Use Retconning to Fix Your Series Without Losing Readers
By: Ginger | Posted on October 10, 2025
Every author dreams of crafting a flawless, seamless series, but reality often has other plans. When you’re deep into a long-running story, inconsistencies happen: forgotten side characters, contradictory timelines, or plot twists that don’t age well with later books. That’s where retconning comes in. Rather than rewriting history, a smart retcon lets you reshape mistakes into meaningful story arcs that feel intentional and even strengthen your worldbuilding. In today’s blog, Ginger explores how authors can use retconning to repair, refresh, and even reinvent their series while keeping readers engaged. Drawing from pop culture, literature, and his own experience, he shows how to fix past errors gracefully, turn inconsistencies into new layers of intrigue, and use the flexibility of self-publishing to your advantage. If you’ve ever looked back at an early book and wished you could tweak the past without breaking the present, this article is for you. In the world… Read More >
Should Self-Published Authors Trust AI to Edit Their Manuscript?
By: Ginger | Posted on October 3, 2025
For many authors, the question of whether to use AI to edit their manuscripts goes beyond convenience or cost and touches on bigger, more ethical concerns. Does leaning on AI undermine the craft of writing? Does it take work away from human editors who depend on those jobs? And can a tool built on machine learning ever be trusted with something as personal as your story? If you’ve wrestled with these anxieties, you’re not alone. This debate isn’t just technical, it’s deeply tied to the values and identity of the author community. Still, it’s easy to see why the question keeps coming up. Editing is one of the most time-consuming and expensive parts of publishing, and AI tools promise quick, affordable help with everything from proofreading to stylistic polish. Yet even if they prove useful, they aren’t a one-size-fits-all solution. That’s why Ginger is breaking it all down in today’s… Read More >
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 >
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 >
How “First Light” Conquered the James Bond Storytelling Challenge
By: Ginger | Posted on August 15, 2025
For any writer who has ever wrestled with reinventing a beloved character or long-running franchise, the upcoming James Bond video game First Light offers a fascinating case study in how to make it work. Video game adaptations face many of the same storytelling challenges as authors do when breathing new life into a well-worn icon, including how to create something fresh without alienating longtime fans. As Ginger explains in this week’s blog, the developers avoided leaning too heavily on nostalgia or recycled plots, instead crafting a brand-new Bond origin story that both honors the character’s roots and appeals to a new generation. It’s a reminder that with the right balance of originality and respect for what came before, creators can successfully reimagine any established world or character for modern audiences. A little while back, I wrote an article about the challenge authors would face writing a new James Bond novel… Read More >
The Power of Need vs. Want in Storytelling
By: Ginger | Posted on August 8, 2025
One of the most important and overlooked concepts in storytelling is the difference between what a character wants and what they truly need. It may sound simple, but understanding the need vs. want dynamic can be the key to writing stories that actually work. A character’s want gets the plot moving, but it’s their deeper need that gives the story emotional weight, lasting impact, and real connection. When authors focus too much on surface-level desires, they risk creating plots that feel hollow and characters that fail to resonate. In today’s blog, Ginger breaks down why that difference matters so much and how recognizing it changed the way he approached storytelling. Drawing from his own experience with a debut novel that fell into this exact trap, he shares how shifting your focus from want to need can lead to characters readers care about and stories that keep them turning pages. If… Read More >
What Can Series Authors Learn From Gunn’s DC Universe Plans?
By: Ginger | Posted on July 25, 2025
If you’ve ever felt the weight of keeping your book series consistent, coherent, and compelling over multiple installments, you’re not alone. In fact, the challenges faced by authors of interconnected novels aren’t so different from those tackled by Hollywood studios trying to build a cinematic universe. That’s why this week’s blog dives into the ambitious plans of James Gunn, the new creative force behind the DC Universe, and what self-published authors like us can learn from the way he’s rebuilding a broken franchise into something fresh, focused, and full of promise. By comparing Gunn’s methodical, long-term vision for the DCU to the very real struggles of writing his own expansive romance series, Ginger explores how to balance plot, character, and worldbuilding across a sprawling narrative. Whether you’re just starting your first series or wrestling with the weight of a dozen interwoven books, there’s inspiration to be found in how Gunn… Read More >
What Authors Can Learn from the New Superman Movie
By: Ginger | Posted on July 18, 2025
Any author who has attempted to take on a beloved character or iconic franchise knows they’ll face intense pressure from existing fans to “get it right.” Perhaps no one understands this better than James Gunn, tasked recently with breathing fresh excitement into a superhero that’s been flying for nearly a century. Yet critics and audiences agree he has wildly succeeded in revitalizing Superman, transforming a familiar character into something vibrant and compellingly new. This week, Ginger explores exactly how Gunn pulled off this storytelling feat. Gunn’s Superman provides authors with a playbook filled with techniques worth studying, from plunging audiences straight into thrilling action to creating an ensemble cast that feels instantly authentic. His thoughtful, innovative approach proves that even the most well-worn tales can be turned into captivating narratives, offering valuable lessons authors can use to supercharge their own stories. A couple of weeks ago I wrote an article… Read More >
Do Men and Women Write Differently?
By: Ginger | Posted on July 11, 2025
As authors, we spend a lot of time thinking about plot, character, and craft, but how often do we stop to consider how our own perspective shapes the stories we tell? One of the more provocative questions in fiction is whether men and women write differently. Not better or worse, but with different instincts, patterns, and narrative focus. While discussions like this can sometimes feel uncomfortable, they can also lead to valuable insights, especially when it comes to understanding our readers and sharpening our own creative voice. That’s why this week, Ginger explores whether storytelling trends are influenced by gender. Do some writers naturally gravitate toward the classic hero’s journey built around struggle and transformation, while others lean more toward arcs of recognition, discovery, and reclaiming identity? Using examples, a bit of data, and personal observations, Ginger opens up a conversation that isn’t about taking sides, but about better understanding… Read More >
