Here’s what I’m thinking...
Some questions, requests, and updates
This week I want to do a bit of surveying and housekeeping. Hope you don’t mind. I’m in a kind of “transition” period, and I’m trying to make a few decisions and nudge a few things.
First, you might be thrilled to know that I just handed over an edited version of the book I’m doing with JD Barker. We’re not ready to do any reveals or announcements yet—and heck, there may be more edits ahead. Such is the process. But I thought you might be interested on a sort of update about it.
I’ll tell you straight up, I have never put as much time or effort into a book as I have this one. All my books get special care, and I have always done my best with every one of them. It’s just that “my best” gets a bit of an upgrade with each book, too. Every book benefits from what I learned writing the last one.
I’ve always been an “experimenter” with my writing. In the early days, experimented mostly with finding ways to write more, write faster. I got the first draft down to 30 days, then 15, then an alarming and stroke-inducing 1. Then, comfortably, back up to 15 or so.
I’ve experimented as well with styles, formatting, plotting. Just yesterday a reader asked me about my decision to switch from using italics for the voices in Jaylin’s head, in my book Evergreen, to using [brackets] instead, in the sequel, Evergreen: Trace Contact. My answer was that in the nearly ten years between books, I became very particular about how and when I use italics. And I felt that the brackets helped set those inner dialogues apart better, made them stand out more as dialogue. Plus, I rarely get to use [brackets.]
The book with JD has some experiments, too. It’s the first time I’ve used a scene number technique, for instance, that I picked up from John Grisham. It’s the first time I’ve treated scenes like quick, mini chapters. I have to say, it was a very good experience, and one I’m carrying forward in future books. It was useful, organized, clean, and gave me a lot of flexibility I usually lack. Successful test.
This book is also longer than my usual. Currently, it’s around 119K words, which I think is at the upper limit of what most thriller and/or science fiction novels tend to be. I have no idea if I’ll be asked to cut it down, but I don’t think we should. The story is tight, from my perspective, and it’s meant to feel “epic.” I think that warrants a longer word count than my usual.
For perspective, most of my novels come in around 80K.
Frankly, I’m often asked for more writing, and no one has ever complained that my books were too long. So I think it’s going to be fine. We’ll see.
But that brings me to my first “survey” question:
As a reader, are you comfortable reading a thriller and/or sci-fi novel that is around 350 to 400 pages long?
The second thing that I’m kind of tinkering with and thinking over is the idea of “slowing down.”
I spent a lot of time on this book. Far more than I have on previous books, excepting the first three or four I ever wrote. Those took years, but only because I kept writing them in fits and starts. This particular book has taken, all told, about six months. That includes a couple of months to do the outline (which took too long... I was learning and figuring that part out, and I can do that much faster now), about three months to write the draft, and another couple of months (total) to do two rounds of rewrites and edits. Like the outlining, I think that now that I’ve got one of these under my belt, I can move much faster in the future. I’m less anxious and worried about it all now.
But this process is so much slower than the way I’ve run my career to date. Spending months on a book is not only very different from my “book a month” process before, it also means I’m writing fewer books in a year.
That’s kind of an issue, when my income currently depends on all that “laying the track before the train.” My book revenue has taken a hit this past year, because I haven’t published as often as I have in the past.
I’m basically gambling on the idea that this book is going to boost reader discoverability, leading new readers to my existing back catalog. If that happens, then I’ll recoup revenue “on the back end,” as they say.
I want that. Because it will mean that I can slow my pace and write fewer books per year, while still paying the mortgage and (BONUS) getting to eat, while also maintaining a certain level of piece of mind and tranquility. I can rest, rather than burning myself out in a near-continuous process of production.
I have a new dream, in other words. I want to be an author on the level of Dan Brown or John Grisham. I want the option of putting out a book maybe once a year, and still make a good living.
Here’s the thing, though... I know me. And I know that I’d never be happy just chunking out one book a year and dozing through the rest of the time. I’m not a big fan of idleness, on beaches or otherwise. I write, because it’s a big, huge part of who I am. And I write every single day. It’s not work. It’s joy.
So I won’t be putting out merely one book per year. I just want the option of it, so that I can take a more relaxed pace. So I can maintain my sanity. So I can rest, now and then.
Until I reach the level where fewer books still brings in the same or better revenue than dozens of books, though, I still have to eat (science tells me).
So what to do?
I have some favors to ask...
