Sep 24, 2024
A.I., or LLMs, are probably here to stay and are going to have a massive impact on publishing and most other industries. Tech companies are investing enormous sums of money and once beloved events are putting their feet in it and losing the goodwill of people who once loved them. The technology is advancing at an impressive rate and in a short time, what we have now is going to feel like a child’s toy. So now seems like a good time to have opinions about this stuff.
First off, given the number of generated images on this website, you might assume that I’m all in on A.I. It’s a fair guess given the evidence, and when I did all of it, I probably assumed I would be too. But that turns out not to be the case and one thing I’m going to be doing during my writing challenge is removing all A.I. generated content from my website. So stake in the ground time: I am not in favour of A.I. generated content.
When GPT 4 was released, I tried it out, made some things, and it was fun. I made images of characters I was writing about, made the headers and logos on the website, I even tried using it to write some stories and that was… interesting. It certainly boosted “my” word count to new heights, but it wasn’t fun. Sure, I could look at it and congratulate myself for “writing” so much, but it didn’t feel like writing and that’s a problem when the main reason I have always had for writing is because I enjoy it.
It was easy enough to make that decision for myself and my work: there will be no A.I. because it detracts from my enjoyment of writing. It gets a lot more difficult to draw lines around using it for other things.
A.I. Generated Images
This falls into (at least) two categories:
- Images I generate myself
- Images other people generate
It’s easier to say that I will not generate images myself and instead hire artists to do it. But what if they use A.I. generated images? Am I going to tell an artist what they can and can’t do?
The Quality Conundrum
As things currently stand, it’s relatively simple to point out a piece of writing or artwork that has been generated by A.I. They have a look about them. But we are in the infancy of these new tools and it seems reasonable to expect that one day the content created by A.I. will be indistinguishable from work created by a human. What happens then?
One day I think it will be possible for a reader to go on Amazon and type in things they like in a story and have a unique book generated for them that ticks all those boxes. It will be their ideal book and no human will have been involved. I think they will enjoy that book.
The same will probably be true of films and other mediums.
Trying to prevent that future feels like attempting to stand in front of a tidal wave and barely factors into my decision making now. Apart from the fact I’ve decided that I don’t want to ride that wave. It seems inevitable, but that doesn’t mean I have to contribute to it.
There are a lot of things that I can’t prevent that I choose not to take part in. This is just another one to add to that long list.
What my decision really comes down to is my enjoyment of the writing process. I don’t have any illusions about success. The only thing I am entitled to is the work, and with that in mind, shouldn’t I want to make the work as enjoyable as possible?
What it comes down to
With writing I have decided not to use A.I. because I enjoy the process less when doing so. With other forms of A.I. I have decided not to use it because I have decided I don’t want to contribute to the inevitable future where a shared culture no longer exists.
Sep 23, 2024
It has been over three years since I last published a new story. Everything I’ve published in the last few years has either been a re-release of an existing story, or something that I had finished previously. I finished my most recent release, The Long Winter, over ten years ago.
I haven’t really stopped writing during that time and maybe a couple of things got as far as a finished first draft, but nothing went further and most things didn’t even get that far. I made plans, worked on projects, even wrote about some of them here, but nothing progressed, nothing actually got finished.
There are reasons for this. It has been an incredibly difficult few years for our family, but not finishing stories has been bugging me. I don’t like it. I don’t really feel like I’m living if I’m not writing, and as I have come to realise that I’m not finishing what I’m starting, it’s become increasingly difficult to convince myself it’s a good idea to start a story.
Which is where this challenge comes in.
Over the next year, I am going to write 52 short stories and publish them all. That’s one short story a week.
Which is a bit of an over-simplification of what I’m planning, but I’ll get to that in a minute. Effectively, what I am going to do is spend an entire year finishing stories. That is what I want to get out of this challenge; to return to being the type of person who finishes the stories I start.
The slightly longer version of the challenge is that I am basing this on the average short story being around 5,000 words long, so my daily challenge will actually be to write 1,000 words. That gives me 2,000 extra words a week for stories that require more space. There are a few other things involved as well, like editing, designing covers, formatting, etc., which I have accounted for so that I can publish an average of 5,000 words every week.
Normally I release books on all platforms, but for the sake of this challenge, I am going to be releasing on Kindle Unlimited. Later on, when I put them into collections, I will release wide, or if I change my mind during the challenge.
Another element of this challenge is accountability. That is why you are going to see a lot more blog posts from me. I am going to be writing here every day, even if it is only to let you know what my word count for the day is. Although, hopefully I can add a bit more than that!
