When I began my writing adventure in 2017, I jumped into the river headfirst, not knowing what lay beneath the murky water. Like all crafts, good writing has many elements that are not apparent to the casual reader. We only know “a good book when we see it,” and a bad book stands out like a searchlight on a moonless night.
So, in the first chapter of my first draft, when a character needed to say something, they just spoke: “You will do.”
That was so simple! Yet… there is not much context (who, what, where, when, and why). So, who was speaking and how loud were they? Yeah… It took endless self-edits, beta reads, professional edits, and a second edition to get things straightened out.
A big problem is that readers dislike repetition, so using the word “said” too often irks them. So, writers need to use other words called dialogue tags, and here is a great list:
These helper words keep the reader engaged while also adding information about volume level, intent, and demeanor. Which word from the above list is the best?
That is where things get less logical and more artistic. I choose to envision the scene and apply the best description as a tag. Of course, there are pitfalls, and the perfect example is “exclaimed.”
It turns out that the word “exclaimed” reads like an explosion. Meaning it must be used sparingly. Looking at the above list, these words stand out as having great power: barked, bragged, complained, cried, giggled, hissed, insisted, proclaimed, roared, raged, shrieked, screamed, screeched, teased, and whimpered.
These preferred tags stand out: begged, chuckled (I use this WAY too often), fumed, groaned, howled, mumbled, remarked, snickered, stammered, and uttered.
My rule is not to use the same low-power dialogue tags for a few pages. I only use high-power tags once every two chapters.
What if you disagree with my above choices? It seems likely that this would be the case because people are different. The important part is to understand the pitfalls of dialogue tags and to ask questions during the writing process.
Is there a helpful writing guide? While I have read many articles on the technique, it is all left-brain thinking. For example, which tags would be appropriate for a horror novel versus a mystery novel? Like anything important, there is no widely accepted right way, but readers certainly know when an author’s words are not working.
There is also a flip side. Readers like/expect the plain “said.” Meaning, it is important not to apply a heavy dialogue tag when there is no drama. Bill said, “Let’s go.”
Of course, there is more information that can be conveyed.
“What time is it?” Bill asked with a smile.
“You’d better not do that!” Sally threatened with her knife.
“Two o’clock,” he answered after looking at the clock on the wall, leading him to wonder why James had not done so.
Sam closed his eyes for a long moment and whispered, “No, I’m afraid I can’t.”
Dialogue tags are one of those quirky areas that most readers gloss over. In fact, I did not know they had a name until last week. That is one of the fun parts of writing. I learned something new!
You’re the best -Bill
June 03, 2026
Hey, book lovers, I published five. Please check them out:
Interviewing Immortality. A dramatic first-person psychological thriller that weaves a tale of intrigue, suspense, and self-confrontation.
Pushed to the Edge of Survival. A drama, romance, and science fiction story about two unlikely people surviving a shipwreck and living with the consequences.
Cable Ties. A slow-burning political thriller that reflects the realities of modern intelligence, law enforcement, department cooperation, and international politics.
Saving Immortality. Continuing in the first-person psychological thriller genre, James Kimble searches for his former captor to answer his life’s questions.
Pushed to the Edge of Existence. Just when Kim, Gabe, and Emma’s lives start returning to normal, a mysterious government organization orders them to use their telepathic abilities, and then they travel to an alien planet.
These books are available in softcover and in eBook format.
Nearly all DVDs include additional audio with comments from directors, stars, experts, and/or producers. These people add opinions, anecdotes, fun information, and behind-the-scenes details. There is also a new form of running commentary called reaction videos. This is when somebody (on, say, YouTube), watches something popular (we get to see what they are watching) and makes comments about what they are seeing.
Running commentary is popular with viewers because it offers insights into the film/video, and I can only see such entertainment becoming more popular. Well, why not put running commentary text within a book? Not going to happen.
Wait, a moment. Books have footnotes, notes marked with an asterisk (*), study guides, and introductions. This added information fills the same entertainment void. Right? No, because these additions are for clarity, not for entertainment. There might be one exception. Some textbooks have a margin with notes, but this kind of “entertainment” is never found in a fictional book (romance, science fiction, western…).
How about an audiobook with a running commentary? I listened to an audiobook that included an interview with the author at the end, but again, this does not really qualify.
I have also read a sloppy book. Meaning the author gets way off tangent with random stories, extra material, and topics unrelated to the plot. As a reader, I am not too fond of this format, and I think other readers agree because I have only encountered one such book in my lifetime.
I find it amusing that such a simple addition has never been tried and will never be. I suppose this is because if a comment is important enough, the author should be able to “write it in.” For example, I got this article idea while writing another article. That last sentence might be considered running commentary, but it does not read that way unless I point it out.
Alright, I can be flexible. Let’s insert some running commentary!
“In the above paragraph, you read all about my struggles to get my point across. What a disaster! I probably should have done an article about my favorite science fiction book.”
Wow, that sentence read utterly out of place, yet it contains some insight (value); perhaps it is comic relief. Yet… Are those extra sentences really considered running commentary? It sort of meets the criteria, but the reader cannot turn off the sentence, as they can with a DVD, or choose to view the original YouTube video instead of a reaction video.
Still, this sentence was easy to add, and I could have improved the experience by using red font. Yeah, no. It still reads out of place.
Why are books so rigid? Why are they rectangular and not square? A square book would probably use less paper. How about a standard size? Looking at my meager bookshelf, I see at least 10 different sizes. Yet, no running commentary.
“Hey, readers. I got a bit off-topic there. Sorry, I tend to ramble. Remember from above? Yeah, it is possible to have running commentary. I did it twice! Proof positive.”
One might say, “Books have never had running commentary and never will. It is a tradition. Don’t rock the boat!” This is as ironclad as the rules in physics. F = MA, D = 2π, V = IR, E = MC^2, and books do not have running commentary. Case closed. So we are robots who follow a rigid program that cannot be changed? Yes, and here is the proof: failure to comply = no sales! Exterminate, exterminate!
Do I want to write a book or an article with running commentary? I guess it would be nice to have this freedom, but every freedom has pitfalls, starting with the format. First-person or third? Should I publish two books: one with and one without? Is it taboo to discuss other books or have advertisements in a running commentary? Are swear words appropriate? What topics are off-limits? And most importantly of all: What would readers want? I have no idea because it has never been done before.
“Yeah, you probably hate it when I get all informal. Like we are friends or something. You probably prefer the Oxford Standard running commentary format. Want healthy teeth? Use Crest toothpaste!”
Well, let’s invent a format and rules to fill this entertainment void. From now on, all books must have running commentary. The text will appear at the bottom of each page in a footnote format. The content will be thoughts about each scene (what is on that page), the writing process, and deleted material. There will be no spoilers of upcoming content.
Yeah, that does not sound like something I would want to read. Well, how about stuffing all that into an additional chapter or a greatly expanded about the author section? That still does not sound appealing.
Where is the pain coming from? I suppose readers like books the way they are. I think a big part of it lies in the way we read. It begins in the table of contents and ends at the epilogue. Little snippets of unrelated text on every page would trip up the reader.
Could I be completely wrong? After all, the Choose Your Own Adventure book series opened up a whole new genre of literature. Life is full of surprises, but I think books will never have running commentary because writing a normal book is hard enough. Still, this is a fun area to experiment with mentally. Well, this seems like an excellent place to end this article. Hey, you know what else is not at the end of books that every movie has?
Credits
Written by: Bill Conrad
Staff Writer: Bill Conrad
Story: Bill Conrad
Director: Bill Conrad
Producer: Bill Conrad
Editing: Bill Conrad
Proofreading: Bill Conrad
Beta Reader: Bill Conrad
Typesetting: Bill Conrad
Legal: Bill Conrad
IT Support: Bill Conrad
Catering: Bill Conrad
Keyboard Cleaner: Bill Conrad
Wardrobe: Bill Conrad
Musical Score: Bill Conrad
Finance: Bill Conrad
Soundtrack available on Columbia Records.
No animals were harmed in the writing of this article.
Typed on location in San Diego, California.
“Great, the article ended with some humor, and I am going to conclude my running comments as the credits roll. Wow, we really had a fun time today. Hey readers, look forward to more articles with running comments. Thanks for all your support!”
You’re the best -Bill
May 24, 2026
Hey, book lovers, I published five. Please check them out:
Interviewing Immortality. A dramatic first-person psychological thriller that weaves a tale of intrigue, suspense, and self-confrontation.
Pushed to the Edge of Survival. A drama, romance, and science fiction story about two unlikely people surviving a shipwreck and living with the consequences.
Cable Ties. A slow-burning political thriller that reflects the realities of modern intelligence, law enforcement, department cooperation, and international politics.
Saving Immortality. Continuing in the first-person psychological thriller genre, James Kimble searches for his former captor to answer his life’s questions.
Pushed to the Edge of Existence. Just when Kim, Gabe, and Emma’s lives start returning to normal, a mysterious government organization orders them to use their telepathic abilities, and then they travel to an alien planet.
These books are available in softcover and in eBook format.
When I decided to become an author in 2017, I had no fiction writing experience. Still, I had created many technical documents over my career. While this skill set offered some value, I was lacking in critical areas. One of the biggest differences between the two kinds of writing is that a technical document has a clear beginning, middle, and end. Plus, standard features such as an acronym definition page, detailed specifications, and test results.
A fictional story can have any structure under the sun. A novel might have no real beginning, 50 characters, or be written in sloppy first-person. This freedom proved overwhelming when I tried to turn my wild thoughts into smooth words.
This lack of experience became ultra-clear in the first chapter of my first draft. I was forced to move sections around because I had not fully vetted the story.
To do all this moving, I opened a new document and cut/copied text into it, or I copied within the document. Sometimes I saved these brief documents, but they often existed for less than five minutes.
Around the twentieth time I opened a new file, I realized my process was silly and named one “temp.” This document became my playpen, and I threw in whole chapters, single words, chaotic sentences, and half-finished thoughts. I also experimented with formatting and tried Microsoft Word features I dared not apply to my main document.
My temp file was only getting started because two lifesavers got tossed into my writing tool belt: Grammarly and ProWritingAid. Of course, there was a big problem. These tools are incredibly slow at processing an entire document (book). No problem, my temp file allowed me to copy small sections for rapid analysis. Then all I had to do was copy it back.
My temp file had another Grammarly/ProWritingAid benefit. While I am a nobody author, I do care about data security, and these two programs work by uploading the text to their servers for analysis. Plus, these companies save data for their AI training. Meaning Grammarly/ProWritingAid would have a copy of my book long before it was published.
