Tony Lee on Writing Fast, Thinking Like a Publisher, & Building an Author Career That Lasts [Ep 344]

In this episode, Jeff Elkins talks with Tony Lee, also known to many readers as Jack Gatland, about writing fast, building a sustainable author career, and learning to think like a publisher. Tony has worked across comics, screenplays, licensed fiction, journalism, audio drama, and novels. In this conversation, he shares what those different forms taught him about compression, dialogue, character, deadlines, reader expectations, and story momentum. Jeff and Tony talk about the transition from traditional media work into indie publishing, why readers remember characters more than plot mechanics, how Tony uses reader feedback to shape his series, and why authors need to be honest about which books are passion projects and which books keep the business alive. They also discuss burnout, AI, productivity tools, writing to market, author conferences, comparison, money, and the mindset shift that happens when a writer stops waiting for permission and starts making strategic decisions about their own career. This is a funny, blunt, deeply practical conversation for authors who want to build a writing life that actually works.