The solution I’m kicking around involves you. I’m thinking that if you can help me with a few things, it will keep the lights on. And there are several ways you can do this:
Buy my books - What a given. But if you haven’t bought one already, or if there are others you’ve been on the fence about, this would definitely be helpful. And I will definitely be grateful. Find a book to love at KevinTumlinson.com/books
Tell a friend - Word of mouth is the best kind of advertising. Trust me, I’ve been a “marketing guy” most of my career. And the best kind of word of mouth comes from people who read and love the books. So if you’ve read something you love, please tell your friends and family about it. Send them to that book on Amazon or elsewhere. Or send them to my website.
Tell the world - I don’t ask for this enough. But reviews are a vital part of author outreach. A positive view on Amazon, Goodreads, and other sites will help new readers find me. So, if you’ve read one of my books, and if you loved it, please leave a review!
Become a paid subscriber - Substack is my digital home. I have a website, and I love it. But here on Substack, I get to actually meet and hang out with you. We can have conversations. We can get to know each other. I will always post free content here (just like this, and all the other essays and posts you’ll find at kevintumlinson.substack.com). But I also offer a paid subscription option. If you’re able and willing, you can become a paid subscriber by clicking the button below.
And that brings me to my next survey questions....
When I first started posting to Substack, I did another little experiment. I did a bit of “live writing,” wherein I wrote a novella in chapters, posting one chapter a week. I put this behind the pay wall, meaning you could only read it (at that time) if you were a paid subscriber.
I got a pretty good response on that. And the results was my novella, God Mode. Comments were good. People liked it. Some people didn’t like having to wait for installments (even if they were just a week), and/or didn’t like the serialized story approach. But mostly, everyone seemed energized by that.
So here are some more questions:
Would you like me to start posting more fiction on Substack?
Would you be inclined to pay for a subscription if it gave you early access to stories, novellas, or possibly even full-length novels I’m writing?
Would you prefer I post only completed works, or would you want to see me post writing “in progress,” possibly with typos and other things that would come out in the final product?
I’m thinking that I’d enjoy doing this, but I have some caveats.
I likely won’t “live write” full novels, if I’m honest. I want more control over the work than I’d get if it were out in the wild in any form. But I might be willing to pre-release a novel in Substack, either in an edited serialized form, or in once the manuscript is complete. What would you think of that? (Unofficial fifth question).
I don’t think I could promise and adhere to a consistent schedule. As in, I don’t think I could make a promise like “every week I’ll post a story.” Or even “every month.” Because there are other demands on me, as a novelist, that would require me to let some things slide a little as I get a book ready for release. So the best I could promise is that I would post content behind the pay wall “often.”
I’m considering posting things that are not stories there, as well. Maybe behind the scenes looks at stuff—some of my research, maybe some interviews with characters (people loved when I did this a couple of years ago), even some exclusive interviews with me, in video or audio or written formats. I might include other fun things, like original music tracks, special artwork you can use, stuff like that. I may use this as an excuse to get really creative with what I’m offering you.
What do you think of that? Would the justify paying for a subscription?
Let me know in the comments. Or, if you’re reading this in your email inbox, feel free to reply.
That’s it. That’s what’s on my mind right now. I’ve got a lot of stuff brewing, some changes coming, etc. But for the most part, what I’m doing is gearing up to shift the way I handle my writing career. I want to take you with me on this. So, let me know. And thank you, thank you, for your help, your support, your kind words.
We’re in the dream together.
A NOTE AT THE END
I’ve gotten some questions, and I anticipate more. So here are a few, and their answers:
Will there be more Dan Kotler/Alex Kayne/Historic Crimes books? Yes. I already have some in mind, and have even started on a couple . They just may come slower than some people want. And, in the meantime, I intend to write a lot more standalone books as well.
When will your book with JD Barker come out? I’ll let you know as soon as we decide on a release date, I promise! All the details—title reveal, cover reveal, description, and whatever else we come up with—you’ll be among the first to get it all.
Will I have to pay for a subscription to keep getting these Substack posts? Never. I’ll keep posting content for free forever. I’m just planning to add some content that will make it a bit more worthwhile for readers who do pay to subscribe.
If I don’t pay for a subscription, does that mean I’ll miss out on all that stuff? Maybe some of it. But never the stories. If I write a short story, novella, or novel behind the paywall, I’ll eventually publish that somewhere that you can get your hands on it, too. Being a paid subscriber just means early access. Whatever ends up being “exclusive” will tend to be stuff I just don’t want floating around for free. But honestly... I tend to end up giving away everything eventually.
“Why should I pay for content when I already buy your very expensive books?” I put that in quotes because I had someone ask me that. So my answer is, you shouldn’t. Please don’t. If paying for a subscription puts any kind of financial burden on you, it’s not what I want. It’s just a way to show some support and help me make a living between books. It’s not mandatory, and it’s not a demand. I’d rather you come back every week and read my free newsletter and essay stuff than get mad and huff off because I asked for a little help. So don’t worry about it. Do what you feel led to do, and we’re going to get along fine.