At first, I was not comfortable with that idea, and my temp file let me get around the problem by not analyzing the whole book. Since then, I have relented and done a full analysis. (There are other parts of these tools besides grammar checking that need the full document.) Oh, well. These companies have my words. I dare them to go through the pain of publishing!
Now, my temp file has a regular place during writing and editing. I often have it open on my second screen with Grammarly running. As I work, I paste things in for quick analysis. I also paste things there for reference/consistency.
Sometimes, I will have two or three alternative versions and compare them. This is especially useful for developing book descriptions (blurbs), which require endless tweaking to hone in on a specific thought.
Another way I use my temp file is as an expanded copy-and-paste tool. Let’s say that I use a long name like Trevor Lee Matulewicz. (A random name generator created this name.) Rather than typing all those characters, I would copy it to the top of my temp file. Since it is on my second screen, I can easily copy this name back to the main document. Sometimes I have multiple sections of text ready to copy.
Often, when I am writing articles, I need to refer to facts or text from a webpage. To do so, I copy this text into my temp file and then format the whole document for font size/type and paragraph (like single-spaced). Then, when I need the text, I copy the relevant information, which is now in the same format.
There are times when I need to print just a segment of a document or a web page, like an address. So, I copy this info into my temp file and format it (usually in a larger font). Yet another use is that some programs do not copy/paste between other programs, and using a temp file as a go-between fixes this problem. And another is using “Paste Special” to paste something as text or a graphic. Another option is to copy text into this temp file and change the case to all UPPERCASE, Sentence case, Capitalize Each Word, or lowercase. Many programs, including Excel, lack this simple yet valuable feature.
There is another aspect of my temp file that I think I should explain. While I started my temp file to move vast sections around, I now rarely do so for normal writing. This is because I discovered the value of a story outline. This tool allows me to see the big picture and make huge changes without consequence, which limits the need to do so while writing.
What do other authors do? I recall that in the early Macintosh operating system, there was a (I forget the exact name) clipboard that served the same purpose. I have seen coworkers save documents to their desktops or use Notepad. And then there is my first option of creating multiple new documents. Another option is to use the last ten pages of a document as a storage place.
Let’s look at some statistics. After all, Microsoft Word has a document information section that records the number of minutes each document has been worked on and the start date. That feature is quite useful, but there is a problem. My temp file is just that: a temporary storage place; I never leave anything important in it. Sometimes I rename it and start a new one. Other times, I have multiple temp files. The result is reset statistics.
I created my present temp file on 6/26/2024 and has been in use for 4,664 minutes over 679 days. This equates to 77 hours, or 3.3 days, which works out to 6 minutes a day.
That number makes sense because I do not do a lot of work (typing) in my temp file. The only exception is that Grammarly/ProWritingAid works when I copy a paragraph or more.
Overall, my temp file has made me more productive. Sure, there are other ways to accomplish this task, but using a single file brings it all together. So, I am going to end this article by keeping a copy at the top of my temp file.
You’re the best -Bill
May 27, 2026
Hey, book lovers, I published five. Please check them out:
Interviewing Immortality. A dramatic first-person psychological thriller that weaves a tale of intrigue, suspense, and self-confrontation.
Pushed to the Edge of Survival. A drama, romance, and science fiction story about two unlikely people surviving a shipwreck and living with the consequences.
Cable Ties. A slow-burning political thriller that reflects the realities of modern intelligence, law enforcement, department cooperation, and international politics.
Saving Immortality. Continuing in the first-person psychological thriller genre, James Kimble searches for his former captor to answer his life’s questions.
Pushed to the Edge of Existence. Just when Kim, Gabe, and Emma’s lives start returning to normal, a mysterious government organization orders them to use their telepathic abilities, and then they travel to an alien planet.
These books are available in softcover and in eBook format.
A setting in a book has many elements, from the furniture to the people to the part of town. How does a writer choose the best one? I have found that the setting should support the story rather than the story supporting the setting. This means that if the story centers on a rough biker, the story should take place in a biker bar. Right?
Well… take my life as an example. I live in a quiet house on a quiet street, so how could I relate to a story that begins with a character calmly walking into a rough biker bar?
Yet, I am flexible, imaginative, and enjoy stories set in another city or featuring characters who are radically different from me. They can even live in inconceivable realities, have improper physics, or crazy bodies. Yep, Superman can point his hands up and fly away.
Thus, I put great effort into taking (writing) my character (and readers) from their quiet existence into an unfamiliar setting. This means details! For example, Superman can fly because he is from a different planet. This explains why I cannot fly. (Well, this makes as much sense as a far-out character like Superman can make.)
What is the best place for a story to begin? I like the classics. Teenagers should be in high school, and adults should be at work. Drama occurs at home, and conflicts arise elsewhere.
While not too exciting, this is a solid foundation to jump from. How about a pleasant trip to the woods? Let’s go on a jog. How about a visit to the neighbor’s house? What does that look like?
Hmm, as a writer, I want my neighbor to have spider powers. I would begin with the basics: a blender in the kitchen, a tan blanket, and a television with the local news playing. And then get into the differences. Spiders can walk on ceilings, so there might be a sofa attached to the ceiling. That’s probably normal for them. Then there are little details like spiderwebs in the corners, stubborn spiderwebs on clothes, and perhaps an egg sac from a prior batch of children. Lots of things for readers to latch onto.
What city is this house in? I get an idea and do extensive research to identify interesting aspects. For example, it would be essential to point out the Eiffel Tower if a character traveled to Paris. As for locations, I have one rule: avoid San Diego. Why? I live here.
I have learned the ultra-hard way that writing about a person/location/job that I am intimately familiar with is a big mistake. Everything reads all wrong because I am too familiar with the topic.
For example, I am an electrical engineer. So, if I casually had a character casually discussing high-side current measurement, you as the reader would ask, “What the heck is that?” Yet, having such conversations with my engineering friends seems perfectly natural. Meaning I am blinded to what my readers would find normal or abnormal. And don’t get me started on the differences between RS422 and RS485. Yikes!
Now, take Paris. I have been there twice, but am not too familiar with the details that any resident of that beautiful city would know. Thus, I would have to do extensive research to craft the setting. Well, you might think that would read awkwardly. That is kind of my point. When a character enters the city, they are new to it, and so am I. So, this awkwardness is actually a bonus.
Another big element of the setting is the overall emotion (mood). If a character is kidnapped, they had better be frightened. Plus, one has to consider the weather, lighting, and people in the vicinity. In a kidnapping, they all better be dark.
I do have another rule that I suspect other authors would disagree with: I limit setting descriptions. Let’s say a character enters an office. I would describe the desk, what is on the bookshelves, and the furniture. Perhaps mention that there is a window or piece of artwork—no more.
Why? When I enter somebody’s office, I am more interested in the person and the conversation. Plus, I want to leave some space for the reader’s imagination. To me, a very detailed setting makes the author seem as though they are trying too hard. I also feel that it slows down the action.
Choosing the best setting is a careful balance. Give the readers just what they need and let their minds fill in the rest, which is how I am ending this article.
You’re the best -Bill
May 24, 2026
Hey, book lovers, I published five. Please check them out:
Interviewing Immortality. A dramatic first-person psychological thriller that weaves a tale of intrigue, suspense, and self-confrontation.
Pushed to the Edge of Survival. A drama, romance, and science fiction story about two unlikely people surviving a shipwreck and living with the consequences.
Cable Ties. A slow-burning political thriller that reflects the realities of modern intelligence, law enforcement, department cooperation, and international politics.
Saving Immortality. Continuing in the first-person psychological thriller genre, James Kimble searches for his former captor to answer his life’s questions.
Pushed to the Edge of Existence. Just when Kim, Gabe, and Emma’s lives start returning to normal, a mysterious government organization orders them to use their telepathic abilities, and then they travel to an alien planet.
These books are available in softcover and in eBook format.
Every subject my teachers tried to jam into my bonkers mind required a Herculean effort. It was a tough road, but around seventh grade, I got some help. My sister opened a savings account at Sunshine Bank. (They are long gone.) One of the perks was a calculator with their name silk-screened on it, and she gave it to me.
It was a little larger than a credit card, three times as thick, had eight glorious digits, and was powered by a tiny solar panel. Nice! This device was a novelty at the time, and most kids at my school did not have one. I recall they were a little pricey at around $15. This simple tool proved to be a lifesaver, and my schoolwork/homework instantly improved.
Before all this, I did all my math by hand. Long division, column multiplication, and “carry the number” addition. It felt so great to be done with all of that.
My teachers did not agree. No, they preferred the old methods because they taught us how math worked, and using a calculator bypassed all the teachable moments. My counterargument was, “I already know the longhand method. Calculators are the future! And there is real value in learning how to use a calculator properly.”
Teachers could not stop progress, and I used my calculator until the ninth grade when my parents purchased a TI-55 scientific calculator. For college, they purchased an HP 28S. Wow, that programmable beast had some great features!
After college, I used the calculator on my computer/phone, and the HP 28S began gathering dust. I still have it, but N batteries are hard to find.
Do I regret using a calculator? No, inexpensive calculators became available at the perfect time to boost my education.
Well, this all seems reasonable, but what about today’s kids? I came across this article recently that discusses the matter:
The creator of the AI agent “Einstein” wants to free humans from the burden of academic labor. Critics say that misses the point of educatio
There’s a new sheriff in town named Einstein. This AI tool can complete nearly every homework assignment, take online tests, and write reports. Thus, the article asks, “What’s the point of school when AI can do your homework?”
That is a valid question, and the answer begins with the linear method we learned. Take mathematics as an example. Teachers begin our education with counting, then move on to adding, subtracting, and multiplying…
It is all very straightforward. Meaning that if we take a kid who does not know 2+2, a teacher can show them the basic steps. Our education system introduces a process (learning) that allows students to answer 2+2 and provides them with the foundation to answer similar ones (3+3). The same is true with science, history, and language. The only teachable element that AI cannot replicate is physical education.
Therefore, it is valid for a kid to say, “Now that AI exists, I can sit at home playing Minecraft while AI does all the work. I don’t need to go to school.”
Adults respond, “No, you need to understand how things work for yourself. Plus, science, history, math, and language get more complex after you graduate high school. You need this foundation.” Of course, the snarky kids would reply, “By then, there will be more advanced AI to answer all my questions.”
I do not disagree because I see AI in use everywhere, from awful YouTube videos to AI-generated emails. Because adults are already on the bandwagon, it is natural for kids to see this load of slop and jump on it too.
