But no, the chaotic English rules are clear. Alternate spellings are not allowed. Correcting this mistake is a very high priority. Yeah, I will get right on it. I might even include an Oxford comma, change the font to blue, double-underlined, bold Akzidenz Grotesk, and publish it in a 5.25” x 8” book while lunting and thinking about lethophobia.
You’re the best -Bill
January 29, 2025
Today, we have devices with mechanical, electrical, and computer intelligence ranging from this simple toilet valve to an aircraft carrier loaded with planes, computers, missiles, radars, atomic reactors, satellite navigation, and even devices that toast bread to perfection.
Along this path to greatness, some less-than-perfect systems were invented, and despite better alternatives, these appalling technologies are still widely embraced. The one I dislike the most is called ladder logic, but it requires a lengthy explanation.
In the 20s, engineers began using electricity to control machines, including switches, motors, lights, and relays. Elaborate systems were developed using these basic building blocks; an elevator that services multiple floors is one example.
Long before computers, elevator control panels had 20+ relays that took information from the floor buttons and controlled the motors. But how was this complex system documented? Enter the ladder diagram.
One or more vertical lines on the left/right side of the page represent system power. Connecting these two vertical lines are horizontal lies with symbols representing motors, switches, lights, and relays. These make up the ladder’s rungs and show how the components logically interact.
Ladder diagrams are still the default for industrial products, but what if we want a more complex system? Along came the computer, which could apply far more logic than a bulky relay.
We call such computers Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), which use the same technology as in a microwave oven, dishwasher, or washing machine. But there was a problem. What about all those industrial technicians who understand ladder diagrams? They cannot read a computer language like BASIC. The solution was Ladder Logic, which uses the same visual format as a ladder diagram with additional computer logic symbols.
What’s the problem? This visual programming language quickly breaks down when a program gets complex. For example, controlling an everyday device like a printer with ladder logic would require hundreds of rungs. The visual result is challenging, even for the most experienced ladder logic programmer.
When I first saw ladder logic, I thought, “Why not use a flow chart or a standard computer language like C, Python, or JavaScript?” “It is not industry standard.” The more I looked, the more apparent it was that the PLC developers were using all means available to maintain a very outdated concept.
Despite my meager protests, technicians will use ladder logic for the next thousand years. Why am I bringing this up? This series of articles is supposed to be about writing and stuff. Let’s discuss all the legacy junk in writing, books, and publishing.
How about 3x5 cards? Where did those dimensions come from? An 8.5”x11” page? 8.5 inches? Not 9 or 8? Legal sized? Now, I sort of understand Tabloid (11”x17”) because it is two 8.5”x11” pages. A0-A10 paper sizes use an aspect ratio based on the square root of two? Who came up with that? Pythagorean? Here are the standard book sizes:
General Nonfiction, YA Dystopian, Fantasy, Sci-Fi: 5.5” x 8.5”
Thrillers/Mysteries, General Self-Help, Memoir: 5.25” x 8”
Inspirational/Spiritual: 5” x 8”
YA General Fiction: 5” x 7”
General Fiction: 6” x 9”
Why so many sizes? Tradition? Federal law? The secret paper cartel? Wait a minute. Printers use A4 or 8.5”x11”. Why not make all books one of those two sizes? Imagine how much money we could save. Imagine how nice it would be to have a book shelf loaded with identically sized books.
The Oxford comma. What the heck is that? I before E except after C. Did we base our entire spelling system on a nursery rhyme? Every sentence needs a subject and a verb. Do the police arrest writers when the subject is missing? Drive on the parkway and park on the driveway. I give up.
A sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a period. Did the cave dwellers use capital letters in their drawings a million years ago? Proper nouns require a capital letter. Who decides what is correct? The words its, and it’s are two words with different meanings. I don’t know, they look the same.
A character requires motivation. I do stupid things without reason, permission, motivation, or logic all day. In fact, I am good at it. The plot better have conflict. Can’t we just get along? A good story has a twist. Isn’t life confusing enough without writers intentionally confusing readers? Don’t make your main character arrogant. Every day, I run into arrogant people. Why can’t I write about them? Show the emotion, don’t tell the reader. So, “I’m sad” is invalid. Exactly.
Roman numerals? 1988 = MCMLXXXVIII Really? How about alternate spellings? Color, colour. Reads right to me. Disused words that are still in the dictionary? Groak – To watch someone silently as they eat. Elflock – If you have wavy hair and wake up tangled. Lunting – Go for a walk and smoke a pipe. Lethophobia – Fear of oblivion. Do dictionary editor’s keyboards not have a delete key?
Double spaces after the period? That’s a lot of wasted paper. Double-spaced documents? Even more wasted paper. How about the keyboard keys that never get used: Print screen, scroll lock, pause, and insert? Is there no end to legacy junk?
What font should I use? Arial, New Times Roman, Bookman, Helvetica, Baskerville, Times (Shouldn’t this be Old Times?), Akzidenz Grotesk (That is a thing?), Gotham (Batman’s font), Didot, Futura (Philip J. Fry’s font), Sans, Comic Sans (Superman’s font), Rockwell Monotype, Sans-Serif (If Smurfs had a font, this would be it), or Franklin Gothic. Should the font be bold, italicized, underlined, double-underlined, subscript, superscript, strike-through, double-strike-through, small, large, colored, transparent, hidden, tilted, small caps, or all capitalized?
Here is what it all boils down to. I recently emailed a friend, “The firesfighters are earning their pay this week.” Did you understand that sentence? Of course, but your eagle eyes identified a minor mistake. I made an innocent typo with the word firefighters. I corrected it, and that was it.
But… Did I have to fix the error? The original text was excellent. But no, the chaotic English rules are clear. Alternate spellings are not allowed. Correcting this mistake is a very high priority. Yeah, I will get right on it. I might even include an Oxford comma, change the font to blue, double-underlined, bold Akzidenz Grotesk, and publish it in a 5.25” x 8” book while lunting and thinking about lethophobia.
You’re the best -Bill
January 29, 2025
January 22, 2025
My Writing Brain
I recently wrote the article, My 30+1 Writing Resources. In the first draft, I listed my most crucial resource, my brain. This marvelous tool allows me to write, edit, and publish stories, but I did not include it because the single entry became too involved. Instead, I am dedicating an entire article to the topic.
Let’s begin at the beginning. Like everybody, I was conceived and then grew into a baby. My brain formed, and thoughts occurred. Soon, I did something for the first time. I fell asleep and had a dream. It was probably not impressive. I certainly do not remember. As I evolved, my eyes formed, and my dreams became more complex. Soon, I developed an imagination.
I remember creating many stories as a child and still think about those early concepts. They revolved around me doing exciting activities such as climbing trees, exploring trails, being on television shows, and playing with friends. Saturday morning cartoons typically inspired the basic plots.
Over time, my stories became longer and more complex. Later, I added more characters and introduced romance. I did not write any of these stories until a ninth-grade class assignment. It was about a boy and a cheetah living separate lives. I was proud of my creation and wish I had a copy, but a computer crash deleted all my high school efforts.
In college, I took a creative writing course and developed interesting content, but this was where my formal creative efforts ended. While writing fiction was fun, my life path was learning everything about electronics.
Now, I must take a step back and consider other writers. I assume their paths followed my beginning. The future authors, as kids, also enjoyed creating stories, but they wrote more. When others read their creations, they said, “Wow, that’s pretty good. You should try selling them.” The kids were inspired, and this devotion challenged their imagination. One day, the kid became an adult and showed their story to somebody, leading to a publication.
Instead, I used my ability to lull myself asleep and relieve boredom. I knew my story creation ability and felt using it for anything beyond amusement was suitable. Over the years, I developed four well-thought-out plots and would probably be doing this today, except for a healthy bout of unemployment that allowed me to become an author in 2017.
For this article, I wanted to document my story’s invention process. It begins with a single thought. This might include something I see or a topic I want to explore. It might have been something like making and driving a race car at a young age. Still, now my topics are more complex, like complex relationships, alien societies, unusual situations, or a unique character. For example, “What if there was a planet only inhabited by robots?” “A quiet history teacher who used to be a secret agent.” “What would happen if I went back in time and met my grandfather as a kid?” “How would an underwater society function?” It is important to note that these are single concepts instead of a plot. “The hero flies to a distant planet and saves the princess.”
Once I have a base for something, I take one small step forward. “The history teacher worked for the CIA.” Then, I relive the story from the beginning and alter the concept to make it more interesting. This is an iterative process, where I add and subtract elements until a plot forms. To explain, let’s examine one thoroughly vetted story I developed 20 years ago.
One day, my boss told me I was laid off. What a blow! I immediately left work and walked on the beach to calm my angry/sad thoughts. (Yes, this was during work hours, and I was wearing nice work clothes.) As I walked, I kicked the sand, muttered foul words about my company, and threw rocks at the waves. Along my path of misery, I wondered if anybody else was in the same situation. Not seeing anybody with a sign that read, “I was laid off. Ask me how.” I was inspired to invent a story.
A man was walking down the same beach while thinking about losing his job. Now what? Two angry women were also walking along the same beach. He saw their expressions, and they saw his.
He glared at them and pointed to a rock. Curious, the woman sat. He vented, and they vented. This was followed by silence and no eye contact. They walked to his car together, and the man apologized for venting. “What are you going to do now?” one woman asked. “Be here tomorrow.”
That evening, I thought about my little creation and relived the plot. In the process, I added details, changed dialog, and thought about what would happen next. This process continued for months.
It turns out that one woman was a banker and the other a biologist. They met in a yoga class. More plot. They had an idea to make money by starting a Hong Kong bank. More plot. The man, a computer programmer, wanted to help. More plot. They moved to Hong Kong and started a currency exchange bank, which was wildly successful. More plot. Umm? I guess they parted ways? Umm, I got nothing else. My story had a (in my humble opinion) great beginning and part of the middle. The ending was utterly worthless.
This is the fundamental flaw in my ability. I begin at the beginning and then build. Thus, the middle and ending never get enough attention. Eventually, I got bored and started working on a new concept.
To fill the story gaps, I rely on a different creative process. I ride my bike or hike while thinking about a specific story aspect. This might include motivation deficiency, a logic problem, or a weak character. “Why did Mitch want to rob a bank?” “What’s Sally going to do next?” “What would make Dan more interesting?” In these focused moments, I have found the memo recording function on my phone to be super helpful.
What I lack is the ability to initiate the spark. For example, I would be at a loss if you asked me to write a basic story about a boy and a unicorn. I doubt I could invent a D-grade story even with a year of focused effort. I know some people have this ability, but it is far beyond what I can conceive.
I read many articles about the creative writing process to improve my ability. Some writers begin with a strong character and wrap a plot around it. Others focus on the setting or historical time and then create a plot that fits. I imagine that is how Western and period romance authors begin their projects. Still, others write on the fly and then edit their creation down to something usable. Learning about other techniques was interesting, but my mind does not work that way.
One big lesson I learned is not to force writing. If I am not in the mood, I immediately stop. To me, writing is not like lifting weights. “Work through the pain, and you will get stronger.” I visualize it like taking a pleasure walk. The more leisurely walks I take, my body slowly improves, allowing longer walks.
Why spend effort on defining my creative mind? Anyone desiring to improve an aspect of their lives must understand their tools. For example, I spent years understanding the mathematics behind electronics. The same could be said of an auto mechanic learning about combustion chemistry or a portrait painter understanding perspective.
A writer only has their brain, and I have spent many hours thinking about thinking. Why did I do X? Why did that person do Y? What motivated Z? How do I develop ideas? What mistakes did my last story have? How can I improve my writing process?
Why did I write this article? Explaining how my chaotic mind works will not help anybody, but that was not the point. I wanted to provide a baseline of how I create, with the idea that my method would inspire others to think about their creative process. At the very least, I made you think.
You’re the best -Bill
January 22, 2025
Let’s begin at the beginning. Like everybody, I was conceived and then grew into a baby. My brain formed, and thoughts occurred. Soon, I did something for the first time. I fell asleep and had a dream. It was probably not impressive. I certainly do not remember. As I evolved, my eyes formed, and my dreams became more complex. Soon, I developed an imagination.
I remember creating many stories as a child and still think about those early concepts. They revolved around me doing exciting activities such as climbing trees, exploring trails, being on television shows, and playing with friends. Saturday morning cartoons typically inspired the basic plots.
Over time, my stories became longer and more complex. Later, I added more characters and introduced romance. I did not write any of these stories until a ninth-grade class assignment. It was about a boy and a cheetah living separate lives. I was proud of my creation and wish I had a copy, but a computer crash deleted all my high school efforts.
In college, I took a creative writing course and developed interesting content, but this was where my formal creative efforts ended. While writing fiction was fun, my life path was learning everything about electronics.
Now, I must take a step back and consider other writers. I assume their paths followed my beginning. The future authors, as kids, also enjoyed creating stories, but they wrote more. When others read their creations, they said, “Wow, that’s pretty good. You should try selling them.” The kids were inspired, and this devotion challenged their imagination. One day, the kid became an adult and showed their story to somebody, leading to a publication.
