I was so excited when two men, whom I’ve come to respect in their substack sphere’s, agreed to join us this session of the Fiction Cartel.
Now I just hope they enjoyed themselves enough to return and become regulars?
[Yes, I require an answer
and …hehe.Tonight, we talked with one of our Life of Fiction supporters, Benjamin Allred, a.k.a.
, who is just starting down the path of writing. He’s made efforts over the years, but now he is seeing opportunities to take his desires a bit further.In that, we all wanted to encourage him!
So with everyone agreeing, we decided to turn most of the control over to him in this session to ask any or all of us, the questions he wanted answers to the most.
The Fiction Cartel members:
Panelists Kummer Wolfe, Scoot, Deleyna Marr, Ian Dunmore, Eric Falden and Jaime Buckley, discuss the questions asked by Bendragon, a member of the Life of Fiction community. The panel shares their definitions, perspectives, and personal experiences with Bendragon (and those in attendance)…
Make sure to follow them on their substacks!
Subscribe to Kummer Wolfe’s World’s of Kummer Wolfe
Subscribe to Scoot’s Gibberish
Subscribe to Deleyna Marr’s Deleyna’s Drift
Subscribe to Ian Dunmore’s Dunmore’s Dispatch
Subscribe to Eric Falden’s Falden’s Forge
Subscribe to Jaime’s Life of Fiction
…and give Bendragon a follow! (he doesn’t have a publication…yet)
Highlights of the chat…
A) Ben asked:
Do you write with an audience in mind? By that, I mean is the satisfaction of the reader more important to you than anything else?
With the start of Substact, with the fact there are no restrictions as to word length, does that free you as a writer, or do you still try to adhere to word counts?
SESSION NOTES: Bendragon Asks Us Questions
Fiction Cartel Session: October 21, 2025
Here are the questions created to ask during this session. We got through three of them, but this is posted to help you continue this conversation in your own writing circles.
1. What’s something about your writing journey that most people don’t know—and why do you usually keep it private?
This question invites vulnerability and authenticity. It’s meant to reveal a hidden struggle, habit, or personal belief that shaped your path as a writer.
Example A: “I actually quit writing for three years because I didn’t believe my voice mattered. I don’t talk about it much because it was a painful season.”
Example B: “I’ve always struggled with imposter syndrome. I hide it because people assume experienced authors are confident.”
2. What moment or motivation pushed you to finally start writing or hit “publish” for the first time?
This focuses on the spark that transformed interest into action—what triggered the decision to begin.
Example A: “I promised my best friend I’d finish a story I’d been sitting on for years. That accountability changed everything.”
Example B: “I realized if I kept waiting for ‘perfect,’ I’d never publish. So I did it scared.”
3. What early obstacle nearly stopped your writing—and how did you push through it?
This aims to draw out practical, personal stories of struggle and resilience.
Example A: “Rejection letters crushed me at 19. But I used them as motivation to get better instead of proof I wasn’t good enough.”
Example B: “I didn’t know how to structure a novel, so I wrote four terrible drafts before finding a mentor.”
4. If you could go back and change one decision in your writing career, what would it be—and why?
This isn’t about regret—it’s about hard-earned insight.
Example A: “I would have started building an email list from day one instead of years later.”
Example B: “I wish I’d learned the business side of publishing earlier, instead of trusting every ‘expert’ I met.”
5. When starting a book, what should a writer plan intentionally—and what can they allow to develop organically?
This helps new writers understand the balance between preparation and creativity.
Example A: “I always plan my ending and major turning points, but I let character dialogue unfold naturally.”
Example B: “Worldbuilding is structured. Banter, relationships, and humor? Those I let surprise me.”
6. In your opinion, what element of a book matters most—and why? (e.g., moral, genre, literary style, cover, etc.)
This identifies what each writer values most and why they prioritize it.
Example A: “The emotional core matters most. A good story makes you feel something before it makes you think.”
Example B: “The hook and cover are critical—because without them, no one even picks up the book.”
7. What’s one piece of writing advice you wish your younger self had received early on?
This pushes for a distilled lesson learned through experience, not platitudes.
Example A: “Stop trying to be perfect. You can’t edit what you don’t write.”
Example B: “Learn to finish. Half-written masterpieces don’t build careers.”
8. How do you personally maintain a healthy balance between writing, family, and other life priorities?
This invites realistic, not idealized, answers. It shows new writers what real balance looks like.
Example A: “I protect writing blocks like appointments, but I also shut down completely when I’m with family.”
Example B: “I set weekly word goals instead of daily ones, so I can adjust around family needs.”
NEXT TIME
On November 4th 2025, we’re going to help every writer out there…
What Do YOU Want To Know?
Do you have questions you’d like us to answer?
Do you have something else you want to know that The Fiction Cartel can discuss next time?
🧭 About The Fiction Cartel
A bold new idea where writers come together live to talk craft, challenge conventions, and grow as creators. No scripts. No filters. Just raw, real writing minds sharing insights.
➡️ Want to join live next time? The link is ALWAYS THE SAME =)
Pull up a virtual chair at: https://gobrunch.com/fictioncartel
Hope you enjoyed the video. Drop a comment below and let me know!
Have a great day. Have a great week!
Remember:
You are MORE than you THINK you are!
Until Next Time,
Jaime *the-creative-addict* Buckley
