Preaching to the Choir (I Hope)

Hi Folks, Note: This is the final writer-instruction post in this series. Thanks for being along for the ride all these years. If you’re a writer, and if you’d like to continue to get writing tips and topics almost every day, please head on over to my Daily Journal at https://hestanbrough.com and subscribe there. It’s free. You can also stay on here. After all, what better way to verify that I practice what I preach than … Read more

Paper or No Paper

Hi Folks, Recently, Dean Wesley Smith talked in his blog about the fear of publishing. It’s a good article, and I recommend it. However, his article is tied to his Great Publishing Challenge. Seems he received a lot of comments that (to him) indicate fear of some aspect of publishing as the reason people don’t want to jump into the challenge. I was going to post a comment to his article, but I decided to publish … Read more

Don’t Listen to the Naysayers (and Don’t Be One)

Hi Folks, Note: This post appeared previously in slightly different form in the email in-boxes of my patrons in early December and then as a topic on my Daily Journal. “Oh, He’s Indie Published? Then I Won’t Bother!” (said only brain-dead lemmings ever) There. I said it. Aloud. There are people in this world who live only to be protected. They want to be told what and when to eat, which medicines to buy for real … Read more

My Personal Writing Goals for 2020 and Beyond

Hi Folks, I’ve long believed it’s important to make my writing goals public. First, knowing that others know what I’m attempting helps hold my feet to the fire. Second, publishing my own goals might help other writers set their writing goals. But remember, the overall goal of writing in the first place is to have fun. Seriously, if you don’t enjoy writing, find something else to do. (grin) So here goes…. My personal writing goals for … Read more

A Few Personal Thoughts on Publishing

Hi Folks, Note: This post was originally published in slightly different form on my Journal a week or so ago. “Seven Minutes in Belfast” is my most recent short story, one written in the Blackwell Ops world of the series by the same name. As I was adding that story to my inventory, I realized I didn’t publish anything at all during August, September and October of this year. That’s the longest I’ve gone without publishing … Read more

The New World of Publishing

Hi Folks, Awhile back, I mentioned almost in passing that I love the new world of publishing. Here’s why: I’ve written for most of my life and have had two nonfiction works and two books of poetry traditionally published (back in the early ’90s). However, I’ve considered myself a professional writer for only about 5 years. Five years ago on April 15 I wrote my first short story into the dark. Five years ago in mid-October … Read more

On Being a Hybrid Writer, Part 2

If you missed Part 1 of this post, you can see it HERE or HERE. Hey Folks, To continue briefly with the discussion I started re traditional publishers, I have two motivating factors: One is the possibility that lightning will strike in the form of a large paycheck. Yeah, that would be nice. Two, at the moment I’m not wanting to expend the effort to publish my own paperback version of my books. Nor do I … Read more

On Being a “Hybrid” Writer

Hi Folks, At 66 years old, with 40-some novels and almost 200 short stories under my belt, I’ve decided to go hybrid. I’m announcing it here, publicly, because it’s a major personal policy shift for me and because it might be something for others to think about. To be clear, this isn’t something I recommend, but it’s something I recommend looking into. Part 1: Statement, History and Rationale My work has been traditionally published before. I’ve … Read more

On Licensing and the Importance of Copyright

Hi Folks, This special post comes mid=week because, well, it’s important. If you write at all, you need to understand the value of your short story or novel. You need to understand what you own—Copyright. Intellectual Property (IP)—and you need to understand that you own the right to license that IP. As an aside, THIS is the big reason I’ve always been so frantic about getting the next short story or novel out. Because that one … Read more

Traditional vs. Indie Publishing: A Brief Comparison

Hi Folks, My first two nonfiction titles were traditionally published. The best royalty rate I received was 10%. So every time my book sold for $12, I eventually pocketed $1.20. That was pure profit, if you don’t count the cost of gasoline and hotels and all the other costs associated with traveling to writers conferences to promote those books. I know whereof I speak. And the way traditional publishing contracts are written today, I will never … Read more