Instead, I used my ability to lull myself asleep and relieve boredom. I knew my story creation ability and felt using it for anything beyond amusement was suitable. Over the years, I developed four well-thought-out plots and would probably be doing this today, except for a healthy bout of unemployment that allowed me to become an author in 2017.
For this article, I wanted to document my story’s invention process. It begins with a single thought. This might include something I see or a topic I want to explore. It might have been something like making and driving a race car at a young age. Still, now my topics are more complex, like complex relationships, alien societies, unusual situations, or a unique character. For example, “What if there was a planet only inhabited by robots?” “A quiet history teacher who used to be a secret agent.” “What would happen if I went back in time and met my grandfather as a kid?” “How would an underwater society function?” It is important to note that these are single concepts instead of a plot. “The hero flies to a distant planet and saves the princess.”
Once I have a base for something, I take one small step forward. “The history teacher worked for the CIA.” Then, I relive the story from the beginning and alter the concept to make it more interesting. This is an iterative process, where I add and subtract elements until a plot forms. To explain, let’s examine one thoroughly vetted story I developed 20 years ago.
One day, my boss told me I was laid off. What a blow! I immediately left work and walked on the beach to calm my angry/sad thoughts. (Yes, this was during work hours, and I was wearing nice work clothes.) As I walked, I kicked the sand, muttered foul words about my company, and threw rocks at the waves. Along my path of misery, I wondered if anybody else was in the same situation. Not seeing anybody with a sign that read, “I was laid off. Ask me how.” I was inspired to invent a story.
A man was walking down the same beach while thinking about losing his job. Now what? Two angry women were also walking along the same beach. He saw their expressions, and they saw his.
He glared at them and pointed to a rock. Curious, the woman sat. He vented, and they vented. This was followed by silence and no eye contact. They walked to his car together, and the man apologized for venting. “What are you going to do now?” one woman asked. “Be here tomorrow.”
That evening, I thought about my little creation and relived the plot. In the process, I added details, changed dialog, and thought about what would happen next. This process continued for months.
It turns out that one woman was a banker and the other a biologist. They met in a yoga class. More plot. They had an idea to make money by starting a Hong Kong bank. More plot. The man, a computer programmer, wanted to help. More plot. They moved to Hong Kong and started a currency exchange bank, which was wildly successful. More plot. Umm? I guess they parted ways? Umm, I got nothing else. My story had a (in my humble opinion) great beginning and part of the middle. The ending was utterly worthless.
This is the fundamental flaw in my ability. I begin at the beginning and then build. Thus, the middle and ending never get enough attention. Eventually, I got bored and started working on a new concept.
To fill the story gaps, I rely on a different creative process. I ride my bike or hike while thinking about a specific story aspect. This might include motivation deficiency, a logic problem, or a weak character. “Why did Mitch want to rob a bank?” “What’s Sally going to do next?” “What would make Dan more interesting?” In these focused moments, I have found the memo recording function on my phone to be super helpful.
What I lack is the ability to initiate the spark. For example, I would be at a loss if you asked me to write a basic story about a boy and a unicorn. I doubt I could invent a D-grade story even with a year of focused effort. I know some people have this ability, but it is far beyond what I can conceive.
I read many articles about the creative writing process to improve my ability. Some writers begin with a strong character and wrap a plot around it. Others focus on the setting or historical time and then create a plot that fits. I imagine that is how Western and period romance authors begin their projects. Still, others write on the fly and then edit their creation down to something usable. Learning about other techniques was interesting, but my mind does not work that way.
One big lesson I learned is not to force writing. If I am not in the mood, I immediately stop. To me, writing is not like lifting weights. “Work through the pain, and you will get stronger.” I visualize it like taking a pleasure walk. The more leisurely walks I take, my body slowly improves, allowing longer walks.
Why spend effort on defining my creative mind? Anyone desiring to improve an aspect of their lives must understand their tools. For example, I spent years understanding the mathematics behind electronics. The same could be said of an auto mechanic learning about combustion chemistry or a portrait painter understanding perspective.
A writer only has their brain, and I have spent many hours thinking about thinking. Why did I do X? Why did that person do Y? What motivated Z? How do I develop ideas? What mistakes did my last story have? How can I improve my writing process?
Why did I write this article? Explaining how my chaotic mind works will not help anybody, but that was not the point. I wanted to provide a baseline of how I create, with the idea that my method would inspire others to think about their creative process. At the very least, I made you think.
You’re the best -Bill
January 22, 2025
January 15, 2025
Whom Does the World Belong?
I randomly found the article “Whom Does the World Belong?” It begins with a peculiar copyright lawsuit. In the 20s, a person (allegedly) telepathically communicated with the dead. This sparked interest, and a book of conversations was published, The Urantia Book. This popular topic led to more books in the series with additional telepathic conversations.
https://www.bostonreview.net/articles...
In the 80s, a woman scanned in one of the books and distributed it for free, causing legal troubles. The defense argued that since the dead were speaking, their words did not belong to the author. The plaintiff could not argue against the defense without admitting the book was fiction. Brilliant! The jury agreed.
The main article focuses on the following: Who owns artificial intelligence-generated content? It focused on two main issues. Many files, including copyrighted material, are required to train an AI model. The second issue is that the people who developed the software and paid for the computing power expect something for their efforts.
As you can tell by my chaotic writing style and deranged content, I do not use AI to write. Writing is supposed to be fun, but auto-generating a pile of hogwash does not fit that bill. Not everybody agrees with my altruistic attitude, and AI applications like ChatGPT are now firmly in the driver’s seat of many publications, websites, and business documents.
This invention opens new territory in legal, ethical, and story areas, leading to a massive question of ownership. Even though I am not a popular author, I am sure my limited words have been used to train at least one AI model. Unfortunately, writers cannot prevent automated systems from scoping up every internet word.
I would be pretty upset if an AI user asked, “Develop a first-person psychological thriller story with a few intense scenes about a less-than-perfect author who is captured, forced to undergo a bizarre medical procedure, and interview his 500-year-old woman female captor.” and then the original text for my book, Interviewing Immorality, was “generated.” Alright, truth. It might be cool if my book provided 100% inspiration.
Passing along my exact words and concepts as somebody else’s is unethical. Therefore, I feel that legislation should be enacted to prevent this. The politicians agree; some are working on new copyright laws addressing AI. The problem is that AI technology muddies the water.
For example, anybody can copy one of my books into ChatGPT and ask it to “freshen up the story,” “change the characters,” “update the text,” or “improve the writing.” Legally, it would be difficult for me to argue with the results because, while the story would be nearly identical, the words would be different. How many romance books are out there? Boy meets girl or girl meets boy. Story bedrock is close to the surface; my book is no exception.
Conversely, those AI programmers and companies paying for server time deserve something. Millions use ChatGPT and the generated words have value. Thus, the people who worked hard on their creation indeed have the right to own the content, just like my books belong to me. This is the present ChatGPT content agreement:
As between you and OpenAI, and to the extent permitted by applicable law, you (a) retain your ownership rights in Input and (b) own the output. We hereby assign to you all our right, title, and interest, if any, in and to output.
For now, they offer free services and allow users to own the content. Yay? The problem is that this could change in a heartbeat, so users must check every time they use the service.
There is an obvious solution. The first page of my book and others contains an explicit copyright notice. Interviewing Immorality belongs to me because I wrote it, and does not contain any AI-generated words. Websites like ChatGPT also have clear legal notices concerning the content they generate. Of course, people ignore this legal mumbo-jumbo. “Click if you agree.”
Thus, if an author publishes AI-generated text, they must acknowledge generated words. Yeah, no. I have read several new publications that were clearly created with AI, but there was no warning. How do I know? ChatGPT has a distinctive writing style.
And am I guilty of not giving credit where credit is due? I recently wrote “Are Today’s Writers Spoiled?” I included a big chunk of ChatGPT content in that article, but I prepared readers with the following statement: Alright, I’m getting lazy. “Hey ChatGPT. List the problems facing modern authors.”
Thus, I correctly informed readers that ChatGPT generated some content. I felt the result was ethical, and no readers complained. Yet an open question remains. Who should take credit? I would argue that I was the creator, and the present ChatGPT content statement confirms this. I anticipate this will no longer be the case.
There is no doubt that AI-generated content will be everywhere. It is so bad I predict that a document without AI content will soon be a rarity. Is a sea of AI-generated works a bleak future? As a struggling author, I wish somebody put this genie back in the bottle. As a person, I must accept an AI-generated future.
You’re the best -Bill
January 15, 2025
https://www.bostonreview.net/articles...
In the 80s, a woman scanned in one of the books and distributed it for free, causing legal troubles. The defense argued that since the dead were speaking, their words did not belong to the author. The plaintiff could not argue against the defense without admitting the book was fiction. Brilliant! The jury agreed.
The main article focuses on the following: Who owns artificial intelligence-generated content? It focused on two main issues. Many files, including copyrighted material, are required to train an AI model. The second issue is that the people who developed the software and paid for the computing power expect something for their efforts.
As you can tell by my chaotic writing style and deranged content, I do not use AI to write. Writing is supposed to be fun, but auto-generating a pile of hogwash does not fit that bill. Not everybody agrees with my altruistic attitude, and AI applications like ChatGPT are now firmly in the driver’s seat of many publications, websites, and business documents.
This invention opens new territory in legal, ethical, and story areas, leading to a massive question of ownership. Even though I am not a popular author, I am sure my limited words have been used to train at least one AI model. Unfortunately, writers cannot prevent automated systems from scoping up every internet word.
I would be pretty upset if an AI user asked, “Develop a first-person psychological thriller story with a few intense scenes about a less-than-perfect author who is captured, forced to undergo a bizarre medical procedure, and interview his 500-year-old woman female captor.” and then the original text for my book, Interviewing Immorality, was “generated.” Alright, truth. It might be cool if my book provided 100% inspiration.
Passing along my exact words and concepts as somebody else’s is unethical. Therefore, I feel that legislation should be enacted to prevent this. The politicians agree; some are working on new copyright laws addressing AI. The problem is that AI technology muddies the water.
For example, anybody can copy one of my books into ChatGPT and ask it to “freshen up the story,” “change the characters,” “update the text,” or “improve the writing.” Legally, it would be difficult for me to argue with the results because, while the story would be nearly identical, the words would be different. How many romance books are out there? Boy meets girl or girl meets boy. Story bedrock is close to the surface; my book is no exception.
Conversely, those AI programmers and companies paying for server time deserve something. Millions use ChatGPT and the generated words have value. Thus, the people who worked hard on their creation indeed have the right to own the content, just like my books belong to me. This is the present ChatGPT content agreement:
As between you and OpenAI, and to the extent permitted by applicable law, you (a) retain your ownership rights in Input and (b) own the output. We hereby assign to you all our right, title, and interest, if any, in and to output.
For now, they offer free services and allow users to own the content. Yay? The problem is that this could change in a heartbeat, so users must check every time they use the service.
There is an obvious solution. The first page of my book and others contains an explicit copyright notice. Interviewing Immorality belongs to me because I wrote it, and does not contain any AI-generated words. Websites like ChatGPT also have clear legal notices concerning the content they generate. Of course, people ignore this legal mumbo-jumbo. “Click if you agree.”
Thus, if an author publishes AI-generated text, they must acknowledge generated words. Yeah, no. I have read several new publications that were clearly created with AI, but there was no warning. How do I know? ChatGPT has a distinctive writing style.
And am I guilty of not giving credit where credit is due? I recently wrote “Are Today’s Writers Spoiled?” I included a big chunk of ChatGPT content in that article, but I prepared readers with the following statement: Alright, I’m getting lazy. “Hey ChatGPT. List the problems facing modern authors.”
Thus, I correctly informed readers that ChatGPT generated some content. I felt the result was ethical, and no readers complained. Yet an open question remains. Who should take credit? I would argue that I was the creator, and the present ChatGPT content statement confirms this. I anticipate this will no longer be the case.
There is no doubt that AI-generated content will be everywhere. It is so bad I predict that a document without AI content will soon be a rarity. Is a sea of AI-generated works a bleak future? As a struggling author, I wish somebody put this genie back in the bottle. As a person, I must accept an AI-generated future.
You’re the best -Bill
January 15, 2025
January 9, 2025
My Five-Year Writing Plan
Over dinner, a friend recently asked about my next book. After a fun plot discussion, he asked, “What’s next?” I had a plan, but when I told him, it sounded awful. So, I took a walk the next day to figure things out. Fast forward two more walks, a hike, and a bike ride. I now have a five-year plan and thought it would be amusing (therapy) to share.
I have three book series, and each has its own goal. The first is about an immortal woman who teaches a less-than-ideal person her technique. I have released two books, and a third is in editing. It should be out in October. (Yeah, yeah, yeah. October of what year?) I have a good (not great) outline for the fourth book and a concept for the fifth. “Proceed at steady speed.”
My second book series is romance/sci-fi about a man and woman who survived a cruise ship accident and get into all kinds of alien trouble. I have published one book, and the next one will be released soon. I have created a so-so outline for the third book and intend to start writing this summer. The problem is that the first book received lukewarm reviews. After some heartache, I came to a decision. Unless the reviews drastically improve, the third book will be the last of the series. This is my favorite storyline and the reason I decided to write. Major bummer.
