Month: September 2020

Being a Better Writer Topic Call!

Max Misc ,

In my defense, I didn’t say when this post would be up today. But readers! Do you have your list ready!? Topics you want to hear about? The get commenting below!

For those of you who need a bit more context, I’ll assume that you are familiar with this site’s weekly feature, Being a Better Writer, all about—What else?—how to improve one’s writing. Pretty much the most popular bit of this site, and referenced in a lot of places.

But here’s the thing: The topics that BaBW discusses? They come from a list. An actual, physical list written in pen that sits on my desk. A list that is populated in part by readers like you!

Which is why I occasionally do these calls for topics. Right now Topic List #16 is empty. It has nothing but the title.

So now, I open the gates to you, readers. What sort of writing topics would you like to hear more about? Is there something specific you’d like to see a post on? An aspect of writing you’d like to see explored?

Leave a comment so that it can go on the list! Right now! That’s the whole point of this post: So that readers can contribute and put in their two cents about what they want to learn about.

So comment below!

Being a Better Writer: What to do While Waiting for Feedback

Max Being a Better Writer , , , , ,

Welcome back readers! I hope you had an enjoyable weekend! It was (mostly) a quiet one for me, though I did have family over to make enchiladas on Sunday (so nice and hot) which was an absolute blast.

So, what’s new with the news real quick? Well, we had the sale last week, and that went pretty well. Hopefully those of you who wanted to fill out your collections took the chance! Other news? Well, the first draft of Starforge is almost at 100,000 words, and once the latest chapter is done, I’ll be taking a day or two to blitz through the Beta 1 of Axtara – Banking and Finance and get that one step closer to publication. As well as take care of a few other things … But I’ll hold on news about those bit and bobs until they arrive.

So then, that’s the news and—wait, I almost forgot something. This post? It’s the last topic from Topic List #15. I’ve noted for a few weeks now that we’re running up to the end of this list, and that one should make ready their topic suggestions for list #16. That post will drop Wednesday, so definitely be ready!

Okay, that’s it! No more news! It’s time to talk writing! Or rather, what to do when you’ve stopped writing for a brief moment. Because today, readers, we’re tackling a long-requested reader topic and talking about what too do while waiting for that fickle beast of fickle beasts.

Feedback.

Continue reading →

Last Chance for the Sale!

Max Books! , , , , , , , ,

Whoa! Hold up there! This is your last alert! Today is the last day to get everything I’ve published on a 50% or better sale for the Big 300 Sale (a sale made in honor of reaching 300 ratings and reviews while still keeping a 4.6 out of 5 average—no mean feat)! Which means you’ve got the following books available on steep discount!

Colony and Jungle

$1.99

A corporate investigator who doesn’t trust his employer. A mercenary gun-for-hire with a talent for violence and a willingness to shoot first. And a white-hat hacker who doesn’t know when to quit.

Three independent contractors brought together for one unusual job. Five years ago, master programmer Carlos Rodriguez retired. Now his old employer wants him back.

Quietly.

It’d be a lot easier if he hadn’t left Earth.

Read a free sample by clicking this link!

$3.99

Jake, Anna, and Sweets are back in the long-awaited sequel to Colony!

Fresh off their mission to Pisces, the trio is looking forward to a well-deserved rest, and better yet, a fat paycheck after everything that occurred on the alien world. But all that comes to a crashing halt when they’re waylaid above Earth by their employer and find themselves with an extended contract, sending them right back out into space.

Worse yet, their trio has been split to best handle their new assignments. Jake and Anna find themselves attached to a scientific expedition, tasked as security escorts keeping the expedition safe as they investigate a new potential colony world thriving with a vast, vibrant jungle. Meanwhile, Sweets has been assigned aboard an UNSEC military vessel, tracking down the source of a pervasive cyberattack against their hardware.

But as both teams get to work, it’s clear that there may be more to their respective missions than they were led to believe. The cyberattacks are brazen and powerful, but simplistic and utterly untraceable. The alien world’s ecology defies logic and sense, puzzling the expedition team.

And above it all, the ripples of events on Pisces continue to spread through the galaxy …

Read a free preview by clicking here!

Continue reading →

News: Last Chance on Sale, Beta Wave 2 Invites, and Updates!

Max Books! , , , , ,

Hey readers! I’m still blitzing away at two projects at once (Starforge first draft and Axtara – Banking and Finance editing) so I’ll be keeping this a little short. As short as I can, anyway, while still keeping you all informed!

So first up: The Big 300 Sale! If you somehow missed the memo, everything I’ve published is on sale this week, at 50% off or more.

Oh, and this sale ends tomorrow. So your window for picking up a book or two at an absolute steal is shrinking. Not that I mind people paying $3.99 for Colony or $7.99 for Jungle, but right now you can grab both of those for a combined total of $6.

So yeah, tell your reading friends! There’s only a day and some change left before prices go back to normal! Sands, One Drink is completely free, and its sequel 99 cents. That’s a weekend worth of reading right there. And since another $3 would grab you the excellent Shadow of an Empire …

Anyway, spread the word, since there’s only a short time left!