Of course, the parent in me knows all about the real world. AI has legitimate uses, and I admit to enjoying a few AI-generated YouTube videos. Otherwise, I strongly dislike all the AI slop I get hit with. It clogs up my inbox, wastes my time, and introduces errors that cause all kinds of problems.
And AI has a very real limitation; it cannot dig ditches, and the world needs ditches. Yet, I remember that calculator. It was so amazing—a real breath of fresh air. Plus, I can imagine myself as a present-day kid using ChatGPT like a madman. Believe me, I would be the first in line to download it. Experts have terms for such users: “early adopters” and “beta testers.”
What this means is that AI is causing some kids to stop focusing on fundamental educational principles. In my mind, it is an unavoidable path that will consume this generation.
Where does this lead us? Allow me to apply my expert future-predicting skills to answer this question.
Recalling what it was like when I was a kid, I would use AI whenever I could. Why? It is so easy. Gosh, ChatGPT can write an entire report on George Washington in five minutes. This power is too tempting, and most of today’s kids are or will be hooked on AI. Thus, from now on, every high school diploma should have the words “Expert Minecraft Player” in bold letters.
That is fine until reality hits high school graduates like a brick. What will these AI addicts do? Some will be burdens on society, some will be mediocre adults, and the rest will eat a plate of crow (learn those subjects). Life for these “graduates” will be 100,000 times harder than if they had ignored the allure of AI. Meaning, all three paths will be problematic.
Well, it is not all doom and gloom. While I am not the brightest bulb, I do know the basics. So, when there is no AI to help, I shine.
You’re the best -Bill
May 20, 2026
Hey, book lovers, I published five. Please check them out:
Interviewing Immortality. A dramatic first-person psychological thriller that weaves a tale of intrigue, suspense, and self-confrontation.
Pushed to the Edge of Survival. A drama, romance, and science fiction story about two unlikely people surviving a shipwreck and living with the consequences.
Cable Ties. A slow-burning political thriller that reflects the realities of modern intelligence, law enforcement, department cooperation, and international politics.
Saving Immortality. Continuing in the first-person psychological thriller genre, James Kimble searches for his former captor to answer his life’s questions.
Pushed to the Edge of Existence. Just when Kim, Gabe, and Emma’s lives start returning to normal, a mysterious government organization orders them to use their telepathic abilities, and then they travel to an alien planet.
These books are available in softcover and in eBook format.
I have two groups of friends, and the Thursday night crew calls itself “Consultants Night Out” (CNO). This name came from a time when we were all consultants, single, and wanted to do something social. So, one Thursday, we went out for dinner and saw a movie. That was 1998, and the group has been meeting ever since.
Not all has been perfect over the years. Our group has three anchor members, and six others have passed through it. Their reasons for leaving include cancer, stroke (leading to failing eyesight), and incompatible personalities. Still, we have had many great evenings.
Over the years, we have seen hundreds of movies, and after each one, I started the trend of assigning letter grades. Typically, our scores agree, but on occasion, they differ wildly.
Sometimes, because of the time, we have to go to different theaters across town, and other times we do not see a movie at all. On these occasions, we do all kinds of things, including road trips, visits to the zoo, or chatting the night away.
Occasionally, theaters change showtimes the day before or the day of. Not cool. When this occurs, we either have to wait for the next showing, see a different movie, or call it an early night.
In 2011, this happened, and we decided to see a movie that none of us knew anything about: Drive, starring Ryan Gosling. I was overwhelmed from the first minute to well into the credits. The plot, acting, dialogue, characters, and scenes were incredible. Why? It was clear to me that the creators had a deep passion to make an incredible film.
Of course, there was a problem. Not all viewers appreciated this minimalist approach, including my two friends, who gave it B and C grades. Where was the disconnect? They both thought it was not fun to watch.
We often discuss the movie after watching it, and they both felt it lacked energy. I pointed out that not all films are meant to be fun. The Killing Fields is a perfect example of a fantastic movie that was not fun at all. I told my friends that each scene, line, and camera shot was a standalone project filmed just for me.
From my perspective, passion is one of those things that if you have it, you know it. The rest of us are content to pass through life without taking the time to smell the roses.
There is a wide range of passionate people. If I were to put a class of people at the top of the list, it would be those who write poetry. For nations with passionate people, France and Italy are prime examples. They really know how to live.
From there, the bell curve smooths out until we have lifeless subjects who prey on the weak. But what about everyday folks who aren’t meek or into poetry? I suppose 90% of us fall into this gray area, which is why Drive wasn’t a box-office hit.
What is the difference between passion and obsession? I think it is the execution. People with passion do what they do because it’s in their hearts.
Are people with passion weak? Non-passionate people look down on those who are committed to something, like artists and poets. “Get a real job!” While this might be a good observation to some, I consider people with deep passion to be the most vital parts of a moral society.
My life has a few passionate areas. Clearly, I am passionate about my family and friends, but I have become passionate about writing. How can I tell? The defining factor is to do my absolute best to make the perfect outcome. I want my books to stand out and be successful.
And what about this very article? Was it written with passion? Each article I create contains a small part of me, and I want each one to succeed. Yet, I know my reach is not too far. Oh well, I tried my best, and that is all that matters. I will passionately continue writing until they rip the keyboard out of my dead hands.
You’re the best -Bill
May 16, 2026
Hey, book lovers, I published five. Please check them out:
Interviewing Immortality. A dramatic first-person psychological thriller that weaves a tale of intrigue, suspense, and self-confrontation.
Pushed to the Edge of Survival. A drama, romance, and science fiction story about two unlikely people surviving a shipwreck and living with the consequences.
Cable Ties. A slow-burning political thriller that reflects the realities of modern intelligence, law enforcement, department cooperation, and international politics.
Saving Immortality. Continuing in the first-person psychological thriller genre, James Kimble searches for his former captor to answer his life’s questions.
Pushed to the Edge of Existence. Just when Kim, Gabe, and Emma’s lives start returning to normal, a mysterious government organization orders them to use their telepathic abilities, and then they travel to an alien planet.
These books are available in softcover and in eBook format.
Journalist Julia Angwin is leading a class action lawsuit against Grammarly for violating her privacy and publicity rights.
It discusses the legal battle over a Grammarly feature that provides feedback in the style of famous writers, including Kara Swisher, a celebrated journalist. The idea is that Grammarly users can use this tool to make their writing appear as if a famous writer wrote it. Unfortunately, they introduced this feature without her permission—big no-no.
Even though I use Grammarly multiple times a day, I was not aware of this feature until I read the article. Well, what do I think about all this?
People and companies try all kinds of things to get ahead of their competition. This ranges from tiny ethical improvements to unspeakable crimes that make headlines for years. What Grammarly did lies somewhere in the middle.
I think it would be neat to have feedback from my favorite authors. Jack London editing one of my books? What an honor! Except that is not possible, so the closest writers can do is either use an editor who is familiar with London’s work or an AI model trained on his work.
Is using such an AI tool ethical? I am sure that while deceased, Jack London’s celebrated books are still copyrighted. Meaning that some company or person holds the rights, and it is illegal to use these words without permission.
What about a deceased author whose work is not copyrighted, like Charles Dickens or William Shakespeare? I suppose that would be alright by my values.
Well, that is not the real question. How would I feel if Grammarly used my work and name for its “famous author” feedback tool? I would grin from ear to ear as my “advice” “helped” other writers. Yeah, that would be a hoot.
After the glory died away, I would feel left out because that is a paid feature, and I would not be getting a dime. (Side note: Grammarly removed this feature due to the lawsuit.) So, like Kara Swisher, I would be angry.
Of course, no writer would pay to have an AI version of me edit anything. Why? I cannot speak to how professional editors perform their magic, but I can tell you how I self-edit. It takes a year to fix the many flaws in my first draft. During this time, I think about all kinds of possibilities: fix things, break things, add things, and delete like a bandit. It is a slog process that no computer can or should replicate. Yet, I do get results. (Yeah, yeah, I know. Not always the best outcome.)
Another way of saying it is that I slowly smash my first draft into something I feel comfortable enough to ask a professional editor to fix. The problem is that computer tools like Grammarly do not work that way. They are mindless programs that spit out automatic suggestions.
I imagine that a professional editor comes as close to what Grammarly does. They make one pass addressing multiple issues. What is Grammarly’s style? The word “flat” is a good description.
This Grammarly feature attempts to correct this flatness by mimicking the style of famous authors. Hemingway, for example, has a forward style with elegant descriptions, while William Shakespeare writes in prose.
The idea is that a nobody author like me can create a novel as good as Jack London’s. And seeing how AI is progressing, it is likely that this technology will become good enough to achieve this. I would argue that this is a bad path to travel.
Take my first book as an example. It is about a less-than-perfect author who is captured, forced to undergo a bizarre medical procedure that extends his life at the cost of taking other people’s lives, and interviews his 500-year-old female captor. Can you imagine Jack London ever writing such a plot? Not in a million years. So, why write my book in his style?
When I began, I cobbled together a style that fit my particular plot. Shoehorning Jack London’s style would cause an awful read. Still, Jack London is a fantastic author, and drawing on his work will always be helpful.
So… let’s pretend I used a Jack London style tool for my first book. The results would likely be a more flowing story with a minimized impact. Essentially, a watered-down story that was easier to read.
Readers would be confused by the contrast between the easy-going writing style and the strong content. Meaning, even if Jack London were alive, and he edited my book to follow his style, I do not think that would have made my work more appealing to readers. And the same could be said for, say, a romance, mystery, or thriller written in a Jack London style.
I think this is the disconnect between this feature and what writers need. Jack London would never say, “You need to write your book in my style.” And I should be intelligent enough to reply, “Yeah, I see what you are saying.” But this is what the Grammarly feature was attempting to do.
So… let’s pretend that was what I was going for. My next book will be in the exact style of the celebrated Jack London novel, White Fang.
While I would never mooch off Jack London’s cherished creations, I do not think I am capable of achieving that level of story or writing ability. But that is where the Grammarly feature could be useful. Right?
I have to be honest and say that this might be true—White Fang: The Next Generation. Ewww, typing that hurt. Still, I can see how an AI tool could help me create a facsimile.
What would the public think? “Hey readers, I wrote a great book in the style of Jack London and used the Grammarly tool to make it perfect!” Yeah, people are already fed up with all the AI slop. “When I want to read a Jack London book, I will. Not one that you created using AI garbage.”
What if I did not tell my readers what I was doing? “Dogs of the North” could be my title. Ewww, typing that hurt again. Critics would see right through such an obvious ruse and leave a pile of nasty reviews.