My third book series is a classic spy novel with a twist. Instead of focusing on a single James Bond character, I take a realistic approach with multiple government agencies. It is my strongest seller, and the second book is about to go to my copy editor. I have a great (not excellent) outline for the third book, but I have hit a creativity wall for the fourth. My goal over the next year is to develop a solid outline for this fourth book and start writing at the beginning of the second year.
I have an excellent concept for a dystopian romance to replace my second book series. There is just one hiccup. My bonkers mind developed a fantastic beginning, part of a middle, and no end. This reminds me of the Underpants Gnomes in South Park.
Phase One: Collect underpants
Phase Two: ????
Phase Three: Profit
Over the next three years, I will develop a solid outline with ideas for the next two books in the series. This should be an achievable goal, but now I understand there is some urgency, and I will begin an outline this summer.
Over the past 20 years, I have thought about many short stories and would like to release them in a single book, but there are two problems. The plots, while different, all suffer from the same flaw. The main character solves problems while looking good. Readers will only tolerate so much of this. The second problem is that I have found the readers prefer short story books from established authors and would face an uphill marketing battle. This period of reflection allowed me to decide not to start this project until I develop better stories.
In my 20s, I spent many hours thinking about a terrific plot. It is a romance involving international banking but lacks drama, twists, and struggles. I thought this would be my next book series, but this reflection made me realize I cannot salvage the plot. So, I will no longer put any effort into this project.
I have developed a thoroughly vetted Star Trek plot, but there are significant issues. First, I cannot self-publish a book due to copyright issues with the franchise owner, Paramount. The second is that Star Trek novels have a tiny market. The third is that the two approved publishers (I am not aware of any others) only deal with select authors. The fourth is releasing a fan fiction book would deter my limited fans.
The fifth issue concerns the strict rules for creating Star Trek fiction. A writer must respect established canon, avoid main character alterations, be mindful of character personal relationships, use original plotlines, maintain internal consistency within the Star Trek universe, not introduce main character romances, not have intimate scenes, ensure the story aligns with the franchise core values and never invent or alter character backstories. Well, I did it. I developed a story that violates every rule. Yay!
The only option would be to release the book for free, but the project would require an editor and cover designer. That is a lot of money for a publicity stunt targeting a limited market.
Why am I still thinking about starting this project? It would be a lot of fun, and releasing an epic story for free could open new markets. I have decided to pursue this project, but it will be the last book I write, placing it far beyond my five-year plan.
My last goal is to develop a new book series. I enjoy writing romance, drama, and light science fiction, but I have covered these three genres. Space operas are wildly popular, but I do not gravitate toward this kind of story. Readers love crime drama, but the world is bad enough without me glorifying criminals.
Zombies, vampires, westerns, paranormal, horror, traditional romance, kid’s books, young adult, mystery, action, war, superhero, anti-hero, magic, humor, historical fiction, conspiracy, satire, or graphic novels? Mmm, not me.
I want to concentrate on thrillers and classic science fiction. The plot of Ready Player One and Enders Game falls into “teenager doing big things,” which I always found enjoyable. Thus, I will read more books in this genre to inspire myself. However, I may have an ace up my sleeve.
Two years ago, I had an astounding dream about teenagers jumping into each other’s minds. This was one of my most creative moments and is the perfect plot for a book. Of course, there must be a problem; otherwise, I would have dropped everything and written several books.
The plot suffers from the same Underpants Gnomes issue. My goal is to develop a solid outline by year four. Stay tuned.
That’s my five-year plan. I admit it is not bold, but I set goals and, more importantly, eliminated goals. Will I see my plan to fruition? Only time will tell.
You’re the best -Bill
January 09, 2025
I have three book series, and each has its own goal. The first is about an immortal woman who teaches a less-than-ideal person her technique. I have released two books, and a third is in editing. It should be out in October. (Yeah, yeah, yeah. October of what year?) I have a good (not great) outline for the fourth book and a concept for the fifth. “Proceed at steady speed.”
My second book series is romance/sci-fi about a man and woman who survived a cruise ship accident and get into all kinds of alien trouble. I have published one book, and the next one will be released soon. I have created a so-so outline for the third book and intend to start writing this summer. The problem is that the first book received lukewarm reviews. After some heartache, I came to a decision. Unless the reviews drastically improve, the third book will be the last of the series. This is my favorite storyline and the reason I decided to write. Major bummer.
My third book series is a classic spy novel with a twist. Instead of focusing on a single James Bond character, I take a realistic approach with multiple government agencies. It is my strongest seller, and the second book is about to go to my copy editor. I have a great (not excellent) outline for the third book, but I have hit a creativity wall for the fourth. My goal over the next year is to develop a solid outline for this fourth book and start writing at the beginning of the second year.
I have an excellent concept for a dystopian romance to replace my second book series. There is just one hiccup. My bonkers mind developed a fantastic beginning, part of a middle, and no end. This reminds me of the Underpants Gnomes in South Park.
Phase One: Collect underpants
Phase Two: ????
Phase Three: Profit
Over the next three years, I will develop a solid outline with ideas for the next two books in the series. This should be an achievable goal, but now I understand there is some urgency, and I will begin an outline this summer.
Over the past 20 years, I have thought about many short stories and would like to release them in a single book, but there are two problems. The plots, while different, all suffer from the same flaw. The main character solves problems while looking good. Readers will only tolerate so much of this. The second problem is that I have found the readers prefer short story books from established authors and would face an uphill marketing battle. This period of reflection allowed me to decide not to start this project until I develop better stories.
In my 20s, I spent many hours thinking about a terrific plot. It is a romance involving international banking but lacks drama, twists, and struggles. I thought this would be my next book series, but this reflection made me realize I cannot salvage the plot. So, I will no longer put any effort into this project.
I have developed a thoroughly vetted Star Trek plot, but there are significant issues. First, I cannot self-publish a book due to copyright issues with the franchise owner, Paramount. The second is that Star Trek novels have a tiny market. The third is that the two approved publishers (I am not aware of any others) only deal with select authors. The fourth is releasing a fan fiction book would deter my limited fans.
The fifth issue concerns the strict rules for creating Star Trek fiction. A writer must respect established canon, avoid main character alterations, be mindful of character personal relationships, use original plotlines, maintain internal consistency within the Star Trek universe, not introduce main character romances, not have intimate scenes, ensure the story aligns with the franchise core values and never invent or alter character backstories. Well, I did it. I developed a story that violates every rule. Yay!
The only option would be to release the book for free, but the project would require an editor and cover designer. That is a lot of money for a publicity stunt targeting a limited market.
Why am I still thinking about starting this project? It would be a lot of fun, and releasing an epic story for free could open new markets. I have decided to pursue this project, but it will be the last book I write, placing it far beyond my five-year plan.
My last goal is to develop a new book series. I enjoy writing romance, drama, and light science fiction, but I have covered these three genres. Space operas are wildly popular, but I do not gravitate toward this kind of story. Readers love crime drama, but the world is bad enough without me glorifying criminals.
Zombies, vampires, westerns, paranormal, horror, traditional romance, kid’s books, young adult, mystery, action, war, superhero, anti-hero, magic, humor, historical fiction, conspiracy, satire, or graphic novels? Mmm, not me.
I want to concentrate on thrillers and classic science fiction. The plot of Ready Player One and Enders Game falls into “teenager doing big things,” which I always found enjoyable. Thus, I will read more books in this genre to inspire myself. However, I may have an ace up my sleeve.
Two years ago, I had an astounding dream about teenagers jumping into each other’s minds. This was one of my most creative moments and is the perfect plot for a book. Of course, there must be a problem; otherwise, I would have dropped everything and written several books.
The plot suffers from the same Underpants Gnomes issue. My goal is to develop a solid outline by year four. Stay tuned.
That’s my five-year plan. I admit it is not bold, but I set goals and, more importantly, eliminated goals. Will I see my plan to fruition? Only time will tell.
You’re the best -Bill
January 09, 2025
January 1, 2025
My 30+1 Writing Resources
A friend recently discovered I was an author, and I had fun telling them about my writing adventure. Their response was, “Wow, that sounds tough.” I answered, “It was, but I had help.” I thought it would be interesting to explore all the people and technology that helped me to become an author.
1) Amazon
My father was one of the first people to sell books to Amazon. Back then, they were one of many online bookstores, and he sold them ceramics textbooks that he printed. Side story: He billed them with a “net 30,” meaning the company must pay you in 30 days or interest is applied. Amazon stretched this 30 days for months and refused to pay the interest. That was a big key to their success.
Amazon has since branched into many areas, including downloadable books and print-on-demand. Without this service, I would not have been able to begin publishing because they have a broad reach into many homes. The problem is that everybody is getting into the self-publishing game.
What about traditional publishing? Authors used to type up a book and send it to publishers. That is no longer possible. Authors must go through a book representative with an inside track with the publishers. Because of readership changes, big publishers rarely take on new authors. In addition, book representatives want $$ up front. In my humble opinion, like phone books, newspapers, and travel agencies, traditional publishing is in a significant decline that will never recover.
2) Generators
A generator is a simple random-number-based computer program that extracts information from a pre-developed database.
Random name generator:
https://namey.muffinlabs.com/
Fantasy name generator:
https://www.seventhsanctum.com/index-...
Technobabble generator:
https://www.scifiideas.com/technobabb...
Character generator:
https://www.rangen.co.uk/chars/quickc...
To use a name generator, I first think about a character’s attributes and then generate ten names. As I read them, I try to fit the name to my mental description. The process has no logic, and I keep generating until a name fits. I prefer the rare generated names for the main characters and common names for supporting characters.
3) Online dictionary
Writers need to 100% understand their words, so it is necessary to have an up-to-date dictionary. There are hundreds to choose from, but I have found this online dictionary to be the best:
https://www.dictionary.com/
4) Online thesaurus
It is also essential for an author to have multiple word options. Using this resource prevents repetitiveness and allows a sentence to convey the exact meaning. A good example is when a character is angry. Anger is a broad term that can be refined to annoyed, bitter, enraged, exasperated, furious, heated… I have found this online thesaurus to be the best:
https://www.thesaurus.com/
Besides having more options than most online resources, I appreciate the list of weak matches. I often look for a particular word I cannot remember and go to this site to jog my memory. The weak matches have proven valuable, beneficial, helpful, important, prized, and relevant.
5) Grammarly/ProWritingAid
A writer must have good grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and flow. Yeah… I am still working on that. Grammarly and ProWritingAid have proven to be incredible time-savers and tools for improving my writing. They both have Black Friday deals.
https://www.grammarly.com/
https://prowritingaid.com/
6) ChatGPT
ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence writing aid, but an author must understand its limitations. ChatGPT’s writing quality ranges from excellent to dreadful. A big problem with ChatGPT is that the basic logic can have significant flaws leading to a confusing result. The raw output should never be used for a published document without expressly stating that “ChatGPT generated the following text.” However, other authors disagree, and I have read books that were 100% written with this tool. To them, I say, readers are catching onto ChatGPT because of its distinctive writing style. People who use this tool in their jobs or writing will eventually be caught.
I have found ChatGPT to be a great assistant in three areas. The first is more of a business application. When I have a huge block of wordy text, I ask ChatGPT to condense, summarize, or bullet point the document.
ChatGPT is excellent at creating character traits, an area I fall short on. “Describe a tall male character with a Western theme.” I do not copy the generated result into my book; instead, I use it as inspiration to write a solid description. It is also helpful in describing scenes and other inanimate objects.
My best use for ChatGPT is as an idea springboard during the outline stage. I feed it part of my outline and ask it to generate a story. I have also asked it to change what I have fed it or asked it to create basic plot ideas. This tool allows me to flush out the basic plot and modify the outline to enhance my story. I also ask it to list plot issues. “What problems would a car mechanic face?” “List the criteria a vampire would use to select a victim.”
7) The Chicago Manual of Style
This book is the gold standard for how to write. A modern author needs to have a copy and follow its advice. It is also essential for an editor or copy editor to follow the standard. A good one, will cite The Chicago Manual of Style in their edits.
8) The Emotion Thesaurus
This excellent book takes a deep dive into creating a detailed emotional scene that readers will enjoy. “Show them the emotion; do not tell them.” The other books in the series are excellent resources.
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Becca-P...
9) Word, Excel, Outlook, Acrobat, Visio, Project, PowerPoint, Photoshop
Writers must have the proper tools to support their craft. Microsoft Word is not the gold standard; it is the only standard. Why? Their programmers have spent thousands of hours tweaking every function to allow users to get their ideas onto the page rapidly. Secondly, it is what editors, formatters, publishers, and other writers use/expect.
What about Open Office, Google Docs…? They are all fine until they are not. The point is that a writer’s output is the best possible properly formatted document to convert into a book. These other word processors fall short in many areas, especially formatting. Here is an example: A document will print fine on one printer and not another. Microsoft has spent thousands of programming hours making their program work on all printers. Those other companies have not been around long enough to invest that time.
