In the month since I released my second book I have realised something.

I was afraid of hard work after releasing my first book.

I know why, it was because I read advice online, watched videos that said and repeated the message that a book on its own is nothing, that an author must have a brand, must have multiple novels out under their name before they try to launch a “media barrage” (my term) into the universe.

I’m not saying that’s a crock of shit, but I did buy into it because I’m inherently lazy, and the idea of having to work at selling myself online seemed unseemly to me. It may be a surprise to some who know me personally, but I hate talking about myself publicly, and the idea of selling my work, and by extension myself, was essentially abhorrent to me.

Despite my feelings on the matter I have blogged for a number of years, because it was supposed to help. New research indicates that may not be the case. You may imagine I’d heave a huge sigh of relief. I’m a contradictory soul, so I was sad. I’ve acquired a certain level of comfort with this level of self-exposure. I will continue to blog, but it will stop being the focus of this site. Eventually.

The real change in perspective with The Killer and The Dead’s release is that writing, and the business of writing, has become my second job. I don’t want writing to be a hobby. It has never felt like a hobby, it has always been a necessity, oftentimes neglected to my own detriment. I never wanted it to be a job, because jobs suck, and writing let me soar away from the mundane.

But the new truth is that having two books to manage, to sell and advertise, is a job. I’m not doing a great job at that right now, because I am finally, and reluctantly, learning how to do that better. With one book out I did look like a hobbyist. With two out I have to shed that image, because I want to write three and four and five books more, to release old books with merit, to experiment with short form for mailing lists and potential collections. In short, I want to be what I have always yearned to be. A professional writer.

I’ve always been a writer. Professional is the difference. It has been a long road for me to come to this realisation, to acknowledge that dreams can coexist with hard work. For a long time I just wanted writing to be a first draft. Then I learned about the publishing process. Then I learned about editing a text to death. Now I am learning that writing is only a fraction of what I must do. I’m not a fan of this new (again reluctantly) aquired knowldege, but I cannot ignore it.

So, changes are coming to this site, and to my output. This is now a work in progress. I thank everyone who has stopped in over the years, I will still blog for you, and myself, but changes need to be made, and I need to learn how to make them. I hope to see you down the road.