End of Year Three

This post concludes the end of my third year of daily blogging here at the Retreat.

While the blog's growth tapered off, the readership has more or less remained steady overall; the posts that get the most view tend to be the ones that are most akin to timely clickbait material, which isn't necessarily a good thing (as the glorified bloggers at PolyTakuGN (or whatever front name it is this week) as well as the mainstream media generally demonstrate too well, but the regular engagement I get from the emerging core readers is far more encouraging. In short, the Retreat found its niche and therefore its readership, and those leaning to other parts are now happy that I maintain the weekly blogs for those interests.

I talked a lot about what I'd like to do at this time last year. After looking back at the start of this year, I can say that deciding to commit to writing novels was the only way forward for me given what I've had to work with until now. I had neither the skill nor the tools to do anything else. Furthermore, the streaming environment changed significantly over this past year as did the YouTube style of video channel, making me reconsider those as anything but adjuncts to the writing business.

TL/DR: Don't expect me getting into livestreaming or podcasting anything soon. While I have recently, at last, been able to get better tools I still lack the skills and my time is (for now) better spent on mastering writing than learning another skillset, not when I also have to learn the business side of the writing world.

No point in bemoaning the point any further. I'm going from amateur to pro science fiction author now, and we'll see how well I've done by this time next year.

Narrative Warfare: The Mouse Empire Strikes Back (& That's Good For Us)

While I was enjoying the evening with some pals, word that the Mouse Empire chose to double-down on Culty Kathy got out. The Supreme Dark Lord was amused.

Why? Because doubling down is what SJWs do. After all, they can't possibly admit they were wrong and those evil NaziHaterWhiteSupremacists who said the movies sucked were right, can they?

This is great news, as far as I am concerned. Opportunity beckons....

While it is possible that this is all PR to make her departure look like something else, using this contract as a golden parachute, the proof will be in the Mouse Wars schedule starting next year. I thought she was gone, and I should have considered that her backers had sufficient stroke to use their convergence to keep her in control of the controlled demolition of Uncle George's creation.

But I share the Supreme Dark Lord's sentiment. This is good for those of us already doing #StarWarsNotStarWars. This is good for #AGundam4us. This is good for the #PulpRev scene, and we have got to position ourselves--individually and collectively--to pounce upon this opportunity. There is no way that Culty Kathy can satisfy the Star Wars audience; she doesn't even want to try, and she's out to do a demographic replacement no less severe than the SJW-converged governments of the West wish to execute.

There is no saving Mouse Wars. There is now only the diaspora of dissaffected fans looking for something new to replace it. That's where we come in.

We need to come together and boost each other up, and not just in science fiction novels. We need to boost our allies in indie comics, and get more material across those media lines (as Jon del Arroz and Vox Day are doing). We can't afford to waste this window we've got, because the demolition of Star Wars on the altar to Social Justice will compel people to seek us out. We have to be ready, willing, and able to meet them and bring them aboard.

And that's got to go beyond our own stuff. We need to push the old classics, the other mil-SF/Space Opera guys who do like we do, and otherwise get those disaffected fans comfortable with all of the competing material out there- and get them to remember that it was we who showed them the wider world when they left the reservation. If what I write isn't what Bob's wanting, maybe Cole & Anspach will do, or Niemeier, or Jay Allen, or some old BattleTech books, or Legend of the Galactic Heroes. You get the idea.

Disney has given us an early Christmas gift, folks. Make the most of it.

My Life As A Writer: The XSeed Media Train Stops At Jim Fear's Podcast

Dragon Award winner and nominee Brian Niemeier (and my editor for Reavers of the Void) continued his media tour in support of Combat Frame XSeed with his appearance on The Jim Fear Podcast. You can find that audio-only podcast here and it's guaranteed to be far more interesting than whatever you usually put on to listen to on a Friday afternoon. Again, if you've not backed the campaign then you can do so here.

It's increasingly clear that Brian's got a plan for every stage of the indie publishing game, and his past experience is doing him good service here. If you, like me, are new to the game then you have another reason to listen to Brian's media tour; he's showing how to play the game and win by his action as much by his words, and that's invaluable to going from newbie to paying bills by writing as fast as you can.

It's brief, but a key lesson is here in this podcast: not every editor is for every book project. Brian's a mecha guy like me, so he's good for what I've written; learn to know who's good for what sort of project. More wisdom is within, so carve out the time and put this one on folks. You won't regret it.

My Life As A Gamer: Take Your Propaganda To The Trash, CAH

Today's example of "Get Woke, Go Broke":

What the fuck are you doing? You're a game publisher, not a PAC. https://t.co/2h4KcTEMXZ

— Bradford C. Walker (@MrBCWalker) September 27, 2018

Scratch another game publisher off your lists folks. This isn't politics, this is direct activism masquerading as sales, and that means "propaganda". Gaming and propaganda don't mix, which is why "Get Woke, Go Broke" is a thing that keeps happening. Into the trash you go, Cards Against Humanity.

Vox Day Talks Alt-Hero:Q

The Supreme Dark Lord, Vox Day, appeared during daylight hours today to talk about Alt-Hero: Q and the waning hours of the successful Indiegogo campaign for it.

The man's doing all the smart things that comics publishers need to do know, and the tell is in the success that Arkhaven Comics has in the field- such that even the Big Two are scared of Arkhaven now. The North American market is getting disrupted, and more readers find this to be good than bad. It's why the SJWs watching that niche are so virulent about attacking Arkhaven and anyone associated with it- whether they want to be or not. (Looking at you, Sciver.)

I note that neither the European nor the Asian comics publishers give a shit, and that's because we aren't dealing with SJWs using comics as Commie propaganda fronts there. (Well, maybe in Europe that could be a problem, but I haven't seen any Japanese comics that do.) They don't have a problem with Arkhaven, apparently, so it's telling that this is a huge problem with the Big Two and the parasites swarming around them.

I knew when Vox Day announced this new publishing business that he'd be successful and hit hard with his launch, much as he has with Castalia House. As of this post there's about 8 hours left in the campaign, so if you're into last-minute backing this is the time.

Vox Day & Jon Del Arroz On The Lunch Stream Today!

Today saw the Supreme Dark Lord, Vox Day be interviewed by the leading Hispanic voice in science fiction, Jon del Arroz on the later's "lunchstream" (which is live as of this post, so that time got bent somewhat for this occasion). This is going to be a good time, so fire up your browsers and put this one on as you go about your business. Don't be surprised if you find yourself paying close attention because something of interest gets said and you go "Wait, what?"

Well worth the time spent, folks, especially if you're looking to get into the head of the leading player in independent genre fiction today.

My Life As A Writer: XSeed on Superversive Live!

Continuing his media tour, Dragon Award winner and nominee Brian Niemeier appeared on the Superversive Livestream yesterday to promote his upcoming military SF novel Combat Frame XSeed, and you will have a good time listening to this podcast if you enjoyed the Geek Gab appearance.

If you haven't taken the opportunity to back his Indiegogo campaign, go here and get a guaranteed e-book in November (in addition to whatever else you put your money down for). This man is the editor for Reavers of the Void, so you know he's got an eye for making good stories better, and thus is worthy of your support.