Highlights for February:

• The Blighter’s Shadow’s first draft is coming along quite well. Each day brings more to the story. I have completed nearly 120,000 words of the first draft. The first draft is slated for around 200,000. Of course, several thousand words will be shaved off the 200,000-word draft, which I always think of as shaving off the rough edges. There will be 5-8 drafts depending on how much needs to be edited. Editing is one of my favorite parts of the process simply because the work shines afterward. 
  • The average length of many modern novels is around 50,000 words. Epic fantasy, which is the genre The Rune Cycle trilogy falls into, is almost always longer. This trilogy will likely contain my longest books.
• 2021’s workload continues to be on a good pace. Finishing Book 2 is my primary goal, and then I’ll focus on a shorter science fiction novel later this year, as I work on the editing process for The Blighter’s Shadow. I estimate that it’ll take 3 months to get the edits completed. 
• Book 3 -The Originators of Sa’un - will eventually close out the trilogy, but that’ll not be finished until the end of 2022.

Inspirations:
Other authors and artists are inspirations to me. The local writer’s group, which is filled with a wide variety of excellent authors, help me craft a story to completion. We now meet nearly every week to help each other, either by critiquing each other’s work or doing writing sprints, which is just getting down as many words as possible. Of course, I try to help them, too, by offering my own thoughts on their works in progress.
Word count is a massive part of the writing process. The number of words you are striving toward helps you gauge your progress. For example, if you are drafting a 50,000-word novel and you write approximately 1,000 words per day, then you’ll have that first draft done in under 2 months. Some authors can publish numerous books per year simply by paying close attention to their word count. And just writing as often as possible. 😊 I know I’ve found keeping track of my word count to be one of the most useful tools.
Realistically, without the advice, suggestions, and edits offered by other authors and editors, I would have never finished even my first novel. Each novel, short story, novella, monograph, or even flash fiction can (and should) involve many people who assist in making each piece as good as possible. Of course, the definition of what is “good” is up to the reader, which leads into another inspiration for another update: critiques and reviews.
Click here for more information about the group I participate in. The site is constantly evolving based on what each author has accomplished. Check back frequently for updates.

Please be sure to check out my website for continuous updates on my progress. Some of the updates are below:

• I continue adding a few short book and/or movie reviews. I finished several books in the last month. You can find my thoughts here here.
• I finished Kim Stanley Robinson’s Ministry of the Future and Start with Why by Simon Sinek, but I am still working on Barack Obama’s The Promised Land. I also delved into one of the Witcher novels. Once I finish those, I’ll be delving into some of fellow writer’s group novels. I can’t wait!

If you have questions for future newsletters/updates, please be sure to send them to dan@danbrigman.com. There are numerous media links for your convenience: on Twitter at @brigmanauthor, on Facebook at Dan Brigman, Author, or on my website, www.danbrigman.com.
Thanks again for your support! Besides taking the time to read my updates, please visit the following links to create a review of The Alterator’s Light, The Point of Woes, or The Tower of Dread if you’ve read those stories.
Reviews are quick to create! They offer potential readers insight into what you thought about the book. They also help get the word out about the stories and the author. You can simply search for the title of each of my books on Goodreads and/or Amazon or follow the links below.

• The Blighter’s Shadow’s first draft is coming along quite well. I’ve been focused on one rather nefarious character from Book 1, and I’ve been having some rather unpleasant dreams. 😊
  • Several chapters were drafted this month, and I was able to plan out most of the 2021’s workload. I am staying on track and am excited to share the next stories with you!
• 2021’s workload, as whole, has been outlined. I intend to produce a lot of great work this year, and I can’t wait for you to see it. The first step will be finishing Book 2 and then focusing on a shorter science fiction novel. Book 3, The Originators of Sa’un, will eventually close out the trilogy. I anticipate seeing that book in print in 2-3 years.

Inspirations:
Memorials and tombs throughout the world have always fascinated me. I will briefly explore several throughout this year — the first is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arlington National Cemetery. I have personally visited the cemetery and the tomb in 2019, and I can still vividly recall the solemnness of the entire place.

I was fascinated by the changing of the guard – the attention to every detail during the transition was meditative. The cemetery’s information can be found here, which includes the rich history of the guards, the rigorous training regimen, and the outline of the changing of the guard ceremony. 