All professional book formatters, publishing sites, or printers expect a Word document. I have been forced kicking and screaming to work with Open Office and Google Docs for work or my daughter’s school projects. Their interface, output, and controls are miserable.
For example, the last editor I used did their work in Google Docs. (I did not know this in advance and will not be using them in the future.) I immediately found that the conversion process had messed up the spacing, tabs, and page breaks. I spent over four hours trying to delete the comments and eventually gave up. I had to copy the entire document, do a special paste into a new document, and then manually update the formatting. I am still finding issues.
And there is no excuse. You can eBay older versions of these programs for $10. Sites offer a legitimate copy bound to your Microsoft account for $45. This is a peanuts price for all the heartache it will save.
Be aware of what programs like Microsoft Excel are capable of. For example, put the dates into Excel if your book has a timeline. Microsoft Project can organize a super advanced timeline. How about a list? Excel is perfect for recording all the aspects, and the math functions are excellent. For example, if a plot occurs every thirteen days, put the first date in Excel and add thirteen:
Wednesday, October 8, 1975
Tuesday, October 21, 1975
Monday, November 3, 1975
Sunday, November 16, 1975
If your book needs graphics or a photo, go with the professional tools, Acrobat, Visio, and Photoshop. Readers now have very high expectations for how their books appear. I recently came across a book with an out-of-focus cover photo. No excuses!
I use Visio in my outline process because it gives me a big picture of how the plot unfolds. And I have had many occasions where I needed a PDF of a document or my entire book. Only Acrobat Professional has been able to generate this file free from formatting errors.
Finally, Microsoft Outlook. Writers do a lot of communicating, and their communications need to be precise, secure, and backed up. But you are probably using an online site like Yahoo Mail. Easy, quick, and convenient. Right?
Do you own the Yahoo Mail, AOL Mail, or MSN hard drive? Of course not. And if that email gets deleted? I have four backup copies of my critical emails, and all my current emails are on my computer. No internet? No problem. I can read my old emails and compose new ones. Granted, I cannot send or receive without a connection. The point is I am in complete control of my communications. In addition, I have complete control over the email quality, including the font, formatting, spell-checking, signature, and contact list.
10) Temp File
This may seem an odd thing to include, but I have a Word document named temp. It has many uses, and the first is a scratchpad. I copy and paste text and graphics there. It is like a big cut-and-paste clipboard. It is super helpful when I am working with many documents. The most important use is with Grammarly/ProWritingAid and a large document. It takes forever for these two programs to analyze a large file. So, I copy and paste the section I am working on (like one chapter) into the temp file, do the analysis, and then copy it back into the main file. Word has a cute feature: if you do not touch the main file while editing, you can paste (replace) the text exactly because it remembered where you cut the cut.
11) Hotkeys
Hotkeys are shortcuts in Word and other programs. They are a huge time saver, but I did not know all of them. So, I found a list and posted it next to my computer. In addition, I have mapped the paste function to my center mouse button.
12) Track Changes Hotkey
When editing with tracked changes turned on, switching back and forth between the results and the red edits is helpful. But… There is no key for this. So, I found this article that shows how to create a hotkey. This has saved lots of time and mistakes. Surprisingly, despite its incredible usefulness, most editors are unaware of this function.
https://creativepro.com/two-of-my-fav...
13) My “Things to Check For” list
I have a list of my writing quirks. I check each item when I am ready to submit a document to my beta reader, editor, or formatter. It takes me about an hour per big document, but using it has been invaluable.
14) Upper Ribbon
In Microsoft products, it is possible to map often-used commands into the upper ribbon. I have save, redo, draft format, print format, paste text only, and thesaurus. Another feature is to see if I am in draft or print format because the icons show the document status.
15) Wikipedia
Wikipedia is my primary research tool. It is loaded with facts, statistics, pictures, and clear explanations, but an author must understand the limitations. Amateurs maintain Wikipedia, and the articles are famous for containing errors, especially on sensitive topics.
For example, many articles have highlighted the massive bias in the Wikipedia global warming article. When researching, be sure to check critical facts with other sites. Helpful tip: Do not directly copy Wikipedia entries into your book. Readers also read Wikipedia, and its style is distinctive.
16) The Internet
The internet is the greatest invention ever and a giant leap forward for authors. It allows me to do endless research without leaving my desk, keeps my computer updated, lets me communicate with anybody, and allows my books to be sold. I would not have published without this invention.
17) My computer
This incredible device allows my thoughts to come alive. It is a powerhouse of modern technology and a universal writing tool. I spent big bucks on my machine, including large monitors to clearly see my words, a tactile keyboard to input them, and an ergonomic mouse to navigate. It is not loaded up with junk, and I go to great lengths to keep it healthy, backed up, and updated.
18) Virus protection
It is no secret that people are out to get us, and a personal computer needs to have virus protection. For the past ten years, I have settled for Panda Free. It is not the best, but it does a reasonable job. I have found many issues with Norton, Symantec, and McAfee. They add bloatware, miss critical stuff, have been hacked, have had ethical issues, and apply high-pressure sales for their other products/services.
https://www.pandasecurity.com
19) My Test Machine
I have only had two virus-related issues on my main PC in the last ten years. Panda was able to clear the issues, but it was still scary. To further prevent viruses, I have an older computer called Test Machine. I use it for nonstandard programs, one-time applications, risky programs, web surfing on risky sites, and questionable applications.
There have been many issues with that machine, and I wiped the entire operating system three times. Because it is my test machine, I do not store files or passwords. You can get an old machine on eBay, or at the thrift store, or swap meet cheaply. There are no excuses for causing a failure on your main computer.
Alright, truth. Over the last twenty years, I had to wipe my main machine twice. The first was due to a bad graphics card driver, and the second was an “update preview” from Microsoft.
20) Backup drive
A backup drive is critical. You can buy a low-capacity USB stick for a dollar and a used fireproof lockbox for $10 on eBay. I go to the extreme of having a dedicated drive on my PC for daily backups. Every month, I fully back up all critical files on two drives I have in my safe. Every six months, I do a full backup on another drive that I keep in a small fireproof box hidden in the attic.
Since my writing adventure began, I have retrieved old files many times, including yesterday. The files I am looking for include prior versions and accidentally deleted ones or files I moved to a new location and forgot. But what about that copy in the attic? On two occasions, I recovered files from that drive because I did not save the files on the drive in the safe.
I have had one major incident that I could not recover from. I spent three months editing my fourth book after a beta read. One day, I returned to the first chapter and saw the beta edits were missing. I believe what happened is that I was not editing the current file. I could not find my edits despite backing up the entire directory of all my writing files. I lost two months of work.
What about Microsoft OneDrive, iCloud, Google Drive, or Dropbox? I have the same argument as with email. Do you own the drive? What happens when the internet is down? If they decide to delete your files or get hacked, what happens? No excuses!
21) Identity Scam Protection
This may seem odd to include, but identity scam protection is now essential for an author. Authors are in the public eye and, therefore, valuable. Hey, everybody reading this. Famous author Bill here. Visit naughtysite.com. In 2024, our credit card was nefariously used twice, a person took over my eBay account and purchased soap (Really? Soap?), somebody posted on Reddit claiming to be me, and Amazon removed many book reviews because of a scammer.
We use Experian to help with identity theft, but not for the reason you think. It was free with AAA but has proven itself valuable on several occasions. Most importantly, they have an experienced team to clamp down on the scammers.
22) Outline
I cannot stress enough how important it is to begin every book project with an outline. This tool allows the author to see the story unfold, ask big questions, and make massive changes. At the beginning of my writing adventure, the motivation was completely missing, and an outline would have revealed this glaring flaw.
The outline goal is to sort out the plot flow, prevent mistakes, and identify something that is not working. It takes me three months to develop a solid outline and six to work it to the point where I am ready to write. Side note: I find writing based on a solid outline less stressful. This is because there is less pressure to invent and I can concentrate on the fun of creating something.
23) Character Biography
A character biography is a basic description of the main character’s traits, relationships, and personalities. It is essential to have the basics established before the writing begins.
They are very easy to create. I use a name generator and then invent basic physical and behavioral details. As I write, I refer to this sheet and add to it. I estimate that it takes less than ten minutes per character but saves many hours during writing and editing, plus the story is better.
24) Beta Reader
A beta reader has two crucial functions. The first is to vet an outline. The main question is: Does this make sense? And the secondary question is: Is this something you find interesting? Treat their comments like gold.
Next, your beta reader should review an early draft vetted by Grammarly and ProWritingAid. At this stage, you are looking to get basic questions answered, not grammar issues. Does this make sense? Is it interesting? Is something missing? Are you confused? You want comments like, “Delete this.” “I do not understand this part.” “Where did he get the car?” “More description.” “Women will not like this.”
This last comment type is critical. A writer gets close to the words and can miss obvious issues like something offensive. A second perspective can see the bold issues.
I was lucky to have a mother willing to help, and remember, a beta reader is just that. You are looking for a basic perspective. Anybody can look at a document and say, “I do not understand this.” But how do you find one? My advice is to beg a friend who likes to read. They do not have to be a book expert. This makes them better beta readers. Alternatively, you can search the Editorial Freelancers Association. Their main website is confusing, and here is their member directory page:
https://www.the-efa.org/membership-di...
Important tip: Do not treat your beta editor, editor, copy editor, or formatter like a garbage collector. Give them the absolute best possible document. That way, they are not wasting time on something you could have fixed and instead focus on issues you are unaware of.
25) Editor
A good editor is necessary because today’s readers do not tolerate poor English. Editors locate logic, grammar, spelling, plot, scene, character, and flow errors. Plus, they often have publishing contacts and provide writing tips. To find one, go to the Editorial Freelancers Association. Pick one from the directory and ask them to send you a document they edited. Look at the before and after. Are you still spotting errors? Did the edit indeed make the document better? Or did the editor introduce errors? What is the comment tone? “This character is stupid.” Are they supportive and helpful to the writer? Do they offer tips?
If an editor does not provide a sample edited document, move on to the next person in the Editorial Freelancers Association directory. I learned this the very hard way. If they offer to edit a chapter for free, I have learned (again, the hard way) to pass. Why? They will try hard for the sample and then coast on the rest. This is a psychology thing. They feel like you should have gone with them in the first place and not made them give you a sample chapter.
I have one more word of advice for picking an editor. Writing is supposed to be fun. Look for an editor with passion. They should be fun, friendly, and encouraging when you interact with them. Again, I have learned the hard way that if they are all business, pass.
Side note: I have used six editors. One was fantastic, but she passed away. The rest were subpar. The overall problem was they were burned out. In ~6 weeks, I plan to start over with the Editorial Freelancers Association directory to try another one.
26) Copy Editor
Today’s readers expect perfection. To be taken seriously, modern authors must take the extra step of hiring a copy editor. They find the tiny mistakes and catch things the editor missed or author corrections suggested by the editor. How do you find one? Editorial Freelancers Association. Ask them to provide a copy-edited document.
Note: The initial sample document the copy editor worked on should be nearly flawless. The changes they make should be minor but on point. Ideally, 0-4 per page. Something is wrong if you go with them, and you are getting more/less than 0-4 per page. This issue might mean your editor was off, you are off, or the copy editor is off. Either way, it is critical to identify the root cause.
27) Cover Designer
The cover is the first thing a reader will see; it is 90% of the advertisement. The people who create covers are ultra-specialized and have an eye for what makes a good cover. This attention to detail includes fonts, colors, placement, graphics, photo manipulation, marketing, and understanding what printers/formatters/publishers/Amazon require. Modern readers can spot a bad cover from a mile away.
Important tip: Do not design your cover or have your “artistic friend” do the job. As I said, this is an ultra-specialized discipline. And I will say it again. Modern readers can spot a bad cover from a mile away.
How do you find one? I got lucky, and a friend recommended a great cover designer. They gave me homework. I studied many covers to look for good and bad elements. The next step was identifying what elements I wanted on the cover, and I found several example covers of what I wanted mine to look like.
Here is how I recommend you locate one. Studying many covers to get an idea of what you are looking for. Learn what you are not looking for. This process should take over a week of one-hour study sessions.
Then, do an internet search for cover designers and evaluate their creations. Are their book covers on best-seller books? Have they been doing it for a while? Would you buy one of the books they did the cover for?
If you have done enough studying, you should recognize some of the patterns and be able to choose a potential designer. A good cover is expensive but worth it. Also, be prepared to pay for images on a site like Imgur:
https://imgur.com/
Top tip: Be aware that certain buildings (and other objects), like The Eiffel Tower, are copyrighted even if you took the picture. If you use your own photo, make sure it is the absolute best quality or, even better, have a professional take it. I will say it for a third time. Modern readers can spot a bad cover from a mile away. And finally, do not include anything copyrighted in your book or on the cover. Companies like Amazon have no sense of humor and will ban you for life if you pull a fast one. A fellow author learned this the hard way.
28) Formatter
The formatter converts your document into an eBook and print on demand. It is essential to get an expert to do this. I have read so many poorly formatted books and seen many reviews commenting on the bad formatting. “Pages not aligned.” “Table of contents did not work.”
