Lessons from Ironheart: Why Flawed Characters Create the Strongest Stories
By: Ginger | Posted on September 26, 2025
When it comes to storytelling, nothing hooks readers faster than a character who feels real. And despite being buried under a pile of negative pre-release hype, Marvel’s Ironheart proves this point beautifully. Instead of presenting a flawless heroine, the series leans into their arrogance, mistakes, and bad decisions, letting those flaws drive the story. The result is a character arc that’s engaging, relatable, and far more powerful than the “perfect heroine” trope we too often see. For self-published authors, this a crucial reminder that readers prefer growth over perfection. In today’s blog, Ginger explores how the writers behind the Ironheart show achieved this, and how we can add these same elements to heroes and heroines of our own. Because giving your characters space to be messy and fail is the single best way to create stories that connect with your audience. I really enjoy the Marvel superhero movies and films,… Read More >
Why do you want to write a book?
By: Ginger | Posted on September 19, 2025
In a world consumed by TikTok scrolling and YouTube binging, it is a wonder that anyone still chooses to spend hours reading a book. Yet despite how instant gratification has chipped away at our attention spans, book sales are thriving. In fact, this resurgence in reading seems to be fueled, at least in part, by a hunger for stories that go deeper than short-form social content ever could. Still, content creators have endless ways to reach audiences instantly with content that takes a fraction of the time and effort to produce than writing a single book. This seems to beg the question: why write a book at all? That’s exactly what Ginger explores in today’s blog as he considers why books still matter, why readers continue to embrace them, and how understanding your personal motivation as a writer can help you find both an audience and lasting fulfillment in your… Read More >
Defending the Sweet Escapism of Gendered Fiction
By: Ginger | Posted on September 12, 2025
Fiction has always been a place where readers escape into exaggerated realities, whether it is the brooding alpha male of a steamy romance or the suave secret agent bedding beautiful women between missions. Yet when it comes to gendered writing, the criticism is far from equal. Male authors are often mocked for objectifying descriptions, while female authors are rarely called out for creating impossibly perfect heroes with toxic traits framed as desirable. This week, Ginger makes the case that both sides are guilty of indulging in fantasy, and that is exactly the point. These books thrive not because they are trying to reflect everyday life, but to give readers the thrill of sweet escapism. So instead of tearing down gendered fiction, he argues that we should recognize it for what it is and celebrate the joy it brings to millions of readers. In last week’s article, I dove into the… Read More >
Why I hate the “Describe Yourself Like a Male Author Would” Meme
By: Ginger | Posted on September 5, 2025
In the age of viral trends and overnight sensations, few memes have stuck around in the author community quite like “Describe Yourself Like a Male Author Would.” What began as a playful jab at clunky, stereotype-filled female character descriptions has become a recurring joke that resurfaces year after year. While often celebrated for its humor and its sharp critique of certain writing habits, it has also drawn criticism for lumping male authors together in an unflattering way. For writers in the competitive world of self-publishing, the real question is whether this meme encourages better storytelling or simply takes easy shots at a particular group. In today’s blog, Ginger explores the history of the meme, why it resonates so strongly, and both the valid points behind the humor and the double standards it may reinforce. From his own cringeworthy early writing that made him wince in recognition to examples where male… Read More >
