Writing books demands more than inspiration—it requires structure, endurance, and the discipline to carry an idea through to completion. These posts explore the realities of long-form writing, where pacing, character, and revision shape a manuscript into something that holds together from first page to last.
Anger demands action, but writers can make better use of it. Save the clenched jaw, cruel thought and flash of primitive justice. Distil those sensations into characters, motives and psychological tension. On the page, frustration becomes more than an emotion. It becomes fuel for fiction that knows where darkness hides.
How to Save Your Anger and Frustration—Then Turn Them into Dark Fiction Read More »
Finding clear information on improving a website’s search performance is much harder than it should be. The search begins as research and quickly feels like walking into a marketplace disguised as a library. After enough searching, the information starts to feel dirty—polluted by people who benefit from convincing website owners that something is broken but […]
Do Google Search Console Reporting Gaps Reveal Its Indexing Speed? An Author’s SEO Diary Read More »
Author Michael Forman joins Bree Hartley to bring Linda J Bettenay’s Secrets Mothers Keep to life through theatrical readings. A year after discovering Linda’s search for an actor at Araluen, Michael returns to the gardens for the release of Wishes For Starlight, where he celebrates and enjoys the wine too.
Book release for ‘Wishes For Starlight’ Read More »
On 9 February 2024, I began writing a post every day. Nine hundred and nineteen writing days later, the habit has reshaped my author site. New articles joined carefully refreshed older work, while irrelevant pieces disappeared. This is what daily blogging taught me about discipline, editing, purpose and connected writing.
Writing a Blog Post a Day: What 919 Consecutive Days of Blogging Taught Me Read More »
SEETHINGS is available far beyond Smashwords and Draft2Digital. Readers can find the trilogy through familiar retailers around the world, including Amazon, Apple Books, Kobo, Waterstones and many more. I’ve created a country-by-country guide with direct retailer links, making it easier to buy eBooks and paperbacks locally without creating another account.
Where to Buy SEETHINGS: Find a Retailer in Your Country Read More »
Should independent authors load the car with books and sell them face to face, or build an audience online? Drawing on two very different author events, my own publishing choices, and years of digital promotion, I examine the costs, rewards, missed sales and long-term reach of both marketing paths today.
Should Authors Sell Books in Person or Market Them Online? Read More »
The Australian Outback has become a powerful symbol of danger, isolation, and mystery in contemporary fiction. Yet the darkness in my novels lives elsewhere. While vast landscapes inspire many stories, I find greater tension among ordinary people, suburban streets, hidden secrets, and the summer storms rolling across Brisbane.
Why Dark Fiction Doesn’t Need the Australian Outback Read More »
As AI search grows, many bloggers are wondering whether they should change the way they write. After months of declining traffic and endless statistics, I explored what AI systems appear to value, why personal experience may matter more than ever, and whether writing for AI is a mistake.
Should Bloggers Write for AI Engines Now? Read More »
The words swirl within me, a tempest of thoughts and emotions. I’m a writer, a conjurer of worlds, a whisperer of secrets. My mind dances with prose. My heart beats in metaphors. But there’s a catch—a cruel twist of fate that binds my hands and silences my voice. Anxiety—that relentless companion—holds me captive, weaving a
Anxiety and Depression: I Have So Much to Give, But I Keep It All to Myself Read More »
If you’ve ever stared at your blog statistics and wondered whether anyone is reading, you’re not alone. Many bloggers build their own little corner of the internet only to find silence waiting there. The question lingers: keep writing anyway, or abandon the island and walk away forever?
Does Anybody Read Blogs? Writer’s Doubts from Blogger Island Read More »