Behind the Scenes Author

The Quiet Victory of Persistence in Creativity

/ Author Simon Phillips / Leave a comment

A short moment from the life of an author.

There’s a quiet kind of victory that never shows up in stats or milestones. It doesn’t come with applause, a viral short, or a nicely rounded word count. It just arrives with a sigh, a stretch of the fingers, and a whispered, “Alright then… carry on.”

Today was one of those days.

I stared at the draft. Again. I knew what needed rewriting, but every sentence felt heavier than it should. The edits weren’t flowing, the coffee wasn’t helping, and the background noise of daily life, bills, work, sleep I didn’t get, was louder than usual.

And yet… I didn’t close the document. I didn’t shelve the idea. I didn’t let the doubt win.

I wrote a sentence. Then another. Then reworded the first one and deleted the second but stayed with it. And that, strangely enough, felt like something.

I didn’t give up.

Not for the first time. Not for the last. But this was today’s win, and I think it’s one worth sharing.

If you’re working on something creative, whether it’s a novel, a painting, a video, or just the courage to start, know this: continuing is often the bravest thing we do.

So if today you didn’t give up either… I’m glad you’re still here.

Let’s keep going.

Simon

One Small Win That Kept Me Going A Comment That Changed My Day

/ Author Simon Phillips / Leave a comment

There’s a strange kind of silence that follows uploading something into the void.

You spend days crafting a video or refining a chapter. You rewrite a line fourteen times until it stops sounding like bad theatre. You export, upload, tweak the thumbnail, write a caption that doesn’t sound desperate, and finally, finally, you press “Publish.”

And then… nothing.

At least, not right away. Maybe a view or two trickles in. A quiet like. You start questioning everything, your voice, your tone, your hair in that shot, whether this story was worth the time it took to write.

But then it happens. Someone, somewhere, leaves a comment that says:

“I want to read this.”

Five words. That’s it. No in-depth critique, no elaborate praise. Just a quiet little statement from a stranger who paused long enough to want more.

And that changed my entire day.

Not because it went viral. Not because I gained a hundred new followers or sold a book. But because it reminded me that the story I’m telling, the one I’ve dragged through sleepless nights, multiple rewrites, and far too many cups of tea, is reaching someone.

That’s the win.

It’s easy to talk about milestones and big launches. But for many writers, especially those still building something from the ground up, it’s the small, often invisible victories that keep the wheels turning.

So if you’re out there, watching someone’s book video or reading a blog post about a novel that hasn’t even launched yet, don’t underestimate what a simple comment can do.

To whoever left that message: thank you. You may not remember it, but I do.

Why I’m Using AI-Generated Shorts to Grow My YouTube Channel

/ Author Simon Phillips / Leave a comment

There’s a quiet revolution happening behind the scenes of my creative work, one I never thought I’d be part of. It’s powered by AI, and no, it’s not replacing my stories. It’s helping me bring them to life in ways I couldn’t have managed alone.

Like many indie authors, I wear too many hats. I write late at night. I design lore in the gaps between work and family. I film when I can. And while my passion for storytelling runs deep, time is always the enemy. That’s why I’ve started using AI-generated YouTube Shorts to support my channel, not to flood it with junk, but to expand the edges of my creativity.

These Shorts Are Still Me

The scripts are written in my voice. The ideas are mine. The worlds, fantasy and sci-fi alike, are entirely my own. What AI gives me is speed. A way to turn a scene I wrote, a bit of lore, or a behind-the-scenes moment into a 30-second story that lives online, without spending three hours editing.

And that matters, because these Shorts aren’t filler. They’re intentional fragments of my world, each one crafted to give readers and viewers a glimpse into the universes I’m building.

It’s an Experiment in Creativity

I’m not doing this to cheat the system. I’m doing it to see how far I can stretch what it means to be an author in the modern world. To test if AI tools can act not as shortcuts, but as creative amplifiers. Could they help me reach new readers? Could they let me express my lore through new media? Could they keep the fire burning on days I’m too tired to speak into a camera?

So far, the answer feels like yes.

This Channel Will Stay Focused

Let me be clear: I’m not turning my YouTube into a spam machine. Every AI-generated Short I post will stay rooted in the themes of this channel: fantasy lore, writing life, story updates, and creative experiments.

Some Shorts will feature book updates. Others will bring a map to life. A few might explore the deeper questions inside my world, things like prophecy, time, or gods. All of it ties back to the core: my books, my stories, and the journey I’m inviting you to follow.

Join the Experiment

This is all new, and honestly, a little strange. But if you’re curious, about the writing, the stories, or the way AI might shape the future of art, stick around. Subscribe. Share your thoughts. Watch how this channel grows.

Because I’m not just telling a story. I’m learning how to build it in public, and you’re part of that process now.