{"id":4335,"date":"2021-08-17T14:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-17T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.dream.press\/?post_type=customer-spotlight&#038;p=4335"},"modified":"2025-05-06T20:00:04","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T20:00:04","slug":"nat-russo","status":"publish","type":"customer-spotlight","link":"https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/customer-spotlight\/nat-russo\/","title":{"rendered":"Bestselling Independent Fantasy Author Helps Aspiring Writers Find A Voice"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Years before becoming a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.erindorpress.com\/about\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">bestselling fantasy author<\/a>, Nat Russo figured that the ability to write was \u201csome mystical gift from the universe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After three decades of starting and stopping his efforts at becoming a writer, and with help from his mentor, writer&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.jamesscottbell.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">James Scott Bell<\/a>, Russo realized there was no point waiting on the universe to bestow him with words. He knew he had the power to nurture the skill himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTalent certainly helps, but almost 100% of a writer\u2019s success is related to how hard they\u2019re willing to work to learn the craft and market their stories,\u201d Russo says. \u201cAs in most cases, hard work will trump talent nearly all of the time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A software programmer by day, Russo decided to take his writing hobby seriously in his 40s. Perfecting his craft and leveraging his own talent and hard work, he built the world of Erindor,  self-publishing three fantasy novels set there and landing in Amazon\u2019s bestseller lists for Metaphysical and Visionary Fantasy, Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, and Horror.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He\u2019s still got more of Erindor to explore, words to pen, books to sell, and novels to publish. And, along the way, he\u2019s creating a resource that both shares tricks of the trade with aspiring independent authors while promoting his own novels \u2014 a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/how-to-start-a-blog\/\">blog hosted by DreamHost<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe single biggest lesson I hope aspiring authors take from my blog is this:&nbsp;the ability to write engaging stories and characters is not a gift from the universe,\u201d Russo says.&nbsp;\u201cIt\u2019s a craft that can be learned like any other craft. You just have to put in the work. Practice what you\u2019re bad at, not what you\u2019re good at. Get outside of your comfort zone, because that\u2019s where growth happens.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"article-newsletter article-newsletter--gradient\">\n\n\n\n<form class=\"nwsl-form\" id=\"newsletter_article_single_\" novalidate><div class=\"messages\"><\/div><div class=\"form-group\"><label for=\"input_newsletter_article_single_\"><input type=\"email\"name=\"email\"id=\"input_newsletter_article_single_\"placeholder=\"Enter your email address\"novalidatedisabled=\"disabled\"\/><\/label><button type=\"submit\"class=\"btn btn--brand\"disabled=\"disabled\"><span>Sign Me Up!<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/form><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Constants<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When Russo was 10 years old, he learned two things that would shape his future: He taught himself how to program and grew a love for reading fantasy novels. And he never stopped doing either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Reading became a lifelong hobby that later inspired his own writing. \u201cMy love for computers and everything related to them\u201d also became a constant in Russo\u2019s life \u2014 the programming skills he practiced since childhood eventually led to a career in software engineering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The other constant he could always count on while growing up? Change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMy dad was 53 years old when I was born, so he was able to retire when I was very young,\u201d says Russo. \u201cMy parents had a bit of wanderlust, which made us move around a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That kind of childhood built a resilience for change in him that carried over into adulthood, as Russo embraced change across careers and locations. For proof of his adaptability, just take a quick look at Russo\u2019s&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Nat-Russo\/e\/B00JLWXXEI?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2&amp;qid=1627008061&amp;sr=8-2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Amazon author bio<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cNat Russo was born in New York, raised in Arizona, and has lived just about everywhere in-between. He\u2019s gone from pizza maker, to radio DJ, to Catholic seminarian (in a Benedictine monastery, of all places), to police officer, to software engineer. His career has taken him from central Texas to central Germany, where he worked as a defense contractor for Northrop Grumman.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dff55b07-7699-4869-a403-31f9e5091687_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-3.jpg\" alt=\"Russo after completing his training to become a police officer.