Podcast Summary: Living The Next Chapter – E675

Guest: David Niemitz, Writer and Teacher

Host: Dave Campbell

Date: February 16, 2026

Episode Overview

In this engaging episode, Dave Campbell welcomes David Niemitz, a high school teacher and fantasy novelist, for a deep-dive conversation about teaching, writing, the intersection of role-playing games with narrative, and his breakthrough serial fantasy series "Guild Mage." The two Daves discuss the practicalities of book publishing, the importance of community in writing, the evolution of David’s writing career, and the deeper emotional and philosophical underpinnings of his work.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Teaching Film as Literature & The Hero’s Journey

• David’s teaching focus: High school seniors; course on "Film as Literature."
• Uses films like Moana, Star Wars, The Matrix, and The Princess Bride to explore narrative structure, particularly Joseph Campbell’s Monomyth/Hero’s Journey.
• “We just started a new unit, and we're doing Campbell's Monomyth, the Hero's Journey...I let the kids vote on what we watch. Princess Bride is one of the options.” (Dave, 02:32)

Memorable Teaching Moment:

• Discussion of behind-the-scenes stories from The Princess Bride:
  “One of my favorite ones is Mandy (Patinkin) talking about how, to get Andre the Giant into character for an angry scene, he just slaps him in the face between takes.” (Dave, 04:36)

2. Behind the Scenes: The Author’s Amazon Experience

• Publishing through a traditional publisher vs. self-publishing on Amazon offer very different author dashboards and access to sales data.
  • With a publisher: Only limited visibility—mostly rankings, reviews, and whatever the publisher shares.
  • With self-publishing: Access to direct metrics, including daily royalty estimates, pages read (for Kindle Unlimited), and more granular breakdowns.

On the importance of reading to the end (Kindle):

• “The benefit is that the more pages you read, the more I make.” (Dave, 12:08)
• Audiobook tracking is even less transparent for the author.

3. Community & Resources for New Authors

• David recommends:
  • Reddit communities: r/selfpublish and r/writing.
  • For genre writers: Science Fiction Fantasy Writers of America Discord server.
• Openness to helping fellow writers: “If you have questions, or just want to meet a guy with a really great beard...I’d love to chat with you.” (Dave, 13:37)

4. David Niemitz’s Writing Journey

• Lifelong love of reading/writing instilled by his mother; first major project inspired during a creative-writing-focused master’s he pursued while teaching full-time.
• Debut novel: A Sea Cold and Deep, inspired in part by the science and speculation of water beneath Europa’s surface.
  • “I was fascinated by the moon of Europa...could there be oceans beneath that ice? It seemed like a really cool setting for a science fiction novel.” (Dave, 20:14)
• Initially self-published after querying agents during COVID; later discovered the value of direct community through Kindle Unlimited and reader feedback.

5. Building a Book Series & Community

• Now has six books published, with a seventh on the way; current focus is the “Guild Mage” fantasy series.
• Recommends readers start with Guild Mage series due to growth in his craft and professional publication.
• Community involvement is a central element:
  • Early chapters released on Patreon and discussed on Discord.
  • Direct feedback on everything from story details to cover art (“I always take it to my Discord community before finalizing covers.” Dave, 27:03)

6. The Serial Fantasy Series: "Guild Mage"

• The series traces the life of Liv, starting from age six, through adolescence and into adulthood, with each book increasing in scope and stakes.
• Structured as serial fiction: “It goes chapter to chapter...then is split into books for publication.” (Dave, 23:08)
• Themes: The challenges of being different, coming of age, slow-maturing fantasy races (inspired by classic tropes), and the emotional costs of longevity.

The Heart of “Guild Mage”:

• The emotional kernel is the experience of outgrowing (or being outgrown by) those you love:
  • “I wanted to explore what it would be like to be someone who ages more slowly...you watch the humans you care about grow old and die.” (Dave, 40:44)
  • Inspiration partly drawn from his son’s experience as an autistic child:
    “In some ways he holds on to being young longer...he’s so smart but...it often feels like he’s three years younger socially. I think that absolutely did come out in the early portrayals of this character.” (Dave, 44:21)

7. Collaborative Creation: Cover Art & Open Process

• Integral role of community in feedback for both story and visuals.
• On cover art: “You want a cover that's actiony...with no more than two detailed figures. Any more, and it’s chaos on a tiny screen.” (Dave, 25:24)
• Artist Ben Moran creates the art, feedback loop with community and publisher.

8. Storycraft: From Tabletop Role-Playing to Writing

• David credits decades of tabletop gaming—not just as inspiration, but as training for narrative pacing and audience engagement.
• “Thirty years of doing that (role-playing games) helps me with pacing...just like with players at a game table, you have to keep readers hooked.” (Dave, 35:01)
• He’s a “pantser” (writing by the seat of his pants, with loose planning), but incorporates reader responses into plotting and character focus.

9. Genre Trends and Publishing Realities

• Discusses trends in fantasy/sci-fi cover art (from detailed scenes to minimalistic symbols) and the pressures to cut cost (sometimes with AI art).
• Notes the decline of developmental editing in many publishing paths.

10. Philosophical Moment: The Fifth Dimension

• David shares a mind-expanding framework for thinking about higher dimensions, both as a writer and a thinker:
  • Analogy: Two-dimensional beings unable to perceive the three-dimensional world, just as we struggle to comprehend higher dimensions.
    “If you imagine a patch of bare earth and a circle is drawn, ants inside that circle see an insurmountable barrier—when you could just step over it. This is how higher-dimensional beings would confound our expectations in fantasy.” (Dave, 48:02)
  • Influences the way he constructs the metaphysics in his earlier “Faerie Night” trilogy and enhances the wonder/mystery in his world building.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On teaching and The Princess Bride
  “I say it’s one of the best sword fights on film. And it’s got Andre the Giant—what’s not to love?” (Dave, 03:31)

• On reading to the end on Kindle:
  “The more pages you read, the more I make.” (Dave, 12:08)

• On collaborative writing:
  “All the chapters go up on Patreon first, and people are talking about them on Discord...Before it ever even goes to the publisher, you've got feedback from all these people.” (Dave, 28:22)

• On the emotional inspiration for Guild Mage:
  “In some ways he holds on to being young longer...I think that absolutely did come out in the early portrayals of this character in the first couple of books.” (Dave, 44:21)

• On worldbuilding and philosophy:
  “If you think of people in two dimensions, a finger coming down would baffle them—it’s outside of their world. That’s how I imagine faeries and higher beings in my stories.” (Dave, 49:11)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Teaching Film as Literature & Hero’s Journey – 02:17–05:55
• Amazon Publishing Insights – 08:24–13:20
• Writer’s Communities & Resources – 13:47–15:02
• David’s Origin Story as a Writer – 15:24–21:24
• "A Sea Cold and Deep" Inspiration – 20:14–21:39
• "Guild Mage" Series Overview – 23:08–26:19
• Cover Art Collaboration/Community Building – 25:24–28:55
• Pantsing, Tabletop Gaming & Reader Engagement – 29:44–35:43
• Modern Fantasy Publishing & Trends – 37:01–39:40
• Emotional Core of Guild Mage (Connection to Autism/Personal Experience) – 44:21–45:53
• Fifth Dimension & Philosophical Metaphor – 48:02–50:46

Where to Find David Niemitz & His Work

• Amazon Author Page: For books, including "Guild Mage" series and "A Sea Cold and Deep"
• Patreon: Access new chapters, join Discord, participate in the journey
• Discord: For direct community engagement (via Patreon)

Closing

This episode offers a candid, insightful look into the daily realities of being both a teacher and a writer. David's advocacy for community, openness in his process, thoughtful approach to storycraft, and his deep emotional investment in his characters and themes make this a must-listen (or read!) for both aspiring writers and dedicated fantasy readers. The “two Daves” chemistry and humor keep the conversation lively, and David Niemitz’s personal stories offer heart and practical encouragement throughout.