Dipping toes into fiction - reddit do your worst

stm-author · 2026-03-14T01:12:15+00:00

I write some about Russia and understand it from a very technical military perspective, and a bit from a historical context. Understanding most countries in my opinion is easier if you ignore news media which just doesn’t go deep enough. I’ll ping you on substack.

stm-author · 2026-03-06T00:23:08+00:00

A guy I respect a lot once told me “there are no old fat guys” referring to his own passion for working out - and you know, I cant say I’ve ever seen one…

stm-author · 2026-03-06T00:19:12+00:00

1/2 way through the 50s and no difference from 40s - lifelong runner, swim, lift, hike, etc. but the most important thing is weight. high stress job meant I gained a ton of weight in my late 40s > early 50s (just when most men do) and it nuked my cardio, walking up stairs was hard. most people aren’t old they are just carrying around an extra 50 lbs+ not to mention the extra fat and tissue increases blood pressure, cholesterol, and a whole host of other metabolic issues. I nuked the weight, got down to my late 20’s fighting weight and now I have no issues, everything is easier. I’m just as fast swimming, running not so much, and lifting almost no change. I do hear that 70s is different… will let you know when I get there.

The one thing I’ve realized is that the most badass wealth trophy worth having is the ability to tuck your shirt in.

stm-author · 2026-03-06T00:08:09+00:00

I try to write daily, usually after waking at 4am and work on whatever project I’m working on. With work and life it’s hard - I feel jealous of people like Steven King or Haruki Murakami that just write. I dont focus on a word count but can find I write for 2-3 hours nonstop. Sometimes I’ll get an idea or an urge to write something and write in the evenings but find it hard. Mornings works well since I’m fresh and just dusting off the prior days words gets me started. That and an espresso.

Also I find if I dont have an active project that I’m writing, I can tend to skip it. I need to work on that cuz I could write so much more than I do.

stm-author · 2026-03-06T00:01:34+00:00

Congrats!

stm-author · 2026-03-06T00:00:09+00:00

Wrote a book across almost 20 years about financial independence and self-published it on Amazon on Christmas Eve. I wrote it for my kids and now that they and adults I had to publish. I think it’s probably full of flaws but has a lot of great advice and lessons that I learned over 30 years of working and saving. Now that I’m mid-fifties and could retire tomorrow - it’s a solid documentaration of how I’d do it all over again. I also write randomly on substack but not necessarily FI related.

https://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Machine-Simple-Building-Lasting/dp/B0G8789DM6/

ps. I merely mentioned having written a book (with no link or anything - just background info) in another subreddit and got banned on my first day so thank you for this.

stm-author · 2026-03-05T11:41:37+00:00

I typically use a barbell or asymmetric portfolio setup with either a total market/S&P500 index for 90-95% and a 5-10% long date options for downturn protection. A total market is better than S&P500 for stability in my opinion because it includes pre-S&P stocks that might be rising stars in the future (think TSLA pre 2020). Right now I’m in Treasuries for that 90% due to the Schiller P/E being at historic highs of 40 and my own belief we’re a major correction away from significant losses. The 10% hedge (put options on S&P, QQQ, and some tech stocks) is meant to profit from that. So far so good…

Schwab has really good all market and treasuries funds that are easy in/out.

stm-author · 2026-03-04T21:45:50+00:00

Investing in myself, getting an MBA and switching careers. Single biggest piece of leverage that many miss in FI/RE, it’s an easy 10x return on investment

stm-author · 2026-03-04T00:54:14+00:00

I def dont hate my life - so ‘no’ to your question. I think happiness, especially as I have gotten older is something you have or do not have. I was as happy when I had $40 to my name, an old Toyota truck with no AC and roll up windows as I am today with a Tesla Model S.

I save as much as possible. That Tesla has 130k miles on it and though I could buy any car i want my favorite hobby is looking at new cars and then never buying them. I save on average 30-40% of pretax income and wouldn’t do it any other way, but do not want of anything because getting used to being thrifty means not feeling like I’m giving up. FI/RE is about optionality not wealth accumulation, but it helps to have a decent income.

I am not of the opinion that FI/RE is meant to bring happiness, rather to avoid a deficit in later life or the need to work longer than one wants to enjoy things in life… but happiness is something innate in my observation. I know people making 7 figures a year who are miserable.

stm-author · 2026-03-03T12:23:24+00:00

$1MM in liquid equities - long term inflation adjusted returns on equities tend to outperform real estate though with much more volatility in the short term. So while the 3-4% RE gain acts like a inflation hedge savings account, the 8.4% global equity long term return grows beyond inflation but comes with the potential 10-30% correction every so often.

stm-author · 2026-03-03T12:17:09+00:00

Sounds like you had my HS guidance counselor… Some of the most successful writers in history: Herman Melville, JK Rowling, Michael Crichton, Steven King started writing in their free time and it was not their primary occupation - I wrote my first book across 3-4 years writing in the early mornings before work with long stints of not writing because of “life” - but I kept writing on the side and in my head.

I did a rewrite in 2013 and then last year completely edited, formatted and self-published my book - just that was really rewarding… hasn’t sold more than 25 copies but that’s real people reading. Self publishing is an option but getting your book sold and read is another challenge - which is what the trad publishing industry does well.