If you ever visit Washington D.C., you’ll notice many of the city’s historical landmarks are memorials tied to remember the nation’s founders or people who led the nation through exceedingly difficult times, such as Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Jr. 

One thing to keep in mind about Washington D.C.: most of memorials and museums are free to enter and enjoy. From a planning perspective, you only need to plan to spend money on food, lodging, and any travel expenses. 
Overall, memorials in novels can help flesh out a world's background - what the people found to be worth honoring, in particular. 

Please be sure to check out my website for continuous updates on my progress. Some of the updates are below:

• I continue adding a few short book and/or movie reviews. I finished several books in the last month. You can find my thoughts here here.
• I am still reading Kim Stanley Robinson’s Ministry of the Future and Barack Obama’s The Promised Land. I’ve enjoyed them immensely, but the holidays brought a few other books my way, such as Outliers, that drew my immediate attention.    

If you have questions for future newsletters/updates, please be sure to send them to dan@danbrigman.com. There are numerous media links for your convenience: on Twitter at @brigmanauthor, on Facebook at Dan Brigman, Author, or on my website, www.danbrigman.com.

Thanks again for your support! Besides taking the time to read my updates, please visit the following links to create a review of The Alterator’s Light, The Point of Woes, or The Tower of Dread if you’ve read those stories.

Reviews are quick to create! They offer potential readers insight into what you thought about the book. They also help get the word out about the stories and the author. You can simply search for the title of each of my books on Goodreads and/or Amazon or follow the links below.

For Amazon, please click here.
For Goodreads, please click here.

You can also check my work out at BookBub by clicking here

 Highlights for December:

• I continued the first draft of The Blighter’s Shadow. Early 2021 is my goal for completion and it would be a fantastic way to celebrate our passage out of 2020.
• I reviewed 8 recorded chapters of the audiobook version of The Alterator’s Light. When I review a recorded selection, I listen for minor issues, such as a mispronounced word, and offer feedback to the sound editor and reader. It is coming along quite nicely, and I anticipate its release sometime in mid/late 2021.
• NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) was successful. While I didn’t reach the 50,000-word goal, I did make good strides. I am already looking forward to next year!
• If you are still looking for a gift, there's still time to purchase one of my e-books as a gift for friends and family. (It’s too late to have a physical copy shipped at this point.) The Alterator’s Light and The Tower of Dread are both set in winter months, so they would be even more appropriate. 😊
• Jólabókaflóðið is a fun Icelandic tradition that is celebrated each Christmas Eve. My family adopted the tradition a few years ago, and we have a lot of fun exchanging books. The tradition highlights the joy of reading. If you are interested in learning more, click here.

Inspirations:

• I added this new section to my updates, as I want to offer you a glimpse of where some of my ideas come from. A few months ago, at the Nelson-Atkins Museum in Kansas City, I noticed the carving simply titled “Head of a Wrathful Deity”. Normally I pass by this Japanese carving without much thought. Little is known about this piece outside of its estimated time frame (1185-1333) and that it is tied to the Buddhist belief system. This is interpreted as a representation of a wrathful guardian deity, which is based largely on the angered face and flaming hair. 
  • I wondered about the masterpiece's meaning and what the carver's thoughts and desires may have been while creating this piece: did that person receive payment for creating such a beautiful piece? Did the artist adhere to the religious beliefs laced within the carving? 
  • We will likely never know, but it is a fun thought experiment, which also helps me with the world-building in my own work.​ 

Please be sure to check out my website for continuous updates on my progress. Some of the updates are below:

• I’ve added a few short book reviews that I think you’ll find interesting for gifts or for yourself. I finished The Invisible Life of Addie Larue earlier this month, and you can find my thoughts on the novel here.
• I am reading two newer books: Kim Stanley Robinson’s Ministry of the Future and Barack Obama’s The Promised Land.
  • Both are excellent so far. It is interesting to see to how Robinson shows, through a realistic and theoretical lens, how climate change could affect us in the not-too-distant future. Obama’s writing style is well-honed due to his previous two memoirs, and this newest memoir is fascinating, in that he discusses his path to the presidency.