This next pill will be hard to swallow. Request that the formatter use Adobe InDesign, which is sort of the default standard (many people would disagree) for eBook/print-on-demand formatting. This is a super professional program; not all formatters know how to use it. And they are going to complain. “Oh, I use Vellum, Scrivener, Calibre (Side note: I love this program, but would never use it to create an eBook), or Atticus.” Some have even developed their own script, “know this free program like the back of their hand,” have a Microsoft Word plugin, or generate the .mobi file directly.
This is all great until you must revise your book. Poof! Start over. If your book is in Adobe InDesign and you have the source file, updating an eBook or print-on-demand book is trivial. The point is that you are in control. Granted, I can tell you firsthand that you will get pushback. Why? As I said, it is a super professional program.
I have some fantastic news. Formatters are easy to find! Go to the Editorial Freelancers Association and pick one. Any formatter will do if they agree to use Adobe InDesign. When you get your eBook back, look at the result on the free program Calibre:
https://calibre-ebook.com/
Do the chapter links work? If you have a hyperlink to your website, does that work? Are the tabs and chapters aligned? Are the fonts the same? Do things line up? Then, put your book on a Nook and a Kindle and do the same check. $10 each used on eBay. Do an online search for “eBook validator” and upload your .epub and .mobi files to multiple sites. For unknown reasons, formatters always seem to skip this step and get surprised when there is an issue.
Also, check in Calibre to make sure the metadata is correct. (The text is listed on the right side when you load your eBook on Caliber. It has the book description and author’s name.) Formatters always have an issue with this step.
The point is that you can check 100% of the formatting with your eyes and do not pay until you are satisfied. If a formatter cannot make the chapter links work, they do not deserve to be paid.
It is the same with a print-on-demand book. Get a sample printed copy, read it, and submit formatting corrections. Pay them when it is done.
Helpful tip: Ask the formatter to help submit your eBook/print-on-demand for the first time to Amazon. There are some confusing settings.
29) Writing space
This is the place where I write. My space is comfortable, practical, functional, and free from distraction.
30) Publishing assistant
When I began my journey, I was fortunate to locate a publishing assistant, Bethany, who helped me get my first three books on Amazon. Her service included great advice, tips, finding an editor, formatter, and cover designer. She was encouraging, knowledgeable, and helpful.
I learned the process for my fourth book and have since assumed her role, but my experience with Bethany was invaluable. You can find a “publishing helper” on the Editorial Freelancers Association, or you can contact Bethany:
https://www.publishingpartner.com/
31) Marketer?
This is a person or service that assists with book marketing. I do not have one because I have not found one. The services I located were glorified spam generators, hucksters, or scammers. Not one “marketer” could prove their services were ever successful. Do I need one? I do, but I am weary of hiring one.
I hope you found this list useful. Let me know if I missed one.
You’re the best -Bill
January 01, 2025
1) Amazon
My father was one of the first people to sell books to Amazon. Back then, they were one of many online bookstores, and he sold them ceramics textbooks that he printed. Side story: He billed them with a “net 30,” meaning the company must pay you in 30 days or interest is applied. Amazon stretched this 30 days for months and refused to pay the interest. That was a big key to their success.
Amazon has since branched into many areas, including downloadable books and print-on-demand. Without this service, I would not have been able to begin publishing because they have a broad reach into many homes. The problem is that everybody is getting into the self-publishing game.
What about traditional publishing? Authors used to type up a book and send it to publishers. That is no longer possible. Authors must go through a book representative with an inside track with the publishers. Because of readership changes, big publishers rarely take on new authors. In addition, book representatives want $$ up front. In my humble opinion, like phone books, newspapers, and travel agencies, traditional publishing is in a significant decline that will never recover.
2) Generators
A generator is a simple random-number-based computer program that extracts information from a pre-developed database.
Random name generator:
https://namey.muffinlabs.com/
Fantasy name generator:
https://www.seventhsanctum.com/index-...
Technobabble generator:
https://www.scifiideas.com/technobabb...
Character generator:
https://www.rangen.co.uk/chars/quickc...
To use a name generator, I first think about a character’s attributes and then generate ten names. As I read them, I try to fit the name to my mental description. The process has no logic, and I keep generating until a name fits. I prefer the rare generated names for the main characters and common names for supporting characters.
3) Online dictionary
Writers need to 100% understand their words, so it is necessary to have an up-to-date dictionary. There are hundreds to choose from, but I have found this online dictionary to be the best:
https://www.dictionary.com/
4) Online thesaurus
It is also essential for an author to have multiple word options. Using this resource prevents repetitiveness and allows a sentence to convey the exact meaning. A good example is when a character is angry. Anger is a broad term that can be refined to annoyed, bitter, enraged, exasperated, furious, heated… I have found this online thesaurus to be the best:
https://www.thesaurus.com/
Besides having more options than most online resources, I appreciate the list of weak matches. I often look for a particular word I cannot remember and go to this site to jog my memory. The weak matches have proven valuable, beneficial, helpful, important, prized, and relevant.
5) Grammarly/ProWritingAid
A writer must have good grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and flow. Yeah… I am still working on that. Grammarly and ProWritingAid have proven to be incredible time-savers and tools for improving my writing. They both have Black Friday deals.
https://www.grammarly.com/
https://prowritingaid.com/
6) ChatGPT
ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence writing aid, but an author must understand its limitations. ChatGPT’s writing quality ranges from excellent to dreadful. A big problem with ChatGPT is that the basic logic can have significant flaws leading to a confusing result. The raw output should never be used for a published document without expressly stating that “ChatGPT generated the following text.” However, other authors disagree, and I have read books that were 100% written with this tool. To them, I say, readers are catching onto ChatGPT because of its distinctive writing style. People who use this tool in their jobs or writing will eventually be caught.
I have found ChatGPT to be a great assistant in three areas. The first is more of a business application. When I have a huge block of wordy text, I ask ChatGPT to condense, summarize, or bullet point the document.
ChatGPT is excellent at creating character traits, an area I fall short on. “Describe a tall male character with a Western theme.” I do not copy the generated result into my book; instead, I use it as inspiration to write a solid description. It is also helpful in describing scenes and other inanimate objects.
My best use for ChatGPT is as an idea springboard during the outline stage. I feed it part of my outline and ask it to generate a story. I have also asked it to change what I have fed it or asked it to create basic plot ideas. This tool allows me to flush out the basic plot and modify the outline to enhance my story. I also ask it to list plot issues. “What problems would a car mechanic face?” “List the criteria a vampire would use to select a victim.”
7) The Chicago Manual of Style
This book is the gold standard for how to write. A modern author needs to have a copy and follow its advice. It is also essential for an editor or copy editor to follow the standard. A good one, will cite The Chicago Manual of Style in their edits.
8) The Emotion Thesaurus
This excellent book takes a deep dive into creating a detailed emotional scene that readers will enjoy. “Show them the emotion; do not tell them.” The other books in the series are excellent resources.
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Becca-P...
9) Word, Excel, Outlook, Acrobat, Visio, Project, PowerPoint, Photoshop
Writers must have the proper tools to support their craft. Microsoft Word is not the gold standard; it is the only standard. Why? Their programmers have spent thousands of hours tweaking every function to allow users to get their ideas onto the page rapidly. Secondly, it is what editors, formatters, publishers, and other writers use/expect.
What about Open Office, Google Docs…? They are all fine until they are not. The point is that a writer’s output is the best possible properly formatted document to convert into a book. These other word processors fall short in many areas, especially formatting. Here is an example: A document will print fine on one printer and not another. Microsoft has spent thousands of programming hours making their program work on all printers. Those other companies have not been around long enough to invest that time.
All professional book formatters, publishing sites, or printers expect a Word document. I have been forced kicking and screaming to work with Open Office and Google Docs for work or my daughter’s school projects. Their interface, output, and controls are miserable.
For example, the last editor I used did their work in Google Docs. (I did not know this in advance and will not be using them in the future.) I immediately found that the conversion process had messed up the spacing, tabs, and page breaks. I spent over four hours trying to delete the comments and eventually gave up. I had to copy the entire document, do a special paste into a new document, and then manually update the formatting. I am still finding issues.
And there is no excuse. You can eBay older versions of these programs for $10. Sites offer a legitimate copy bound to your Microsoft account for $45. This is a peanuts price for all the heartache it will save.
Be aware of what programs like Microsoft Excel are capable of. For example, put the dates into Excel if your book has a timeline. Microsoft Project can organize a super advanced timeline. How about a list? Excel is perfect for recording all the aspects, and the math functions are excellent. For example, if a plot occurs every thirteen days, put the first date in Excel and add thirteen:
Wednesday, October 8, 1975
Tuesday, October 21, 1975
Monday, November 3, 1975
Sunday, November 16, 1975
If your book needs graphics or a photo, go with the professional tools, Acrobat, Visio, and Photoshop. Readers now have very high expectations for how their books appear. I recently came across a book with an out-of-focus cover photo. No excuses!
I use Visio in my outline process because it gives me a big picture of how the plot unfolds. And I have had many occasions where I needed a PDF of a document or my entire book. Only Acrobat Professional has been able to generate this file free from formatting errors.
Finally, Microsoft Outlook. Writers do a lot of communicating, and their communications need to be precise, secure, and backed up. But you are probably using an online site like Yahoo Mail. Easy, quick, and convenient. Right?
Do you own the Yahoo Mail, AOL Mail, or MSN hard drive? Of course not. And if that email gets deleted? I have four backup copies of my critical emails, and all my current emails are on my computer. No internet? No problem. I can read my old emails and compose new ones. Granted, I cannot send or receive without a connection. The point is I am in complete control of my communications. In addition, I have complete control over the email quality, including the font, formatting, spell-checking, signature, and contact list.
10) Temp File
This may seem an odd thing to include, but I have a Word document named temp. It has many uses, and the first is a scratchpad. I copy and paste text and graphics there. It is like a big cut-and-paste clipboard. It is super helpful when I am working with many documents. The most important use is with Grammarly/ProWritingAid and a large document. It takes forever for these two programs to analyze a large file. So, I copy and paste the section I am working on (like one chapter) into the temp file, do the analysis, and then copy it back into the main file. Word has a cute feature: if you do not touch the main file while editing, you can paste (replace) the text exactly because it remembered where you cut the cut.
11) Hotkeys
Hotkeys are shortcuts in Word and other programs. They are a huge time saver, but I did not know all of them. So, I found a list and posted it next to my computer. In addition, I have mapped the paste function to my center mouse button.
12) Track Changes Hotkey
When editing with tracked changes turned on, switching back and forth between the results and the red edits is helpful. But… There is no key for this. So, I found this article that shows how to create a hotkey. This has saved lots of time and mistakes. Surprisingly, despite its incredible usefulness, most editors are unaware of this function.
https://creativepro.com/two-of-my-fav...
13) My “Things to Check For” list
I have a list of my writing quirks. I check each item when I am ready to submit a document to my beta reader, editor, or formatter. It takes me about an hour per big document, but using it has been invaluable.
14) Upper Ribbon
In Microsoft products, it is possible to map often-used commands into the upper ribbon. I have save, redo, draft format, print format, paste text only, and thesaurus. Another feature is to see if I am in draft or print format because the icons show the document status.
15) Wikipedia
Wikipedia is my primary research tool. It is loaded with facts, statistics, pictures, and clear explanations, but an author must understand the limitations. Amateurs maintain Wikipedia, and the articles are famous for containing errors, especially on sensitive topics.
For example, many articles have highlighted the massive bias in the Wikipedia global warming article. When researching, be sure to check critical facts with other sites. Helpful tip: Do not directly copy Wikipedia entries into your book. Readers also read Wikipedia, and its style is distinctive.
16) The Internet
The internet is the greatest invention ever and a giant leap forward for authors. It allows me to do endless research without leaving my desk, keeps my computer updated, lets me communicate with anybody, and allows my books to be sold. I would not have published without this invention.
17) My computer
This incredible device allows my thoughts to come alive. It is a powerhouse of modern technology and a universal writing tool. I spent big bucks on my machine, including large monitors to clearly see my words, a tactile keyboard to input them, and an ergonomic mouse to navigate. It is not loaded up with junk, and I go to great lengths to keep it healthy, backed up, and updated.
18) Virus protection
It is no secret that people are out to get us, and a personal computer needs to have virus protection. For the past ten years, I have settled for Panda Free. It is not the best, but it does a reasonable job. I have found many issues with Norton, Symantec, and McAfee. They add bloatware, miss critical stuff, have been hacked, have had ethical issues, and apply high-pressure sales for their other products/services.
https://www.pandasecurity.com
19) My Test Machine
I have only had two virus-related issues on my main PC in the last ten years. Panda was able to clear the issues, but it was still scary. To further prevent viruses, I have an older computer called Test Machine. I use it for nonstandard programs, one-time applications, risky programs, web surfing on risky sites, and questionable applications.
There have been many issues with that machine, and I wiped the entire operating system three times. Because it is my test machine, I do not store files or passwords. You can get an old machine on eBay, or at the thrift store, or swap meet cheaply. There are no excuses for causing a failure on your main computer.
