It’s been a busy couple of weeks, and I figured it was about time to share a little of what’s been happening behind the scenes.
For those who haven’t noticed, I’ve officially dusted off my Patreon after letting it collect cobwebs for the better part of two years. I originally stepped away because I wanted to find a way to offer similar content through a platform I had more control over. Unfortunately, despite spending quite a bit of time exploring my options, I haven’t found a solution that does everything I need it to do.
So, here we are. Back on Patreon.
I’m not going to pretend that picking up where I left off is going to be easy. I’ve got an audience to rebuild, a posting schedule to maintain, and a considerable amount of work ahead of me if I want to turn this into something sustainable. But we all have to start somewhere, and sometimes starting over is simply part of the process.
The good news is that we’re already making progress! We’ve picked up a handful of new subscribers, and I’m slowly getting back into the rhythm of sharing content regularly.
More importantly, I’ve got a pretty good idea of what I want this Patreon to become. I want it to be a place where readers can follow the development of my stories, aspiring authors can learn a thing or two about the craft, and supporters can get a closer look at what actually goes into creating the books and comics I work on.
And because I believe in putting my money where my mouth is, pretty much all the additional income I earn through Patreon goes straight back into paying the artists and editors who help bring these projects to life.
So, if you’ve been looking for a way to support my independent work, my Patreon is where I’d encourage you to start. There are free posts available, along with paid memberships starting at just $3 a month.
Now, with that little announcement out of the way, let’s talk about what I’ve been working on!
Writing Craft: Giving Your Characters a Voice
One of the things I’m particularly excited about bringing back is my writing craft content.
I’ve spent years working as an author and editor, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that there are a lot of aspiring writers out there who could benefit from practical advice that doesn’t require them to wade through a mountain of academic terminology.
This past week, I published an article about developing distinct character voices through syntax, diction, and vernacular.
Essentially, we’re talking about how to make your characters sound like individuals rather than having every conversation feel like the author is talking to themselves.
I also explored how body language, prose, and word choice can reinforce characterization without requiring the narrator to explain every little detail about someone’s personality.
It’s a subject I genuinely enjoy discussing because dialogue is one of the most effective tools we have for developing characters, and it’s something that can make an enormous difference in how readers experience a story.
The article is available on Patreon, and paid subscribers can also access accompanying worksheets and exercises to help apply those techniques to their own writing.
I’m planning to continue publishing writing craft articles regularly, so if you’re an aspiring author or simply enjoy learning more about storytelling, there should be plenty to keep you entertained.
Behind the Scenes: The Hero’s Craft and Dirty Deeds
Another major focus of my Patreon relaunch is giving readers a closer look at the projects I’m developing.
One of those projects is a writing craft book called The Hero’s Craft, which takes a practical look at what it actually means to become an author.
And because I apparently enjoy making questionable first impressions, I’ve decided to open the book by trying to convince readers not to become writers.
Yes, seriously.
The reality is that writing a book is difficult. It’s time-consuming, frustrating, and occasionally makes you question your life choices. There’s also a considerable difference between enjoying the idea of being an author and enjoying the work required to become one.
I think aspiring writers deserve to understand that distinction before they invest years of their lives pursuing the dream.
Naturally, I’ve approached the subject with a healthy dose of humor, because if we can’t laugh at the absurdities of our chosen profession, we’re probably going to have a pretty miserable time.
I shared an excerpt from the opening chapter this week, and there will be more previews as the manuscript develops.
On the comic book side of things, I’ve also been sharing some new artwork featuring characters from Dirty Deeds.
This week, that included a work-in-progress illustration of Sulia and Rin’lyn by Keenan.
I have a particular fondness for these two characters, and I love seeing how different artists interpret their personalities and relationships. There’s something special about watching a character who has spent so much time living in your imagination take shape on the page.
These are the kinds of behind-the-scenes moments I want to share more frequently, especially as I continue developing my independent projects.
A Little Friendly Competition: Fight Night Friday
I’ve also started experimenting with some more interactive content.
One of the recurring features is Fight Night Friday, where I pit fictional characters against one another and invite readers to debate who would win.