If you have questions for future newsletters/updates, please be sure to send them to dan@danbrigman.com. There are numerous media links for your convenience: on Twitter at @brigmanauthor, on Facebook at Dan Brigman, Author, or on my website, www.danbrigman.com.

Thanks again for your support! Besides taking the time to read my updates, please visit the following links to create a review of The Alterator’s Light, The Point of Woes, or The Tower of Dread if you’ve read those stories.

Reviews are quick to create! They offer potential readers insight into what you thought about the book. They also help get the word out about the stories and the author. You can simply search for the title of each of my books on Goodreads and/or Amazon or follow the links below.
​
For Amazon, please click here.
For Goodreads, please click here.
You can also check my work out at BookBub by clicking here.

• The Blighter’s Shadow’s first draft surpassed the halfway mark.
• NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) has offered a frenzy of writing since November 1.
  • I served as an unofficial municipal liaison for the first three weeks of the month. Unfortunately, I’ll not be able to participate in any official write-ins for the remainder of the month due to scheduling conflicts, but I’ll keep adding to my word count. I’ll likely not reach the 50,000 word count for the month, but I’ve made good progress.
• Click here for some really cool science-fiction/fantasy stories and boxsets that will be on-sale between 11/26 and 12/1.

Please be sure to check out my website for continuous updates on my progress. I’ve added a few reviews here for books that I think you might find interesting for gifts or for yourself. I am currently reading The Invisible Life of Addie Larue, and I look forward to offering my thoughts on this novel. 

If you have questions for future newsletters/updates, please be sure to send them to dan@danbrigman.com. There are numerous media links for your convenience: on Twitter at @brigmanauthor, on Facebook at Dan Brigman, Author, or on my website, www.danbrigman.com.

Thanks again for your support! Besides taking the time to read my updates, please visit the following links to create a review of The Alterator’s Light, The Point of Woes, or The Tower of Dread if you’ve read those stories. Reviews are quick to create! They offer potential readers insight into what you thought about the book. They also help get the word out about the stories and the author.

For Amazon, please click here.
For Goodreads, please click here.

You can also check my work out at BookBub by clicking here. 

Highlights for October:

• The Blighter’s Shadow’s first draft remains at the halfway mark. I worked out outlining future chapters and continued on a chapter with a new character that I can’t wait for you to meet.

• The Alterator’s Light audiobook remains in the production stage. I’ve been able to review large sections of the book, and I am really impressed at what Susanne and Buck have been able to accomplish. The audiobook will be more than worth the wait.

NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) starts on Sunday, November 1, and this will be my fourth consecutive year to participate.

• I enjoy the month so much that I am serving as an unofficial municipal liaison with two other members of the writing group I am part of. Click here for more information about the writing group. Click here for more information about NaNoWriMo. Sadly, we are not planning any write-ins in person due to COVID-19, but we will have numerous virtual write-ins throughout the month.

November will involve only writing. Editing what I’ve written during the month will not occur until later this year and into 2021. 50,000 words is the goal for NaNoWriMo! That is the average length of many novels, which equates to around 200 pages. The goal is more than attainable, but it requires a great deal of focus and sitting down to write each day throughout the month (including Thanksgiving). I used to write a few pages and then edit those pages. That process slowed me down considerably. By just focusing on getting the story down in its first draft, I can let the words flow nonstop. Keep in mind, it takes many drafts to reach the publishing point. The Tower of Dread took nearly 10 drafts! But I enjoyed every minute of the process.

The next month will involve more fine-tuned outlining for the chapters I will finish in November. My outlining process consists of a wide-view version for an entire novel or story. I then narrow down my focus for each chapter, which usually includes a more-detailed half or full-page outline for each chapter.

Exciting News: The novella The Tower of Dread is available! Click here to get your copy! 

Please be sure to check out my website for continuous updates on my progress.

If you have questions for future newsletters/updates, please be sure to send them to dan@danbrigman.com. I have numerous media links for your convenience: on Twitter at @brigmanauthor, on Facebook at Dan Brigman, Author, or on my website, www.danbrigman.com.

