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Correcting Grammar is Rude (and I’m Here to Tell You Why)
There is an interesting divide between the folks who correct spelling and grammar online and those that don’t, and those that correct grammar online are almost always those who don’t get paid to do it. You’d think it would be the other way around until you consider that’s a paid service. People don’t tend to…
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Mental Health and Me: An Update
My spoons are chronically low these days, and it’s making it hard to move forward, but I’m still here. I got quite a few readers on Royal Road but none of them turned into patrons, so Tales From 3 AM is now up on Amazon, and you can pick up a copy on Kindle Unlimited.…
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Stress
It’s funny how brains work. You can want to do something so bad but sometimes the motivation just isn’t there. Sometimes it’s something we might not want to do but should, like exercise. Sometimes it’s something we need to do but keep putting off, like the dishes. Sometimes it’s avoiding that book you just purchased…
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Is realism necessary?
I’ve been seeing some complaints that realism is necessary for storytelling. But is it? Well, that all depends. If you’re writing something where realism is integral to the plot or setting, like urban fantasy or any sort of police procedural, then it’s definitely needed. But in at least some cases, not only do you not need…
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Another book release
Other Worlds, a short story collection involving demons and death, is live on Royal Road! I’m updating it every few days with a new story that spans genres. From horror to science fiction and even some lighthearted stories, I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed writing them. You can find the collection…
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Reading
I think it’s a given that I’m a reader. A lifetime ago I’d do a book every day or two but nowadays my reading is often interrupted by day-to-day life. But it doesn’t answer what I like to read. Well, the short answer is I’ll read almost anything I can get my hands on that I find interesting. Be it autobiographies, historical fiction, urban fantasy, even thrillers and…
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Book Announcement
I am excited to announce I released a collection of short stories on the web novel site royal road! They’re a bunch of the stories I’ve posted to Patreon, cleaned up and ready to read for free. It’s been out for a little bit because I wasn’t expecting to be quite as ready as I was.…
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Motivation
I have executive dysfunction. I don’t have a diagnosis of ADHD, but I do have bipolar disorder, and executive dysfunction is often a symptom people struggle with and I am no exception. When I was in school as a kid it was common for me to either show up or do my homework, but it was rare I did…
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Imposter Syndrome
In the beginning, it’s hard to get started. There are always last-minute ideas to hammer out and things left to consider before a proper start gets underway. And once underway, it can take a while to get into a comfortable groove. After a few thousand words though, I’ll settle into a rhythm and make substantial progress. Towards the middle, which…
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Influences
Every creative person that has ever existed has their influences. Many of them are in our own fields. But plenty of them are outside of our fields as well. I can list a dozen authors that have played an integral part in driving me, but it’s not just authors I draw inspiration and motivation from. For one…