I learned to let characters write the story through X-Files fan fiction, but the real breakthrough came with Leila—a complex figure I crafted to rewrite a plot I hated. My trick? Work backward from the plot to uncover who they are and why they matter. Here’s how I turned a fandom spark into a universe of my own.

In this blog post, I share my lifelong dream of becoming a famous author, a passion I’ve held since I was five. I trace my journey from childhood writing to facing the brutal realities of today’s publishing world. Once, traditional publishing offered a challenging but possible path; now, self-publishing is flooded with mediocre books, and readers’ attention spans have dwindled. I confront the stigma of being an indie author, the compromises of traditional routes, and how technology has shattered my hopes, leaving me—a middle-aged writer—wondering where I fit in a market that no longer seems to value my craft.

Writer’s block has haunted me more times than I’d like to admit—a struggle I see echoed across Twitter by authors everywhere. From losing my spark after David Bowie’s death to finding it again through a chance meeting with an actor, I’ve learned there’s no quick fix. For me, it’s all about waiting for the muse to return, whether sparked by a photograph or time itself. My journey from stalled creativity to finishing novels like Birthright: Acquisition (on sale now) proves it: time heals writer’s block, even if forcing it only leads to trash I can’t stand.

In a raw and candid blog post, I lay bare the brutal truth about the publishing industry, where who you know and how you sell yourself often outweigh the quality of your craft. After years of fruitless networking, blogging, and social media efforts, I’m left despairing at my lack of readership and the rising flood of AI-generated books in a world where attention spans are shrinking fast.