Jon Cronshaw's Author Diary - The Real Life of an Indie Author | Writing | Publishing | Disability

This week I’m finally feeling better after a month of illness, which means a welcome return to proper momentum. I’ve been working on Four of Swords and also going back over my progress on Guild of Assassins Book 4, getting a clearer sense of where that story is heading. I also went to see the film adaptation of Project Hail Mary, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It’s well worth a watch if you liked the...

This week I’ve continued working through edits on Churchill’s Dragons and Four of Swords, keeping the momentum going across both projects. On the reading front, I finished Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, which I thought was excellent—a brilliant mix of science, tension, and heart. I also talk about my dark domestic fantasy project, Until the Wyvern Spoke, and share that I’ll be starting to post Si...

I’m still not feeling 100%, so it’s been another editing-focused week. I’ve now finished editing RAF Dragon Corps Book 1 and moved straight on to Book 2, keeping things ticking along despite the illness. Big news this week: Final Flight—the finale of The Ravenglass Throne—is now live on Kindle! A huge milestone bringing the series to its conclusion. On the reading front, I’ve just finished This In...

The illness is still hanging around, so it’s been another editing-focused week. I’ve now finished my edits for The Prince and the Fool and sent it off for a professional edit. I’ve also been revisiting Dragon Squadron (RAF Dragon Corps, Book 1), going through the manuscript and tightening things up. On the creative side, I’ve written a short piece of music to accompany Until the Wyvern Spoke, whic...

I’m still feeling under the weather this week, so instead of drafting I’ve been focusing on editing. I’ve been working through ** The Prince and the Fool (Ravenglass Legends, Book 4)** to prepare the manuscript for a professional edit next month. I’m now around 70,000 words into the edit, so if all goes well I should have the manuscript finished early next week. On the reading front, I’ve moved on...

This week’s been a quieter one as I’ve been under the weather with a spring virus. Even so, I’ve been working through the edits for The Silent Watcher, making progress on polishing the manuscript. I’ve also been doing some reading and picked up Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell, which was a gripping psychological thriller. Not the most energetic week, but still moving things forward behind the scene...

This week I’ve started work on Four of Swords as I continue with The Ravenglass Chronicles. It’s always exciting to begin a new instalment and see where the story leads next. I’ve also begun re-watching The Good Place with my son, which has been a lot of fun revisiting together. On the reading front, I talk about flagging a little with Dungeon Crawler Carl—still enjoyable, but I may take a short b...

This week I completed my final edits of The Silent Watcher and have now sent it off for a professional edit. I’ve also received the cover, and I’m looking forward to starting to post chapters on Patreon from March 2. Outside of writing, I went to see Deftones in Manchester—an excellent gig with a set leaning more into their shoegaze/epic rock side, which was perfect for me. On the reading front, I...

This week, I wrapped up Three of Swords (The Ravenglass Chronicles, Part 24)and moved straight onto writing a few chapters of Guild of Assassins Book 4. It’s been great shifting gears between projects while keeping the momentum going. On the reading front, I’ve jumped into the second Dungeon Crawler Carl book, and I’m thoroughly enjoying the ride so far. Safe to say, the series has me hooked. A pr...

This week I’ve been making strong progress on Three of Swords (The Ravenglass Chronicles, Part 24), reaching around 60% of the draft. It’s always a great feeling when a story starts accelerating towards the final stretch. I’ve also been reading Dungeon Crawler Carl, which I’m enjoying immensely—fast, funny, and brilliantly inventive. On a personal note, I’ve started the Couch to 5K running program...

This week I finished writing Two of Swords and started work on Three of Swords, continuing my return to The Ravenglass Chronicles. I also enjoyed reading Dark Matter by Blake Crouch. In exciting news, The Ravenglass Throne: Parts 5–8 boxed set is out today on Kindle and paperback. And if you’ve not started the series yet, Parts 1–4 is free on Kindle until February 1.

This week I’ve nearly finished Two of Swords, with just three chapters left to draft. I also share my thoughts on using Meta’s smart glasses and how they’re proving surprisingly useful for someone like me with a visual impairment.