The fiction part of the challenge kicks off next Monday (30th September). The blogging starts now as I put things in place and get ready. I’m looking forward to getting started and to finally getting over the hurdle of finishing what I start.
May 2, 2024
The whole reason I started writing stories is because it is fun. Little five year old James laying on the floor with his Ghostbuster’s notebook and pencil wasn’t making up stories because he wanted to make money, run a business, post about it on social media and all the other stuff that comes along with being an independent author. The only reason that little guy did anything was because he thought it was fun.
It’s easy to lose sight of that, and I’m certainly guilty of doing so, from time to time. I get so focused on the metrics, on fine tuning my processes, on being as productive as possible that I forget the simple pleasure of sitting down and making up a story out of thin air.
When that happens, you inevitably get bogged down, the whole thing starts to feel like a slog, like hard work. Which I think comes through in the story. If I’m not enjoying writing it, is anyone going to enjoy reading it? I can’t see how they would.
I started writing because it was fun, and most days it still is fun, but I need to get better at recognising when I’m sliding into not fun and do what I can to pull myself out of it. There’s no point writing if you don’t enjoy it.
I’m sure there are other things that we started off doing because they were fun, but turned them into hard work. I don’t know why. Part of me wants to blame it on the culture of side hustles and the nature of capitalism, but I don’t think that’s all there is to it. Maybe people are just wired this way?
Apr 30, 2024
It’s been a while since I last posted here and a lot has changed. Well, maybe not that much, but it feels like a lot. Enough that it’s going to change the way I’m approaching blogging, and writing in general (but more on that another time).
I finished working at Verizon in June last year, after 14 years with the same company. Since then I’ve been writing and doing a few other things. As of tomorrow I am once again employed and that’s going to take some adjustment. It’s a part-time role which suits me because I can carry on taking Oscar to and from school, and still have time to write and publish.
Even working part time, I’m going to have less time to spend on writing and publishing though, so why am I back to blogging, you might ask. Well, the simple answer is that I like writing here, and that’s a good enough reason. But it’s also because, while not having traditional employment, my time became sprawling. Things that I used to be able to do in a couple of hours took whole days. Returning to blogging feels like a way of fighting against that tendency.
While I’ve been away from blogging I have also been thinking about my upcoming writing projects and there are going to be some changes there. All for the better, I think.
Anyway, just wanted to check in and let you know what’s going on. I’ll be posting more regularly going forward so you shouldn’t have to wait so long for my next post.
Feb 21, 2024
I have always enjoyed super hero stories. One of the first films I remember seeing at the cinema was Tim Burton’s Batman, and as you can probably tell if you’ve been reading this blog for a while, I am a big fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Although super heroes originated in comic books, I have never been a big reader of them. I have tried a few times in the past, but it has never really clicked. I’m not sure why. For me, the best place to enjoy these stories is at the cinema or on television.
Last night, Tamzin and I watched the first few episodes of Extraordinary. It’s a comedy series, but not in the way I have seen comedy heroes done in the past. Most of the time, the superpowers aren’t played for laughs, but are taken seriously. The comedy comes from the characters.
The closest thing I can think to compare it to is Discworld, a fantasy comedy that still takes the world it has created seriously. Being in such rarified company suggests this isn’t a straightforward thing to do, and it got me thinking about my writing and whether I could manage something like that.
It also got me thinking about another super hero film we watched recently: The Marvels.
The Marvels got a lot of hate online, but we both really enjoyed it. Same with Thor Love and Thunder, which I would put as one of my favorite films in the MCU. But many people didn’t like them and it makes me think some people take these films too seriously. They are, after all, about people wearing costumes fighting crime. There has to be an element of fun in that.
But I think a lot of it is down to setting people’s expectations. And I think that’s an important lesson to take away from them for my writing. A show like Extraordinary is no less silly than Captain Marvel visiting a planet where they communicate by singing, but it was established in the very first scene that Extraordinary was a comedy, whereas The Marvels and Thor have dozens of films set in the same continuity establishing a very serious tone.
That’s what I’m taking away from this: set the tone quickly and make sure it is maintained.
Feb 19, 2024
In the shadows of our world, an unseen battle rages.
Night Hunter is a new series where the ordinary meets the extraordinary. Follow Thomas Shaw, agent of Dawnfire, as he delves into the unknown along with his brilliant field techs, Owen and Kimberly.
