Mark Posey

Anyone Quoting Black-and-White “Rules” About Writing Is Full of Crap

/ Mark Posey

If someone is handing you absolute, black-and-white “rules” about writing, they’re full of crap.
Most of those commandments started life as reasonable cautions… before nuance died somewhere between a conference panel and a poorly edited podcast rant.

Real editors don’t enforce rules.
Real editors ask one question: Is this working for this story, this audience, this moment?

Follow every so-called rule perfectly and you won’t write a great book — you’ll just write a technically correct, emotionally flat one.
Rules can stop you from making mistakes.
They cannot help you make choices.
And writing is nothing but choices.

A No-Spoiler Update on Fall From Grace

/ Espionage, Mark Posey, Thrillers

Thomas Billings is back.
Well… almost.

Mark filed a no-spoiler update on Fall From Grace, the second Thomas Billings thriller, and it contains precisely zero useful intel — which is exactly the point. What we do know: the book exists, words are happening, and coffee is disappearing at an alarming rate. Thomas is stubborn, Grace is complicated, and someone (possibly several someones) is making catastrophically poor choices.

In other words: the thriller is doing what thrillers do best.
And Mark will start spilling details only when the finish line is in sight.

Until then… someone, somewhere, is about to regret something deeply.

The Annual Ritual of the Writing Resolution

/ Mark Posey

Writing resolutions fail for remarkably predictable reasons.
Not because writers are lazy or unserious—but because they aim too high, too vaguely, and too emotionally.

The writers who finish books aren’t the ones who promise themselves a perfect year.
They’re the ones who build systems that survive imperfect weeks.

reader lounging on books

Reader Resolutions I Fully Support (and Will Not Enforce)

/ Mark Posey

It’s January, which means the internet is once again filled with people vowing to become Better Versions of Themselves.
More exercise.
Fewer carbs.
A spiritual awakening achieved through color-coded planners.

As an author, I feel it is my civic duty to offer an alternative set of New Year’s resolutions—specifically for readers. These are resolutions you can feel good about and abandon guilt-free by February.

Editing King Arthur (Again): Notes From the Once and Future Hearts Trenches

/ Author Services, Editing, Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Historical, Historical Fantasy, Historical Romance, Mark Posey, Romance

Editing a thirteen-book Arthurian saga isn’t for the faint of heart. Mark pulls back the curtain on his years in the trenches with Once and Future Hearts—from navigating character continuity and protecting authorial voice to the diplomatic art of asking, “Are you sure, Tracy?” as the finale, Camlann, heads into its early-release Kickstarter celebration.

A Little Marital Bragging (Okay, Maybe a Lot)

/ Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Historical, Historical Fantasy, Historical Romance, Mark Posey, Romance

Mark takes a moment to brag — loudly and unapologetically — about Tracy’s incredible achievement: completing the thirteen-book Once and Future Hearts series and preparing its exclusive hardcover Kickstarter. From behind-the-scenes glimpses to outright spousal pride, this post celebrates the epic scope of the project and why the upcoming campaign is such a milestone.

Why Your Scene’s Setting Matters More Than You Think

/ Mark Posey

Setting isn’t wallpaper. It’s the emotional engine under every scene you write. A confession uttered beneath stained-glass saints is a completely different moment than one whispered in the soft half-light of a bedroom — same words, wildly different meaning. If a scene feels limp, nine times out of ten the setting is the culprit. Make the room work just as hard as the characters, and suddenly the whole story sharpens.

Three Weeks Until Christmas… Already?!

/ Mark Posey

Christmas has a talent for going delightfully off the rails — and honestly, that’s half the charm. This week on Mark’s blog, we’re diving into the beautifully imperfect moments that make the season unforgettable. From last-minute chaos to wobbly traditions and the kind of family stories that only happen when everyone embraces the madness, it’s all fair game. What’s your most memorable Christmas — heartwarming, disastrous, or somewhere in between?

Mind Your @#$%& Mouth: Swearing in Fiction (And How Not to Mess It Up)

/ Editing, Mark Posey

Writers love to worry about swearing — usually more than their characters do. The truth? Profanity isn’t “good” or “bad.” It’s a tool. A sharp one. Used well, it cuts cleanly through tension, reveals character, or snaps a moment into focus. Used poorly, it just bleeds all over the page.
In this post, Mark breaks down when swearing works, when it absolutely doesn’t, how genre affects your choices, and why every curse word has to be earned. If your characters are going to swear, make sure they mean it.

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