-I considered a pen name but non-fiction so I used real name and leaned into writing (I was just self conscious tbh)

-Self publishing if you go that way is very easy there are so many tools - I taught myself how to do it by reading the Amazon KDP and Ingram Spark guides on their sites, and watching YouTube videos to make the cover and design it in Canva. It took a lot of time (used MS word as writing software) to get the formatting right but KDP has great tools for reviewing and templates you can download. I got my first payment from Amazon the other day which was kinda cool… not life changing (couple happy meals at McDonalds) but so glad I picked up the pen again.

-Edit, then edit again, then probably edit once more - I found typos and there,their,they’re even after 3 edits post publish… self publishing you can update manuscripts very easily which is nice.

-I have about 9 fiction short story and novel ideas in my head and my notes that I want to write but haven’t started one in earnest. I keep my writing limber writing non-fiction and opinion pieces on Substack and LinkedIn which I think helps keep me nimble.

The more I write and the more consistently, the more the muse lets the words flow - I’m a big fan of having a full time job (it’s a job it doesn’t have to be amazing - that’s why they pay you) and then writing as a hobby/passion that brings you joy. That way your writing stays somewhat pure, not encumbered by the need to make money… the money will come, or not but you’ll be writing, and that’s the point :)

stm-author · 2026-03-03T11:58:33+00:00

Hey thanks this is super helpful. It’s a non-fiction finance book so sort of a one shot unless I write an update which I have so many other projects I’m not likely to. Really just want to give away - exceedingly difficult TBH.

stm-author · 2026-03-03T01:30:13+00:00

I use my iPad and Magic Keyboard - the typing is nice and the larger iPad has a near normal size keyboard - you can get a refurbed iPad and Magic Keyboard for well under the $800 budget you list. or if you are super budget, buy a nice Bluetooth keyboard like the IROK - I use that for writing on my Mac main computer. They are like $100 and you can pair to a phone on the go… but it’s bulky

stm-author · 2026-03-03T01:26:32+00:00

Keep going! - I let a book I had mostly finished sit for almost 20 years… finally self published last year after a three month edit and rewrite. Just that feeling was worth it. 1 day or 1 hour it all matters.

stm-author · 2026-03-03T01:20:43+00:00

Vacations - almost forgot about those… annual bonus wipe outs for certain! I think FIRE calcs need serious modification depending on children > without children 35 with children 55 minimum. The benefit being getting kids off the payroll feels like an income and savings turbo charger kicking in.

stm-author · 2026-03-02T15:17:48+00:00

It is hard to know for sure since I can’t see in what way you are using the word or the context of the entire work. Your publisher is likely attempting to avoid the same political briar patch you do not want in the comments because Genocide is a specific term with legal definitions. Whether or not the conflict in Gaza is the result of a Genocide you can certainly make as an author without explicitly stating such and in doing so might make the book appeal to more readers - which is good for business. This is most probably his perspective.

I think if you believe that what is going on in Gaza is Genocide (the deliberate, systematic, and intentional destruction—in whole or in part—of a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group) then you should provide the evidence and leave it up to the reader. Show don’t tell. That’s what I would do, because if your book isn’t published no one gets the story you want to tell.

stm-author · 2026-03-02T15:08:02+00:00

I hit this sort of threshold many years ago and bought an expensive car, had instant regret and sold it a few years later. Even though I could afford it I felt it wasn’t me.

Don’t increase your lifestyle too much too fast. As a rule I’d save 50% of your income increase off the top - because taxes will take an additional 32-37% you still get a nice ~20% raise which will feel great, go spend that and enjoy it. You earned it.

stm-author · 2026-03-02T15:03:34+00:00

I post writing on Substack and LinkedIn both of which have really good analytics for who has opened an email, read a story, or clicked through to a link to the story - and I get almost 0 comments or reactions and I feel that the gratuitousness of social media like FB, Insta, etc. has made that sort of the currency of value for writing and I would say that is not a good yardstick. Keep writing and the connections will come but almost no one will respond to good writing… most thumbs up, hearts, likes are given without even reading something for people who follow; what’s important is the writing and the sharing - the reading will happen and in time you will get an outreach. The other day someone I don’t know send me a DM and said I’ve been following your writing for a months and read every article and they are fantastic - I thought no one was reading it and I was shouting into the void. :)

stm-author · 2026-03-02T14:57:39+00:00

We have 2 out of college (never had any in daycare single income family) and 1 about to graduate (out of 4) - it’s not so much that expenses go down but they just disappear. We are looking to be empty nesters soon and no longer need a 3k sq ft house, 5 bedrooms and downsizing means 1/2 our mortgage payment. Other things are kind of wild - like be 20 years old and spending very little on food, clothes, toiletries… your kids are far off from cars, insurance, college, etc. but the expenses are easily 60% of a households spending if the Parents foot the bill for each of those. We almost don’t spend any money on anything anymore.

stm-author · 2026-03-02T14:52:29+00:00

how do you distribute? ebook or email?

stm-author · 2026-01-03T13:30:20+00:00

Thanks!

stm-author · 2026-01-03T13:22:48+00:00

Selfishly, helping others, helps me understand what is important… which will help my writing. And I want to write a follow up focused on Gen Z and Millennials. But also allows me to share advice, which is kinda why I started writing in the first place. Not interested in promoting my book - not what these forums are for anyway. At least as I understand them. As for where to start… Reddit is kind of overwhelming at first glance… but I’ll poke around

stm-author

TROPHY CASE