What if I were writing a book and needed a tiny scene that was written in Jack London’s style? “In alternate universe number twelve, Jim Manchester wrote the excellent novel Black Tooth. The following is a quote…”
I concede this would be a good use of such an AI tool, and I think readers would agree. The problem is that this application has a very narrow window of acceptance among readers. So narrow, in fact, that I do not think it is worth a big company like Grammarly’s time to perfect.
In conclusion, some AI company will inevitably perfect this feature, resulting in generated text that reads like a famous author. I cannot stop that, but I can choose never to let such a tool touch my words. Still, it might be fun to play with for an hour.
You’re the best -Bill
May 13, 2026
Hey, book lovers, I published five. Please check them out:
Interviewing Immortality. A dramatic first-person psychological thriller that weaves a tale of intrigue, suspense, and self-confrontation.
Pushed to the Edge of Survival. A drama, romance, and science fiction story about two unlikely people surviving a shipwreck and living with the consequences.
Cable Ties. A slow-burning political thriller that reflects the realities of modern intelligence, law enforcement, department cooperation, and international politics.
Saving Immortality. Continuing in the first-person psychological thriller genre, James Kimble searches for his former captor to answer his life’s questions.
Pushed to the Edge of Existence. Just when Kim, Gabe, and Emma’s lives start returning to normal, a mysterious government organization orders them to use their telepathic abilities, and then they travel to an alien planet.
These books are available in softcover and in eBook format.
Over the weekend, I watched part of the first Austin Powers movie for an important reason. It got stuck in my parents’ DVD player. Funny side story: they have no idea how it got in the player or where it came from. Eventually, I removed the DVD, but not before watching the deleted scenes.
Some were interesting, and the rest were so-so. My conclusion was that the editor made a good decision to delete them. Why? It is challenging to visualize action and tempo when writing a script. Clearly, the scriptwriter had great intentions, but actually viewing the scenes shows they did not align with a snappy movie.
This got me thinking about the material I cut from my books. The worst offender is my second, where I needed to delete several pages from the first chapter. This is because I unintentionally made the main character look like a know-it-all. In the fifth chapter, I cut several paragraphs about trying to communicate via radio. While I really enjoyed writing it, that scene threw a bucket of cold water on the plot. Fun side note: The concept behind those paragraphs was the spark that inspired the entire story.
The Austin Powers deleted scenes got me thinking: “Would readers want to read my discarded material?” I have never encountered a book with deleted sections. I have also looked at several authors’ webpages and did not see any deleted material.
The closest equivalent is when somebody discovered the first draft of a mega-famous book. I suppose a select few readers cherish these rough documents, but ordinary readers would never seek them out. I suspect this limits publishing a first draft to the absolute top authors.
Why? A book differs vastly from a movie. Many people have reviewed and updated the script before filming begins. As a result, the deleted scenes look like polished gems. The first draft of a book is a mess (at least in my experience) and only represents a window into the author’s chaotic initial thoughts and their writing process.
Well, I could be the first author to include a deleted chapter. The problem is that readers will not expect this addition and would not know what to do with it. “Why did Bill write about X after the book was over?” Also, I do not wish to air my dirty laundry; I deleted those sections for a reason. And nobody has ever asked, “Hey Bill. Do you have any deleted material I could read over?”
Yet, there is hope for those deleted sections. After a super famous author like Lord of the Rings creator J.R.R. Tolkien passes away, his relatives allow his material to be refreshed or used as the basis for new works. I suppose that is a valid use, but certainly not what is going to happen to my deleted words.
What about deleted articles? Over the years, I stopped working on three because they were going nowhere, and I felt putting in more effort would be a waste of my time.
Would this be an interesting topic to explore? For this article, I looked at my backup files and located these articles. The ideas were not focused, and it is clear why I stopped working on them. Well, should I share those topics to give you some idea of what goes on inside my bonkers head? Errr, no.
I continue to find it fascinating when I locate something that authors should not write about. What am I going to stumble across next? Who knows. I just hope I do not discover it by a bad review.
You’re the best -Bill
May 09, 2026
Hey, book lovers, I published five. Please check them out:
Interviewing Immortality. A dramatic first-person psychological thriller that weaves a tale of intrigue, suspense, and self-confrontation.
Pushed to the Edge of Survival. A drama, romance, and science fiction story about two unlikely people surviving a shipwreck and living with the consequences.
Cable Ties. A slow-burning political thriller that reflects the realities of modern intelligence, law enforcement, department cooperation, and international politics.
Saving Immortality. Continuing in the first-person psychological thriller genre, James Kimble searches for his former captor to answer his life’s questions.
Pushed to the Edge of Existence. Just when Kim, Gabe, and Emma’s lives start returning to normal, a mysterious government organization orders them to use their telepathic abilities, and then they travel to an alien planet.
These books are available in softcover and in eBook format.
Twenty years ago, my mother started an Easter holiday tradition. She had a white elephant gift exchange for me, my wife, my sister, her husband, and my father. We each brought a bag of wrapped presents, put them in a giant pile, and my mother passed them out one by one.
This event featured the traditional gift-stealing and trading, but the real goal was getting junk out of one house and into another. Meaning, the gifts were not valuable.
We had a lot of fun and did another gift exchange the following year. By the third year, my sister and I had exhausted all the junk in our houses, so we resorted to stores like Dollar Tree to buy inexpensive items. One of the things I found was Queen Amidala body lotion.
It had amusing directions: “After a hard day fighting the evil Trade Federation Army, Star Wars Galactic Body Lotion can help soothe the roughest of skin. Maybe Jar Jar Binks should try it! Our Star Wars Body Lotion is a vitamin and aloe-enriched formula that moisturizes and softens your skin. Experience this pleasant Forest Moon fragrance that provides a splash of freshness.”
Star Wars Galactic Body Lotion : Amazon.sg: Beauty
The lotion had a Star Wars: The Phantom Menace tie-in. By this time, the movie was long out of theaters, and the merchandising department was looking to unload leftover stock. $0.99 Nice!
My sister ended up with the soap at that gift exchange, but she gifted it back to me at the next one. Game on! This pattern repeated for years and expanded to Christmas gifts. We got really good at hiding the lotion inside other gifts, and I recall my sister putting it in a jacket pocket that she gave to my wife. During this time, our children were born.
One year, I had an idea, and my daughter helped. Together, we built a wooden box, wrapped the Queen Amidala Body Lotion (along with a $5 bill), and put it inside, along with a bunch of glitter. Then we screwed everything together with lots of wood glue. I wrapped the box with about 20 feet of steel wire (used for rebar) and secured the wire with 100+ staples that my daughter used all her might to put in.
At the time, colorful duct tape was popular, and my daughter applied three layers. The previous day, we had been at my wife’s parents’ house for Christmas and had a bunch of wrapping paper in the recycling bin. So, we used every scrap to wrap the box multiple times. Finally, I applied a hefty number of bows and ribbons.
My sister has twins, a boy and a girl, so we gave him the box. He was six years old and did not know what to think as he opened layer after layer of wrapping paper. Finally, he got to the duct tape, and everybody realized what we were doing.
It took him about ten minutes to get through the tape, and the stapled wire put an end to his unwrapping. My sister’s family went home, and her husband used a reciprocating saw to open it. They got a good laugh and threw everything away, including the inner wrapping paper that contained the $5. Funny!
The next year, I got it back as part of another Christmas gift, and the daughter asked for her own difficult-to-open box the next year. This time, my daughter and I spent two days making a stronger box using 2x4s, a half-bottle of wood glue, and 50+ drywall screws. We added a new twist of putting expired cooking ingredients, including dried garlic, into the box, which gave it a foul smell. (The lotion bottle was in a Ziplock bag.)
She had fun opening it, but her father got upset when their dog ate the garlic. Why would you let your dog do that?
Time passed, and the bottle jumped back and forth, but a problem was brewing. I do not want to discuss my personal problems because writing is supposed to be fun, and public finger-pointing is spineless. That said, it is safe to say that my sister and her family are not on speaking terms with my family or me. The distancing had been a long time coming due to many incidents, making the final decision sad for us, but inevitable.
So… I was left with the bottle, and it has been gathering dust for the last five years. In July of last year, my parents decided to sell their house, and I have been helping them clean. It went on the market in October, and my sister has been removing her possessions since. Last I checked, she had it down to three carloads. Boo.
We got some great news last week that the house is in escrow. Nice! There are still some things to be done, and I was over there yesterday. I realized this would likely be the last time I would see the place—so many good memories.
Well, what do you think I slipped into my sister’s massive pile of junk? Yes, the Queen Amidala body lotion. Game, set, match? Only time will tell.
You’re the best -Bill
May 06, 2026
Hey, book lovers, I published five. Please check them out:
Interviewing Immortality. A dramatic first-person psychological thriller that weaves a tale of intrigue, suspense, and self-confrontation.
Pushed to the Edge of Survival. A drama, romance, and science fiction story about two unlikely people surviving a shipwreck and living with the consequences.
Cable Ties. A slow-burning political thriller that reflects the realities of modern intelligence, law enforcement, department cooperation, and international politics.
Saving Immortality. Continuing in the first-person psychological thriller genre, James Kimble searches for his former captor to answer his life’s questions.
Pushed to the Edge of Existence. Just when Kim, Gabe, and Emma’s lives start returning to normal, a mysterious government organization orders them to use their telepathic abilities, and then they travel to an alien planet.
These books are available in softcover and in eBook format.
My favorite movie character is Luke Skywalker from Star Wars. Yet as I ponder this larger-than-life individual, it occurs to me that he is an arrogant teenager. A close second is Andy Dufresne from Shawshank Redemption, but he is stuck-up, distant, and a know-it-all. Michael Westen from the TV show Burn Notice is a close third, but he suffers the same flaws as Andy Dufresne.
How about female leads? Joan Wilder from Romancing the Stone tops my list. I classify her as intelligent and strong, but a tad gullible. Second is Lucy from the movie of the same name, who has the same flaws. Princess Leia from Star Wars? Same problem.
For novels, I enjoy John Wells and Jack Ryan from Tom Clancy, but they have the same flaws as Andy Dufresne.
From a writing perspective, it is clear that I have a low opinion of my favorite characters, yet I enjoy watching or reading about them. Where is the disconnect? In real life, people are deemed good by their positive qualities, but fictional characters have different standards. A good example is my father. He has always been a smart, honorable, and charismatic individual. Because of his endless patience, I have become a man with positive qualities. (Of course, my mother and sister are equally responsible, but we are discussing characters.)
While my father and I had our differences, I would only describe him positively. What if he were in a movie or a book? He would be an awful character because he would be a good guy who only does good. There is no imagination, drama, or intrigue.