\" class=\"wp-image-4340\" srcset=\"https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dff55b07-7699-4869-a403-31f9e5091687_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-3.jpg 900w, https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dff55b07-7699-4869-a403-31f9e5091687_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-3-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dff55b07-7699-4869-a403-31f9e5091687_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-3-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dff55b07-7699-4869-a403-31f9e5091687_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-3-96x72.jpg 96w, https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dff55b07-7699-4869-a403-31f9e5091687_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-3-192x144.jpg 192w, https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dff55b07-7699-4869-a403-31f9e5091687_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-3-682x512.jpg 682w, https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dff55b07-7699-4869-a403-31f9e5091687_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-3-512x384.jpg 512w, https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dff55b07-7699-4869-a403-31f9e5091687_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-3-540x405.jpg 540w, https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dff55b07-7699-4869-a403-31f9e5091687_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-3-877x658.jpg 877w, https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dff55b07-7699-4869-a403-31f9e5091687_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-3-784x588.jpg 784w, https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dff55b07-7699-4869-a403-31f9e5091687_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-3-460x345.jpg 460w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Russo after completing his training to become a police officer.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The four years he spent in the 1990s studying to be a priest led to a degree in philosophy. But unfortunately, his experience was far from what he hoped it would be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI was witness to and victim of much psychological abuse,\u201d Russo says. \u201cIt took decades, and a lot of therapy, for me to untangle all of those knots. That period of time, and some subsequent experiences in the heart of the church, feeds most of what I write.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Abuse of power, specifically religious authority \u2014 \u201cwhich can lead to a particularly insidious form of abuse when wielded by unethical people,\u201d he adds \u2014 permeates Russo\u2019s written works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThrough my writing, I hope to guide others to see the early warning signs of this abuse, and also to see the consequences of turning over our faculty of critical thought to someone else for no other reason than they have religious authority over us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Building a World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To make the world a little better, Russo crafted a world of his own, bringing readers to a place called Erindor in each of his&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.erindorpress.com\/books\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">three published novels<\/a>: the Mukhtaar Chronicles, which include&nbsp;<em>Necromancer Awakening&nbsp;<\/em>and&nbsp;<em>Necromancer Falling&nbsp;<\/em>(with a third novel in the works),<em>&nbsp;<\/em>and<em>&nbsp;The Road to Dar Rodon<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"267\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/d1b67167-324c-4efd-94a2-400ea1a1c1ab_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4341\" srcset=\"https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/d1b67167-324c-4efd-94a2-400ea1a1c1ab_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-2.jpg 267w, https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/d1b67167-324c-4efd-94a2-400ea1a1c1ab_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-2-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/d1b67167-324c-4efd-94a2-400ea1a1c1ab_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-2-96x144.jpg 96w, https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/d1b67167-324c-4efd-94a2-400ea1a1c1ab_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-2-192x288.jpg 192w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 267px) 100vw, 267px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI created the world of Erindor, which can be thought of as an Earth-sized planet full of a diverse set of cultures, religions, and creatures,\u201d Russo explains. \u201cI tend to shy away from traditional fantasy races (elves, dwarves, etc.) and instead make my stories all deal with human relationships.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Setting these human relationships against the backdrop of a fantasy world lets Russo explore our own societal issues, \u201cwithout smacking the reader in the face with them,\u201d he says. \u201cInstead of addressing issues of race, religion, politics, etc., directly, I can paint an analogous picture in a fantasy world and allow the reader to draw their own conclusions from what they see.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Erindor is his personal sandbox \u2014 \u201ca living, breathing world in my imagination that I can build and tweak however I like.