Alright, truth. Over the last twenty years, I had to wipe my main machine twice. The first was due to a bad graphics card driver, and the second was an “update preview” from Microsoft.
20) Backup drive
A backup drive is critical. You can buy a low-capacity USB stick for a dollar and a used fireproof lockbox for $10 on eBay. I go to the extreme of having a dedicated drive on my PC for daily backups. Every month, I fully back up all critical files on two drives I have in my safe. Every six months, I do a full backup on another drive that I keep in a small fireproof box hidden in the attic.
Since my writing adventure began, I have retrieved old files many times, including yesterday. The files I am looking for include prior versions and accidentally deleted ones or files I moved to a new location and forgot. But what about that copy in the attic? On two occasions, I recovered files from that drive because I did not save the files on the drive in the safe.
I have had one major incident that I could not recover from. I spent three months editing my fourth book after a beta read. One day, I returned to the first chapter and saw the beta edits were missing. I believe what happened is that I was not editing the current file. I could not find my edits despite backing up the entire directory of all my writing files. I lost two months of work.
What about Microsoft OneDrive, iCloud, Google Drive, or Dropbox? I have the same argument as with email. Do you own the drive? What happens when the internet is down? If they decide to delete your files or get hacked, what happens? No excuses!
21) Identity Scam Protection
This may seem odd to include, but identity scam protection is now essential for an author. Authors are in the public eye and, therefore, valuable. Hey, everybody reading this. Famous author Bill here. Visit naughtysite.com. In 2024, our credit card was nefariously used twice, a person took over my eBay account and purchased soap (Really? Soap?), somebody posted on Reddit claiming to be me, and Amazon removed many book reviews because of a scammer.
We use Experian to help with identity theft, but not for the reason you think. It was free with AAA but has proven itself valuable on several occasions. Most importantly, they have an experienced team to clamp down on the scammers.
22) Outline
I cannot stress enough how important it is to begin every book project with an outline. This tool allows the author to see the story unfold, ask big questions, and make massive changes. At the beginning of my writing adventure, the motivation was completely missing, and an outline would have revealed this glaring flaw.
The outline goal is to sort out the plot flow, prevent mistakes, and identify something that is not working. It takes me three months to develop a solid outline and six to work it to the point where I am ready to write. Side note: I find writing based on a solid outline less stressful. This is because there is less pressure to invent and I can concentrate on the fun of creating something.
23) Character Biography
A character biography is a basic description of the main character’s traits, relationships, and personalities. It is essential to have the basics established before the writing begins.
They are very easy to create. I use a name generator and then invent basic physical and behavioral details. As I write, I refer to this sheet and add to it. I estimate that it takes less than ten minutes per character but saves many hours during writing and editing, plus the story is better.
24) Beta Reader
A beta reader has two crucial functions. The first is to vet an outline. The main question is: Does this make sense? And the secondary question is: Is this something you find interesting? Treat their comments like gold.
Next, your beta reader should review an early draft vetted by Grammarly and ProWritingAid. At this stage, you are looking to get basic questions answered, not grammar issues. Does this make sense? Is it interesting? Is something missing? Are you confused? You want comments like, “Delete this.” “I do not understand this part.” “Where did he get the car?” “More description.” “Women will not like this.”
This last comment type is critical. A writer gets close to the words and can miss obvious issues like something offensive. A second perspective can see the bold issues.
I was lucky to have a mother willing to help, and remember, a beta reader is just that. You are looking for a basic perspective. Anybody can look at a document and say, “I do not understand this.” But how do you find one? My advice is to beg a friend who likes to read. They do not have to be a book expert. This makes them better beta readers. Alternatively, you can search the Editorial Freelancers Association. Their main website is confusing, and here is their member directory page:
https://www.the-efa.org/membership-di...
Important tip: Do not treat your beta editor, editor, copy editor, or formatter like a garbage collector. Give them the absolute best possible document. That way, they are not wasting time on something you could have fixed and instead focus on issues you are unaware of.
25) Editor
A good editor is necessary because today’s readers do not tolerate poor English. Editors locate logic, grammar, spelling, plot, scene, character, and flow errors. Plus, they often have publishing contacts and provide writing tips. To find one, go to the Editorial Freelancers Association. Pick one from the directory and ask them to send you a document they edited. Look at the before and after. Are you still spotting errors? Did the edit indeed make the document better? Or did the editor introduce errors? What is the comment tone? “This character is stupid.” Are they supportive and helpful to the writer? Do they offer tips?
If an editor does not provide a sample edited document, move on to the next person in the Editorial Freelancers Association directory. I learned this the very hard way. If they offer to edit a chapter for free, I have learned (again, the hard way) to pass. Why? They will try hard for the sample and then coast on the rest. This is a psychology thing. They feel like you should have gone with them in the first place and not made them give you a sample chapter.
I have one more word of advice for picking an editor. Writing is supposed to be fun. Look for an editor with passion. They should be fun, friendly, and encouraging when you interact with them. Again, I have learned the hard way that if they are all business, pass.
Side note: I have used six editors. One was fantastic, but she passed away. The rest were subpar. The overall problem was they were burned out. In ~6 weeks, I plan to start over with the Editorial Freelancers Association directory to try another one.
26) Copy Editor
Today’s readers expect perfection. To be taken seriously, modern authors must take the extra step of hiring a copy editor. They find the tiny mistakes and catch things the editor missed or author corrections suggested by the editor. How do you find one? Editorial Freelancers Association. Ask them to provide a copy-edited document.
Note: The initial sample document the copy editor worked on should be nearly flawless. The changes they make should be minor but on point. Ideally, 0-4 per page. Something is wrong if you go with them, and you are getting more/less than 0-4 per page. This issue might mean your editor was off, you are off, or the copy editor is off. Either way, it is critical to identify the root cause.
27) Cover Designer
The cover is the first thing a reader will see; it is 90% of the advertisement. The people who create covers are ultra-specialized and have an eye for what makes a good cover. This attention to detail includes fonts, colors, placement, graphics, photo manipulation, marketing, and understanding what printers/formatters/publishers/Amazon require. Modern readers can spot a bad cover from a mile away.
Important tip: Do not design your cover or have your “artistic friend” do the job. As I said, this is an ultra-specialized discipline. And I will say it again. Modern readers can spot a bad cover from a mile away.
How do you find one? I got lucky, and a friend recommended a great cover designer. They gave me homework. I studied many covers to look for good and bad elements. The next step was identifying what elements I wanted on the cover, and I found several example covers of what I wanted mine to look like.
Here is how I recommend you locate one. Studying many covers to get an idea of what you are looking for. Learn what you are not looking for. This process should take over a week of one-hour study sessions.
Then, do an internet search for cover designers and evaluate their creations. Are their book covers on best-seller books? Have they been doing it for a while? Would you buy one of the books they did the cover for?
If you have done enough studying, you should recognize some of the patterns and be able to choose a potential designer. A good cover is expensive but worth it. Also, be prepared to pay for images on a site like Imgur:
https://imgur.com/
Top tip: Be aware that certain buildings (and other objects), like The Eiffel Tower, are copyrighted even if you took the picture. If you use your own photo, make sure it is the absolute best quality or, even better, have a professional take it. I will say it for a third time. Modern readers can spot a bad cover from a mile away. And finally, do not include anything copyrighted in your book or on the cover. Companies like Amazon have no sense of humor and will ban you for life if you pull a fast one. A fellow author learned this the hard way.
28) Formatter
The formatter converts your document into an eBook and print on demand. It is essential to get an expert to do this. I have read so many poorly formatted books and seen many reviews commenting on the bad formatting. “Pages not aligned.” “Table of contents did not work.”
This next pill will be hard to swallow. Request that the formatter use Adobe InDesign, which is sort of the default standard (many people would disagree) for eBook/print-on-demand formatting. This is a super professional program; not all formatters know how to use it. And they are going to complain. “Oh, I use Vellum, Scrivener, Calibre (Side note: I love this program, but would never use it to create an eBook), or Atticus.” Some have even developed their own script, “know this free program like the back of their hand,” have a Microsoft Word plugin, or generate the .mobi file directly.
This is all great until you must revise your book. Poof! Start over. If your book is in Adobe InDesign and you have the source file, updating an eBook or print-on-demand book is trivial. The point is that you are in control. Granted, I can tell you firsthand that you will get pushback. Why? As I said, it is a super professional program.
I have some fantastic news. Formatters are easy to find! Go to the Editorial Freelancers Association and pick one. Any formatter will do if they agree to use Adobe InDesign. When you get your eBook back, look at the result on the free program Calibre:
https://calibre-ebook.com/
Do the chapter links work? If you have a hyperlink to your website, does that work? Are the tabs and chapters aligned? Are the fonts the same? Do things line up? Then, put your book on a Nook and a Kindle and do the same check. $10 each used on eBay. Do an online search for “eBook validator” and upload your .epub and .mobi files to multiple sites. For unknown reasons, formatters always seem to skip this step and get surprised when there is an issue.
Also, check in Calibre to make sure the metadata is correct. (The text is listed on the right side when you load your eBook on Caliber. It has the book description and author’s name.) Formatters always have an issue with this step.
The point is that you can check 100% of the formatting with your eyes and do not pay until you are satisfied. If a formatter cannot make the chapter links work, they do not deserve to be paid.
It is the same with a print-on-demand book. Get a sample printed copy, read it, and submit formatting corrections. Pay them when it is done.
Helpful tip: Ask the formatter to help submit your eBook/print-on-demand for the first time to Amazon. There are some confusing settings.
29) Writing space
This is the place where I write. My space is comfortable, practical, functional, and free from distraction.
30) Publishing assistant
When I began my journey, I was fortunate to locate a publishing assistant, Bethany, who helped me get my first three books on Amazon. Her service included great advice, tips, finding an editor, formatter, and cover designer. She was encouraging, knowledgeable, and helpful.
I learned the process for my fourth book and have since assumed her role, but my experience with Bethany was invaluable. You can find a “publishing helper” on the Editorial Freelancers Association, or you can contact Bethany:
https://www.publishingpartner.com/
31) Marketer?
This is a person or service that assists with book marketing. I do not have one because I have not found one. The services I located were glorified spam generators, hucksters, or scammers. Not one “marketer” could prove their services were ever successful. Do I need one? I do, but I am weary of hiring one.
I hope you found this list useful. Let me know if I missed one.
You’re the best -Bill
January 01, 2025
December 25, 2024
The Problem with Dialog
The term dialog describes the conversation between one or more characters in writing. It ranges from the most important part of the book to being completely absent. Why and when is it necessary? That depends on the writing and story style. In my books, I use dialog to convey emotions and round out the characters, but other authors use it to convey information between characters or during a social interaction.
How do I create dialog? I imagine myself speaking and sometimes verbalizing the words to get in the mood. I find this an easy and natural process, but there is a big problem. To explain the issue, this is what I said to my wife this morning. (I was not awake.)
“Umm, hey. After work, I’m going to get… Mmm, go to the store after work. I need to buy… We’re out of soda because I think I drank the last can. You need some stuff? Mmm, from the store.”
Well, not A+ writing, but you know what I am trying to ask. What should I have said? “I am going to the store after work to buy soda. Do you need anything?” True, but that is not what I said.
People’s speech is loaded with all kinds of grammar boo-boos. Run-on sentences? Fragments? Dangling modifiers? Wrong words? Pause words? Pronoun disagreement? Improper sentence structure? Bring it!
And then there is slang. I grew up in California and was bathed in local words. “Surf’s up” “Excellent” “Dude” “Gnarly” “Bummer” “Chill” “Wipe-out” “Bro” “No biggie” “Radical” “Bail” “SoCal” America has its own superset. “Cool” “Couch potato” “Come again?” “Hit it out of the park” “Home run” “Touchdown” “Woke” “Politically correct” “Cringe” “Legit” “Airhead” Plus world-wide slang and regional slang from other English-speaking countries. To make matters worse, slang is evolving, growing, and shrinking faster than dictionaries can be updated.
Actual dialog is an absolute mess, and it is a wonder that we understand each other. Yet, the Chicago Manual of Style and my grade school teachers have other ideas. Please eliminate that poorly structured mess and replace it with proper English. There is the battle.
I try to keep my dialog realistic by adding as much junk as possible. This includes slang, pause words, incoherent thoughts, side tangents, and bad grammar.
Plus, mistakes! People are not perfect, and their natural speech contains errors. In fact, readers expect imperfection. This might include incorrect logic, forgetting details, miscommunication, or even an intentional lie. The result trips up readers. A good example is a mistake I inserted into the dialog of my second book. At the beginning of the story, the two main characters are in a tense situation, and he forgets her name. We forget all kinds of stuff in real life; this kind of mistake adds to realism. Yet, I had to be mindful of my readers, so she called him out about the error.
My rule is, “If it mostly reads right, go with it.” Well, that is all nice until I try to slip something past a sharp-eyed reader or the dreaded grammar monger. This reader class hates improper sentence structure, slang, pause, and junk words. Satisfying this crowd while trying to make a good book is quite challenging.