What about the less-than-perfect people in my life? Let’s examine a former boss, Jeff. He was a bright individual, but quite arrogant, and I left the company because of this flaw. (Side note. Within two years, three coworkers did the same. It is amazing the damage that one bad coworker can do.)
Still, I learned from Jeff and use this knowledge often. I suppose I would not classify him as a bad person, but in a story, he would be the villain.
In creating this article, I tried to imagine Jeff as a character. There is a fine line between doing good for the sake of good and simply being a jerk. With a lot of thought, Jeff was not a jerk, and I think he could be a decent character with some tweaks.
The art of creating an excellent character is spinning the negatives into positives, which was clear with another boss, Steve. He was arrogant, overbearing, intolerant, and a perfectionist. Yet, I would move mountains for that man. Why? He inspired me, believed in me, and listened. He indeed was “The Luke Skywalker of Engineering.” The difference between my bosses was how they applied their negative traits.
So, how does an author create a well-remembered character? First, we have to set up boundaries. For example, the movie Star Wars. The two dominant factions were the Empire and the Rebels. Naturally, the audience enjoyed seeing the rebel forces win. (Keep in mind that many Empire soldiers needed to die for a rebel victory. Thus, the rebels were not necessarily honorable.) However, in a typical company, the workers do not battle good and evil with lightsabers. Instead, they have conflicts during meetings and in emails.
Am I suggesting that directors cannot set a movie in an office? No, but there is a staggering difference between a character and a real person. Characters are larger than life, and so are their flaws. They need to shine when they succeed and tug at our hearts when they fail. The difference is the connection, which allows us to overlook the flaws that would otherwise have led to arrogant behavior in a character like Luke Skywalker.
With this in mind, let’s create a character. I first look at the main plot from a high-level perspective. A leads to B leads to… When I have the basic outline, I mentally throw the characters in. The key is to think about how they will fail.
Now, let’s create an obstacle. I find the best types are those made by the character. A poorly thought-out decision is a perfect example. As the plot progresses, readers see the thought process behind the bad decision, the execution, and the failure. Then the fallout, drama, and effort to correct. Perhaps their arrogance silenced a friend’s good idea? Nice.
As I fully develop the outline, the characters fall into place, and their flaws build the drama. Then their positive traits carry them into the next scene. For the villains, it is the opposite. Their undesirable traits solve the problems, and their good qualities make the lead characters look bad.
In summary, positive characters need the perfect amount of space to let their flaws shine. As they overcome or recover from failures, their efforts elevate them above their peers. A touch of arrogance goes a long way, but it can be a horrible character flaw if misapplied. I also prefer intelligence as a good quality over luck and strength.
It is fun to create characters, and the best part is watching my mental creations shine as they get out of the bad situations I invent.
You’re the best -Bill
May 03, 2026
Hey, book lovers, I published five. Please check them out:
Interviewing Immortality. A dramatic first-person psychological thriller that weaves a tale of intrigue, suspense, and self-confrontation.
Pushed to the Edge of Survival. A drama, romance, and science fiction story about two unlikely people surviving a shipwreck and living with the consequences.
Cable Ties. A slow-burning political thriller that reflects the realities of modern intelligence, law enforcement, department cooperation, and international politics.
Saving Immortality. Continuing in the first-person psychological thriller genre, James Kimble searches for his former captor to answer his life’s questions.
Pushed to the Edge of Existence. Just when Kim, Gabe, and Emma’s lives start returning to normal, a mysterious government organization orders them to use their telepathic abilities, and then they travel to an alien planet.
These books are available in softcover and in eBook format.
I enjoy watching The Critical Drinker on YouTube for two reasons. The first is that I appreciate his snarky comments, and the second is that he has a real insight into what works/fails in a movie. His reviews have taught me a great deal about creating a good story, character development, and what pitfalls to avoid.
It is rare for him to recommend anything, so when he gave the FX series Mr Inbetween a good review, I started watching. Now, before I go any further, this three-season show contains violent and disturbing content. So, if this is not your cup of tea, I do not recommend looking into this program. Yet… this is the beginning of my point.
While there were many heavy topics, I enjoyed the premise, acting, and settings. So, I settled into a pattern of streaming two episodes. My life was going fine until one morning.
I do not wish to publicize my personal life, but the previous day was dreadful. As I wrestled with my dark emotions, I wondered absently how the star of the show would tackle them. So, I thought up a violent solution. Um, that was not good.
This uncomfortable incident rattled around my bonkers mind until I understood it was a random thought. Back to normal.
That evening, I was self-editing my next book. It also has a mildly violent scene (~5% as intense as a Mr Inbetween moment). And this got me thinking, “Hey, what are readers going to experience when they read my book?” That is a tough question.
The issue is that the creator of Mr Inbetween (who is also the star) had the choice of whether to begin his project. Meaning he chose to add something destructive to our great planet. And so was I. Um, really not good.
Writers are at the forefront of our society because they shape the majority of our entertainment. This means they write something, and if the public likes it, they write more. Of course, they get paid, but which content to write about is still a choice.
On the flip side, we know that timid creations are not exciting, and content with more intensity has great appeal. Plus, people (readers/viewers) are responsible for their own actions. And I will say that I, Mr Inbetween, had many enjoyable elements that were not aggressive. Yet, I cannot deny that the content negatively affected me.
This moment forced me to confront the fact that I am fully responsible for creating five books and must face any consequences arising from their publication. This leads to the central question: What happens when somebody reads one of my books and does something bad or gets upset by my content? What is my responsibility to them?
My answer is that it is unlikely my work will inspire violence because my books and articles do not take that deep a dive in that direction. Yet, I know for certain that my work has offended people because I read the bad reviews. This means I am responsible for upsetting people and will upset more in the future. After all, before they read my work, they were perfectly fine. Then bam! Their day turned sour.
I want to stand up for my creations and say: life is full of good and bad elements. When we do something, (most of the time) we do not know how it will turn out. Still, we take the risk. Thus, everybody has two choices. Avoid all contact and be a hermit, or experience life and face the consequences. When you bake a cake, you have to crack open the eggs.
Yeah, no. It is not that simple because I am avoiding the point. It is true that when I began writing, I mostly knew what I was getting into. Meaning, I knew there would be good and bad consequences. So, did the creators of Mr Inbetween. Let’s discuss the bad aspects.
The writer chose to have the lead character solve his problems violently. Watching the show made me think about how I solve my own problems and added (in a minor way) mental “tools” to my behavior.
And I am not singling out Mr Inbetween. I have seen/read many shows/books with all kinds of disturbing scenes. Plus, I have witnessed and been lightly involved in violent incidents.
Yet, a writer’s scope is so much broader. We capture every topic there is and then go ten steps further to imagine even more. Our effect is so powerful that fictional creations come to life in movies and plays. We are the very definition of creativity. That is a good thing. Right?
Yes, but I cannot deny that my books and articles have negatively affected people. Thus, a tiny slice of our society has slipped down a negative slope.
What about the good parts of my books and articles? After all, I did enjoy the Mr Inbetween show. It made me think a lot about crafting a complex character, the choices I make, and society as a whole. In summary, I am glad I watched it. Plus, the show received many positive reviews, which was the reason I watched it. Still, I cannot deny that negativity was added to this beautiful world.
In this article, I have danced around the topic but have not reached a solid conclusion. Well, let’s make one. What I am doing matters, and I need to think more about what I write about. Of course, the character in Mr Inbetween would likely pop me one in the face for writing that and yell, “Develop a better conclusion!”
You’re the best -Bill
April 29, 2026
Hey, book lovers, I published five. Please check them out:
Interviewing Immortality. A dramatic first-person psychological thriller that weaves a tale of intrigue, suspense, and self-confrontation.
Pushed to the Edge of Survival. A drama, romance, and science fiction story about two unlikely people surviving a shipwreck and living with the consequences.
Cable Ties. A slow-burning political thriller that reflects the realities of modern intelligence, law enforcement, department cooperation, and international politics.
Saving Immortality. Continuing in the first-person psychological thriller genre, James Kimble searches for his former captor to answer his life’s questions.
Pushed to the Edge of Existence. Just when Kim, Gabe, and Emma’s lives start returning to normal, a mysterious government organization orders them to use their telepathic abilities, and then they travel to an alien planet.
These books are available in softcover and in eBook format.
Two weeks ago, I had to pass a grueling test. It was an IT (computer networking) certification focused on security procedures. The reason my company made me take the test was that they are a government contractor, and some contracts require the people on these projects to have this certificate. While I am an electrical engineer, the material was well beyond my area of expertise.
It was meant for trained IT technicians with three or more years of experience. The topics focused on IT basics, network security, system attacks, and computer organization. Of course, I have no IT training and limited experience in computer networking.
I found the material to be super difficult, and I struggled for three solid weeks to grasp the basic concepts. A big part of the studying was learning unfamiliar vocabulary, including IT-specific acronyms.
My bonkers mind is always running in the background, and I began noticing there was more to IT terms than basic definitions. Let me explain what I mean by taking a shallow dive into the world of electronics. We use a device called a capacitor, and here is the ten-page Wikipedia article:
It discusses history, technical function, mathematics, and applications. Because I have been working with them for so long, I know far more about the topic than the Wikipedia article. For example, there are many manufacturers, and each has multiple product lines. As a result, I could spend over 20 minutes discussing that single aspect with no preparation. Keep in mind that this aspect is not even a technical topic, but it is critical to understand for my job.
And still, I do not consider myself a capacitor expert. Just last week, I learned something completely new about a basic aspect of capacitors. While explaining this to a coworker, I learned two more things. None of that is on Wikipedia.
I am sure a doctor could also spend hours describing scalpels. To me, they seem like “body knives” and nothing more. Of course, this is not true. They are sophisticated instruments made by many manufacturers to accomplish many tasks, and they have an extensive history spanning thousands of years back to specialized obsidian rocks. Meaning, like me, they could talk forever about their area of interest and know far beyond the Wikipedia page.
All areas of technology, art, music, science, medicine, sports, film, politics, and business have such terms, yet somehow I needed to pass the test without years of experience.
So, I studied like mad and passed by one point. Nice! The bad news is that I gamed the test by focusing only on prior test questions, so I did not gain any IT knowledge. Yet, the good news is I have the certificate, which proves to the world my “superior” knowledge. Yeah, I’m still claiming victory.
I like to have a writing tie-in to my articles, and this test really got me thinking about deep definitions. So now, as I write, I am going to think a lot more about words and their use. And there is another silver lining from three grueling weeks of study: I got an article out of it!
