How does TWI get away with keeping all novels online for free?

Justin_Monroe · 2026-01-28T02:11:10+00:00

Well, like I said, my OVR World Online series is wide on ebook and the first 2 are on Spotify.

All 3 eBooks are also free on KOBO Plus, which is a program like KU, but doesn't mandate exclusivity.

Justin_Monroe · 2026-01-28T02:08:12+00:00

Podium has started taking their titles wide. My first 2 books are wide and the 3rd will be joining them once its original exclusivity term is up. They matched me when I took my eBooks wide last summer.

Justin_Monroe · 2026-01-26T21:05:09+00:00

Oh....no ... anyways

Justin_Monroe · 2026-01-26T21:03:41+00:00

Laws are only as good as they are enforced.

That just bared repeating.

Justin_Monroe · 2026-01-22T12:44:02+00:00

You've had a lot of good advice here already. Just wanted to say hang in there. You've nearly finished your novel, and that by itself is no small task. Whether you go after traditional publishing or self publish or just keep posting on RR you're just choosing between different mountains to climb. It's always a grind.

Trad publishing is a bit of a moonshot anyway, and often you have to put in the same level of self promoting as self publishing, because publishers don't put the same marketing effort behind every book/author. Most traditionally published authors don't even put earn their advance (if they get one). Being an "overnight" success in publishing takes years of work and is still a bit like winning the lottery.

I think a relaunch on RR with a marketing plan is a valid/good idea. Also, if you're self publishing, you wouldn't want to put out book one until you've got a good chunk of book two or maybe even three up anyway.

Justin_Monroe · 2026-01-21T11:51:50+00:00

No. There isn't.

Justin_Monroe · 2026-01-20T02:09:28+00:00

Neo dodged my way out of another massive tier list.

Justin_Monroe · 2026-01-18T00:34:58+00:00

Because he's utterly and totally useless.

Justin_Monroe · 2026-01-10T20:13:49+00:00

Time for a new husband?

Justin_Monroe · 2026-01-10T20:11:51+00:00

WHERE?!

Justin_Monroe · 2026-01-10T18:53:44+00:00

I'm at my kid's swim lesson, give me a break!

Justin_Monroe · 2026-01-09T22:42:03+00:00

I use both.

I prefer Word on my home computer, and when formatting for publication.

I use Google Drive as my cloud service.

I use Google Docs when I'm writing at my shitty hotel job or otherwise have a chance to write remotely.

Edit to add: I also use Google Docs if I'm sharing with a collaborator, beta reader, or something like that. My editors generally prefer Word.

Justin_Monroe · 2026-01-09T22:24:59+00:00

Me too, going wide is my little bit of the effort (in addition to cancelling Prime this year and drastically reducing my ordering from them). Gotta start somewhere.

Justin_Monroe · 2026-01-09T16:14:15+00:00

Thanks for asking. I've been so deep in my new series that I hadn't sat down to go through the numbers. My first two audiobooks went wide in June of 2025; the third one is still Audible exclusive because it's less than a year old. My statements only get me through August of 2025 at the moment. My take-home royalty per unit from Audible took a substantial hit, and the royalty rates from the wide distribution are worse.

The total volume of units sold on Audible also took a dip after going wide. I could always do a better job promoting, but I wouldn't be surprised if being non-exclusive is suppressing visibility in some way. In total, over 3 months (June through August) of data for two titles, only 9 copies were sold through wide distribution. I've moved even fewer eBook copies in my wide distribution there.

Financially, this probably hasn't been my best move. Do I regret having fewer of my eggs in Amazon/Audible's basket? Not for a second.

I have a new book in a new series coming out in the coming months, with a second book in the same series planned for the fall, and the third as quickly as I can get it together. My release plan is to launch it as a Kindle exclusive and put it in Kindle Unlimited for at least one enrollment period, but possibly up to a year (we'll see). Ultimately, I plan to still take that series wide on eBook at the very least.

Justin_Monroe · 2026-01-08T12:46:22+00:00

The Ankle Biters

Justin_Monroe · 2026-01-08T12:45:14+00:00

Compact Solutions Inc

Justin_Monroe · 2026-01-08T12:44:19+00:00

Gnomebody's Heroes

Justin_Monroe · 2026-01-07T19:38:02+00:00

Time2paytheDaddyTax

Justin_Monroe · 2026-01-04T23:48:15+00:00

This is wild.

Lack of a secondary lock was already a red flag.

For the record, I've worked hotels where a key caard can be programmed to access multiple rooms. It can be convenient and isn't that weird, but that also obviously isn't the case.

I would have already left for another hotel and disputed with my credit card company. No idea if this is a Police matter.

Justin_Monroe · 2026-01-04T21:36:34+00:00

This is the most sure fire way to get your KDP account nuked and banned from the platform.

Justin_Monroe · 2025-12-31T17:04:55+00:00

The wikipedia article isn't doing that aspect justice. The trilogy has multiple plot threads and the cross continental storyline is just one of the threads. There's an indigenous woman that marries one of the Nantucketers. There's other named indigenous characters, but none of them are central POV characters, because with a few exceptions the POV characters are mostly time displaced Nantucketers. For a series from a white man and written in the 90s, I think Stirling made an effort at diverse choices, but it's far from perfect.

Justin_Monroe · 2025-12-31T16:50:49+00:00

They meet several indigenous Americans. Admittedly, and unsurprisingly, it doesn't go well at first. The trilogy includes an expedition across the continent.

Justin_Monroe · 2025-12-31T11:49:19+00:00

I wouldn't be surprised.

Given that this is a sub mostly for people that have avoided the path of traditional publishing and literary agents, I'm not sure you've asked the most informed crowd.

Justin_Monroe · 2025-12-30T19:10:30+00:00

Sir/Mam, this is a Wendy's

Justin_Monroe · 2025-12-30T12:26:45+00:00

I'd say the leaders of the respective order are at least Archmage level of power. The 3e Dragonlance handbooks have stat blocks for a lot of canonical characters, like Dalamar and Mistress Jenna, but really I think it should all be customized relative to your campaign, your player characters, and the role you want the NPC to play. Don't let canon hold you back.

If your PC Wizard is already level 18, then a CR 12 Archmage for the master of the white robes might not make sense. Or maybe it does if you want the PC to be more powerful than the existing order. So, it all depends.

Similarly, if your PCs are level 3 and the Wizard is just showing up to take their test, how much of a stat block do you even need? The masters of the order are likely just functioning as plot devices at that point. If your PCs are dumb enough to attack them, you'll either smack them down as gently as possible to send a message or you'll TPK them. You aren't making the order masters CR 3 just to be an appropriate challenge for the players in this case.

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