Plus, an author must consider the type of character who is speaking: A high school principal who is upset with a student. The mean biker ordering a drink. Street-smart kid convincing their friends they are tough. A rancher with a Texas accent. All their slang, style, and word choices will be different.
The hard part is deciding what to clean up and what to leave as raw. Well, are there guides? There are, but they only advise, “Do your best.”
The editing process feels like an uneasy truce between two warring factions. No matter what choices I make, words are going to die. It has been a long, evolving process. Looking back at the first draft of my first book, the dialog was far too sloppy. The edited result read stiff and unrealistic. My latest book contains an uneasy balance. I keep thinking, “How would they say this?” Arrg. I can only close my eyes and move on to the next sentence.
You’re the best -Bill
December 25, 2024
How do I create dialog? I imagine myself speaking and sometimes verbalizing the words to get in the mood. I find this an easy and natural process, but there is a big problem. To explain the issue, this is what I said to my wife this morning. (I was not awake.)
“Umm, hey. After work, I’m going to get… Mmm, go to the store after work. I need to buy… We’re out of soda because I think I drank the last can. You need some stuff? Mmm, from the store.”
Well, not A+ writing, but you know what I am trying to ask. What should I have said? “I am going to the store after work to buy soda. Do you need anything?” True, but that is not what I said.
People’s speech is loaded with all kinds of grammar boo-boos. Run-on sentences? Fragments? Dangling modifiers? Wrong words? Pause words? Pronoun disagreement? Improper sentence structure? Bring it!
And then there is slang. I grew up in California and was bathed in local words. “Surf’s up” “Excellent” “Dude” “Gnarly” “Bummer” “Chill” “Wipe-out” “Bro” “No biggie” “Radical” “Bail” “SoCal” America has its own superset. “Cool” “Couch potato” “Come again?” “Hit it out of the park” “Home run” “Touchdown” “Woke” “Politically correct” “Cringe” “Legit” “Airhead” Plus world-wide slang and regional slang from other English-speaking countries. To make matters worse, slang is evolving, growing, and shrinking faster than dictionaries can be updated.
Actual dialog is an absolute mess, and it is a wonder that we understand each other. Yet, the Chicago Manual of Style and my grade school teachers have other ideas. Please eliminate that poorly structured mess and replace it with proper English. There is the battle.
I try to keep my dialog realistic by adding as much junk as possible. This includes slang, pause words, incoherent thoughts, side tangents, and bad grammar.
Plus, mistakes! People are not perfect, and their natural speech contains errors. In fact, readers expect imperfection. This might include incorrect logic, forgetting details, miscommunication, or even an intentional lie. The result trips up readers. A good example is a mistake I inserted into the dialog of my second book. At the beginning of the story, the two main characters are in a tense situation, and he forgets her name. We forget all kinds of stuff in real life; this kind of mistake adds to realism. Yet, I had to be mindful of my readers, so she called him out about the error.
My rule is, “If it mostly reads right, go with it.” Well, that is all nice until I try to slip something past a sharp-eyed reader or the dreaded grammar monger. This reader class hates improper sentence structure, slang, pause, and junk words. Satisfying this crowd while trying to make a good book is quite challenging.
Plus, an author must consider the type of character who is speaking: A high school principal who is upset with a student. The mean biker ordering a drink. Street-smart kid convincing their friends they are tough. A rancher with a Texas accent. All their slang, style, and word choices will be different.
The hard part is deciding what to clean up and what to leave as raw. Well, are there guides? There are, but they only advise, “Do your best.”
The editing process feels like an uneasy truce between two warring factions. No matter what choices I make, words are going to die. It has been a long, evolving process. Looking back at the first draft of my first book, the dialog was far too sloppy. The edited result read stiff and unrealistic. My latest book contains an uneasy balance. I keep thinking, “How would they say this?” Arrg. I can only close my eyes and move on to the next sentence.
You’re the best -Bill
December 25, 2024
December 18, 2024
My First Book’s Main Characters
I do not have a formal character development method. Instead, I develop a plot and mold the characters to fit. The resulting characters rise to the drama, which is not how most writers work. They begin with a solid character and tailor the action, emotion, and drama to complement their creation. The resulting character traits will contain firm physical attributes, clear relationships, unique personalities, and solid backgrounds. Yeah… Not my cup of tea.
Long before I began writing, I thought up stories inside my bonkers mind. My character had simple traits, essentially fictional versions of myself. They would build race cars, travel to wild Africa, or meet amazing women. I was daydreaming. What were my characters like? They were older and more mature. All the physical traits and relationships with people in my life were identical. My support characters were one-dimensional and quickly forgotten. I did not even give them names or noteworthy characteristics.
I had to take a more formal approach when I became an author because readers expect more than a daydream. This quality increase included naming my characters and giving them unique physical traits and flaws. While I tried to distance my main character from my life, I did not do a great job. Why is this important? Readers easily see through a character based on a pumped-up author. Common traits for this kind of character are overtly brilliant, buff, arrogant, and unrealistic. You can see this kind of extra-bold character in popular action films.
I named my first character, James, in my first book. Unfortunately, in the first draft, he ended up being too similar to me, and it took intense editing to reduce the similarities, resulting in a more rounded and believable character.
One of my writing rules is to make a character’s weaknesses obvious because readers need to understand the motivation behind actions clearly. James is dishonest, shallow, not too bright, and has no confidence. This is the reason behind his ugly divorce and the plagiarism of his only successful book.
My plot is like a vampire story, but I invented a bizarre medical procedure instead of drinking blood to be immortal. One side effect is confidence, balanced by enough paranoia to fill a dump truck. This added confidence is key to James consciously deciding to better his life at the end of the first book.
Despite the similarities, there are significant differences between James and me. He is more liberal, writing is his only interest, and his background vastly differs from mine. I am more intelligent, confident, trustworthy, and intuitive, meaning that I would not have fallen into the traps that set the plot into motion.
What makes James tick? Nothing. He is dragged along by the plot until the end of the third book when he gets some backbone. I am sure you are thinking, “Hey, characters are supposed to lead the plot, not follow it.” Yes and no. Not everybody in our society is a leader. We have to go to work, criminals go to jail, and even kids have to go to school. So, it is reasonable that bad things happen to a character, forcing them down a path. In many ways, this is more realistic, yet I agree that this kind of plot is not the strongest.
If I were to meet James, I likely would not be impressed because he is the type of man who wants something at the expense of others. Yet, he is growing on me, and by the fourth book (in the outline stage), I would tolerate him enough to go on a bike ride.
I named the second main character in my first book Grace. Bold is an understatement for her. Grace is over 500 years old, incredibly rich, bright, confident, in control of every aspect of her life, pretty, in great shape, and a snappy dresser. Yet, as I mentioned, a character must have apparent flaws.
Grace could be compared to a head vampire. She is dominating, incredibly paranoid, 500 years out of touch, and hypersensitive to personal security. She will go to any measure when it comes to survival.
I introduced another side effect of my immorality procedure to her. People undergoing the procedure are very susceptible to substance abuse. She had a twenty-year opium bender, but that was in the 1800s. She has been clean ever since, but her desire to get high is ever-present.
Grace is courteous, kind, sweet, an excellent listener, a world-class chef, perceptive, honest, and altruistic. Yet, you probably can see the contrast. “Sweet” and “will go to any measure to survive” are the opposite. This makes Grace a super complex character struggling between these extreme existences. In one example, Grace prepares an excellent meal for James, but he accidentally drops his napkin. When he reached down to pick it up, she nearly stabbed him.
When I molded Grace around the story, the result had no similarities to anybody I know or a fictional character. This made her unique and intriguing. Would I like to meet her? Absolutely not. Grace is a hardened killer, and despite all her positives, every part of her screams, “Stay away!”
Grace studied James from afar, kidnapped him, and forced him to undergo the life-giving procedure. She then discusses her life and forces him to write her story. In the second book, James admits that he fell in love with her during their time together.
Thus, in the second book, he undergoes an epic journey to locate her, which brings up a significant inconsistency. I said I would never want to meet her, but James does. I partially explain that James can see her kindness, and I will explore their budding relationship in my fourth book. There are going to be a lot of bumps.
What makes Grace tick? Simple, money and security. Her motivation is one-dimensional, but she does have hobbies and likes the people who work at her companies. I suppose readers would consider Grace to have an icy exterior and a small but warm heart.
On the journey to locate Grace, I introduced other immortal characters who wish to harm James. But Arturo is an exception. Yes, he is paranoid, ruthless, and out of touch with reality, but he befriends James, and they go on an adventure together.
Arturo is pleasant, respectful, intuitive, and reliable. This friend provides a breath of fresh air in James’s life. The two can be honest and help each other down the path of immorality. I think it would be fun to meet Arturo if he were a real person. I can imagine us being business partners or playing sports. Yet, his core contains a ruthless killer, so I must be careful.
Meeting Arturo leads up to the most prominent character in my first book series. Pharaoh Cleopatra taught the life-giving procedure to Arturo and Grace, who passed it along to James. He has heard of this fantastic woman but doubts she is still alive.
I went to great lengths to portray Cleopatra as astounding. She possesses incredible beauty, wealth, and sophistication but shares all the same flaws as Grace, especially being out of touch with reality. In addition, she is vain and cares little for others. Still, James falls head over heels for her, which brings up another inconsistency. In the second book, he undertakes an extraordinary journey to locate Grace because he cares for her and is attracted to Cleopatra. Yes, I will thoroughly explore this complex three-way relationship in my fourth book; it will be a bumpy ride. Why? Imagine dating somebody who is half a century or more out of touch with reality, a ruthless killer, vain, and you are also dating her twin?
While there would be positives to meeting a ruler of the ancient world, I would run away from Cleopatra as fast as my legs would carry me. She is beyond ruthless and would kill a nobody like me in less than a heartbeat. Yet, I share James’s fascination, and I will explore this interest in the fourth book.
My biggest character flaw (yes, that was a pun) was making James too similar. I now clearly see this unintentional choice hampered my creativity. I know what and who I am, which added many limitations. Creating James from a blank person would have made him more interesting and realistic to readers.
Yet, that was my point in making him what he was. James was supposed to be an average or below-average guy, a random person selected to be part of a big story. I am average, making me the perfect subject to model a character for this adventure. So, I think my creation was better than I am giving myself credit for.
Creating my characters and getting them into all kinds of messes was fun. I am now intimately familiar with their personalities, quirks, and traits. I suppose it is like we are already friends. Or at least neighbors. A ruthless killer? Umm, how about pen pals? Actually, that works.
You’re the best -Bill
December 18, 2024
Long before I began writing, I thought up stories inside my bonkers mind. My character had simple traits, essentially fictional versions of myself. They would build race cars, travel to wild Africa, or meet amazing women. I was daydreaming. What were my characters like? They were older and more mature. All the physical traits and relationships with people in my life were identical. My support characters were one-dimensional and quickly forgotten. I did not even give them names or noteworthy characteristics.
I had to take a more formal approach when I became an author because readers expect more than a daydream. This quality increase included naming my characters and giving them unique physical traits and flaws. While I tried to distance my main character from my life, I did not do a great job. Why is this important? Readers easily see through a character based on a pumped-up author. Common traits for this kind of character are overtly brilliant, buff, arrogant, and unrealistic. You can see this kind of extra-bold character in popular action films.
I named my first character, James, in my first book. Unfortunately, in the first draft, he ended up being too similar to me, and it took intense editing to reduce the similarities, resulting in a more rounded and believable character.
One of my writing rules is to make a character’s weaknesses obvious because readers need to understand the motivation behind actions clearly. James is dishonest, shallow, not too bright, and has no confidence. This is the reason behind his ugly divorce and the plagiarism of his only successful book.
My plot is like a vampire story, but I invented a bizarre medical procedure instead of drinking blood to be immortal. One side effect is confidence, balanced by enough paranoia to fill a dump truck. This added confidence is key to James consciously deciding to better his life at the end of the first book.
Despite the similarities, there are significant differences between James and me. He is more liberal, writing is his only interest, and his background vastly differs from mine. I am more intelligent, confident, trustworthy, and intuitive, meaning that I would not have fallen into the traps that set the plot into motion.
What makes James tick? Nothing. He is dragged along by the plot until the end of the third book when he gets some backbone. I am sure you are thinking, “Hey, characters are supposed to lead the plot, not follow it.” Yes and no. Not everybody in our society is a leader. We have to go to work, criminals go to jail, and even kids have to go to school. So, it is reasonable that bad things happen to a character, forcing them down a path. In many ways, this is more realistic, yet I agree that this kind of plot is not the strongest.
If I were to meet James, I likely would not be impressed because he is the type of man who wants something at the expense of others. Yet, he is growing on me, and by the fourth book (in the outline stage), I would tolerate him enough to go on a bike ride.
I named the second main character in my first book Grace. Bold is an understatement for her. Grace is over 500 years old, incredibly rich, bright, confident, in control of every aspect of her life, pretty, in great shape, and a snappy dresser. Yet, as I mentioned, a character must have apparent flaws.
Grace could be compared to a head vampire. She is dominating, incredibly paranoid, 500 years out of touch, and hypersensitive to personal security. She will go to any measure when it comes to survival.
