I hate to say that I told you so, but… Being Right Has Nothing To Do With Success In Fiction That Kboards post went live last night, just a short time after I sent you an email about how little “being right” actually matters. Take notice of how “wrong” she has been about so much… Continue reading →

Here’s a history lesson that’ll make you more money as a writer (I know from experience): On May 10th, 1864 Confederate Captain Walter Bowie* was visiting an American Civil War POW camp called Andersonville. About his visit, he wrote: “On the inside of the stockade and twenty feet from it there is a dead-line established,… Continue reading →

Here’s a bit of recent feedback from someone who submitted a short story today that I critiqued: “Hey Mike, The feedback gutted me, but that’s important. I’d rather get my game straight now, than finish another 150,000-word piece of work only to see it not sell lol Thanks” I feel pretty bad actually. The last… Continue reading →

Early this week I told you that if you’d send me a brand new short story (of about 5,000 words) by May 1st, that I’d give you my honest critique and feedback. I’ve already received and critiqued a few. Here’s what that’s like: “Holy crap — thanks Mike! Ha I thought you might be too… Continue reading →

It takes a lot of words to build up a writing career. Each word a brick, stacked one on the other, until you reach the “top” or whatever. For some, that fact is enough to stall them out. They look at the mountain of work before them and quit on the spot. But here’s the… Continue reading →

There is only one real way to guarantee success as a writer. The problem is… It’s so mind numbingly boring that you won’t believe me when I tell you. But I know it works. It’s worked for me, for the writers I’ve helped personally, and for the writers I’ve hired in the past. To guarantee… Continue reading →

You write too much. Too many words where a few would do. If you want to write fast, write less. Tell me what is happening, not what happened. Remember, I have to choose between your book and a 5 season binge of Breaking Bad. My attention span is short. Getting shorter all the time. Want… Continue reading →

Lot’s o’ juice in this email. Prepare yourself: I want you to DO something today. Reading these emails is fun, but without action items they are pretty useless. So, here’s your homework: Step 1. Watch This Video The Encounter Collection (Yes. The letter being read is a real letter.) Step 2. Wipe Away The Tears… Continue reading →

A friendly subscriber recently asked: “I read something yesterday on it (the blog) which got me curious. You wrote: ‘Used to outline. Now I can’t. I don’t write the kind of stories that require outlining anymore. My books are slow. I like characters more than plot points. I don’t outline because it doesn’t make sense… Continue reading →

If you follow Chris Fox, then you caught one of my most profitable marketing methods right now is fiction in the email he sent out this morning. It’s one that I’ve been using successfully for the past 4-ish months to keep my profits high even though I haven’t published anything new in more than 6… Continue reading →