I think that’s it, for now.
I really appreciate you coming this far, and I am both honored and humbled by those of you who already support me in any or all of these ways. Thank you. I’m so grateful. God put it on my heart that I am a novelist, and that’s the life I live. Without you, there is none of that. So I’m grateful to you.
So, as to requested comments and to (other) comments.
Yes, I am quite comfortable in reading a book in the range of 350 to 400 pages. Further, I actually enjoy that length. Why? Simply put, there are a LOT of books out there, some of them quite good, some moderately okay and, well, the others. When I get into a really good book, I don't want it to end too, too quickly because I then have to find another book and, very likely, I will get the lesser quality. So, if it is good, length (assuming it is not padded and then it won't be good, right?) is not at all a problem.
Oh, and I have been in the thriller genre for decades; I read very little sf these days.
You mention writing a novella in chapters, including behind a pay wall. It is my recollection (only from reading about it, not from first hand experience!) that, essentially, that is the way that authors such as Dickens made their living in newspaper serializations. Therefore, what you suggest is simply an update of Dickens; not bad company, eh?
I MIGHT be interested in paying for a subscription. Why the hesitation? Truthfully, I have absolutely too many subscriptions now and I am trying to cut back as I am a) spreading myself too thinly (a mile wide and an inch deep, you know) and not reading all my existing subscriptions; and b) as a retiree, the bucks are a bit of an issue. Having said that, yeah, I would think about placing you in the "rotation" in place of "X".
Hmmm .... reading WIP (sorry, as a retired accountant, that is how I have for decades referred to Work in Progress, which was how we recorded the value of time expended before billing) vs. final product. Truthfully, that is an interesting thought but having never seen a writer's raw WIP I don't know what to say. I can imagine that it provides a perspective on how one writes but after that .... ? I just don't know. All I can say is you should probably try it. I may like it, I may not but nothing ventured, nothing gained as they say.
Here is a thought ... if you are going to go forward with that, perhaps think of a website where the WIP is accessed through a button for WIP and the finished product is a different button. How one does that with a blog I don't know but perhaps there are ways ... buttons in the blog taking one to different sections of your website?
And yet another thought. You mention that you are considering longer form fiction that might take longer to write. You further mention that you might drop back to, say, one "longer" book a year but you are simply compelled to write so that could be a problem.
[Irrelevant sidebar: I am a retired accountant and when active I had many artists as clients, including artists who taught art for a living. From time to time I was asked to speak to classes about the Business of Art and what that meant for taxes, record keeping, etc. I always started those talks by acknowledging that they (the students) weren't doing the art simply as a hobby or for fun but that they were compelled to COMMIT art (an intentional verb). I expect that you are the same about writing.]
Back to the prior, prior paragraph. Do the "big thing" and become known for the "big thing" but also publish [sorry!] "little things" on a regular basis. So, the "big thing" would be published as one would normally do so but think of the "little things" as a separate imprint, such as "J. Kevin Tumlinson Quick Hits" or some such.
The concept of publishing research and "interviews" is, to me, quite interesting. First off, in a thriller, it seems to me that there is simply a great deal of background that one need to understand to write anything. So, a book might reference something (oh, a weapon or a way of travelling or how the military is organized or how the bad guys get across international borders) that is often summarized very quickly in the book but takes a great deal of background. Further, the characters require a certain amount of fleshing out in the novel but only enough to move the plot. By contrast, an interview allows that character to "speak" about so much; in fact, you might find that that character is SO interesting that it is deserving of a series of it's own. Put yet again differently, you may as well get paid for those hours you put in when doing so much prep work, so monetize that work in your blog.
I mentioned above that I was a retired accountant who had many artists as clients. All sorts of artists, ceramics, sculptors, oil paints, watercolorists, installations, writers and so forth. I learned that there were just a myriad of arts and artists. What I also learned was that I was tremendously envious of their creative minds and I further learned that I just did not have that spark of creativity; I was perpetually impressed / depressed (simultaneously, to be sure) at a) their creativity and b) my lack of creativity so I simply accepted my failings and concentrated on enjoying their skills and incredible vision. That is a long way of saying that in my retirement years I would have enjoyed trying my hand at writing but that is simply not a realistic project for me so I take great joy in reading the skill of others, for example, that fine "creationist" J. Kevin Tumlinson.
Busy Dutch woman that I am (reading wise) :), I have only read The Lucid (it’s on my Thacker pile) and your free Dan Kotler so far. Loved them both though,so I’ll buy the first Dan Kotler novel today.
I like getting to read novels while in progress. My best friend is a novelist and I proofread for him, from first drafts to final drafts.
I can handle any form:)