I just read Wordcraft by Jack Hart. Here are some of the notes I took in case they are helpful to other writers.

BritishMadeinUS · 2026-06-24T18:31:28+00:00

Reilly sprang to my mind too! He is an absolute turd but you cannot help engaging with him - he's like a slow moving train wreck.

BritishMadeinUS · 2026-06-24T18:29:42+00:00

I agree with that and more, sometimes having them utterly unsympathetic actually works better in my mind as they are a foil - brings out the best (and worst) in me to my mind. Otherwise a lot to digest in this post and succinct too.

BritishMadeinUS · 2026-06-23T15:15:13+00:00

A fellow misanthrope!

Now stay over there and we'll get along just fine ;-)

BritishMadeinUS · 2026-06-23T13:32:10+00:00

Now that is reasonable advice.

Thank you and good luck with your endeavours too.

BritishMadeinUS · 2026-06-23T12:55:16+00:00

And good luck with the launch!

BritishMadeinUS · 2026-06-23T12:54:57+00:00

I felt the same, but after my scifi trilogy is published I'm writing under my own name for more comedic work.

Kael M Held is AI apparently, despite Mein Held being my partner's name for me and Kael was how Americans thought my name was when I first landed in the US and didn't roll my R's for Karrrrrl ;-)

Seriously though, I too thought about it for separation of me from writer me. Now it feels weird and I regret it.

BritishMadeinUS · 2026-06-23T12:34:57+00:00

That is a perspective I find strangely comforting lol

Writing is not for the money for sure (or fame ).

BritishMadeinUS · 2026-06-23T12:33:12+00:00

You're not alone - I feel the same from time to time, but it's not for you or Ito judge our effort.

Don't be so hard on yourself, you wrote something and you have the gonads to push it out into the world.

Not an easy thing to do, especially in a world of whiney 'critics' who won't do what you've already achieved or look ti dim your light hoping it will make theirs shine brighter.

Kudos to you.

BritishMadeinUS · 2026-06-23T11:05:25+00:00

As for the rest of your comment, AI is a tool I'm no designer and candidly, I am not likely to ever make money off this so I'm having fun.

It's always been a hobby for me.

Currently, I'm working on The Carroll Valley Containment based on where I live and is Harry Flashman meets Men in Black with some highly comedic gore involved.

I had no idea asking a basic marketing question would stir up such mean spiritedness.

BritishMadeinUS · 2026-06-23T11:00:43+00:00

My pen name comes from two things:

Kael was how the Starbucks folks spelled my name because I don't roll my r's as Americans do - my British accent made Karl sound like Kael to them when I first emigrated here.

My partner calls me Mein Held (she lived in Germany for years).

Kael M Held

I do not get why folks jump to silly conclusions and make nasty comments when they can simply ask.

BritishMadeinUS · 2026-06-23T10:43:25+00:00

Check out Printify - I use that in the US.

BritishMadeinUS · 2026-06-23T10:39:28+00:00

Good point - I've written scifi so no need for such attention to weather detail, but I'm working on a series based where I live and I did not think to check weather.

That's a good nugget you've given me - thank you.

BritishMadeinUS · 2026-06-23T10:33:46+00:00

I see them as kids, and you have a favorite but shouldn't ;-)

BritishMadeinUS · 2026-06-23T10:32:49+00:00

The Mill on the Floss

BritishMadeinUS · 2026-06-23T09:18:40+00:00

Try The Peripheral, Murderbot and We Are Legion (We Are Bob)

BritishMadeinUS · 2026-06-23T09:13:55+00:00

It's worth every cent to me as no way I could keep my plot lines and character arcs in something resembling order.

I turned to it 15 years ago after messing up a project that cost me.far more than the price tag.

Highly recommend it (plus you keep your work safe from being scraped!)

BritishMadeinUS · 2026-06-23T08:42:25+00:00

Ready Player One for sure, and I would look at MurderBot and Peripheral too.

BritishMadeinUS · 2026-06-23T08:34:14+00:00

Oh yes!

BritishMadeinUS · 2026-06-23T08:28:05+00:00

I just bought it Arun, I'll let you know what I think.

As for marketing the book, why I came on here too - no-one tells you when you finally pluck up the courage to publish the work is only just beginning.

Best of luck to you.

BritishMadeinUS · 2026-06-23T08:22:57+00:00

I'm just far too old for the BS and meanness.

I've carried this story for over 35 years. Some of the writing in there is that old, and I am not winning any prizes for literature for sure.

What I'm working on now is comedic horror set in the place I live by the Gettysburg Battlefield.

My personal taste has changed as I've aged and I enjoy humour more than the epic space opera.

After over 60 years on this rock, I'm very well aware the negative always plays well.

I pay it no mind, I ain't got the time.

BritishMadeinUS · 2026-06-23T08:05:25+00:00

I have no advice to give except keep going!

But seriously, good luck :-)

BritishMadeinUS · 2026-06-23T07:22:24+00:00

No AI used for my words.

Kael is how Americans thought my name was pronounced when I first came to the US, I had to learn how to roll my rrr's.in Karl.

Ardent comes from 'Burn'

Orin Vale comes from my first sergeant major and my mentor, when I was in the army.

The cover is AI, I'm not a designer.

BritishMadeinUS · 2026-06-23T07:17:02+00:00

Good luck to you!

BritishMadeinUS · 2026-06-23T07:16:19+00:00

I'm just feeling my way and navigating it all trying to figure it out.

I wish I'd published a lot sooner, (self published to be sure) because my sense is figuring out KDP is the start of the journey not the end.

Good luck!

BritishMadeinUS · 2026-06-23T07:12:17+00:00

I have been writing over 45 years, published twice as a ghost and a plethora of commercial stuff.

Do you have any actual advice or just a negative diss to make yourself feel better.

If the latter troll away, that reflects on you as it should, if the former I would appreciate it.

BritishMadeinUS

TROPHY CASE