A. J. Sieling

Art and the Artist

On Being A Fan Of Problematic People

What happens when your favorite book doesn't age so well? Or the actor who plays your favorite TV show character does something terrible? Or when your...

The Intersection of Setting and Story

You're writing a book. But as it turns out, writing a book is difficult! In your head, the narrative is grand and beautiful--some might even say epic,...

How To Build A Book Marketing Strategy

You've published your first book. But you've only made one sale. (It was to your mom.) So you pop onto your favorite writing forum and ask, "How do ya...

Hook, Line, and Cliffhanger

Cliffhangers get a bad rap from the reading community. They moan and complain and say that they hate them with a passion! But from a writer's perspect...

How To Pants A Novel

If you've spent much time in the writing community, you've probably run across this question: "Are you a plotter or a pantser?" Plotters plan and orga...

Building An Author Brand That Suits You

Branding: a fun, business-y buzzword people use to mean any number of things. In the writing world, everyone says you need to have one, but what that ...

The Prodigal Son's Less Famous Sister

In this series of essays, exvangelical A. J. Sieling takes us on a deeply personal journey out of the darkness of a religion that could never see her....