This week I reveal my long-hinted secret project—I'm back writing The Ravenglass Chronicles! The first two chapters of Ace of Swords is now live on Patreon, and I'm deep into Two of Swords. I also tried out Meta’s Smart Glasses, a game-changer for accessibility, and share my thoughts on the Stranger Things finale. Visit: patreon.com/joncronshawauthor

This week I’m back to writing after the Christmas break. I'm working on Guild of Assassins Book 4 and the third Ravenglass Guardians novel, this time focusing on the Seekers faction. On Patreon, I'm letting readers decide what gets posted next—options include: – Guild of Assassins 4 – The Silent Watcher – The Sentinel’s Mercy – A wacky side-project I also talk about upcoming January releas...

It’s a brand new year, and in this week’s Author Diary I share my plans for 2026. Over the Christmas break, I wrote several short stories, including a new Soren tale set in the Guild of Assassins universe, now live on Patreon. I’m currently on Chapter 7 of Guild of Assassins Book 4, and looking ahead to the spring launch of The Prince and the Fool. I’ll also be wrapping up The Ravenglass Throne re...

In this special year-end episode, I take a look back at 2025, reflecting on the high points, challenges, and key milestones in my author career. I walk through the year month by month, revisiting the projects I launched, the goals I met (and missed), and everything I’ve learned along the way. Thank you for being part of the journey—wishing you all the best for an exciting and creative 2026!

This week, I wrote a new Soren short story set in the Guild of Assassins universe, exclusively for Patreon supporters. It’s always great to return to Soren’s world and explore new corners of the guild. I also talk about struggling with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), and how I’m starting to wind down for the Christmas break to rest and reset before the new year. Visit: patreon.com/joncronshawau...

This week, I completed the final check of Churchill’s Dragons (RAF Dragon Corps, Book 2), which means it’s now officially ready for the editor. It’s always a great feeling getting a book to that stage. I also finished my post-edit checks on The Ravenglass Throne Books 11 and 12, bringing me one step closer to wrapping up that epic series. For reading, I’ve been immersed in Educated by Tara Westove...

This week, I’ve been hard at work on the final edits for Churchill’s Dragons (RAF Dragon Corps, Book 2)—I’m about halfway through and pleased with how it’s shaping up. I’ve also been writing a few short stories, including a wacky progression fantasy that’s been a real blast to put together. Sometimes it’s fun to let loose and experiment a little. For reading, I’ve been deep into Entitled: The Fall...

This week, I’ve been bravely battling man flu (the most fearsome of ailments), but still managed to finish my draft of Churchill’s Dragons (RAF Dragon Corps, Book 2)! Next step: a final polish before I start posting the unposted chapters on Patreon. The Punk’s Not Dead audiobook (Book 3 in the Punks Versus Zombies trilogy) is now live on Audible, and Ken has done an amazing job with the narration....

This week, I’ve been making great progress on Churchill’s Dragons (RAF Dragon Corps, Book 2)—I’m just two chapters from finishing the draft! I also had a lovely visit from my mum and her new partner, which gave me a nice break from the writing cave. In downtime, I’ve been reading Garth Marenghi (gloriously ridiculous) and getting ready to see the brilliantly weird band HENGE this weekend—should be...

This week’s been tough—I’ve been struggling with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which has made writing harder than usual. Still, I’ve kept pushing forward with Churchill’s Dragons (RAF Dragon Corps, Book 2), and I’m now at around 50,000 words into the draft. To switch off, I finally finished watching House of Cards on Netflix… and honestly, it didn’t quite land for me. So I decided to dig out...

This week, I reached the midpoint of Churchill’s Dragons (RAF Dragon Corps, Book 2) and have started posting editor-ready chapters on Patreon for early access readers. The story’s coming together well, and it’s exciting to share it as it develops. I also talk about the upcoming release of Rising Storm (The Ravenglass Throne, Part Eight), which is out this Monday! If you’ve been following the serie...

This week, I passed the 24,000-word mark on my current work-in-progress, Churchill’s Dragons (RAF Dragon Corps, Book 2). The story’s really taking shape, and I’m enjoying building on the world established in Book 1. I also received the completed audiobook for Punk’s Not Dead and will be doing my final listen-through before it’s ready to go live. On a personal note, I’ve Seasonal Affective Disorder...

This week, I’ve been getting back into fantasy, and it feels great to return to the worlds I love. I received Part 10 of The Ravenglass Throne back from my editor and spent time going through the edits. I also completed final edits on Part 11, getting it ready to send off. Alongside that, I’ve been getting back into RAF Dragon Corps Book 2—revisiting the outline, characters, and worldbuilding as I...