\u201d Many fantasy authors finalize the landscape of their worlds by publishing a map to accompany their stories. But Russo\u2019s found that keeping his map a work in progress works to his advantage: \u201cIf a new story warrants a new culture or continent, I can simply create one and continue with the story!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Russo\u2019s Mukhtaar Chronicles \u2014 published both in e-book and paperback \u2014 centers on Nicholas Murray, a Texas college student. He ends up in Erindor, where he discovers and masters powers of necromancy. <em>The Road To Dar Rodon<\/em>, an e-book-only novelette also taking place in Erindor, is a story about Mujahid Mukhtaar \u2014 a character from the Mukhtaar Chronicles that has been a part of Russo\u2019s life for years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMujahid is near-and-dear to my heart because I created him for a fantasy game back in the late \u201890s,\u201d says Russo. Mujahid became Russo\u2019s main character in the game EverQuest, which he still plays to this day, and his alter ego in online forums.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIn my books, Mujahid is a necromancer lord, which is an exalted position that most are incapable of achieving due to magical\/mystical limitations,\u201d Russo explains. \u201cHe\u2019s usually my voice of reason. Mujahid struggles with the battle between his dark side and light side, as do we all, I think. And though he usually ends up on the side of light, he stumbles and falls like the rest of us. It\u2019s how he stands up and carries on that impresses me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Declaring Independence<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/423777fc-686b-4ddf-bca7-af60ef41f422_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-1-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4342\" srcset=\"https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/423777fc-686b-4ddf-bca7-af60ef41f422_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-1-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/423777fc-686b-4ddf-bca7-af60ef41f422_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-1-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/423777fc-686b-4ddf-bca7-af60ef41f422_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-1-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/423777fc-686b-4ddf-bca7-af60ef41f422_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-1-96x144.jpg 96w, https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/423777fc-686b-4ddf-bca7-af60ef41f422_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-1-192x288.jpg 192w, https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/423777fc-686b-4ddf-bca7-af60ef41f422_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-1-682x1023.jpg 682w, https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/423777fc-686b-4ddf-bca7-af60ef41f422_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-1-512x768.jpg 512w, https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/423777fc-686b-4ddf-bca7-af60ef41f422_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-1-540x810.jpg 540w, https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/423777fc-686b-4ddf-bca7-af60ef41f422_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-1-877x1316.jpg 877w, https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/423777fc-686b-4ddf-bca7-af60ef41f422_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-1-784x1176.jpg 784w, https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/423777fc-686b-4ddf-bca7-af60ef41f422_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-1-460x690.jpg 460w, https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/423777fc-686b-4ddf-bca7-af60ef41f422_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-1.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Russo\u2019s novels have topped bestseller lists on Amazon \u2014 but you won\u2019t find them at Barnes and Noble. So after debating whether to seek an agent and query publishers, like&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.publishersweekly.com\/pw\/by-topic\/industry-news\/publisher-news\/article\/81473-number-of-self-published-titles-jumped-40-in-2018.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">many writers in recent years<\/a>,&nbsp;Russo decided to self-publish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhether or not a writer is represented by an agent has very little to do with the writer\u2019s ability,\u201d Russo says. \u201cIt\u2019s more about marketing and what an agent believes they can currently sell. I\u2019ve seen more than my fair share of traditionally published books that needed serious editing, and more than my fair share of independent books that aren\u2019t given the reception and recognition they deserve.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Self-publishing feels like a 2000s, age-of-Amazon phenomenon, but Russo points out that historically, publishing houses are the more modern innovation. \u201cIndependent authors used to be the standard of the day until the Industrial Revolution came along and savvy capitalists saw there was money to be made in publishing,\u201d Russo says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because we\u2019re all so accustomed to what Russo terms the \u201ctraditional middleman model of publishing,\u201d independent authors face a huge obstacle: imposter syndrome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe challenge all new authors need to overcome is their sense of authority,\u201d he says. \u201cEmbracing one\u2019s personal authority as a writer is a difficult process. We just have to keep repeating