You’re the best -Bill
April 25, 2026
Hey, book lovers, I published five. Please check them out:
Interviewing Immortality. A dramatic first-person psychological thriller that weaves a tale of intrigue, suspense, and self-confrontation.
Pushed to the Edge of Survival. A drama, romance, and science fiction story about two unlikely people surviving a shipwreck and living with the consequences.
Cable Ties. A slow-burning political thriller that reflects the realities of modern intelligence, law enforcement, department cooperation, and international politics.
Saving Immortality. Continuing in the first-person psychological thriller genre, James Kimble searches for his former captor to answer his life’s questions.
Pushed to the Edge of Existence. Just when Kim, Gabe, and Emma’s lives start returning to normal, a mysterious government organization orders them to use their telepathic abilities, and then they travel to an alien planet.
These books are available in softcover and in eBook format.
My wife and I play a fun game about once a week. We have a bunch of favorite restaurants, and when it is time to choose, we both think about which one we want to go to. Eventually, one of us will have an idea, and they will challenge the other to guess what they are thinking. I swear that 80% of the time, we succeed in guessing. One could call this telepathic communication.
Of course, the people reading this article are intuitive and see what is going on. “A bunch of restaurants” translates to about five, so the odds of successful “telepathy” are pretty good. Plus, we can eliminate some we have been to recently. Thus, we are not telepathic at all but instead “good at making educated guesses because we know each other.”
Still, it would be interesting to have this ability. The problem is that there are four methods of transmitting data without physical contact: light, sound, magnetics, and radio. The human body can make visual expressions and sounds, but it does not produce radio waves. While they can generate magnetism, it is minuscule. The definition of telepathy is communicating without visual or auditory cues. Meaning that telepaths, if they existed, would mentally generate and receive something like radio, but not radio. Thus, telepathy is impossible.
Well, what if this were not the case? Authors and screenwriters have been playing in this space for many years. One person thinks to another, “How’s it going?” “Just fine,” the other person thinks back. It’s that easy! Or is it?
In my most recent book, Pushed to the Edge of Existence, I took a deep dive into exploring telepathy and a telepathic society. I began by solving a big writing problem. In dialogue, we write, “Hello,” but there is no telepathic communication key on our keyboards. Without this identifier, the writing becomes confusing. So, I used the <> keys. Bill thought to Sally, <It’s fun to communicate with you mentally.>
Then I had to consider emotions. Let’s make a little action scene. James punched Steve and said with a snarl, “I bet you didn’t expect that!” That “snarl” was the emotional part. Well, how does emotion work with telepathy?
Our daily spoken words convey a wide range of emotions, from yelling to sweet-talking. Plus, we smile or wave our hands to communicate our feelings further. Emotion is a huge part of the human condition, which means that I needed something. So, I decided that transmitted thoughts had emotions attached to them.
Thus, for the same action scene: <I bet you didn’t expect that!> Steve thought with anger. That works great, except for a big problem. In writing, it is always best to show emotion rather than tell it. Steve said with a harsh glare. Sally said with a big smile. Simply writing “angry” does not sit well with readers.
To get around this problem, I slowly introduced telepathy to the two main characters. As their skills improve, they can understand the emotions attached to the mentally transmitted words. Later, they learn how to suppress transmitted emotions to keep things normal. I feel this gradual introduction helped bridge the gap of directly telling the reader how the characters felt.
Of course, this is a book, and I had to make things interesting. Humans have all kinds of random thoughts, but we keep them to ourselves to prevent bad interactions. Telepathy would open the floodgates to all kinds of thought escapes we desperately want to keep private.
In one scene, the lead female is telling her husband (the lead male) about her family’s cancer history. He absently thinks, “Cool, I can start dating again.” She is justified in being hurt by these insensitive thoughts, and he profusely apologizes.
Is an apology necessary? As a husband myself, I would certainly say yes, but taking a high-level view, I am not so sure. Telepathy is entirely new ground that no human has had or will have any experience with. Still, because it is make-believe, I can invent any rule I want. Just like Bugs Bunny walking out over a cliff, turning around and walking back without falling because he did not look down; perfectly normal cartoon physics.
So, the two talk about the incident and agree that this cancer thought was part of the mental noise we all have. Of course, I am an author, so you bet this came up later in the story. And this is where my telepathic characters grow. They begin controlling their random thoughts and are more forgiving of them. Of course, I could not leave it there.
Yes, I am talking about what occurs in the bedroom. During intimate interactions, the feelings humans experience are extremely intense. So, sharing them would be a lot of fun. Yet there would be significant mental confusion, as person A would be thinking about person B’s thoughts while experiencing their own intense feelings. Plus, person B would be doing the same, leading to thinking about the thinking. This multistage feedback would make it difficult to maintain an enjoyable rhythm.
You bet I could not let it go with that. Yes, they have a daughter who is also telepathic, and she is curious about their love life. This led to many awkward moments, forcing an uncomfortable discussion at a far younger age than usual.
Once I had a baseline of what it was like for two (plus a child) telepath humans to live together on Earth, I made them travel to a planet of telepaths. This was an entire society that mentally communicated, which meant they had significant differences from Earth.
Yet I did not want to fall into the science-fiction trap of a perfect society. This planet had many problems, and telepathy was one of them. Of course, life finds a way, and they learned how to function. The result was rules, taboos, laws, and unspoken rules to guide everybody.
In one scene, a powerful individual was so used to being telepathic that he did not realize he was daydreaming, and these side thoughts got him into trouble. This leads to a big difference in a telepathic society. They cannot lie, and lying is a big part of our existence. For example, our entertainment is full of lies. Ever met Darth Vader? We even have a name for this bold lying: fiction.
An example would be a comedian telling jokes. In a room full of telepaths, the comedian would think something funny, but the audience would know they are not feeling funny. Hence, the society I created had radically different entertainment that focused on simpler concepts.
This made their society more grounded than on Earth, which meant they needed more. So, they imported entertainment from many planets. They found Earth shows and movies quirky and confusing, which gave them their charm.
Another invention was something I called a “Kebo,” a technology similar to a Star Trek holodeck, except that the user felt and saw what the creator intended. Essentially, they experienced the entertainer’s body (the five senses plus thoughts). And this makes sense for a telepathic society because they are used to “feeling” what the other person is thinking. Thus, Kebo’s were valuable, were stolen, and were abused.
A big downside to a telepathic society is that there would be nothing new, since there would be no secrets, which is what defines their main quality. I made them timid because the people I know who are ultra-honest tend to be timid. In contrast, the macho people I know are overcompensating (lying) for their insecurity.
Another area I dove into was their government. One of the political analysts I follow is William Spaniel, and he is famous for saying, “Look at what leaders do, not what they say.” That would not work in a telepathic society where people would know the real intentions. To get around this issue, a monarchy ruled my fictional planet. This eliminated voting because it requires trickery (advertising and political promises).
Another area was telepathic conflict. Yes, it was possible to use one’s mind to injure another, and I explained how incredibly devastating this could be. In a non-telepathic conflict, there is a lead-up (the reason for the anger), a threat, a threat back, and then the punching begins. The important part is that along this destructive path, there is an opportunity (time) to stop the conflict.
In a telepathic confrontation, both minds would instantly understand how their offensive and defensive capabilities compared. The superior telepath would know they were stronger and would instantly attack, knowing they would win. Meaning, de-escalation cannot occur.
Finally, I had to get around that little problem of telepathy being physically impossible. I explained that it worked through quantum entanglement, a popular physics buzzword related to quantum computing.
The lead male character is bright and realizes that quantum entanglement is not possible in the human brain. He comes to understand that his knowledge of physics is several generations behind. I would call this a “loosely plausible explanation,” which is far better than technobabble, not knowing, or an explanation that readers can easily prove wrong.
That was all I could pack into one book, but I plan another in the series with more interactions. How about a telepathic date? I am sure you are aware how important a first impression is, but imagine getting that first impression directly (without lies or withholding) from the other person? This encounter would be incredibly brutal or incredibly satisfying.
How about a court case, <Did you commit the crime?> <Of course. Whoops.> And let’s say a person’s appearance is not great. How awful would that feel when every person passing that person had undignified thoughts? Or the flip side would be people being jealous of an attractive person.
A normal person has many attributes that we consider attractive, such as their voice. But what would an attractive/unattractive thought be like? I have to work that one out. And how would a telepath ever be a doctor or dentist? Directly feeling tooth pain all day long? Yikes! And imagine the human resources department’s complaints and rules. All a person would have to do is walk by the work restroom with an open mind. They would be fired in a millisecond.
How could you ever take a test in a classroom? A fake compliment to cheer up a friend? Used car salesman? Knowing your past lover is very happy without you. Feeling an entire room full of people upset with you. There is a lot of space to explore.
Writing about telepathy has been interesting and taught me a lot about myself. Yet there is an open question. Would I want to be telepathic? Before I became an author, the answer was a resounding yes, but now I’m not sure. Instead, I will write what I want you to read and keep the rest of my bonkers thoughts to myself.
You’re the best -Bill
April 22, 2026
Hey, book lovers, I published five. Please check them out:
Interviewing Immortality. A dramatic first-person psychological thriller that weaves a tale of intrigue, suspense, and self-confrontation.
Pushed to the Edge of Survival. A drama, romance, and science fiction story about two unlikely people surviving a shipwreck and living with the consequences.
Cable Ties. A slow-burning political thriller that reflects the realities of modern intelligence, law enforcement, department cooperation, and international politics.
Saving Immortality. Continuing in the first-person psychological thriller genre, James Kimble searches for his former captor to answer his life’s questions.
Pushed to the Edge of Existence. Just when Kim, Gabe, and Emma’s lives start returning to normal, a mysterious government organization orders them to use their telepathic abilities, and then they travel to an alien planet.
These books are available in softcover and in eBook format.
A friend recently asked me what it takes to become a successful author. (Like I am an example…) I cautioned my potential wordsmith that this road is long and painful with little chance for success. My harsh words disappointed my friend and made me realize that I had become jaded. So, I thought it would be a fun exercise to focus on the positive aspects of my adventure, touch on the negatives, and explore some in-between.
I feel it is a privilege to write because I get to express my ideas. Someday, I would like to experience outer space. Look at that. I told the world one of my desires, and it will be digitally stored for all eternity. How amazing!
Being an author boosts my confidence, and I enjoy seeing my mental creations come to life. Also, writing has helped me speak more clearly, visualize my writing, and interact with others. I now pay more attention to how people act, talk, write, dress, and think because I see them as characters.
