In looking at my old Notion pages, I happened over a fairly lengthy article by Ian Fleming. I think his advice goes beyond the genre in question. What follows summarizes what he wrote. His narrative style was too stilted and the article suffers from being too long. In 1963, just a year before his death, James Bond creator Ian Fleming published an insightful essay revealing his approach to writing thrillers. With characteristic frankness, Fleming admitted he wrote for pleasure and money rather than literary acclaim. Yet his methods offer valuable lessons for any aspiring writer seeking to master the art of popular fiction. At the heart of Fleming's philosophy was a simple goal: make the reader turn the page. To achieve this, he advocated for clean, straightforward prose unmarred by complicated plots or confusing character relationships. He warned against common pitfalls like lengthy recaps or internal monologues that might slow the story's momentum. Instead, he encouraged writers to engage all the reader's senses, even including detailed descriptions of meals and environments to create a more immersive experience. Fleming grounded his fantastic plots in reality by weaving in authentic details from his wartime experience in naval intelligence. He balanced outlandish adventures with specific, real-world references – from brand names like Ronson lighters to precise details about cars and hotels. This technique helped readers accept the more incredible elements of his stories by anchoring them in familiar reality. His writing process was equally practical. Fleming maintained a strict routine, writing for three hours each morning and one hour in the evening. He typed everything using six fingers and refused to look back or edit until completing the first draft. This approach allowed...

What an odd title, that? The latest Thanksgiving can occur is the 28th, which is this Thursday. Much closer to Christmas, so Merry Thanksgiving. I hope you and yours have a joyous holiday...and fewer family fights on this festive day. We’re hosting for Cathy’s family this year, which makes for a frantic period for us getting the house ready. Sorry for the somewhat rambling start. So much has happened over the past month. I didn’t know where else to start. Perhaps I should have led with the Flamingo? [Pink Flamingo Universe - 2024] This was the first Author Nation conference. Joe Solari followed Craig Martelle’s footsteps by taking over as showrunner for what had been the 20 Books Vegas conference. It was a fabulous event. The tone was calmer, by design, but the vibe was still there. I did not go to this conference expecting to learn much. After all, this was the fourth consecutive of the same basic writer’s conference. So why go? That’s the flamingo hiding in the corner. Why fly across the continent, spend thousands of dollars, and spend that much time in Vegas if not to learn? Fellowship. Inspiration. Preparation. And a bit of curiosity. Last year, Craig announced the end of the 20 Books saga. There were doubts that someone could come behind and fill his shoes. Many people said they would not come because Craig wasn’t running it. I’ve never been a fan of the cult of personality. I didn’t come to 20 Books in 2021 because of Craig. Yeah, he’s a great guy, and he gives back to the indy author community. But the show was more than just Craig. Besides, Joe delivered....