Continue reading →

Being a Better Writer: Concluding a Subplot

Max Being a Better Writer , , , ,

Hey people! First off, apologies for being a bit late today. I stayed up late making sure the ad campaign for the Big 300 Sale had properly launched, slept late as a result, and then got sidetracked by a lot media news (Bethesda, if you’re curious).

So yes, this post is late. But for a good cause: The Big 300 Sale! Which I’ve mentioned twice now, so some of you are probably wondering “All right, what is that, and is it a sale like the name implies?”

The latter first then: Yes! It is a sale. The biggest one I’ve ever done. And that name?

Last week I hit a major milestone. I now have, across my books, more than 300 reviews and ratings in total. It’s a milestone I’ve been working towards for some time now and have finally achieved. Oh, and the other good part of that news?

My average review score is still 4.6 Stars out of 5. That’s right. Over 300 reviews on my work from readers and fans, and I’m still sitting at a 4.6-Star Average. On a 10-point scale that’s a score of 9.2.

That is a reputation I feel quite proud of.

Anyway, you can check out the sale on my Amazon page here. Everything is 50% off or more. To lay it out, this means—

One Drink is free. Dead Silver is $0.99. Shadow of an Empire is $2.99. Colony is $1.99, while the sequel Jungle is $3.99. And Unusual Events: A “Short” Story Collection is also $1.99.

So yeah, whole lot of value there. The sale runs through this Friday, so grab them while it’s hot!

All right, now that you’ve heard the news … Let’s talk writing. This week, we tackle the penultimate topic on Topic List #15 (so again, get those suggestions ready). Today, we’re going to talk about concluding subplots.

Continue reading →

Axtara – Banking and Finance Open Beta Call!

Max Books! , , ,

Those of you who know what this title means, you’re already ready. You know what to do. Those who do not know, read on!

So, Axtara – Banking and Finance is in Beta! For those not in the know, here you go: Beta Reading is the period of editing in which we’re looking for typos, misspellings, misplaced words, etc. Commas instead of periods. Grammatical errors. That kind of thing. Major, overarching issues like plot holes and the like were tidied up during the Alpha. Beta is for catching out of place words, a quotation mark that’s oriented the wrong way, etc etc.

Okay, so that’s what Beta is. Now, what’s the call?

Simple. I’m extending an open call to all those who would like to join in on the Beta. I’ve heard back from a few of my regular Beta Readers, some of which were too busy currently (and I don’t quite blame them with the whole quarantine going on), and some ready (those I didn’t hear back from at all, I hope things are OK and you’re just very busy).

But I would like to get more eyes on this run of Axtara. For a couple of reasons. First, the more eyes are on it, the more errors we’ll catch, leading to a cleaner final release. Second, more eyes make for swift work, and I’m already starting to get people who’ve not even read Axtara or any of my other works inquiring as to when it will be available. On the one hand, good, on the other hand, this means I need to hurry up and get it out. It seems I always underestimate editing time, so I’m already running up hard against my original goal (end of summer).

So, if you’ve ever Beta Read before, or you just really enjoy spotting typos and the like, let me know. Comment. Volunteer for Beta Reading. You’ll get your name in the book (if you want it), a complimentary digital copy (again, if you want it), and plus you’ll get to read Axtara early. And this book is awesome amounts of fun.

Again, let me know. We’ll get you lined up with a few trial chapters to check out (to see what you think about it) and then from there, the whole thing.

Again, overall, it’s pretty simple. Read book, note all typos or misspelled/misused/misplaced words as you enjoy reading Axtara‘s adventure. But as things ramp up to getting it out there, the Beta Read is a step that cannot be missed.

So like I said, if you’re interested, leave me note below.

Being a Better Writer: Using Food

Max Being a Better Writer , , , , ,

A quick reminder to start keeping a list of your ideas for future Being a Better Writer articles! Topic List #15 is almost out of topics, which means there will soon be a topic call and a chance to make your requests for ideas and topics heard!

Got it? Good! Because today we’re diving right into our topic, which was inspired by a writing chat I hang out on. You ready? Today we’re talking about food.

Ah food. That subject that everyone has an opinion on. Food is as basic a part of the human lifestyle—or really any living lifestyle—that it’s ubiquitous to existence.

With that in mind, to kick this post off, I want you readers to try a little thought experiment for me. I want you to think of a memory of a favorite holiday. Got one in mind? Now analyze it: was food in that memory somewhere?

There’s a fairly high chance that it was. What kind of food may have varied, but some of you may have even been able to almost taste it as you imagined that holiday.

All right, now let’s try a second little experiment. Just read the following things and see what sort of thoughts pop up at the prompt. Ready? Go!

  • County Fair
  • Wedding
  • Shopping
  • Exercise
  • Business meeting
  • Birthday
  • Break

All right, made it through the list? Now, this may have been tempered a bit by the topic, but how many of you thought of foods associated with those events, activities, etc?

