I spent 20 years in the U.S. Air Force, so I’m comfortable discussing U.S. military in general since I served along with all the branches. This will be a multi-part series about the most common things a writer needs to know if they’re going to have military characters or any kind of military items in their books.
We’ll discuss basic things that cover all branches of the service. Each branch has distinctive uniforms (which have become more distinctive in the last few years). But there are customs and courtesies that extend across all of them. Deciding if you’re making your characters enlisted or officers greatly changes how you will write the story. Having a mixture of both will give you a challenge but adds to realism. Continue reading “Getting it Right: U.S. Military- Personnel”
I don’t think there’s an avid reader in the world who would argue that eBooks haven’t changed the way we read. It’s nothing for someone in the U.S. to publish a novel, and through the wonder of the World Wide Web, a person in Australia finds it. Even ten years ago it was almost unimaginable to think we could sell books like that. When paper was king, that same reader in Australia would have to jump through hoops, pay an exorbitant amount (including import taxes), and patiently wait while their book was sent to them by the slowest route possible. Not today!
Writers always seem to be busy. Most of us have to work a second job to keep the bills paid. Granted I’m “retired” but I also have a 100 acre farm to look after, which means my time is usually at a premium. I’ve discovered the more books I write, the less I seem to stay prepared for impromptu marketing opportunities. And this is an important thing when you’re an Indie.