Alert readers may have noticed that I spend a lot of time talking about how writing and publishing has changed in our New Pulp Era. Book deals are harder to get. Publishers are harder to impress. On the other hand, it’s easier and cheaper than ever for authors to go public without the help of a major house.

Ian Scofield, a novice but talented writer, is using a model I’ve mentioned in the past. He’s blogging the rough drafts of his fantasy novel to get feedback, build community and attract attention.

This is a great idea. I won’t go into too much detail about the book — you should instead follow this link  and see for yourself. But look at how much awesome Ian is bringing to the table with this plan…

• He gets an audience who tells him, in real time, what works and what doesn’t.
• He’s made promises to his readers about productivity…a sure-fire way to beat writer’s block.
• Readers and subscribers give him numbers he can show to an agent or publisher, exponentially increasing his chances of a book deal.
• He’s even hitting up readers for ideas with a page for suggestions as to what happens at crux points.