Sure, it might be something simple, like donuts at a business meeting (the 90s standard) or snacking on a break. It might be wedding cake or onion blooms at a county fair. But all of these activities, in one way or another, can, and most likely will, involve food!

However … if you were to look at those events in a book of some kind … how many might skip over the food altogether? More than a few, actually. And those books?

They’re missing out.

Continue reading →

Axtara – Banking and Finance Beta Call Going Out!

Max Books! , , , , ,

All right! It’s here! And not a moment too late, either! Axtara – Banking and Finance is ready for Beta 1!

I hope none of you forgot about this project with everything else that’s been going on (both on this site and off) because it’s an absolutely heart-warming little adventure. For those not in the know, Axtara is a Young Adult Fantasy following the titular Axtara: A dragoness who is at long last fulfilling a lifelong dream of opening and running her own bank. Of course, it may not be as easy nor as simple as she’d hoped. But then what is when one strikes out on their own?

Set in the same setting as A Game of Stakes, Axtara is a delightful little adventure that, in its current state weighs in at 122,800 words. So not a massive tome by any sense of scale (though probably a bit long for most YA novels, but then again it’s me, so what did anyone expect?), but certainly a good little weekend read.

Anyway, if you’ve been a prior Beta Reader in the past, expect an e-mail in your inbox shortly. If you are on the Beta Reader list but were also an Alpha Reader, then I’ll be dropping you a different e-mail saying that you are also welcome to participate, but I’d like to stagger it a little toward a Beta 2, since you were just reading it. So sort of a second wave.

Same also goes, by the way, for those of you who have never Beta Read before but would like to volunteer to be on the list. Contact me for details (and be sure you know that it is a commitment) if the idea of reading through and looking for typos and misplaces words is something you’d enjoy!

And uh … that’s it! Progress continues on Starforge, but that’s really for another post. This one is all about Axtara!

So prior Beta Readers, check your inbox! The invite should be there soon!

OP-ED: Xbox Live is Now a Legitimate Reason Not to Purchase an Xbox

Max Gaming , ,

I don’t talk about my gaming hobby on here too much (recommendations for titles like Subnautica notwithstanding) but from time to time it comes up. And from time to time, I do have something to say about it. Today, what I have to say is … weird. A pointed observation, but one that I want to put out there.

Xbox Live is now a legitimate reason not to own an Xbox.

This might seem strange (or if you’re unfamiliar with the names here, confusing). So let me offer a bit of background.

The Xbox is Microsoft’s gaming console. The first one launched in 2001, made a name for itself with titles like Halo, and has since become one of the three mainstream consoles most people think of when they think of games. A console, by the way, being a set-top box, like a Blu-Ray player, that plays games. Think of a small, specialized computer that’s built to do one thing: game.

Now, Xbox made a name for itself in several ways. But one of the areas where Miscrosoft lead the pack was in bringing online play to consoles as a mainstream feature rather than a peculiar oddity.

Online play is the ability for players to connect with others over the internet, engaging in cooperative or competitive play. To most of you, this isn’t new knowledge. Xbox was the first to bring this ability to a console by default with “Xbox Live,” a service that you had to pay for but let you play Halo with your friends across the country.

For a while, this was understandable: Consoles weren’t PCs. The games were only there. Pay a little extra to play online? Weird from the perspective of a PC player (where this ability has been around for forever) but for a console. Okay, sure.

Except in the last two years … this “pay to play” mentality has become a bit of a sticking point against the platform, rather than for it.

Why? Well, Microsoft has made major pushes to “unify” their gaming platform. All their first-party titles now come to PC, with the company putting an emphasis on making it as easy as possible for game-makers to release their titles on both platforms. They’ve even worked to make cross-play possible, so players on one can play with people on the other ecosystem.

Oh, and then they took it one step further and started making purchases cross over. Buy a game like Forza Horizon 4 from a participating digital store, for example, and play it on both your Xbox or your PC, wherever you want.

Buy once, play where you want. Sounds pretty good, right? Except this is where the problem arises.

Continue reading →

Have a Happy (and Safe) Labor Day Holiday!

Max Misc ,

Whoa! It’s that time of year already! Yeah, a Monday holiday has rolled around: Labor Day!

Which, as per the usual, means there will be no Being a Better Writer post today. I’ll be taking the day off. As I hope many of you are. Recharge! Relax! Heal up!

Of course, if you’re still looking for writing advice, we’ve got a couple options for you. There is still an archive of several hundred writing articles here on the site. You could simply search for a classic on the sidebar (The Art of Misdirection is always a good one, or you could pick a topic of your choice) and go for it!

Alternatively, if you’ve got a writing topic you’d like to hear more about, post it in a comment below! Topic List #15 has, at this time, two topics left. Two more weeks worth of articles, but after that? New topics will be needed! So if you’re looking for something in particular, post a comment so it can be added to Topic List #16!

And with that, I’m going to go enjoy my Labor Day. Have a happy and safe one out there wherever you are! Ride a bike, read a book, whatever! But enjoy, and stay healthy.