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Post by Admin on May 6, 2018 21:34:01 GMT
Thought I'd take a page from Holly's boards and break it down quarterly.
1. this week, I've brought Knock Knock back up where I can work on it every day. I found where I left off and got the content lined up to input into the clean ms. When the typing is done, I'll read through it for continuity and flow. Make sure its clean of typos and do the best job I can manage on punctuation. As soon as I know what the final word count will be I'll contact the editor and see if I can get in the line-up. Once its cued up ready for editing, I'll move on to my next project.
2. I'll send off 2 queries to 2 different magazine sources.
3. I'll start some new artwork.
4. I'll frame the finished artwork and get everything ready to take to the show on Saturday. I'm hoping one of my pictures will make it into the money ribbons. I've never attained that yet. It's a goal. My work is stronger this year. I'm hopeful.
5. I'm searching for a professional web person who can help me find the right site to establish a subscription, don't know what to call it. It's more than a blog. I'm wondering if I should merge my writing site with the subscription site. Have my writing site free and then a way to subscribe for more stuff. I don't know if that would be annoying to a fan, or helpful. I need to talk to somebody who does this for a living. I want to draw readers to me, not drive them away. The line is fine.
6. I'm sure I have more goals. Just can't think of them right now.
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Post by bill on May 7, 2018 3:33:27 GMT
Good idea on the new thread!
It's good to see you progressing again with solid, attainable goals. I don't know much about Patreon, but it sounds like you're wanting to do more than they offer? At least I think they probably can combine your writing and art, but I'm not sure.
When the Time is Right - I revised my first three chapters and had someone from Holly's forum look it over. She gave me some good ideas. I have another friend in Halstead looking at it and will do another revision once I hear from here. I have a rough draft of the synopsis. I want to clean it up and have someone look at it. I'm going to take as long as I need to get the first three chapters good, then will query the two editors from the conference. Then I'll go through the rest of the manuscript and revise what I think will help. As I continue writing, I want to start querying this story on a regular basis.
That will be my focus for May. My next book signing is Yates Center Days in three weeks. It's nice to have some down time, but I'll need to begin filling up my schedule with appearances, if I can.
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Post by Admin on May 14, 2018 3:41:31 GMT
I started typing in Knock Knock. If I can stay focused on it, I can have it ready in two weeks to go to the editor. Faster if I push but I'm probably better off taking so much daily and trying for consistency rather than speed.
I bought a journal today. I decided to start jotting down stuff that happens. Like finished paintings, medium, goals met, goals set. Just odds of ends of my daily life that I forget and then when I need to remember when and what, I'm totally up the crick. I have no clue if I can stick to jotting in it daily but I can try and begin to establish new patterns.
Josh has Wheaton tomorrow for wheelchair clinic. and then Wheaton again on Tuesday for speech. He's much better physically, but he seems to be really nervous about the power chair so I won't be surprised if he tells us 'no' tomorrow and we proceed to order the new manual. He needs comfortable seating and the power chair seems beyond us at the moment.
I'm over the moon with the best of show ribbon. I was hoping for a second or third place. It never dawned on me that I could take the top honor. It reassures me that my art goals are not beyond my reach and I'm heading in the right direction.
I touched base with Cat this week about the subscription website. I don't think she'll be the one to help me although I think I'll hire her for my formatting needs. James Husum reached out and I PM'd him with my thoughts. Bot he, and Cat, suggested Patreon but my gut is pushing me away from that site. Mainly because it feels like me holding my hand out for donations when what I want is to give value for value. Although, I might try putting something on there to see if I can generate income to build the website I dream of.
I really want to hire somebody to help me develop my goals and in what order I need to do things. I just don't know what the job description is for that type of consultation. And I don't want to throw money to the wind and accomplish nothing. I really wish I had guidance right now from somebody who knows the industry a lot better than I do.
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Post by bill on May 14, 2018 4:03:52 GMT
When the Time is Right - I'm almost finished with my revision. Now I just have to finish plowing through the synopsis. Ugh! But the I can start submitting, which excited me before I started on the synopsis.
Zentron - I'll get the edit back in the next couple of weeks. I plan to start my final revision in June, so it can be published in Aug/Sep.
Marketing - My next appearance is YC Days in two weeks. I found three more Comic Cons I want to try this year if the timing works out. I have one event for each of May, June, and July. I should probably get another event for at least one of those months.
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Post by Admin on May 14, 2018 4:09:40 GMT
I'll be home in August but probably just for a week. If things go as planned I'll have a puppy at the end of the month and I'll have to do some intensive housebreaking for it before I go anywhere. I may have to travel with the puppy if its not housebroken.
the grandkids are coming first part of June. I have to have the house clean and ready for company which eats into my work time. Joshua will be continuing with speech as long as we can get insurance for it. I also want to get a tutor for the summer if I can find one.
gardening and landscaping will eat into my time. I have no idea what to do about marketing. I'm just going to keep putting down ideas and see which doors open.
