Filippo asked Michael J. Sullivan:

I've been dipping my toe into writing. I'm wondering if you could offer some advice. Some dark topics will appear in my stories. Do you have any advice for writing dark subjects, disturbed characters and scenarios, while not feeling 'icky' about it? Or is that just a part of it?

Michael J. Sullivan Hey, Filippo, I'm glad to hear you are writing. None of my books are "too dark" -- so I don't know if I would be the best person to ask - I know Mark Lawrence and Joe Abercrombie are known for "being dark" so maybe ask them? That said, I think a good rule of thumb is to think about books you enjoy reading and if they are dark and "not too much for you" then you can write similarly -Ultimately you have to write the story the way "you want it to be." But keep in mind that you may alienate some readers - or possibly attract others.

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Hey, I know you published a blog post not too long ago about printing your books in hard cover. When can we expect those to come back? Need to start planning it in my budget now.

MJ Codename: ♕Duchess♕ asked Michael J. Sullivan:

Out of curiosity, where do I start? Is The Crown Tower the very first book but published under a different title from the original self-release?

D. Vernet asked Michael J. Sullivan:

Hi Michael, which one of your books can you recommend to read first? I usually do not read fantasy novels, but I was quite thrilled by the way you wrote description of your books. Fascinating language, I would even say hypnotizing—it makes one to read more. Thank you in advance, D.

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I've been dipping my toe into writing. I'm wondering if you could offer some advice. Some dark topics will appear in my stories. Do you have any advice for writing dark subjects, disturbed characters and scenarios, while not feeling 'icky' about it? Or is that just a part of it?

More Answered Questions

Hey, I know you published a blog post not too long ago about printing your books in hard cover. When can we expect those to come back? Need to start planning it in my budget now.

Out of curiosity, where do I start? Is The Crown Tower the very first book but published under a different title from the original self-release?

Hi Michael, which one of your books can you recommend to read first? I usually do not read fantasy novels, but I was quite thrilled by the way you wrote description of your books. Fascinating language, I would even say hypnotizing—it makes one to read more. Thank you in advance, D.

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