Thanks again for your support! Besides taking the time to read my updates, please visit the following links to create a review of The Alterator’s Light, The Point of Woes, or The Tower of Dread if you’ve read those stories.
Reviews are quick to create! They offer potential readers insight into what you thought about the book. They also help get the word out about the stories and the author.

For Amazon, please click here.
For Goodreads, please click here.
You can also check my work out at BookBub by clicking here.

Hi all,
I wanted to offer you a few highlights for September. What a beautiful month it has been so far!

• The novella The Tower of Dread is finished; nevertheless, while the cover art is being finalized, I am making a few minor tweaks to the novella. The novella’s release is scheduled for release in October.
• The Blighter’s Shadow’s first draft is at the halfway mark. The past month had a packed schedule, yet I was able to make good progress on Book 2 while I was working on the novella’s finishing touches.
• The Alterator’s Light audiobook remains in the production stage, which includes recording and editing. A release date is unknown.
• NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is barely one month away. I will be participating for my fourth consecutive year. I will also be helping arrange write-ins for the local writing group of which I am a member. This year may be a bit different due to the pandemic, as meeting locations may not allow for a larger number of participants. For additional information, check this link https://nanowrimo.org/

The next month will involve more fine-tuned outlining for the chapters I will finish in November. My outlining process consists of a wide-view version for an entire novel or story. I then narrow down my focus for each chapter, which usually includes a more-detailed half or full-page outline for each chapter.
Please be sure to check out my website for continuous updates on my progress.
If you have questions for future newsletters/updates, please be sure to send them to dan@danbrigman.com. I have numerous media links for your convenience: on Twitter at @brigmanauthor, on Facebook at Dan Brigman, Author, or on my website, www.danbrigman.com.
Thanks again for your support! Besides taking the time to read my updates, please visit the following links to create a review of The Alterator’s Light or The Point of Woes, if you’ve read those stories.
Reviews are quick to create! They offer potential readers insight into what you thought about the book. They also help get the word out about the stories and the author.

For Amazon, please click here.
For Goodreads, please click here.

July’s update has exciting news all around!

While The Blighter’s Shadow (book two of The Rune Cycle) remained on hold throughout June and early July, I am finishing up work on my new novella: The Tower of Dread.

It is a prequel to The Alterator’s Light, and I can’t wait for you to see the finished product. The novella is in the final stages. Meanwhile, I have resumed work on Book 2. It is approximately half-completed at this point.

If you would like to be on the Advanced Reading Team for The Tower of Dread, please reach out by July 30. Sending an email with your interest is the best option. The novella is under 60 pages, and I’ll give you details on the expectations for being on the team.  

Plus, you get a copy of the novella for free!

The audiobook for The Alterator’s Light is in the production stage. Seven chapters have been recorded and are in the editing stage. I am hoping for a fall release in time for the book’s first anniversary of publication.

Please be sure to check out my website for continuous updates on my progress. In case you didn’t know, I have resources for authors that may be helpful to you. I just added a new resource today that I think will be helpful for world building!

If you have questions for future newsletters/updates, please be sure to send them to dan@danbrigman.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @brigmanauthor and on Facebook at Dan Brigman, Author, or on my website, www.danbrigman.com.

Thanks again for your support! Besides taking the time to read my newsletters, please visit the following links to create a review of The Alterator’s Light or The Point of Woes, if you’ve read those stories.

A review is quick and offers potential readers insight into what you thought about the book. It also helps get the word out about the stories. Thanks, in advance!

For Amazon, please click here.
For Goodreads, please click here.

Rather than a newsletter for June, I opted for a brief update on this Flag Day.

A few thoughts on writing progress in April:

Work on The Blighter’s Shadow (book two of The Rune Cycle) was on hold throughout May. I spent the month finishing first two drafts of a new novella. It is a prequel to The Alterator’s Light, and I can’t wait for you to see the finished product this coming summer. While the novella is being finalized, I will be able to resume work on Book 2.

The audiobook for The Alterator’s Light remains in the production stage. Three chapters have been read; a release date is unknown at this time. COVID-19, as we all know, has caused delays in many projects around the world. 

If you have questions for future newsletters/updates, please be sure to send them to dan@danbrigman.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @brigmanauthor and on Facebook at Dan Brigman, Author, or on my website,
www.danbrigman.com.

