In this issue, I'll bring you up-to-date on my writing project and my upcoming event in Orange County, CA. I also have a call to action on an important issue.

A homeless son and troubled father must reconnect in a novel called a "powerful page-turner" and "a fascinating story about real next-door people." Get The Remainders now on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited and in paperback wherever books are sold.

Last month, I told you about the post-apocalyptic novel I'm working on. Today, I'm close to 30,000 words and approaching the halfway point of my story. Here are some lessons I'm learning on the way.

The first draft is just telling yourself the story

Writers generally fall into two camps: planners and pantsers. I usually start out as a planner, but once I start writing, all bets are off. Stories have their own internal logic, and characters have minds of their own. I've learned to trust my characters and let the story unfold on its own.

This has been the case for my novel. I added scenes I didn't plan on because they moved the story forward and furthered the relationship between the main characters. A prop I threw into one scene led to a poignant and revealing moment a few scenes later.

This is a reminder that a first draft is just you telling the story. Your goal is discovery, not perfection. Don't worry about grammar and editing. That will come in time. Let the story take shape, and then you can craft it into a publishable manuscript. 

Knowing the questions to ask

Research is key to writing believable stories of any genre. (I know fantasy authors who are experts on all types of swords.) Part of doing research is knowing what questions to ask and who to ask them. While it helps to do research in advance, you might not know what things to research until you start writing. 

When you're in this situation, just add a note to the section of your story with the information you need to research. (Word processors and story editors like Scrivener have annotation features.) You can then compile your questions and update your manuscript with the information you get.

The latest generation of search engines that use generative AI, like Microsoft Copilot, create summaries of information instead of just lists of links. This can help you discover information you may have overlooked. To learn more about how generative AI can be a help to writers instead of hinderance, see my post How AI can help writers.

What's next?

As my new book takes shape, I'll provide details in upcoming issues of my newsletter. Look for some draft scenes coming soon!

Here's where you can see me next:

• Saturday, March 23, 1–5 pm, Bargain Book World, the Shops of Mission Viejo. 
  I will sell and sign copies of Amiga, The Remainders, and Mastering Table Topics. Learn more about this event and other happenings at Bargain Book World from their Instagram account.

I normally avoid politics in this newsletter, but there is an issue that affects authors, small business people, and the United States as a whole. That is the TikTok ban that passed the House of Representatives and is going to the Senate. (And let's be clear: Demanding that the owners to sell to an American company will effectively turn into a ban.)

I share the concerns about data mining, invasions of privacy, hate speech, efforts by adversarial governments to undermine our elections, and the deleterious effects social media have on society. But this is true for all social media platforms, not just TikTok. And if a foreign government wanted detailed personal information to use against the United States, they could do it on any of these platforms. Singling out TikTok does not address these problems.

Instead, banning TikTok in the United States would have a horrible impact on those who have built businesses and careers on this platform.

For authors, especially indie authors like myself, BookTok has enabled to us to connect with greater numbers of readers. Some authors had books become best sellers through viral videos.  

And TikTok is filled with stories of people who turned hobbies into businesses, artists who revived careers, and entertainers who found new ways to connect with audiences. It would be a terrible loss if this platform were to be taken away.

If you are concerned about the effects a TikTok ban would have on authors, small businesses, and all Americans, contact your senator and tell them to vote no on this bill. 

In previous issues of my newsletter, I interviewed authors Marissa Bañez, T.C. Correy, and Yvonne deSouza.

If you are an author who wants to be interviewed, send me an email to admin@matthewarnoldstern.com with the following information:

• Your name.
• A brief bio (100 words or less).
• Your books.
• What you would like to talk about in your interview.

By supporting each other, we can all grow!

I hope you have enjoyed this newsletter. If you have any comments and suggestions, feel free to email me at admin@matthewarnoldstern.com. 

If there is someone who you think would enjoy this newsletter, pass it along and encourage them to subscribe. A simple subscription form is on my website.

I'll be in touch again next month with more news and content.