Category: Writing as a Craft
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Confessions of a $7.64 Author
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in ACX, Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Audible, Books, Brandon Padilla, Bryan Haddock, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Writing a First Novel, Writing as a CraftSaturday, January 3, 2026 — Orlando, Florida This morning, true to my routine (and perhaps with a sprinkle of wishful thinking), I logged into my Kindle Direct Publishing account. I crossed my fingers for a modest bump in sales—though, let’s be honest, I wasn’t exactly holding my breath. Living in a country where writers and…
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Small Sparks, Quiet Joys: A Writer’s New Year Grace Notes
Small Sparks, Quiet Joys: A Writer’s New Year Grace Notes The first days of a new year always feel a little strange — like standing in a doorway with one foot in the past and one in the future, trying to decide whether to look back, look ahead, or just enjoy the view. This year,…
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On Writing and Storytelling: The Music Behind the Words
The Music Behind the Words: How Soundtracks, Standards, and Serendipity Shaped the Reunion Duology Most writers can point to a moment in their youth when they first felt the spark — that strange, exhilarating sense that imagination could be shaped into story. For me, that moment arrived in ninth grade at Riviera Junior High School,…
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On Writing and Storytelling: To Write Is Human… To Edit Forever Is Me
To Write Is Human… To Edit Forever Is Me Hi, everyone. One of the quirks of being both a writer and an editor is this: no matter how many times I revise my own books—whether I’m working or simply rereading for pleasure—I always manage to spot mistakes long after I thought the job was finished.…
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On Writing and Storytelling: How One Story Became Three
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in ACX, Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Audible, Audiobooks, Blogging, Books, Brandon Padilla, Bryan Haddock, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Stefan (Steve) Lee, The Jim Garraty Chronicles, Writing a First Novel, Writing as a CraftOn Writing and Storytelling: How One Story Became Three “I write for the same reason I breathe: Because if I didn’t, I would die.” — Isaac Asimov As 2025 barrels toward its inevitable finale and a newborn year waits impatiently in the wings, I find myself doing my best Janus impression—gazing backward and forward…
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The Journey of a Storyteller: Embracing the Art of Writing
Thursday, December 18, 2025, Orlando, Florida “If you want to really hurt your parents, and you don’t have the nerve to be gay, the least you can do is go into the arts. I’m not kidding. The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life…
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On Writing and Storytelling: Wrestling with Subheads, Holding on to Stories
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Books, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, The Jim Garraty Chronicles, Writing a First Novel, Writing as a CraftWrestling with Subheads, Holding on to Stories Tuesday, December 16, 2025 – Orlando, Florida If you’ve ever worked with Kindle Create, you’ll know it can be both a blessing and a curse. Today, I’m spending several hours fixing subheadings in The Jim Garraty Chronicles—particularly in Reunion: Coda. It’s a formatting issue that has haunted every…
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The Chronicles, the Coda, and the Chaos
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in ACX, Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Audible, Books, Bryan Haddock, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Central Florida, Life in Florida, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Stefan (Steve) Lee, The Jim Garraty Chronicles, Writing as a CraftWednesday, December 10, 2025 – Orlando, Florida Now that most of my belongings are finally here in Orlando instead of languishing in a warehouse in South Florida, I can turn my attention—at least in theory—to other priorities. Chief among them are the omnibus edition of The Jim Garraty Chronicles and making sure the Audible release…
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On Writing and Storytelling: Writing Romance Without Reading Romance
📖 Writing Romance Without Reading Romance: Why Reunion: Coda Works I’ll admit something: when I started writing Reunion: Coda, I worried. I don’t, as a general rule, read romance novels. My shelves are filled with history, memoir, and fiction of other stripes, but not much in the way of “romance.” So when I realized my…
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Whoa, I Wrote That
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in ACX, Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Audible, Audiobooks, Books, Brandon Padilla, Bryan Haddock, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Ronnie and the Pursuit of the Elusive Bliss, Stefan (Steve) Lee, Writing as a CraftMonday, November 24, 2025, Orlando, Florida Most writers don’t bother rereading their own books. You’d think we’d want to relive the glory—but after wrangling with my first novel, Reunion: Coda, I get it. I spent two years chasing inspiration across three cities—Tampa, Madison (NH), Miami—all just to produce a 400+ page epic that hops between…
A Certain Point of View, Too 