the positive message to ourselves that we have authority over our words, and our words deserve a hearing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The independent life works well for Russo. Instead of chasing someone else\u2019s deadline, he can write at his own pace, balance a day job, and keep most of his royalties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere are some amazingly talented independent authors out there nowadays,\u201d says Russo. His favorites list is long, topped by&nbsp;<em>The Night Traveler&nbsp;<\/em>author Fiona Skye and Robert Pruneda, author of&nbsp;<em>Devil\u2019s Nightmare<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Related:<\/strong>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/customer-spotlight-herald-and-sons\/\">Herald and Sons Publishing: The Ultimate Father-Son DIY Project<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Note to Self<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As Russo took to honing his writing craft, he jotted down lessons learned about writing along the way. The list grew longer, and he shared these tips of the trade on&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NatRusso\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">his Twitter account<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIn truth, they were more reminders to myself than anything else,\u201d Russo says. \u201cBut, before long, I discovered there was an audience for these writing tips.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Russo went into software engineer mode to reach that audience: He wrote a program that would keep his Twitter feed active throughout the day. Each time he discovers something new about the craft of writing, he composes a \u201cnote to self\u201d in the form of a tweet. His software randomly selects a list of tweets to cycle through and a paid service keeps the tweets coming to a global audience. This keeps his worldwide audience supplied with plenty of writing tips \u2014 plus marketing plugs for his novels. \u201cThe tweet train has been running 24\/7 for nearly 10 years now,\u201d Russo says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Much like online reviews for restaurants and services, Russo says social media offers readers social proof of the legitimacy of a writer: &nbsp;\u201cIt\u2019s in the form of likes and shares, and the more followers a person has, the more influential they are in evoking this social proof.\u201d And with 91.6K followers on Twitter, Russo has plenty of proof to offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Related:<\/strong>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/academy\/how-to-create-social-media-marketing-strategy\/\">How to Create a Social Media Marketing Strategy for Your Website<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many of his tweets link to Russo\u2019s blog,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.erindorpress.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">A Writer\u2019s Journey<\/a>. This website has become a platform to mentor aspiring writers and includes a homepage for promoting and sharing updates about his own writing. The role of mentor feels natural to Russo after years of leading ministries, working with Boy Scouts, and training junior software engineers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/38a7c28c-a3b1-4db7-b79b-f6e07b3c77c7_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4346\" srcset=\"https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/38a7c28c-a3b1-4db7-b79b-f6e07b3c77c7_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-4.jpg 900w, https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/38a7c28c-a3b1-4db7-b79b-f6e07b3c77c7_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-4-300x56.jpg 300w, https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/38a7c28c-a3b1-4db7-b79b-f6e07b3c77c7_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-4-768x144.jpg 768w, https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/38a7c28c-a3b1-4db7-b79b-f6e07b3c77c7_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-4-96x18.jpg 96w, https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/38a7c28c-a3b1-4db7-b79b-f6e07b3c77c7_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-4-192x36.jpg 192w, https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/38a7c28c-a3b1-4db7-b79b-f6e07b3c77c7_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-4-682x128.jpg 682w, https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/38a7c28c-a3b1-4db7-b79b-f6e07b3c77c7_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-4-512x96.jpg 512w, https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/38a7c28c-a3b1-4db7-b79b-f6e07b3c77c7_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-4-540x101.jpg 540w, https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/38a7c28c-a3b1-4db7-b79b-f6e07b3c77c7_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-4-877x165.jpg 877w, https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/38a7c28c-a3b1-4db7-b79b-f6e07b3c77c7_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-4-784x147.jpg 784w, https:\/\/news.dream.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/38a7c28c-a3b1-4db7-b79b-f6e07b3c77c7_Nat-Russo-Spotlight-DreamHost-4-460x86.jpg 460w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe primary audience of my website and social media platforms are up-and-coming authors who are in the process of writing or publishing their first book,\u201d Russo says. \u201cI try to offer a baseline level of knowledge that new writers can adopt and build upon to suit their own unique voices.