I wrote my first book, "Ode to the Empire," in considerable agony, trying desperately to be the next George R.R. Martin or Brandon Sanderson. Or some other middle-aged, bearded guy with whom I feel a deep soul connection when I look in the mirror.
I edited and edited, producing a ton of text and countless characters—my greatest flaw, really. I kept thinking of new characters who would fit a scene, and I managed to cram every single one of them into the original "Ode to the Empire" book. This...