This isn’t just a collection of articles; it’s a transparent record of the work.
I believe that the best way to learn is by watching someone else solve the problems in real-time. This log is where I document the parallel paths of my creative journey: from the late-night drafting of my Noir trilogy, The Phantom Mask, to the physical discipline required for my fitness photoshoot and YouTube launch.
Below, you’ll find the raw entries of my progress—the KDP strategies that worked, the draft chapters that fought back, and the lessons learned while balancing a 9-5 with the demands of an indie author.
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Overcoming Fitness Struggles: My Transformation Journey
So, I’ve set myself a challenge that I’ve mentioned before – to do a fitness photoshoot later in the year. And I’m still very much on the road to it. It started really at the beginning of the year when I really felt bad about the way I looked and my gym really didn’t help.…
The Art of the Teaser: Narrative Openings and ‘The Phantom Mask’
The opening of a book is its most critical component, serving as the gateway to the narrative world. This is why I strategically introduced the beginnings of “The Phantom Mask” in my previous work, utilizing a technique similar to a cinematic end stinger or post-credits scene to bridge the transition between stories. It poses a…
One Epic Year: The Story So Far (And How to Join the Crew)
The Concept One Epic Year isn’t a standard anthology. It’s a living story that features on the holidays it represents. Each day having a different genre. The goal was to create a gritty, real-time reading experience that stays with you throughout the year. So far, the journey has been intense, and we’re only just reaching…
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Iron and Ink: How the Gym Saves My Writing (and Vice Versa)
I could start this blog with a laboured, cliché metaphor. Something like, “You don’t just walk up to a 100kg barbell and expect to lift it, so you shouldn’t expect to write a book in a day.” But let’s be honest: that would be rubbish. Instead, I want to talk about how a heavy lifting…
Why I Published My First Book For All The Wrong Reasons But It Gave Me Back My Passion For Writing
This is not one of those stories of lifelong dreams, a perfectly executed plans, nope, this is a story about accidents, a little bit of panic and basically learning everything the hard way. Let’s be honest: my first self-published “book” wasn’t actually a book. It was a rushed screenplay I whacked onto KDP because I…
Training for the Lens: Why the Gym is Part of the Script
The Context I’ve spent most of my life behind a desk or buried in a draft, but as I’ve started building the That Jamie Bloke YouTube channel, I realized something: Confidence is a creative tool. It’s easy to give advice from the shadows, but showing up as a “Big Brother” figure for other self-published authors…
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A Different Kind of Mystery: The ‘Who Saved It’
Most noir stories start with a body and a question: Who did it? While The Phantom Mask has its share of shadows and secrets, I’m approaching this draft from a slightly different angle. The Premise: The city of London is a place that has learned to look away. Especially after The Battle of London at…
The Day I Realised She Was the Brand
The Day I Realised She Was the Brand — And Why It Changed Everything Introduction When I started Aunty Sadie Reads, we hid behind the character.She was warm, playful, and instantly recognisable — but the face wasn’t real. Even if the voice was. I thought that was the safest, most professional way to build a…
What Writing a Trilogy Taught Me About Leadership
What Writing a Trilogy Taught Me About Leadership – And It’s Not What You Think It Is Introduction When you think “leadership,” you probably picture boardrooms, team meetings, and quarterly targets — not an author hunched over a laptop, juggling fictional characters. But after writing and publishing the One Epic Year trilogy, I realised the…
That Jamie Bloke 
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