Thanks again for your support! Besides taking the time to read my newsletters, you can visit the following links to create a review of The Alterator’s Light of The Point of Woes. Creating a review is quick and offers potential readers insight into what you thought about the book.
​
For Amazon, please click here.
For Goodreads, please click here.

I hope this newsletter finds you well. COVID-19 has remained the predominant factor in most people’s lives, not just in the US, but around the world. Despite the weeks-long stay-at-home orders, we have continued witnessing kindness, cooperation, and compassion since the beginning of the crisis. As Fred Rogers said, “Look for the helpers.”

The last month has helped me to examine my own life a bit more closely. For example, I closely follow one of the ancient tenets of Socrates: the unexamined life is not worth living. Even with everything going on, examination can be done through numerous methods: meditation, exercising, reading, writing, working on a hobby, and enjoying time with one’s family.
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A few thoughts on writing progress in April:
Work on The Blighter’s Shadow (book two of The Rune Cycle) continued, but not at the pace I had hoped to reach for several reasons. I am approximately half-finished with the first full draft and have completed several drafts of the initial chapters. Delays to this project occurred for personal reasons that consumed a great deal of time, but it was time that was well-spent and necessary.  

The book’s cover art remains in the draft stage, and the illustrator, Jessica Sommerkamp, continues work on the interior art: additional chapter symbols and a map (or three) of the towns and cities.

As for my sci-fi book, Adalaj, you may have seen a portion of the initial chapter on my website. Click here to check out the sample. The whole book will not be placed online as I work on it, but this piece will give you a change to get an idea of the story.

The audiobook for The Alterator’s Light is in the production stage. It’ll be a few months before the whole project is complete, but I am glad to share a sample with you. Click here to access the sample. Enjoy!

Finally, I spent a great portion of the month on a short story/novella related to The Rune Cycle. I have that over halfway completed. It will offer a glimpse of some characters from The Alterator’s Light two years prior to the novel’s timeline. This story focuses on Einar, Ellia, and Kylia on a journey of their own.

The reader question for this month:
What is the most difficult part, in your opinion, regarding the book publishing process?
This question is tough, as it depends on how a book is published. Traditional publishing has its own set of complications, while independent publishing is its own beast, so to speak. For The Alterator’s Light, I chose to independently (indie) publish simply because I have great deal more control over my work.

With more control, though, comes more work. Basically, I find the artwork for the cover and interior artwork. I also control the final product in terms of editing, beta reading, formatting, marketing, and advertising.

While it is not always the case, a traditionally-published author will submit the text of their work through an agent or directly to a publisher. The publisher has a great deal of control over the cover art, book title, and marketing. Also, sadly, there is also never any guarantee of a book being traditionally-published; I imagine we’ve all heard the stories of authors getting hundreds of rejection letters before finally finding a publishing company that accepts their work.

A critical feature of an indie book is to ensure it looks as close to a traditionally-published book as possible. While the old phrase “don’t judge a book by its cover” seems true, it is far from accurate. If you don’t agree, then think about the last time you looked at a book cover and decided against reading the book simply because of its title or the artwork itself.

So, from the consideration of the indie publishing method, I think advertising is the most difficult part. As a new author, I am solely responsible for getting my name and work out there. (Fortunately, I do get a great deal of help from readers who post reviews and share information via social media platforms.) I also have to keep up on publishing trends within the field of fantasy and science fiction so I can ensure I know what is working well, how to adjust my own advertising, and research additional methods in order to reach a wider audience. Advertising and marketing also take time away from the actual writing portion, which can seem time-consuming.

Nevertheless, I enjoy the entire processing of publishing. Writing the stories is only a part of the whole picture!

Next month’s questions:
Is it hard to switch back and forth between genres or projects? Does it affect your concentration?

If you have questions for future newsletters, please be sure to shoot them my way at dan@danbrigman.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @brigmanauthor and on Facebook at Dan Brigman, Author, or on my website, www.danbrigman.com.

Thanks again for your support! Besides taking the time to read my newsletters, you can visit the following links to create a review of The Alterator’s Light or The Point of Woes. Creating a review is quick and offers potential readers insight into what you thought about the book.

For Amazon, please click here.

For Goodreads, please click here.