Brilliance & Bastardry: Fiction + the £1.5M Experiment

Brilliance & Bastardry: Fiction + the £1.5M Experiment

Home
Notes
Chat
£1.5M Project
Writer's Tools & Resources
In The Media
High Earning Author Series
About

£1.5M Project

My Author Content Planning System (That Actually Leaves Time to Write)
Managing two pen names, staying visible on seven platforms, and still hitting my word count.
 • 
Holly Smith-Williams
2
Is It a Slump… or the Start of Something? (Hard to Tell When You’re This Tired)
I'm in the pit of despair. Help!
 • 
Holly Smith-Williams
E. L. James and the Billionaire Backlash: How Fanfiction Outsold the System and Made Her Untouchable
She wasn’t polished. She wasn’t approved. She just made more money than everyone else.
 • 
Holly Smith-Williams
The Box Set Strategy That Pays Out Better Than a Publishing Deal
Learn from the indie author who’s made over £400K in 18 months by thinking like a business—not just a writer.
 • 
Holly Smith-Williams
Veronica Roth and the Divergent Fallout: What Happens When Your Franchise Fails Before the Final Film
She got the dream deal at 21. A bestseller. A blockbuster. And then the system walked away.
 • 
Holly Smith-Williams
How to Set Up Your Author Marketing Systems (Without Losing Your Mind)
A no-fluff guide to building a tech stack that sells books while you write more.
 • 
Holly Smith-Williams
The One I Thought Would Win (But Didn’t)
Rejection is part of writing. But it still smarts.
 • 
Holly Smith-Williams
She Was Earning Millions Without a Publisher. So Why Did Colleen Hoover Sign the Deal?
Colleen Hoover didn’t need a gatekeeper. She already had the audience, the royalties, and the power. So why hand over control of her empire—and what…
 • 
Holly Smith-Williams
It Wasn’t the Writing That Nearly Broke Me. It Was Everything Around It.
Week Six of the £1.5M Project: the machine behind the words.
 • 
Holly Smith-Williams
The High-Earning Author Series: What It Really Takes to Get Paid
If you're a writer, you've likely wondered how the top names make their money. Not just the big book deals—but the full picture. This series uncovers…
 • 
Holly Smith-Williams
How Stephen King Makes Millions from "Welcome to Derry" Without Writing a Word
A breakdown of King’s likely payday from HBO’s It prequel—and what it teaches us about creative control and long-game profits.
 • 
Holly Smith-Williams
2
So You Want to Pitch a TV Series?
Here’s exactly what you need in your pitch package and how to approach each piece like a pro.
 • 
Holly Smith-Williams
© 2025 H. J. Smith-Williams
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture