The Ten of Swords Business Plan: Pivots and Tweaks After One Year of Full-Time Writing with JP Rindfleisch IX

Written By Valerie Ihsan

Main Topic:  Pockets of Pivots: Pivoting and Tweaking Your Way Through the First Year as a Full-Time Writer with repeat guest JP Rindfleisch IX

PATREON:

Thank you to my existing patrons for believing in my work offline and here in the podcast. If you are a patron, in either tier, you get all my content, always. You can support me and my dreams and my writing and my aligned author life for $11.11 USD, and I will be so so grateful. Truly. Heart to heart. Gratitude for your gifts. If you want coaching too (with TWO LIVE CALLS EACH MONTH, you can BACK me at $55.55/mo USD). You will NEVER find coaching sessions for less money than this. If you've ever wanted continued support for your writing and accountability for your projects, this is the way to do it. 

Become a patron of the arts and of me at Patreon.com/valerieihsan. 

And you can support my friend and colleague and Visiting Co-Host author Erick Mertz at Patreon.com/strangeairstories for short stories in the paranormal mystery genre. 

Announcements/Author Updates:

  • I've started looking into specific venues for the retreat here in Costa Rica, and I'm going to start working on the sales page today.

  • If you are interested in the updates on the retreat, you can subscribe to the waitlist at 

  • https://valerieihsan.com/retreat. And if you are retreat alumni, look for an email coming very soon.

  • UPDATE: Date for Free Mini writing retreat for patron members (paid and unpaid) is Thursday, August 27th at 5:00 p.m. MT. 2 hours long (cozy, candle; oracle card pull to set intention; check-in: 1 struggle, 1 win, what you are working on tonight; guided meditation; writing words; share word count (optional)); The link is in the last post in Patreon.

  • There's a new essay up in Patreon,

  • What are you reading?

(Main Topic):

JP Rindfleisch IX (he/they) writes stories where whimsy meets the weird — cozy queer fantasy and strange fiction about grief, transformation, and unapologetic queer joy. Their first solo novel, Mandrake Manor, won the 2025 IPPY Silver Medal in LGBTQ+ Fiction, the 2024 Reader Ready Award TOP PICK, and a 2023 American Writing Awards Finalist nod. Since then, the catalog has kept growing: Mosswood Apothecary (Tales of Valdaes), (Valdayus) a complete six-book dark paranormal academy series co-written with A.B. Cohen, the paranormal comedy NRDS: National Recently Deceased Services with Jeff Elkins, and more still coming.

Away from fiction, JP is a Three Story Method Certified Editor and Dialogue Doctor, the author of the craft guide Story Hypothesis: The Missing Piece of Your Fiction Puzzle, and current co-host of Write Wrong Repeat. They also founded Rockford Area Writers — because someone told them writing was a solitary practice, and they disagreed. The community is now 80+ members strong.

JP lives in Rockford, Illinois, with a very chatty African grey parrot and a husky with strong feelings about the walk schedule. When they're not writing, you'll find them cooking something vegan or somewhere on a trail. Represented by Elaine Spencer of The Knight Agency, who has placed five audiobook deals with Tantor Media and Simon Maverick.

Good progress with ads, and then paid ads started dropping off, so doubled down on having more presence. TikTok Lives, talking events, book fairs, draining but what I enjoy, revenue vs what am I enjoying.

Rediscovered joys

Values shifted,

Tarot reminds you monthly; want to vs have to; 

Body doubles help with accountability.

Sunday Social Media, schedule it out, ability to play is most important

Wake up, walk dog, desk work all morning with pomodoro 30/5, body double on Zoom or TwitchStreams; what can I get done or what's loudest. Morning is creative time; afternoons are for TikTok lives, pack orders, talk to people about books. Lives are "in-person" events.  TwitchLives are Virtual Book Events.

Input: JP is reading right now: One Last Stop (sapphic romance by Casey McQuiston); Upgrade (Blake Crouch)

Want to get used to local events. Rule: it's still worth my time if there are authors at the book event that I can network with. What are the good events in the area? Go to more and more selective ones. Look at their past attendance; refine your book pitch (say them fast)(TikTok hook); practice with fast form short videos, do multiple times to see what works. (learn to say No if not well attended)

Knowing your why. Goal is to sell. But know the area writers, what works in the area. Friendship with bookstores, ways the city can uplift, arts councils. 

Slump, persistence to correct the dip, checks and balances: recognize patterns, being more honest about what's working, not working, overworking, making sure the various things I spend time on will move the needle forward.

How can I have more community - Writer's Ink Podcast sometimes, The Dialogue Doctor sometimes, Write, Wrong, Repeat.

Pre-orders: Belladonna Bed and Breakfast, Bone and Ward; new audiobook: Mosswood Apothecary

Family time and vacation time. 

Schedule in the free time.

Find Us:

‍ ‍

Valerie's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/valerieihsan

Erick's Linktree link: https://linktr.ee/erickmertzauthor

Tools:

ProWriting Aid: https://prowritingaid.com/?afid=9378 (affiliate link)

Valerie Ihsan

I’m a Story Analyst, author, and dog lover. I diagnose manuscripts, highlighting areas that can be improved, so that writers can showcase their very best work.

https://valerieihsan.com
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