When I work with Claude to help me write, I've developed a voice instruction so there's less line editing to do later: "Master Sergreant Reverend E.B. White with a slightly dark sense of humor, writing a paper for my high school English teacher, Mrs. Cox who is strict about punctuation and founding member of PETOP (People for the Ethical Treatment Of Participles) and she is HIGHLY allergic to "AI-isms" and doesn't carry and epi-pen." It took a lot of practice to find this as a description of my natural writing voice. What might yours be?

I'm on my way to Hopewell, New Jersey today. I took a day off of work to go there. In my novel, Away To The World, there's a pivotal scene that takes place in an old church. The novel is deeply rooted in New Jersey, so I started scouring different towns, using Google Earth, looking for just the right church. What I found is far better than what I wanted. More to come.

Inside a recent thread, I was asked about the pros & cons of both NovelCrafter and AutoCrit, two platforms I spend a lot of time using. Here are my current thoughts. NovelCrafter is a powerful, highly customizable AI-assisted (though this is optional, it's best to have it) novel writing platform tailored for fiction authors. It stands out for its deep world-building capabilities and model flexibility, though it has a steep learning curve and requires some initial technical setup. As a former database geek, my brain works in the style of NovelCrafter. The Codex is a powerful relational database which can supply context at need, with lots of the decisions about what to include in a prompt taken care of by the NC software; you don't have to think about most of this side of prompting, once you've populated your Codex. There are other platforms that can assist the writing side, and some are likely better than NC in this area; but I stay for the Codex. Pros - The Codex: It features a highly advanced, dynamic story bible. You can store character profiles, locations, and lore. The AI uses this to maintain near-perfect continuity and detail consistency across massive, multi-book series. - Model Flexibility (BYOK): Unlike all-in-one tools that lock you into one AI, Novelcrafter uses a "Bring Your Own Key" (BYOK) system. This allows you to connect to platforms like OpenRouter and choose exactly which AI models (such as Claude, ChatGPT, or Gemini) you want to use for outlining versus drafting. - Deep Control: You can completely customize prompts, system instructions, and workflows to match your specific voice and genre. - Cost-Effectiveness: Because you pay separately for the AI models you use, it can be significantly cheaper than fixed-price, credit-based AI platforms—especially if you utilize lighter, cheaper models. Cons - Steep Learning Curve: The interface and the setup process are not for the faint of heart. Learning how to connect API keys, navigate model settings, and organize the Codex can be overwhelming for non-technical beginners. - Setup Friction: You have to do a lot of configuration work and data entry (like populating the Codex) before the AI becomes genuinely useful. If you are importing an existing draft, this setup can feel tedious. One area that must be addressed regularly is customization of prompts and controls in the (back-end) Prompt System. - Requires Separate AI Accounts: You must set up and manage an account on a third-party AI bridge/provider, such as OpenRouter, to connect the AI models. Or, you must bring API keys from specific LLM suppliers, one at a time, and connect them in. (This is true of many other writing platforms, though.) - Output Quality Depends on the Model: Because NC provides the interface rather than the AI itself, the quality of the prose or brainstorming is only as good as the underlying model you choose. Additionally, output quality is sensitive to how sophisticated you populate the Prompt System’s controls and prompts. - Formatting for Publication is Weak: While NC is a powerful writing platform, it is very weak (even bad) as a formatting application for print. You will have to use Word (or equivalent), Atticus, or Vellum (Mac only!) to get a print-ready upload for paper books. It also can’t generate eBook formats, such as the KPF file required for Kindle.

I'm gaining momentum! I booked my first podcast interview. I used to host podcasts, but I knew it wasn't my real calling. I knew I needed to be writing, and if I were going to be on a podcast, it would be as a guest. So that's been the dream. And it's happening! The podcast is called Un-holier Than Thou Podcast. She talks about her journey of deconstructing her Christian faith. We're recording it on Wednesday the 6th, but I don't know her production schedule. I'll keep you posted. A few moments ago, I sent her a podcast host cheat sheet. In it, I included a synopsis of the book, some conversation anchors, places where her listeners can reach me. I also sent her a pdf copy of the book. I attached copies of the documents I sent so you can see how I set it up.

They cook, try new recipes, and share meals with friends — but when it comes to putting that experience into words, they get stuck. They post something online, maybe a recipe or a photo, and then… nothing really happens. No audience, no traction, and definitely no income. What most people don’t realise is that the difference isn’t the food — it’s the writing. When you know how to describe food properly, structure your ideas, and write in a way that actually connects with readers, everything changes. Your content becomes something people want to read, share, and even pay for. That’s exactly what I teach inside my Food Writing Academy — how to turn your love of food into writing that can genuinely make you money.