Writing helps organize my thoughts, life, and projects because, as an author, I need to fully understand the beginning, middle, and end of a story. In addition, my knowledge of Microsoft Word and vocabulary has dramatically improved. And let’s not forget grammar. What an improvement! It certainly shows in emails and work reports. I have also taken a keen interest in new subject matters that I would never have investigated before. Do you know what Chekhov’s gun is? I know all about that subject now, but I would never have looked into it before.
Plus, I examine words, sentences, and paragraphs both consciously and unconsciously. This sentence dissection both improves my craft and helps me better understand what another author did or did not intend to convey.
One surprising improvement is more social interaction. To further my marketing efforts, I joined Facebook and made many online friends. They have been supportive, helpful, generous, and understanding. I have even reached out to people like you through these articles. What a fantastic gift!
The major downside to being an author is receiving criticism. Haters have to hate, and that is part of life. However, I view my books like my daughter, and every parent wants their children to succeed. It hurts when I see my daughter fail, and a critical review feels the same.
Honestly, at first, I did not think there would be major (stinging) criticism. “I will write a splendid book, and everybody will love reading it.” Clearly, I was too optimistic.
To make matters worse, critics point out problems that aren’t there because people make mistakes or are just plain mean. The problem is that these reviews will be online and hurt me (my reputation) long after I have passed.
I imagine each author has their own personal frustrations. For me, poor grammar and spelling top my list. Put simply, I had a weak English educational foundation when I put pen to paper in 2015. I am overcoming this limitation, but it is a slow and painful process with a long way to go.
My other frustration is marketing. I am not a bubbly person, nor do I have a marketing mindset. This means I would never say to a stranger, “Hey, look at me! I wrote a book! I titled it Interviewing Immortality! It’s a great read! You should buy it! Buy it!” Yet, I know that to approach profitability, I must adopt this outgoing mentality. Hence, I coined the phrase, “Writing a successful book is 99% self-marketing and 1% other.”
On that topic, how are my sales? Yeah, moving on.
Other changes come with being an author that I do not categorize as good or bad. Writing made me more liberal because authors must connect with their characters, and to do so, they require compassion. I also spot writing mistakes everywhere, which is a source of anger and humor.
Plus, I critically analyze every book and movie I encounter to the nth degree. Sometimes this makes a “good” one less enjoyable, and sometimes I know how to fix the problem, which makes a “bad” one more enjoyable. And sometimes a movie or book is a complete dumpster fire, and my writing background throws another tire into the burning heap.
Yes, I am referring to the recent James Bond movie. Why did the villain want to destroy the world? How did he pay for his world-ending technology? Why did so many people around him believe in his mad scheme? And then the big one. Why did I pay to see that movie in the theater? Still working on that.
While I have had many setbacks, I would say the experience has been rewarding. Would I recommend this path? Hmm. A person needs to understand what they are getting into before jumping into this pool. The odds of profitability are drastically low, but there are many intangible rewards. And a good review? Wow, that feels amazing.
I am glad I undertook this journey and grateful to my readers. This article was a privilege to write, and I thank you for reading it.
You’re the best -Bill
April 18, 2026
Hey, book lovers, I published five. Please check them out:
Interviewing Immortality. A dramatic first-person psychological thriller that weaves a tale of intrigue, suspense, and self-confrontation.
Pushed to the Edge of Survival. A drama, romance, and science fiction story about two unlikely people surviving a shipwreck and living with the consequences.
Cable Ties. A slow-burning political thriller that reflects the realities of modern intelligence, law enforcement, department cooperation, and international politics.
Saving Immortality. Continuing in the first-person psychological thriller genre, James Kimble searches for his former captor to answer his life’s questions.
Pushed to the Edge of Existence. Just when Kim, Gabe, and Emma’s lives start returning to normal, a mysterious government organization orders them to use their telepathic abilities, and then they travel to an alien planet.
These books are available in softcover and in eBook format.
The central point is that AI does not make purchases, which leads to an economic dead end. To explain, let’s say you want to become a chef. So, you go to cooking school, learn all the techniques, and then graduate. What now? I see three options. The first is to find a job and cook. Your day would likely be enjoyable because you are doing what you love.
The second is that learning to cook turned you off (cooking was not actually your passion), but you still use your new skills to make dinner. The third is to cook for a while at a restaurant, change careers, but still use those skills to cook dinner. My point is that even though you may not use these skills professionally, you will use them to cook dinner.
Now, let’s make a pile of every cookbook, cooking textbook, cooking article, and cooking video. Then, use all of that to train an AI model. We now have a warehouse-sized computer that knows everything about cooking. What happens next? Nothing happens until someone asks, “Show me how to cook a hamburger.” Why did the computer sit there? Because it had no desire to cook; in fact, it had no desire to learn about cooking in the first place.
Well, we could build an AI-powered robot with all the cooking knowledge. What happens? Nothing happens because the robot has no desire. After all, it only follows commands. Meaning, it would wait until somebody asked it, “Cook a hamburger for me.” What if that had happened? Surprise! Nothing happens. Why? Beforehand, the person asking has to buy ingredients and have a kitchen with a frying pan so the robot can cook. Remember, the robot has no money.
Now, take yourself with all that cooking knowledge. You have a kitchen and might even cook at a restaurant. You or your manager must have purchased many ingredients beforehand. But that is not the biggest requirement. You want to cook a hamburger. Sure, you might not enjoy that task on the thousandth burger if you worked at a restaurant, but you do enjoy being paid.
AI does not want anything; instead, it is a soulless collection of microchips that processes information. Meaning, desire was never part of the program, but a few parts of our computers do have desire.
Yes, a computer virus, scam email, or malicious software certainly has a strong desire. Those “tools” want to steal your information and money or destroy reputations/computer systems. Thus, society tries its best not to have any computer-related desire.
I like to have a writing tie-in for my articles. I admit AI chat-boxes have become excellent writers. In fact, many successful books now published are, in part or in whole, AI-written. I cannot argue with this success and can see that AI technology is exponentially improving. This means that soon (if it has not already), AI will surpass my writing ability.
Well, now what? To that, I say Harry Potter. Nobody can deny that this is an excellent book, but it is unlikely that AI will ever be able to create such a work of art. Sure, I could ask AI to “generate a book about a boy who learns magic.” And AI would certainly deliver a clever and well-written story. I could even ask it an open-ended request: “generate a fictional book.” The result would also be fantastic.
The problem the above video points out is that a person has to make this request, and someone has to pay for the AI computer’s electricity. Meaning, AI is not completing the economic circle because it is not buying a book. Instead, somebody else is making a request. AI will never request itself to generate a book. An AI chatbot certainly has no desire to buy a copy of Harry Potter or sell a book that it wrote.
Like the cook who enjoys their meals, the writer learned how to write by reading books they purchased. The same could be said of a truck driver or a teacher. They do things that benefit society and themselves. AI can never complete this economic cycle.
My point is that no matter how much I wish, AI will never go to Amazon and buy my book, Interviewing Immortality. Granted, AI companies will surely scrape the contents without paying me a dime, but no AI algorithm will ever have the desire to read my book, although it is well written, and you should certainly read it.
Why? AI has no curiosity, which is a dead end that brings us back to me. I like to write. In fact, watching the video inspired this very topic. And only I had the motivation to write it. Plus, you had the motivation to read it. And this might even inspire you to buy one of my books. While it is a remote possibility, it might be due to this article. That would be success, which is what I am striving for.
How worried should I be about all this? I suppose it is fine that AI will never buy my book or anything else. I kind of like it that way.
You’re the best -Bill
April 15, 2026
Hey, book lovers, I published five. Please check them out:
Interviewing Immortality. A dramatic first-person psychological thriller that weaves a tale of intrigue, suspense, and self-confrontation.
Pushed to the Edge of Survival. A drama, romance, and science fiction story about two unlikely people surviving a shipwreck and living with the consequences.
Cable Ties. A slow-burning political thriller that reflects the realities of modern intelligence, law enforcement, department cooperation, and international politics.
Saving Immortality. Continuing in the first-person psychological thriller genre, James Kimble searches for his former captor to answer his life’s questions.
Pushed to the Edge of Existence. Just when Kim, Gabe, and Emma’s lives start returning to normal, a mysterious government organization orders them to use their telepathic abilities, and then they travel to an alien planet.
These books are available in softcover and in eBook format.
Six years ago, I began using outlines to develop plots for my books. This tool improved my stories and saved countless hours of self-editing, but I ran into a problem about a year ago.
My plot outline was about a spy ring that the FBI investigated. One day, I realized that what I thought was a solid beginning was actually nonexistent. The problem was that I could not see the big picture. I eventually solved the problem by using Microsoft Visio to visualize and organize the key plot concepts. I called this technique a “pre-outline.” Of course, a person could also use a whiteboard or Post-its, but I am a computer geek. Or, I am saving the world by using less paper. Did you buy that argument? Yeah, me neither. Let’s stick with the computer geek concept.
I begin by condensing the fundamental plot elements into single sentences, then putting them into blocks. I arranged these blocks vertically in two columns. The left column contains the plot, and the right column contains notes, thoughts, subplot topics, and additional details. Then I put the discarded or potential ideas below and moved them up or down as development progressed.
My goal was to see the entire plot in a big picture. With it, I can spot major errors and make massive changes. Once I am satisfied with the pre-outline, I turn it into a three-page outline.
This was not my first approach. Initially, I connected the blocks with lines, gave them different colors, placed them all over the place (non-linearly), and used different shapes to represent types of plot elements. (Like red for decisions.) Another was huge blocks with lots of text. These approaches did not work for my creative process, but I can see this method working for a different plot type (like a mystery) or for another person’s thinking style.
Pre-outlines allowed me to solve another problem. Visualizing the plot at such a high level showed me that my story was too short. So, I added more blocks and made this change with confidence because I could see everything.
What does a pre-outline look like? Here is a super-basic one for the movie Star Wars:
Space battle, princess captured, robots escape with space station plans
Robots captured, find main character on planet
Main character, mentor, pilot escape with robots
Main character convinces the pilot to rescue princess from space station
Rescue succeeds, mentor dies
Use robot-provided plans to make minimalistic space station attack
As you can see, there are no details, and limited grammar, allowing the writer to focus on the fundamental elements. Now that we have this pre-outline, we can introduce more elements, delete elements, and ask questions. Is this realistic? What can I add to make the plot more exciting? Will readers like this? Will a different order of action work better?
Is there a downside? I suppose plots developed from pre-outlines would be more linear and logical. A leads to B, leads to C… I can also see them being less exciting, but not all plots have to be complex. My main goal was to develop a solid story. The secondary goal is to visualize everything rapidly. And the third goal was to evaluate/improve the story.