I think your momentum is awesome. If I can help with the synopsis, let me know.
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Post by bill on May 16, 2018 2:25:10 GMT
Thanks! I put my latest draft of the synopsis in the write section. If you have time, I would welcome your input!
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Post by bill on May 21, 2018 2:26:27 GMT
When the Time is Right - I had hoped to work on my synopsis this weekend, but Blake needed my computer to study for finals more than I realized. I hope to tackle it the early this week. I got your feedback - thank you! I'm about 2/3 of the way through my manuscript. I want to finish by the end of the month so I can move back into Zentron and do the final revision of it. Tammy and Sydney are going to New Mexico, which means Blake and I are hanging out Wednesday through next Tuesday. I won't get much done during that time except that we are going to Yates Center and setting up a table for YC Days.
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Post by Admin on May 21, 2018 2:55:36 GMT
I didn't get a lot done this week. I helped Hank in the garden and enjoyed that. I had some sort of muscle spasm that was very painful to deal with. And quite a few appointments that disrupted my week. I'm tired, I think from dealing with pain and stiffness. I did approach Janko ( I think that's his name. The artist recommended by Cat.) I need to get some information to him and decide on what it will cost to redo the covers and get the books re-issued. To make the timing work I have to get KNock Knock out and stop waffling on it. I just need to do it.
I have company coming in June and an hosting an art class in my studio so the house cleaning is a top priority. Josh has a few roadblocks on the wheelchair that I have to deal with. It will get done but its taking up brain room and energy that I could use somewhere else.
Sounds like life is alive and pulling at us. We'll navigate it, or not, but we'll keep pushing forward one inch at a time. We'll still get to the finish line. It will just take a little bit longer.
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Post by bill on Jun 4, 2018 0:17:21 GMT
When the Time is Right - I finished my revision and synopsis. I sent the requested documents to the two editors I met with at PPWC. I don't have a specific plan yet, but I want to send query letters out regularly. I set up a spreadsheet so I can track my contacts and progress. Now I need to do some homework to determine who to send to.
Zentron - I received my edit back this week. I've read through about a third of his comments and so far it looks like I'll have a lot less revision to do. I also have two beta readers who are supposed to report back to me this week. I plan to read through all of the editor's notes and make a revision plan/timeline. I have June and July blocked off for this, but maybe it won't take that long. That would be a nice surprise.
Marketing - I set up at YC Days last weekend and sold 8 books. My next event isn't until June 23, Smallville Comic Con in Hutchinson. I did apply for two more events this week - one in November and one in December. I have two scheduled in July, but August - October are bare. I would like to add another handful of events for this year.
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Post by Admin on Jun 4, 2018 0:45:33 GMT
Very little work done this week on art and writing although I did jot down some new cartoon strip ideas. I'm fretting about a new website. I want it set up so I can start putting items in with projected go live publications. I saw that there is an app that can be added to wordpress to set up a membership only section. I don't know if that will meet my needs but if I could add on to an already existing website it would save me time and money.
I shoveled out the house...literally. I pulled everything out of Richard's old bedroom and his room is completely clean and orderly. I'm still wading through the stuff I pulled out. Three piles, stuff that needs thrown out, stuff that needs put in its proper place, and stuff that needs stored. I have about five more hours of sorting to do. Carpets got shampooed. And every room in the house is company ready. I'm exhausted.
The puppy is doing what I needed it to do. She's making me smile and laugh. She's distracting me from some sad days. Getting past Kathy's birthday was so hard. It's still hard. I thought of you often and my heart aches for Phyllis. I can't get past losing my sisters. So Dixie distracts me.
Richard, Nola, and kids should be here on Tuesday, I think. Richard might surprise me by coming in early. They have dropped a few hints so I'm not really sure when to expect him. His bed is ready. I need to see how many air mattresses I have. I may have to do a WalMart run tomorrow. Josh has speech on Tuesday. It is his last scheduled one. I don't know if he will get more. We might have to come home and practice before we get more. It's hard for me to figure out a schedule. Life is so chaotic. But I'm trying.
Joshua started work on his second story. It's going to be really cute. He's excited to be working on a new project.
I think your doing a really good job of marketing. Finding your niche, I think. And refining your voice. weeding out passive voice and recognizing a more active style. I feel good things moving in your direction.
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Post by bill on Jun 11, 2018 2:13:32 GMT
I imagine with grandkids around you didn't get much done, but what fun!
When the Time is Right - I meant to send out more queries, but forgot. I need to write this one down, my focus has been on Zentron.
