Introduction to Novelist Uncensored!
Busting bullshit myths about writing en route to my 1st 📔publication day
Welcome to the first edition of Novelist Uncensored, a weekly publication where I take the gloves off and get real with you about what the publication journey is like. Watch behind the scenes as I revise the first novel I plan to publish, come what may.
For each post, I’m sharing my writing adventures in the context of a popular writing myth, which I will then proceed to tear into shreds using insider facts and my experience.
This section of my Substack will feature all the things I wish someone had explained to me when I began this journey — how the mindset is different; the journey is more important than the result; and embracing an entrepreneurial mindset of wild experimentation. I’ll also feature guests from time to time sharing their insider tips as well.
Why should you upgrade to my paid section?
At the time of writing this, I’m working on my novel and Substack full-time, so I’m extremely grateful for your support to continue going after my dream.
I want to show you all the truths that others are afraid to tell you about writing a novel. I’ve been at this for more than 10 years now, and I’m ready to share all my insights from interacting with agents, editors, as well as published and unpublished authors. After collecting all this feedback, I have loads of insider info to offer.
Laugh with me at how many lies pervade the space of a “writer’s life.”
Save time by learning from my mistakes (if you’re writing a novel). Join me as I share all the bullshit advice I followed that didn’t work and the surprising things that did.
Be there when I cross the publishing finish line!
Join in on private (paywalled) authentic discussions with me and others close to me who care passionately about bringing the art of our souls into the world.
Get first-access privileges to all the little goodies and swag I plan to offer as my publication date gets closer!
Be the first people to see sneak peeks of my work right before it’s published.
Plus, I have big plans to support various charities too, including planting trees in all the places that inspired my books. I’m already supporting Eden Reforestation, local libraries, farmers markets, and grassroots organizations that provide healthcare, clean drinking water, and remote training to orphanages and struggling villages throughout Asia. With the group The MightyPens led by NYT bestselling author
, I’ve supported disaster relief charities and others.Paying for a subscription on Substack supports my work (Thank you!) and keeps this platform ad-free.
At the very least, you’re sure to be entertained by my highs and lows along the way until at last I’ll share the big win when my first novel comes out at last 😂.
What’s different about this Substack?
I’ll show you the real insider’s journey of publishing a book, from the revisions stage all the way to the finish line of publishing it.
I’m not here to ramble about life metaphors that have nothing to do with working on and publishing a book. Frankly, I’m also fed up with watching other writers dangle teasers about a book they wrote in front of the world on social media and then decide to never publish it, so I won’t be doing any of that either.
I’ve decided to finish and publish this book, and I will self-publish it if no other agents, editors, or publishers want to jump on this train. This book is happening! And you get front row seats.
I’m glad you’re here to share this journey with me, and please do feel free to reply to these posts since I’d like them to be more of a conversation.
I’m writing this whole series for a lot of reasons:
First, you can watch my real publishing journey as it happens in real-time. This series will chronicle my committed journey to publishing this novel, my Gothic romance, the first novel I’m professionally revising with book coaches and a workshop-focus-group. I will try multiple publishing avenues, and possibly a new type of self-publishing that hasn’t been done before depending on how it all goes.
I value being more open and honest with lovely people like you who are helping to support me towards my dream of publishing a novel (the first of what will be more). Thank you.
There are SO many unrealistic and artificial online representations of what it’s like to revise and publish a novel that it sets wildly inaccurate expectations for other new writers. This Novelist Uncensored series is what I wanted to read when studying the craft or writing and revising a novel, but most people avoid talking about the real struggle of it. To that I say, “Fuck it.” New writers especially should know the truth about what the process is like. Plus, readers should know how much blood, sweat, and tears go into writing a novel NOT created entirely by AI.
This series is also another way to document and prove how I’ve written and revised this novel myself, without AI tools nor by copying someone else’s book like so many are shamelessly doing.
Putting my personal experiences behind a paywall stops random bots from either copying all of my content and then rewriting the same thing somewhere else or pretending to be me elsewhere.
Sometimes I need to both scream – and laugh – about the whole revision process. I’m aware that can be entertaining, so here you are, it’s me, unhinged.
Coming attractions:
My Novelist Uncensored posts will come out every Wednesday.
My first 4 posts will cover:
April 17 / Myth 1:
If you just write an extraordinary book, then it’ll sell itself when you upload it to Amazon. (Because the algorithms on Amazon support great books, right?)
Don’t great authors get discovered in Kindle Unlimited without ads? Do you really need a marketing plan? I fell for that bullshit back in 2012 with my first book, like many others. Find out what happened as I fell down that hole, and what book-marketing tactics you should never use.
April 24 / Myth 2:
Surely there’s a cheaper & faster self-publishing shortcut out there somewhere.
Here I dove into various writer networks and learned loads about what it takes to make self-publishing work. Still, I needed to make a change…
May 1 / Myth 3:
All you need is one uniquely amazing book idea & one agent’s response to open doors. So any agent will do, right?
My first interaction with a real literary agent, and how different your book looks from their side of the fence.
May 8 / Myth 4:
I just haven’t written enough words. The NEXT book will be THE ONE.
The part where I went wild with drafting anything and everything, filled with the high of more agent interactions, many rejections, and mountains of feedback.
May 15 / Myth 5:
“It’s the worst time in history to break into publishing as a debut author.” (LIES)
A reflection of the pandemic years & the real success stories from 2020 to 2023 of writers I interacted with, plus my quiet, personal victories.
(More posts will follow every Wednesday, subjects TBA)
P.S.
The book reviews section of my Substack will remain free to everyone, and book battles you can vote on will continue once a month as usual.