If you write books and care about the tech behind getting them into readers' hands, you're in the right place.
This is The Author Spot — TAS, if you're already a regular. I'm TJ Culler, and we do things a little differently here. You'll find traditional text blogs alongside video blogs (vblogs) covering the full spectrum of publishing technology, because some ideas land better on the page and some need you to actually see them in action.
So what do we cover? Three lanes. In CMOS, we dig into grammar rules and how they hold up — or don't — in a digital-first world. In In the Spotlight, we put a magnifying glass on new books, authors, software, apps, and AI tools worth your attention. And in Escape From Duda'El, I pull back the curtain on my next novel as it goes from manuscript to market — mistakes, wins, and everything awkward in between.
Think of it as the tech-savvy friend every authorpreneur needs. Let’s kick things off with our introduction video.
Video Transcript:
Hello. Welcome to The Author Spot. I’m your host TJ Culler. Now, grab a coffee — or don’t, I’m not your mom.
I’m going to presume you’re here because you’re either writing a book, thinking about writing a book, or you’ve already written one and now you’re drowning in questions nobody warned you about. Questions like: How do I actually get this thing published? What is an author platform? And why does everyone keep arguing about the Oxford comma? Good news. That’s exactly what this channel is for.
Let me walk you through what we’re building here, because there are a few different things happening, and I want you to know where to find what you need.
The Author Spot is home base. This is where we talk about the craft and the business of being an author — publishing models, platform building, what’s changing in the industry, and what those changes actually mean for a working writer. The publishing world is shifting fast right now. AI, hybrid models, self-publishing gone mainstream. We’re going to stay on top of it together, without the hype.
Then there’s CMOS — The Chicago Manual of Style. Before you click away, hear me out. Grammar rules aren’t boring when you understand why they exist. We’ll dig into the guidelines that editors actually use, how they’ve changed, what is new, and how to apply them so your manuscript doesn’t come back looking like a crime scene.
Now here’s where it gets personal.
Escape From Duda’El is my next novel and I’m genuinely excited about it. We’re going to document the whole process from concept to print on this channel. The decisions, the rewrites, the moments where I seriously questioned my life choices. If you’ve ever wondered what building a novel from scratch actually looks like from the inside, this is it. The struggle that compels us to quit, and the passion that drives us forward anyways.
Alongside that, I’m also developing an online entertainment app called The Kingdom Easter Egg Challenge — built for dedicated fans who want something more than passive reading. We’ll track the development process, talk design decisions, and give you a front-row seat to the launch. Think of it as a behind-the-scenes look at what happens when a storyteller starts thinking like a game designer.
We will also feature or “spotlight” artists, designers, beta readers, and other services that help the publishing dream take shape. In addition to experts, we’ll also examine authoring tools, apps, and AI platforms that help to streamline the process.
And finally — Guest Speakers. There is nothing more valuable than the voice of experience. When we find authors and experts in the publishing field that want to share what’s they’ve learned, we put them on camera to share those experiences with you. New novels, new voices, live interviews, and learning from real experience. Real conversations with writers sharing their journey with you.
So that’s the lineup. Some of it is practical, some of it is creative, and some of it is me making my experiences public and hoping for the best.
Subscribe if any of that sounds useful. New content is on the way, and we’re just getting started.
And as we like to say at The Author Spot, “Go on and write, we’ll handle the tech.”
“Till next time – TJ
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TJ Culler is an author, reader, and an adventurist. She loves working at The Author Spot as an Author Platform Specialist. Her hobbies include hiking, camping, and driving her Jeep in the great outdoors. After publishing her first book in 2017, TJ discovered what a daunting task an author platform really was. She now dedicates her time to helping authors, like herself, who struggle with technology. |
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