Building Confidence

For the challenge of a lifetime.

There are pros and cons to being a full-time writer.

Pros: I do what I love every day.

Cons: It is really hard to make a living as a writer, no matter what people selling get-rich courses claim. Less than 1% of fiction authors earn over $100k, which sounds like a lot. Is it? Talk to me after taxes, business expenses, and random life crap that keeps getting more expensive every day.

It’s always something, am I right?

I have been extrodinarily blessed by a large group of avid readers who gave me a chance. My big break came in the fall of 2018 when J.N. Chaney and I agreed to collaborate on The Last Reaper. You may have read our accounts of how we developed the idea and introduced it to the Renegade Star universe, which was his breakout series. We’ve both been interviewed on podcasts and talked at conferences. I don’t have the links. Sorry.

Flash forward to June 2026. J.N. Chaney and I have collaborated on thirty-one novels after finishing the fifteen-book Reaper series. I’ve written sixteen solo books and three long novellas since then, not including any short story anthologies I was roped into. Love being invited to write in anthologies, but they don’t pay. Call me a mercenary, but my kids need shoes, and the tax man doesn’t mess around.

How is this even possible? I’ve always been a prolific writer, even before publication. Here are the numbers.

When I tell people how many books I’ve written, they either stare in amazement or give me a blank look. What does that second reaction mean? I really don’t know, but I suspect it is the result of a mind being blown. Hard to process. Does not compute. WTF (which means Well That’s Fantastic, right?)

The thing is, a little every day outperforms binge sessions. It’s like working out or dieting. You can’t do it all in one day. That is why I don’t take days off, that and the fact that writing is what I do for fun.

Keeping it fun when you’re doing it professionally is the challenge. It is possible, however. I will share that secret in another post. Why am I being a jerk right now? Because I want you to come back and read my other posts. Yeah. I know. What an asshole.

Here is what all those numbers become: 3,000 words per day (on average). Keep in mind that I only log actual “butt in the chair” writing time. Getting four hours on the keyboard or dictation mic usually takes longer. Multiply my tracked time by three, and you realize why it takes me all freaking day.

That’s how an author writes 6 to 10 books a year.

Someone will claim I use AI to write, but most of my catalog was created before that was even a thing.

I write because I love stories, love writing, love people enjoying what I created out of my head.

Scammers using AI to write books are publishing massive books every single day. Screw that. And screw them. Use tools if they help, but don’t let AI do the actual writing.

I support writers, artists, and musicians. All my book covers are done by artists who charge and deserve professional rates. Sometimes, I write books just on inspiration, I draw from buying one of their pre-made covers. Boots Down is a great example. I bought the cover, then wrote the story.

The point of this post is this:

Coming back to The Last Reaper after so many years and books has not been easy. I listen to the audiobooks, read my notes, and use every tool I can to build a comprehensive story bible. Right now, the “Previously in The Last Reaper…” section of book sixteen is 18k words long. That’s a novella by itself.

I’m intimidated by my own books. When writing them, they felt simple, and I worried that readers would be bored.

Now I see that they are complex with a rich canon.

I’m trying not to screw this up.

The Last Reaper, Book 16, is coming. I promise.

Stay tuned for a cover reveal.

Thanks for letting me vent.

Thanks for reading my books.

Scott

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