Together, they stand on the frontline, a barrier against the encroaching darkness. From the bustling streets of London, to the whispering echoes of the Otherhalf, they confront what others dare not even dream. Night Hunter weaves a tale of courage, mystery, and the unbreakable mission to protect at any cost.
Stay tuned. The veil is about to be lifted, revealing a worlds where magic pulses in the heart of the mundane.
Night Hunter, where every shadow tells a story, and every light casts a legend.
Coming Soon.
Feb 16, 2024
At the start of the year, I gave a little tease about the upcoming releases and in the weeks since then I have been thinking and planning and have a better idea of what is coming up over the next few months.
- Night Hunter Books 1-3: I am currently editing this series. It is set in the present day and follows a man called Thomas Shaw, who works for an organization called Dawnfire, which is charged with protecting people from paranormal threats.
- Shadow Walker Books 1-3: A trilogy set in the Victorian era of the same world. It follows detective Graham Kable as he searches for his missing daughter. This was previously published as four books under the name Blood Hound, but it will undergo a massive re-edit to bring it into line with the other books in the series.
- Night Watch Books 1 & 2: A new ongoing series that is set in the Victorian era after the events of Shadow Walker. The first book in the series was already published under the title Terror of the Thames, but will undergo a big re-edit. The second book hasn’t previously been released, but I can tell you it’s about zombies.
- Jessica Books 1-3: A brand new series, set in the modern era of the world. I am about halfway through the first book in the series. I’m really excited about this one.
That is the next eleven books that I will be publishing. Of those, seven have never been released in any form, and three of them are still being written. They are all set in the same world, at different points in time. It’s a world that I have been thinking about and planning for about twenty-years and I’m really looking forward to getting these all finished so people can start reading them.
In addition to those releases, there are also a few short stories that will come out, which are set in the same continuity.
I don’t want to lean too heavily into the Marvel Studio nature of this, although there are lessons to be learned there on how to market these stories. Having said that, this is what I would consider Phase One of the world. I have plans for where it goes next, but at the moment I am focused on making these the best stories that I can.
Feb 12, 2024
At the start of the year, I made a plan to read 75 books in 2024. It started off very well, but lately I’ve been struggling a bit and I had to sit down and think about whether this was really something I could do, or, more precisely, whether I should do it.
Here’s the thing: I love to read, but I am starting up a business and that takes a lot of time. When I sat down and worked it out, reading 75 books a year would take about an hour and a half of reading every day. Longer, if I wanted to listen to audiobooks as part of that. That’s around 10% of my total waking time spent reading, more if you take out the essential things that I have to do every day, whether or not I want to. Then it’s more like 70% of the time I have on any given day.
I’m not quite ready to give up on the goal, but it’s looking less doable now, because some of the time I have remaining after doing all the things I need to do each day might be better spent on things that could directly benefit my business, like writing a blog post, and fixing up my website.
75 books in a year was always an ambitious target for me. Currently, I am on track to read more like 52 books, which is still a book a week and much better than I managed in the last few years.
Feb 8, 2024
My latest book, The Long Winter, is available now on Kindle (Unlimited) and as a paperback.
Amazon US | Amazon UK
In the heart of a relentless winter, where the snow never ceases to fall and the cold grips the soul, lies a story of survival, hope, and unexpected guardianship. The Long Winter unveils a world transformed by an apocalyptic freeze, a world where humanity is tested to its limits.
Nick, a solitary figure hardened by the icy wasteland, has learned to navigate this frozen world with resilience and quiet resolve. His life of isolation is upended when fate leads him to Lisa and Mark, two children left orphaned in the merciless wilderness. As their reluctant guardian, Nick finds himself drawn into a role he never sought but now cannot abandon.
Tranquility is short-lived. When the children vanish into the vast, white expanse, Nick is thrust into a harrowing journey across the snowbound wilderness. The search becomes more than a mission; it is a voyage of discovery and redemption, pushing him to confront his own demons and the haunting specters of a world lost to ice.
The Long Winter is a tale of survival, the power of human connection, and the resilience of the heart. In this bleak and beautiful wasteland, each step is a testament to the enduring human spirit, and every breath a defiance of the cold silence that seeks to smother hope.
Jan 23, 2024
My latest post-apocalyptic book The Long Winter is available to pre-order now.
As I mentioned yesterday, this is going to be an Amazon exclusive for at least the first 90 days. If you are on Kindle Unlimited then you can read the book as part of your monthly subscription. It is also available to buy on Kindle and as a paperback.
Amazon US
Amazon UK
