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Episodes
Follow Science Fiction author James S. Aaron on his writing-publishing journey. He's thirteen novels into a writing career while chasing a toddler and making the creative life work. We talk about productivity, business of art, personal finance, consistent creativity, family, interviews with authors and other creatives doing the work. Sleep mostly optional.
Episodes
Tuesday Feb 05, 2019
SW 10 - What Author Info Should You Trust?
Tuesday Feb 05, 2019
Tuesday Feb 05, 2019
In this episode I talk about places to find info on indie publishing, and how to vet the info you find. There's a tsunami out there, and things are changing all the time, so how do you determine what's relevant to your books?
Mentioned in this episode:
AI Superpowers by Kai Fu Lee
The Revolt of the Public by Martin Guri
Science Fiction and Fantasy Marketing Podcast
Question: How do you sort through the chaos of info out there to find what works for you?
Monday Jan 28, 2019
SW 009 - Should You Choose SF Trad or Indie?
Monday Jan 28, 2019
Monday Jan 28, 2019
In this episode I talk about why you might want to pursue a traditional publishing deal, starting with short stories in magazines, (and SF has many opportunities to get published in magazines) or develop a following as an indie publisher.
I think the main takeaway is that you don't have to choose one or the other. You're going to write more than one book in your career, and each new project is a new decision on the best path forward.
I'm doing my best to understand how these markets are different, how readers consume them, and what the future might hold.
Also, what does all this mean for the "field" of science fiction when established taste-makers don't seem to acknowledge that the indie market exists and is rapidly outpacing the traditional market?
Mentioned in this episode:
Thanks for listening!
Wednesday Jan 23, 2019
SW 008 - Are you a Dinosaur Author?
Wednesday Jan 23, 2019
Wednesday Jan 23, 2019
In this episode I riff off some thoughts Michael Sullivan posted in /r/fantasy on Reddit:
"People are quick to note that traditional publishing doesn’t have a good track record with regards to innovation. But can’t the same be said about the traditionally published AUTHOR who keeps operating as they always have (signing contract after contract even though the pay is less and there are other avenues that produce more income)? This seems like dinosaur behavior to me."
(https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/afmkie/some_insights_on_author_income_in_the_wake_of_the/)
I do my best not to rant here or specifically call people out. I'm talking about behaviors I've seen in writers as they try to navigate a very confusing time of transition in the publishing industry.
One thing I forgot to mention is that having a clear idea of your goals as a writer will help you determine what path you want to take... but being open to all this change will help you recognize opportunities when they arise -- and they will.
Monday Jan 14, 2019
SW 007 - End of Year Accounting for Writers
Monday Jan 14, 2019
Monday Jan 14, 2019
Should you hire an accountant? Maybe not. I'm using one, but I talk about why and what questions you might ask yourself before making the decision.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Revolt of the Public by Martin Gurri
Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
Thanks for listening.
Sunday Jan 06, 2019
SW 006 - Should You Join a Writing Group?
Sunday Jan 06, 2019
Sunday Jan 06, 2019
In this episode I talk about some things I wish I had known when I first joined a critique group. Should I have joined an accountability or mastermind group instead? How do critique groups work and what are some common pitfalls you might need to look out for?
Mentioned in this episode:
If you'd take a second to subscribe to my youtube channel, you'll help me get to a 100 subs so I can set a custom URL, which would be great.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClaNJoAeDQoAY56qFOPo7SQ
Thanks for listening! See you next week.
Monday Dec 31, 2018
The Speculative.Work Podcast 005 - Goals for 2019 and Atomic Habits
Monday Dec 31, 2018
Monday Dec 31, 2018
Everybody loves a goals show! Let's throw down the gauntlet for 2019 so I can look back and either be pleased with my progress or shed tears in my beer.
I talk about production, health and financial goals for 2019, as well establishing a strong author brand.
Mentioned in this podcast:
Word Count Tracker (excel doc download)
Thanks for listening!
Monday Dec 24, 2018
Monday Dec 24, 2018
Here's a reading from the Proteus Bridge (2018). This is the first chapter in the novel. (Warning, a very frustrated parrot drops an F-bomb.)
Sunday Dec 23, 2018
The Speculative.Work Podcast 004 - 2018 Retrospective
Sunday Dec 23, 2018
Sunday Dec 23, 2018
(from The Expanse, Season 2)
Episode 004 - I take a look at my writing in 2018, accomplishments and changes. I wrote about 600k words, published five books, became an admin with 20Booksto50k and my daughter arrived. That's some stuff!
Books Mentioned in this episode:
This is Marketing by Seth Godin
The Revolt of the Public by Martin Gurri
The Future of Violence by by Benjamin Wittes and Gabriella Blum
Perennial Seller by Ryan Holiday
They Thought They Were Free by Milton Meyer
The Book of Dust by Philip Pullman
Sunday Dec 16, 2018
Speculative.Work Episode 003 - Feeling Overwhelmed as a Creative
Sunday Dec 16, 2018
Sunday Dec 16, 2018
Episode 3 - In this episode I talk about some strategies I've used to not feel so overwhelmed when taking on a new project. I focus mostly on writing a novel, but these techniques apply to any project.
As always, if you have any questions, shoot me an email at james@jamesaaron.net. Thanks for listening!
Saturday Dec 08, 2018
The Speculative.Work Podcast Episode 002
Saturday Dec 08, 2018
Saturday Dec 08, 2018
Episode 2 - A bit more on resistance, series plotting, character-based plots, using templates and learning from other genres.
Books mentioned in the podcast: