Why I Didn't Write a Book

And why I'm writing another one.

The postmortem on Prophecy of the Living Dead as a traditionally-published book, and some thoughts on my next project.

🤖 Robot Summary 🤖

Ryan reflects on why his previous book project, Prophecy of the Living Dead, never became a finished book, concluding that the material was strong but poorly suited to a single, static volume. He critiques the modern publishing industry as saturated, economically thin, and increasingly unable to support authors beyond simply getting a book into print, arguing that writers must now justify more clearly why their work deserves readers’ time and attention. Ryan then envisions a bifurcated future where some work lives digitally and dynamically, while other books must “earn their keep” as meaningful, beautiful physical objects, potentially paired with evolving online companion material.

Key points:

• The unfinished book: Ryan explains that he had real momentum and publisher interest, but the scope of the ideas kept expanding, leading to “analysis paralysis” and the realization that a single book couldn’t adequately hold or evolve with the material.

• Limits of the book format: He argues that once a book is printed, new insights become “orphaned” or siloed, forcing readers to chase multiple volumes instead of accessing a connected, cross-referenced body of work.

• Publishing industry critique: Ryan describes publishing as over-saturated and under-supported, where authors often do most of the promotion themselves and success is measured merely by getting something into print rather than building a lasting audience.

• Validation vs. usefulness: He distinguishes between writing for the status of being “published” and writing to create material that people actually return to, use, and build on over time.

• Perspective on AI and “AI slop”: Ryan suggests generative tools will mostly displace low-effort or vanity publishing, not strong, voice-driven writing, and that creators should focus on clarity, purpose, and meaningful communication rather than volume.

• Two “forks” for the future: He predicts one path focused on digital, dynamic, and accessible tools for sharing ideas, and another focused on high-quality physical books that justify themselves as enduring, shelf-worthy objects.

• Books as physical artifacts: Ryan emphasizes the lasting appeal of well-made print books as objects people love, revisit, and keep, something digital systems and AI cannot fully replicate.

• Crowdfunding and author responsibility: He notes that with less publisher support, authors must now “front-load” interest and clearly articulate why their work matters, often relying on direct reader support rather than institutional backing.

• Hybrid vision for future projects: Ryan hints at creating print books paired with evolving online companions—like “virtual footnotes”—where the printed text stays fixed while the surrounding material can grow and adapt over time.