There is another downside. My pre-outline lacks detail, so I cannot ask questions such as ‘motivation,’ and this is clear in the above Star Wars example. I have learned the hard way to put motivations front and center for my readers.
Do I write articles using pre-outlines? Sort of. I have a list of topics and notes for future articles. I suppose these could be called one- or two-sentence pre-outlines. As I write, I sometimes update them, which refines the subject. Then, when I feel confident about a topic, I write an article. As a result, I avoid undesirable topics, which means you get to see less of the random junk floating in my bonkers head. Everybody wins!
You’re the best -Bill
April 12, 2026
Hey, book lovers, I published five. Please check them out:
Interviewing Immortality. A dramatic first-person psychological thriller that weaves a tale of intrigue, suspense, and self-confrontation.
Pushed to the Edge of Survival. A drama, romance, and science fiction story about two unlikely people surviving a shipwreck and living with the consequences.
Cable Ties. A slow-burning political thriller that reflects the realities of modern intelligence, law enforcement, department cooperation, and international politics.
Saving Immortality. Continuing in the first-person psychological thriller genre, James Kimble searches for his former captor to answer his life’s questions.
Pushed to the Edge of Existence. Just when Kim, Gabe, and Emma’s lives start returning to normal, a mysterious government organization orders them to use their telepathic abilities, and then they travel to an alien planet.
These books are available in softcover and in eBook format.
I have taken a shallow dive into documenting my self-editing process, but never fully exposed all the gory details. This seemed like a fun topic to explore, but some background is necessary. While I have an English minor, I have never taken an editing class or read a book on the subject. Instead, I cobbled together a self-editing method out of necessity.
I was rather proud of the first draft of my first book because I thought the plot was excellent and the writing mechanics were good enough to be accepted by any publisher. (Insert laughter here.) So, I did what other authors have done since the dawn of the written word. I turned to the first page and began self-editing.
I now call my first attempt “reading with a purpose,” but in reality, it was a whack-a-mole game of locating issues and doing my best to correct them. That first pass taught me that my writing skills were profoundly lacking. I know, big surprise.
Still, I soldiered on with pass after pass. Looking back, I made many changes and uncovered glaring issues. A big part of my problem was that while I had a lot of experience writing technical documents, I had zero experience writing for readers looking for a fun book.
I began to understand that my writing was flat (unemotional), too technical, stiff (harsh sentences), and I had enough logic errors to fill a dump truck. This self-editing marathon lasted three solid months until I admitted I needed help. So, I asked my mother to read my book and make suggestions. She was a lifesaver, and her honest comments really shored up my words. This marathon of changes taught me a great deal about my writing problems, and I now understand this was the beginning of a formal self-editing process.
My get-rich-quick plan was to submit my book to a major publishing company, and they would cut me a fat check. However, because of my mother’s input, I felt my work was not good enough and sought out a professional editor. How did I find this person? Yelp. Another great plan. While not the best editor, she made some good corrections, and I accepted them all.
The few professional edits convinced me that I had created a masterpiece. So, I tried submitting my book to publishers and immediately hit a massive wall. I mistakenly assumed that all major publishers, like Simon & Schuster, had a website section for submitting books for review. It turns out that publishers “do not accept unrepresented manuscripts.” Books are called manuscripts. I know that now.
An internet search revealed that to get my book to a publisher, I needed to send it, along with a fee ($2,500+), to a representative, who would read it. Then they would tell me whether they would represent me. Oh yeah, they would get a cut of all future profits. To me, this seemed like a classic scam.
Still, I was ready to pony up the $2,500, but I needed to find a representative who would give me the best chance of success. I asked my editor if she knew any. She did not, but knew somebody who did. Nice!
Enter Bathany. It turns out that she was not a “book representative.” Instead, she was a “self-publisher helper.” I was about to say, “Thanks, but no thanks,” but Bethany explained her service and made a compelling case for self-publishing. It was a more straightforward path with more control and a better chance of success. (I was unaware that it was possible to upload an eBook to companies like Amazon, which would sell it.)
Publishing Partner helps independent authors with a full range of book publishing services, from idea development to production, launch, and
Bethany read my book (she was okay with calling my work a book) and had a bunch of suggestions. A major problem was that my story had a narrow perspective, meaning I did not write for the reader. After thinking it through, I understood the issue and made significant changes. Then the book underwent an intensive edit by a different professional editor; she recommended. This person was excellent, resulting in a tighter story, but the plot remained 95% the same.
I self-published that book, and my next book underwent a similar process. By this point, I had learned about 20% of my writing ticks and mostly how to fix them. This was still difficult because I had not yet established a formal process. Fun side story. Why yes, my first and second books required a second edition to fix glaring mistakes.
By the third book, I was beginning to piece together a formal approach to self-editing. The big change was to make an editing pass with a specific goal. For example, inspect the dialogue. While making this pass, if I spotted a problem, I would fix it.
This third book, while more complicated, followed the same process as the first and second, but this time the self-publishing went more smoothly. Big reveal, it looked more polished and did not need a second edition.
I began my fourth book entirely differently by using an outline. This was a three-page text description of the entire plot, and it took about four months to create. During this time, I identified many issues and strengthened motivation, plot structure, and character biographies.
This prep work radically reduced self-editing time, and the flaws were smaller. In addition, I formalized my self-editing process by creating a list of topics to check on each pass. Plus, I had a new ally in the form of the professional grammar tools Grammarly and ProWritingAid. The self-editing passes had expanded to inspecting scene transitions, character descriptions, dialogue integration, feelings (what is going on inside a character’s head), and scene (non-character) descriptions.
Since that fourth book, my self-editing has improved in quality, but the process has not changed. Yet I have not described what I am doing at a very high level.
To explain, I will describe how I develop products as an electrical engineer. I begin by strictly defining all the design requirements. Then: a block diagram, a formal meeting with all participants to ensure everybody agrees on what is being done, simulation, design, build, testing, final design, and then production. If the customer locates flaws, then a redesign corrects the issues. Of course, there is creativity and inspiration along the way, but my approach is entirely linear.
A few of my coworkers have a different approach, which I call, “If it isn’t broke, fix it.” Meaning, they are endlessly tinkering, which leads to long development times, poor or nonexistent documentation, meandering from initial design goals, endless side projects, failing to listen to advice, not meeting specifications, and a sloppy final product.
What is going on is that these designers cannot help themselves. They try the latest technology to see what it is about, do things because it is fun, or experiment on the company’s dime. Of course, I am guilty of some of this during my career, but I fought my desires by limiting the tinkering to a minimum. From a manager’s perspective, this playtime is incredibly wasteful.
It turns out that this is exactly how I self-edit. I experiment, change sections for no reason, add useless junk, and randomly delete important parts. Sometimes, I have no idea why I made an edit. And other times, I will realize I messed something up, go to an archive copy, and return to the original text.
You might be thinking, “Wait a minute. You said you have a formal process, like making one pass to check the dialogue?” On that pass, I would indeed scrutinize every sentence containing dialogue. My goal would be to make it read as close as possible to how I think actual people (people I have met) would speak my fictional words.
Still, while checking, I would be playing around. A spoken sentence might change form, “That sounds like fun.” to “Brad, you’re correct. That does sound like fun.” or “Cool, let’s do it.” Over the course of all my edits, sentences might get changed ten times. It is an evolving process without exact reasons or methods. Who knows where my mood will take the story?
What am I looking for during a self-edit? My best answer is, “Something out of place.” This is in stark contrast to my engineering mindset, which has established steps. Does this involve right or left-brain thinking? I suppose, but to me the two are entirely different. Engineering is a detailed, though intensive, process that results in tight documentation, while self-editing feels like a fun art project.
Looking back at my first book’s first draft, I was trying to engineer something. What I should have been trying to do was create something for readers to enjoy. And even today, my first drafts often have choppy/frumpy sentences, incomplete thoughts, or things that do not belong. Over the course of many self-edits, I play around with ideas to slowly hone in on something that I think reads well.
Well, you might be asking, “If you were teaching an editing class, would you recommend this method?” No, which requires more explanation. I have always felt that writing should be fun, and my self-editing method is fun for me. I can see that such a chaotic method would not be fun for others, as it takes so much time to clean up a document.
Still, you might be asking, “Is your method better than other authors?” The answer is probably not, but it mostly works for me. And I fully admit that I am in the middle stages of perfecting my craft.
How do other authors self-edit? It turns out I have two secret weapons to explain this: pen-pal authors. We talk often about our process, and I have learned a great deal from both. They have similar self-editing styles, which are very focused efforts to correct a bunch of issues at once. This means they would never make an entire pass to check the dialogue or delete a large section for no reason. Simply put, they edit with great purpose, thinking about every aspect of a sentence at once.
Such techniques would serve as a starting point for a good classroom lecture on successful self-editing. I can see a teacher putting up an example paragraph, reviewing the problems, and editing it in front of the class to show solid solutions and the improvements they make. I imagine such a formal approach would get the job done ten times faster than mine.
While I would likely find this lecture interesting, and really wish I had such a lecture at the beginning of my writing journey, I have gone too far down this path. That is interesting, but where does this leave you?
I have learned that when determining how to do something, it is helpful to look at what multiple people have done in the past. Once I have as much information as possible, I use the methods that work best for me and understand why I am not using the others. So, there is some value in learning about my chaotic method.
Well, now that I have defined my messy process, will writing this article allow me to improve my methods? I think this requires a yes/no kind of answer. I am always learning and looking for new techniques. And overall, my edits are catching more errors, resulting in less self-editing time; meaning the more defined my approach is, the more effective the results are. Yet, I do find myself making more edits for no reason. This likely means I am becoming more creative or making bigger mistakes. Hmm. Maybe I should have self-edited that last sentence.
You’re the best -Bill
April 08, 2026
Hey, book lovers, I published five. Please check them out:
Interviewing Immortality. A dramatic first-person psychological thriller that weaves a tale of intrigue, suspense, and self-confrontation.
Pushed to the Edge of Survival. A drama, romance, and science fiction story about two unlikely people surviving a shipwreck and living with the consequences.
Cable Ties. A slow-burning political thriller that reflects the realities of modern intelligence, law enforcement, department cooperation, and international politics.
Saving Immortality. Continuing in the first-person psychological thriller genre, James Kimble searches for his former captor to answer his life’s questions.
Pushed to the Edge of Existence. Just when Kim, Gabe, and Emma’s lives start returning to normal, a mysterious government organization orders them to use their telepathic abilities, and then they travel to an alien planet.
These books are available in softcover and in eBook format.
