by Tom Hogan | Jun 9, 2025 | Inspiration, Screenplays, silicon valley, So You Want to Be a Writer, Teaching, Writing
Every author faces a central challenge: how real are your characters? The answer goes a long way to determining the success of your project, whether it’s a novel or a script. There is no firm rule about writing a character—some like to write with a real...
by Tom Hogan | May 9, 2025 | Inspiration, biohacking, crime, DNA, genetic engineering, hard science fiction, mystery, Personal, science fiction, Screenplays, silicon valley, So You Want to Be a Writer, Teaching, Writing
As many of you know, our book, The Forever Factor, had its genesis in a conversation with Jim Goetz, one of the most successful (and despite his modesty, famous) venture capitalists in Silicon Valley. We had long wanted to write a book together, so we got together to...
by Tom Hogan | Apr 25, 2025 | Screenplays, Inspiration, So You Want to Be a Writer, Teaching
I promised an update on whether it’s best to write a script and a novel simultaneously or one after the other. My first three novels, I wrote the novel first, then the script. This latest one, my co-author Amanda and I decided to develop the two in tandem, thinking...
by Tom Hogan | Sep 3, 2024 | Book Coach, Screenplays, short story, So You Want to Be a Writer, Teaching, Writing
“I have a book in me.” It’s a phrase often used when someone is either writing a book of considering doing so. Which is great. Whether it’s a Memoir or Fiction or Non-fiction, before you pick up a pen (or keyboard) it might be worth considering whether you can afford...
by Tom Hogan | Dec 12, 2023 | Teaching, So You Want to Be a Writer, Writing
Any writer will tell you that one of the major signs that you’re maturing as a writer is the ability to stand back, examine your work, and make the appropriate changes to advance the story. And part of that is the infamous ‘kill your darling’ admonition (attributed to...
by Tom Hogan | Oct 20, 2023 | Author assistant, Teaching, Writing
Note from Tom: Cheryl has quarterbacked my last two novels from start to finish. The stuff she does, I neither want to do myself or even know how to do it. There are those who do want to handle all phases of their book, and I appreciate it. I’m just not one of them...