I introduced another side effect of my immorality procedure to her. People undergoing the procedure are very susceptible to substance abuse. She had a twenty-year opium bender, but that was in the 1800s. She has been clean ever since, but her desire to get high is ever-present.
Grace is courteous, kind, sweet, an excellent listener, a world-class chef, perceptive, honest, and altruistic. Yet, you probably can see the contrast. “Sweet” and “will go to any measure to survive” are the opposite. This makes Grace a super complex character struggling between these extreme existences. In one example, Grace prepares an excellent meal for James, but he accidentally drops his napkin. When he reached down to pick it up, she nearly stabbed him.
When I molded Grace around the story, the result had no similarities to anybody I know or a fictional character. This made her unique and intriguing. Would I like to meet her? Absolutely not. Grace is a hardened killer, and despite all her positives, every part of her screams, “Stay away!”
Grace studied James from afar, kidnapped him, and forced him to undergo the life-giving procedure. She then discusses her life and forces him to write her story. In the second book, James admits that he fell in love with her during their time together.
Thus, in the second book, he undergoes an epic journey to locate her, which brings up a significant inconsistency. I said I would never want to meet her, but James does. I partially explain that James can see her kindness, and I will explore their budding relationship in my fourth book. There are going to be a lot of bumps.
What makes Grace tick? Simple, money and security. Her motivation is one-dimensional, but she does have hobbies and likes the people who work at her companies. I suppose readers would consider Grace to have an icy exterior and a small but warm heart.
On the journey to locate Grace, I introduced other immortal characters who wish to harm James. But Arturo is an exception. Yes, he is paranoid, ruthless, and out of touch with reality, but he befriends James, and they go on an adventure together.
Arturo is pleasant, respectful, intuitive, and reliable. This friend provides a breath of fresh air in James’s life. The two can be honest and help each other down the path of immorality. I think it would be fun to meet Arturo if he were a real person. I can imagine us being business partners or playing sports. Yet, his core contains a ruthless killer, so I must be careful.
Meeting Arturo leads up to the most prominent character in my first book series. Pharaoh Cleopatra taught the life-giving procedure to Arturo and Grace, who passed it along to James. He has heard of this fantastic woman but doubts she is still alive.
I went to great lengths to portray Cleopatra as astounding. She possesses incredible beauty, wealth, and sophistication but shares all the same flaws as Grace, especially being out of touch with reality. In addition, she is vain and cares little for others. Still, James falls head over heels for her, which brings up another inconsistency. In the second book, he undertakes an extraordinary journey to locate Grace because he cares for her and is attracted to Cleopatra. Yes, I will thoroughly explore this complex three-way relationship in my fourth book; it will be a bumpy ride. Why? Imagine dating somebody who is half a century or more out of touch with reality, a ruthless killer, vain, and you are also dating her twin?
While there would be positives to meeting a ruler of the ancient world, I would run away from Cleopatra as fast as my legs would carry me. She is beyond ruthless and would kill a nobody like me in less than a heartbeat. Yet, I share James’s fascination, and I will explore this interest in the fourth book.
My biggest character flaw (yes, that was a pun) was making James too similar. I now clearly see this unintentional choice hampered my creativity. I know what and who I am, which added many limitations. Creating James from a blank person would have made him more interesting and realistic to readers.
Yet, that was my point in making him what he was. James was supposed to be an average or below-average guy, a random person selected to be part of a big story. I am average, making me the perfect subject to model a character for this adventure. So, I think my creation was better than I am giving myself credit for.
Creating my characters and getting them into all kinds of messes was fun. I am now intimately familiar with their personalities, quirks, and traits. I suppose it is like we are already friends. Or at least neighbors. A ruthless killer? Umm, how about pen pals? Actually, that works.
You’re the best -Bill
December 18, 2024
December 10, 2024
My Writing Space
I recently came across an article describing the perfect writing space. In summary: “Sit in a giant fluffy bean bag with pen in hand.” Lying in a cozy spot only makes me want to fall asleep, so I thought it would be fun to describe my writing space and schedule.
Writing is a right-brain (creative) activity. These mental tools focus on social situations, nuance, and bringing imagination to words. I have learned the hard way that forcing myself to write only leads to disaster. Yet, I have seen people writing in Starbucks. So, there is room for alternative approaches.
At the beginning of my writing adventure, I had a plan regarding my writing place. It begins with a plain particle board desk from Ikea. It is clean and faces a window with closed blinds. On my desk are a few pens, Post-its, and only one trinket, a silly air quality detector. Yes, I am a geek. On the left side is a paper scanner, and on the right is my computer. In front are three identical monitors. The left is positioned portrait, center landscape, and right portrait. I write on the left, do automated (Grammarly) editing on the center, and copy/paste on the right. When I purchased the monitors, they had the highest contrast, which would reduce eye strain.
My computer is eight years old, but it was a powerhouse when I purchased it. Today, it still runs the latest operating system with the latest updates. When it becomes too bogged down, unreliable, or will not run the latest OS, I will upgrade. From a writing perspective, the keyboard is the most crucial part of my computer. It is a Unicomp that uses the same buckling-spring technology that IBM invented for their keyboards in the early 70s. Each key makes a loud ping/click noise when I type, which provides audio feedback. As a result, I type fewer errors. My mouse is a Logitech Trackman Marble, and they stopped producing them in the 2000s, so I must purchase them on eBay. This pointing device reduces hand strain and provides good finger feedback. I have mapped the center button to paste.
I only installed the essential programs and kept them updated. This includes Word, Excel, Visio, Corel Draw, Outlook, Firefox (my primary browser), Edge (for one website that will not work on Firefox), Rocketcake (my website developer program), and Acrobat Professional. I do not install free programs or shareware because I do not want to risk stability or data loss. When I need to run something nonstandard, I use an old computer. Overall, I would describe my computer as 100% utility. My computer is not a gamer, workstation, or business desktop.
Since I began writing, I have had three office chairs. The first one was free from a company going out of business. It was comfortable, but it fell apart after two years. I paid $$$ for the second one, and while comfortable, it only lasted for a year and left hundreds of black fake leather bits everywhere. I am still finding them four years later. True Innovations made my present office chair; I purchased it at Costco. It has grey vinyl and adjusts well to my posture. I find it solid, and it does not squeak. I anticipate it will last a few years, but there was a mistake. I should have purchased three.
To me, writing is all business, but where is the joy? The joy comes from creating the words; the space supports this activity, so my space does not have clutter or frills. But where is the inspiration? When I turn to my right, I have a bookshelf loaded with personal memories, including family pictures and random stuff. This junk includes old test equipment, a professional video camera, ceramics made by my father, and a few record albums. I sometimes turn to this shelf for a distraction when I get stuck.
Writing is my third priority, the first being my family and the second being my full-time job. Still, I treat writing as a profession and try to reserve at least three hours per day on weekdays and two on weekends. My best writing is in the morning and early afternoon, but my job makes this problematic, so I write late.
The biggest disrupter of my creativity is YouTube. Yet, it is the perfect distraction to free my mind when I get stuck—a strange double-edged sword. What I need to do is set a distraction time limit. Yeah, I will work on that.
What do I watch? Politics, tractor repair (I have no idea why this fascinates me. My yard is 5x10 feet, and I will never own a tractor.), old computers, China, Ukraine, machining, and electronics. I do not watch videos about writing, entertainment, or other creative outlets.
That is how my bonkers mind creates what you have been reading. What advice do I have for other writers? Writing is like any other activity. To be good at it, one must take a high-level view with a goal in mind. This means asking questions, recording data, doing experiments, changing bad behavior, listening, researching, trying new things, and being dedicated. It has taken a long time to figure out what works for me, and it should be no surprise that other writers have come to different conclusions. A good example is George R. R. Martin, author of Game of Thrones, who uses a DOS computer with WordStar 4.0. Yikes! Yet, he created an outstanding work.
Hmm. Perhaps I should do an eBay search for WordStar 4.0.
You’re the best -Bill
December 10, 2024
Hey, book lovers, I published four. Please check them out:
Interviewing Immortality. A dramatic first-person psychological thriller that weaves a tale of intrigue, suspense, and self-confrontation.
Pushed to the Edge of Survival. A drama, romance, and science fiction story about two unlikely people surviving a shipwreck and living with the consequences.
Cable Ties. A slow-burn political thriller that reflects the realities of modern intelligence, law enforcement, department cooperation, and international politics.
Saving Immortality. Continuing in the first-person psychological thriller genre, James Kimble searches for his former captor to answer his life’s questions.
These books are available in softcover on Amazon and in eBook format everywhere.
Writing is a right-brain (creative) activity. These mental tools focus on social situations, nuance, and bringing imagination to words. I have learned the hard way that forcing myself to write only leads to disaster. Yet, I have seen people writing in Starbucks. So, there is room for alternative approaches.
At the beginning of my writing adventure, I had a plan regarding my writing place. It begins with a plain particle board desk from Ikea. It is clean and faces a window with closed blinds. On my desk are a few pens, Post-its, and only one trinket, a silly air quality detector. Yes, I am a geek. On the left side is a paper scanner, and on the right is my computer. In front are three identical monitors. The left is positioned portrait, center landscape, and right portrait. I write on the left, do automated (Grammarly) editing on the center, and copy/paste on the right. When I purchased the monitors, they had the highest contrast, which would reduce eye strain.
My computer is eight years old, but it was a powerhouse when I purchased it. Today, it still runs the latest operating system with the latest updates. When it becomes too bogged down, unreliable, or will not run the latest OS, I will upgrade. From a writing perspective, the keyboard is the most crucial part of my computer. It is a Unicomp that uses the same buckling-spring technology that IBM invented for their keyboards in the early 70s. Each key makes a loud ping/click noise when I type, which provides audio feedback. As a result, I type fewer errors. My mouse is a Logitech Trackman Marble, and they stopped producing them in the 2000s, so I must purchase them on eBay. This pointing device reduces hand strain and provides good finger feedback. I have mapped the center button to paste.
I only installed the essential programs and kept them updated. This includes Word, Excel, Visio, Corel Draw, Outlook, Firefox (my primary browser), Edge (for one website that will not work on Firefox), Rocketcake (my website developer program), and Acrobat Professional. I do not install free programs or shareware because I do not want to risk stability or data loss. When I need to run something nonstandard, I use an old computer. Overall, I would describe my computer as 100% utility. My computer is not a gamer, workstation, or business desktop.
Since I began writing, I have had three office chairs. The first one was free from a company going out of business. It was comfortable, but it fell apart after two years. I paid $$$ for the second one, and while comfortable, it only lasted for a year and left hundreds of black fake leather bits everywhere. I am still finding them four years later. True Innovations made my present office chair; I purchased it at Costco. It has grey vinyl and adjusts well to my posture. I find it solid, and it does not squeak. I anticipate it will last a few years, but there was a mistake. I should have purchased three.
To me, writing is all business, but where is the joy? The joy comes from creating the words; the space supports this activity, so my space does not have clutter or frills. But where is the inspiration? When I turn to my right, I have a bookshelf loaded with personal memories, including family pictures and random stuff. This junk includes old test equipment, a professional video camera, ceramics made by my father, and a few record albums. I sometimes turn to this shelf for a distraction when I get stuck.
Writing is my third priority, the first being my family and the second being my full-time job. Still, I treat writing as a profession and try to reserve at least three hours per day on weekdays and two on weekends. My best writing is in the morning and early afternoon, but my job makes this problematic, so I write late.
The biggest disrupter of my creativity is YouTube. Yet, it is the perfect distraction to free my mind when I get stuck—a strange double-edged sword. What I need to do is set a distraction time limit. Yeah, I will work on that.
What do I watch? Politics, tractor repair (I have no idea why this fascinates me. My yard is 5x10 feet, and I will never own a tractor.), old computers, China, Ukraine, machining, and electronics. I do not watch videos about writing, entertainment, or other creative outlets.
That is how my bonkers mind creates what you have been reading. What advice do I have for other writers? Writing is like any other activity. To be good at it, one must take a high-level view with a goal in mind. This means asking questions, recording data, doing experiments, changing bad behavior, listening, researching, trying new things, and being dedicated. It has taken a long time to figure out what works for me, and it should be no surprise that other writers have come to different conclusions. A good example is George R. R. Martin, author of Game of Thrones, who uses a DOS computer with WordStar 4.0. Yikes! Yet, he created an outstanding work.
Hmm. Perhaps I should do an eBay search for WordStar 4.0.
You’re the best -Bill
December 10, 2024
Hey, book lovers, I published four. Please check them out:
Interviewing Immortality. A dramatic first-person psychological thriller that weaves a tale of intrigue, suspense, and self-confrontation.
Pushed to the Edge of Survival. A drama, romance, and science fiction story about two unlikely people surviving a shipwreck and living with the consequences.
Cable Ties. A slow-burn political thriller that reflects the realities of modern intelligence, law enforcement, department cooperation, and international politics.
Saving Immortality. Continuing in the first-person psychological thriller genre, James Kimble searches for his former captor to answer his life’s questions.
These books are available in softcover on Amazon and in eBook format everywhere.