This week’s matchup featured Sulia and Rin’lyn from Dirty Deeds.
It’s an interesting pairing because both characters have very different strengths, and the outcome isn’t necessarily as straightforward as it might seem.
I enjoy these discussions because they encourage people to think about characters beyond their surface-level abilities. Strategy, personality, experience, and even emotional state can influence how a confrontation plays out.
Plus, sometimes it’s just fun to argue about which fictional character could beat up another fictional character.
I’m hoping to make this a regular feature, and there are plenty of interesting matchups I’d like to explore in the future.
New Fiction: Dirty Deeds: Outlaw Hearts
Of course, it wouldn’t be much of an author update if I didn’t talk about the actual fiction.
One of the biggest projects I’m currently sharing through Patreon is Dirty Deeds: Outlaw Hearts, a serialized science fiction story that bridges the events between Dirty Deeds: Jail Break and the first Dirty Deeds graphic novel.
The story follows the crew as they learn how to function together while navigating a galaxy filled with people who would just as happily hire them as kill them.
Chapter Two went up this week, and this installment focuses on Sulia.
I particularly enjoyed writing this chapter because it allowed me to explore some of the military culture surrounding her character, especially the complicated experience of entering a situation where your reputation has already preceded you.
There’s also a fair amount of interpersonal tension, which is always entertaining to write when you’re dealing with characters who have strong personalities and very different perspectives.
I’m publishing chapters through Patreon, giving subscribers an opportunity to follow the story as it unfolds.
For readers who enjoy science fiction, morally complicated characters, and the occasional questionable decision made in the name of survival, this is definitely something you’ll want to check out.
The Author’s Desk: Because Being an Author Is Weird
One of the other features I’ve introduced is something I’m calling The Author’s Desk.
Unlike my writing craft articles, which are designed to teach specific techniques, The Author’s Desk is a place where I can talk more openly about the experience of working in the publishing industry.
Sometimes that means discussing the business side of writing. Other times, it means sharing lessons I’ve learned through experience, frustrations with the current publishing climate, or the occasional absurd situation that makes me wonder how I ended up in this profession.
I’ve worked on enough projects over the years to know that the creative side of publishing is only one part of the equation. There’s also marketing, budgeting, scheduling, managing relationships, and figuring out how to keep moving forward when things don’t go according to plan.
And believe me, things rarely go according to plan.
I want The Author’s Desk to be a place where I can discuss those realities without feeling obligated to package every experience into a neat little lesson.
Sometimes, I just want to talk about what it’s like to do this for a living.
So, What’s Next?
At the moment, my biggest priority is consistency.
I’ve spent the first couple of weeks getting back into the habit of publishing regularly, experimenting with different types of content, and figuring out what people actually want to see.
There’s still a lot of work to do.
I’m under no illusion that reopening a Patreon after two years of inactivity is going to magically produce a thriving community overnight. Building something worthwhile takes time, and rebuilding something you’ve neglected can be even more challenging.
But I also believe that if you want something to succeed, you have to be willing to put in the work before you see the results.
That’s true of writing books, building businesses, developing creative projects, and pretty much everything else worth pursuing.
For me, Patreon represents an opportunity to create a more direct connection with readers while generating additional income that I can reinvest into my independent projects. The more support those projects receive, the more opportunities I have to work with talented artists and editors, develop new stories, and eventually get those stories into readers’ hands.
And that’s really what this is all about.
If you’ve enjoyed my work on Dirty Deeds, Saoirse, or any of the other projects I’ve been involved with, I’d love for you to consider joining me over on Patreon.
You don’t have to become a paid subscriber to follow along. There’s free content available, and simply participating in discussions, sharing posts, or helping spread the word makes a difference.
But if you do decide to support my work financially, please know that your contributions are helping me build something beyond the projects I’m already known for.
I’m still figuring out exactly what this next chapter of my creative career is going to look like. I’ve got stories I want to tell, books I want to publish, and more ideas than I probably have any business trying to pursue at once.
It’s going to take time, patience, and probably a few more questionable decisions along the way.
But we all have to start somewhere.
And for now, this is where I’m starting again.