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I'm retired from the Marine Corps, spending time both as enlisted and as an officer. Then I went to law school, took my law degree into business consulting where I became a business diagnostics specialist and leadership coach. I retired from that at age 52 because I was away from home way too much. That's when I started writing full time, and I have not looked back since. That was ten years ago.

I have a number of bestselling novels in categories that matter to me - space opera, military scifi, Space Marine, colonization, and genetic engineering. As a serial daydreamer, it's nice to finally get the stories on paper (virtual and digital paper, that is). I run the Successful Indie Author group to help aspiring and established authors level up and continue their journey as professional authors.

Wit and Wisdom by Craig Martelle

Are you the writer you want to be? The hard-hitting while rewarding reality of writing and publishing is contained within bite-sized snippets of wisdom from publishing nearly two-hundred titles and selling over a million books. Craig has done things the hard way so you don't have to. It's nice to know that someone has walked the path that you want to take, pointing out the pitfalls along the way.

From Kevin J. Anderson: "This book is filled with numerous short and digestible gems of Craig's philosophy, his suggestions, and alternatives you may not have considered. These vital ideas may seem simple and obvious, and yet you need to internalize them. Read all of these nuggets, and if you "get" only a tenth of them and implement them, then you'll be a richer writer, publisher, and human being for it."

Join the growing number of successful indie authors. There's plenty of room in this parade of entertainment. Readers don't care where the stories come from, only that they are entertained.

 

REVIEWS

  • Read all of these nuggets, and if you "get" only a tenth of them and implement them, then you'll be a richer writer, publisher, and human being for it.

    – Kevin J. Anderson

  • "This book is filled with numerous short and digestible gems of Craig's philosophy, his suggestions, and alternatives you may not have considered. These vital ideas may seem simple and obvious, and yet you need to internalize them."

    – Kevin J. Anderson
 

BOOK PREVIEW

Excerpt

Get Up. Show Up. Do the Work.

Talent is important, but using it is what separates the wildly successful from the pack. You can get far in this business by showing up and working hard at the right things. Becoming a better storyteller takes practice. There's no practice like writing stories that your fans will like until they love them. As for the business side of it, Nike has the right tagline. Just do it. You don't have to love the business and marketing, you just have to do them.

Your Words Have Value

Even your early words when you didn't write your best material. Being an author is a business where you get paid to practice. Write better and better, but you'll still be able to sell your early work. Readers are forgiving, especially if you tell a good story.

Don't Half-ass What Could Be the Best Career You'll Ever Have

Being a professional author takes work. You can't just wing it, even though you may feel that way while writing. Enjoy the process of storytelling, but do the other stuff, too. You'll find that others take a huge cut of work that you can easily do for yourself. Don't limit your viability as a professional by putting yourself into a small box.

Fear Should Motivate Us, Not Paralyze Us

Too many are afraid of publishing that first book. What are you afraid of? A bruised ego? You're venturing into the world of being a public person. You're going to get both good and bad feedback. Take the good and get better. Learn from the bad, even if it seems hurtful. It tells you that you may not have hit your exact target audience. Adjust and put it in better readers' hands while simultaneously writing better books.

A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats

A quote from John F. Kennedy that supports the challenge and success of being an author. No one has to lose for me to win. No one has to lose for anyone to win. Winning is personal, just like writing a book, but just because you write alone doesn't mean you are alone. Authors are better together, supporting each other. It's amazing what happens with a few kind words. Another way to say it is that we all win together.