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the most important lessons in promoting a self-published book lies in establishing an online presence \u2014 Russo calls it an \u201cauthor platform,\u201d and offers a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.erindorpress.com\/2014\/05\/platform-building-primer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">primer on how to build one<\/a>. Russo\u2019s own platform is grounded in his website, hosted by&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/\">DreamHost<\/a>. When searching for a trustworthy host, he found that DreamHost offered up plenty of its own social proof:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI heard nothing but good words from folks who are actual DreamHost customers,\u201d Russo says. \u201cThat drew me to DreamHost. But, what keeps me at DreamHost is how amazingly helpful and friendly the <a href=\"https:\/\/help.dreamhost.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/215027768-How-to-contact-DreamHost-via-Live-Chat\">technical support<\/a> is. I\u2019ve had some issues crop up, and the tech support team has always been there to get my site back up and running as quickly as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That kind of stability, he says, helps him keep connected with readers and an audience that spans the globe.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"article-cta-shared article-cta-small\">\n\t<div class=\"tr-img-wrap-outer jsLoading\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-img-lazy \" src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/news\/wp-content\/themes\/dhtheme2023\/assets\/img\/lazy-loading-transparent.webp\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/news\/wp-content\/themes\/dhtheme2023\/assets\/img\/article-small-ad-cta-placeholder.jpg\"  alt=\"Ad background image\" \/><\/div>\n\n\t<a href='https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/hosting\/' class='link-top'>\n\t\t<span>Shared Hosting<\/span>\n\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 384 512\" width=\"15\"><path d=\"M342.6 233.4c12.5 12.5 12.5 32.8 0 45.3l-192 192c-12.5 12.5-32.8 12.5-45.3 0s-12.5-32.8 0-45.3L274.7 256 105.4 86.6c-12.5-12.5-12.5-32.8 0-45.3s32.8-12.5 45.3 0l192 192z\"\/><\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\n\t<div class=\"content-btm\">\n\t\t<h2 class=\"h2--md\">\n\t\t\tWe Support Your Dream\n\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t<p class=\"p--md\">\n\t\t\tWhatever your online goals, we\u2019ll be right there with you, making sure your site is fast, secure, and always up. Plans start at $2.59\/mo.\n\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t        <a\n            href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/hosting\/\"\n                        class=\"btn btn--white-outline btn--sm btn--round\"\n                        >\n            Choose Your Plan        <\/a>\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Full Circle<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to landing on bestseller lists, Russo\u2019s work has drawn positive feedback from readers and reviewers alike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSome of the quotes from review organizations have truly blown me away,\u201d Russo says. For example, one reviewer compared him to George R.R. Martin and Neil Gaiman, and another to Brandon Sanderson. \u201cThose men are absolute giants of the industry, and to be named in the same breath as them is indescribable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Perhaps more meaningful has been messages from readers who, thanks to Russo\u2019s writing, recognized psychological abuse in their own lives and got themselves out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m just so glad my work is actually helping,\u201d he says. \u201cIf I can get just one person out of an abusive situation, my work would be complete.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s that determination to affect change in the world that keeps Russo coming back to the keyboard, even while undergoing chemotherapy after a recent cancer diagnosis. \u201cMy current focus is on just getting better,\u201d he says. \u201cThat takes more time than I thought it would! But, beyond that, my work and writing take up the lion\u2019s share of my time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He\u2019s got several outlines for more stories in the works, mostly fantasy, with some literary fiction mixed in. And he\u2019s on the verge of completing the Mukhtaar Chronicles trilogy, which he started a decade ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m hoping to have it in readers\u2019 hands sometime in 2022.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Years before becoming a&nbsp;bestselling fantasy author, Nat Russo figured that the ability to write was \u201csome mystical gift from the universe.\u201d After three decades of starting and stopping his efforts at becoming a writer, and with help from his mentor, writer&nbsp;James Scott Bell, Russo realized there was no point waiting on the universe to bestow [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":4336,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"As a self-published, bestselling writer and software programmer, Nat Russo employs a can-do attitude (and a thriving online presence) to hone his craft and mentor fellow writers.","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-4335","customer-spotlight","type-customer-spotlight","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - 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