Zentron - I made it through the editor's notes and created a revision list. It isn't nearly as extensive as I've had previously. My goal now is to finish the revision by the end of June, a month earlier than I had originally planned. If I make it, I'll have to decide what I want to do during July. So many options. I contacted Cat and began the cover process. It looks good for an early September release.
Marketing - On Wednesday I was asked if I wanted to be a vendor at a summer music festival / fund raiser in Newton. I sold four books and met some people. It was fun, and I got some work done, but fought the wind all day. The outdoor events are fun if the weather cooperates.
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Post by Admin on Jun 11, 2018 14:06:20 GMT
Sounds good. I didn't get any work done. Just played with grandkids and visited. It was fun and I needed it. I have heavy housecleaning all week.Saturday is the sculpture class being held in my studio so everything has to look clean, neat, and professional.
I want to find a day to do nothing but type. I want to spend the entire day getting Knock Knock ready for edit. I think if I'd sit down and just type for 8 solid hours, I'd have it. I'm looking at my calendar and trying to figure out the best day.
Joshua got approved for ten more speech sessions so we got those set up. He will be going clear through August. It makes for a busy summer. He started book #2 and is excited to work on it.
I have a ton of projects. I just don't know how to prioritize them and don't know how to find help for half of them. I really need a new website or, at the least, a plug-in for the current site. A plug-in would be easiest but I don't know if it will handle what I want it to.
I'm tired so things look harder than they need to be. I'll get through this week and then evaluate the projects and prioritize them. I find myself getting very sad when I ask people for ideas and they are so uninterested it makes me feel, 'why bother?'. What they think shouldn't affect what I do, not even emotionally but so much of what I do is a bid for recognition. To be seen. Respected in the field(s) I've chosen. I spent my life avoiding being seen and now I find I crave it. Certain irony to that. I think its because I didn't know what I wanted until my fifties.
The work is good. The goals worthy. My best in show picture will head for state in Sept. I'll see how it does there. I'm lining up a series of paintings and ways to market them. I'm studying how to market art and in many ways it's similar to writing. I'm finding my ideas are sound. I just don't know how to implement the ideas effectively.
I will keep plugging away. It's all I know how to do.
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Post by bill on Jun 12, 2018 12:39:16 GMT
I know what you mean by being tired! Everything looks impossible and my hope hides when I'm exhausted. Hang in there and get some rest!
That's great about Josh's speech sessions. AND, I'm excited to hear he's working on book #2 now.
PPWC has a contest and I checked into it this week. It caught my attention because the mystery category only had a first place, no second or third, so I assume they only had one entry. If I would have been ready and entered, I could have gotten at least some recognition, and some desired feedback. Anyhow, it's unusual for only one placing, but, I looked over the schedule and I believe I can have three stories, along with query letters and synopsis, ready to enter by next fall. So, what the heck, that's now a goal. I'll see if one of them can break into the top three and get me some exposure.
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Post by Admin on Jun 12, 2018 13:07:19 GMT
Good idea. I picked up the SEO book that I bought a few months ago and see that it's about monetizing the blog. Maybe that will hold some answers to some of my questions. Plus, I need to understand SEO better and use it. When I started using seo optimization, my blog stats went up. I still need more exposure but first, I need the product.
I feel like I'm on a run-away train and need to slow it down. Take my time, do it right.
I like your idea about PPWC contest. They are a very respected venue. Contests are good ways to get seen. You just never know when the right person will see your work.
I'm thinking about my art and thinking now that I've gotten a best of show in an amateur contest I need to reach out to juried shows. Start moving up the chain. One step at a time. I read about how to get into galleries and found out that my idea about having a series of paintings that are clearly recognizable as part of a series is the way to go and I already did that. I came up with three series of paintings that I'm developing ideas for. I didn't realize that its a natural progression in moving up the art ladder. validation and I need a lot of it.
I'm still wanting to talk to somebody about my website ideas. I don't know if I need a designer, or if I need a marketing coach. I hate throwing money away on the wrong things.
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Post by Admin on Jun 18, 2018 3:24:20 GMT
art class was a success. Seemed to be, anyway. My house has been thoroughly cleaned although I do need to pick it up. I need to do book work. I got a bank statement in the mail so I need to get that scanned and sent to you. I managed to get to my accounts online. Now just need to figure out how to get online statements again.
I've been pulling photo references for the next paintings I want to do. I'm looking at Thursday for a typing day. It's the first day I don't have appointments written in. I want one full 8-hour work day to just type. I think that would get me a full ms. so I'd at least know the word count. I can't contact the editor, or the cover artist, until I know my final word count. I want Knock Knock ready for editor by the end of the week.
I'm trying to get Abby and Jocelyn here next month for a week or so to help me clean out the basement. That would be a huge item off my have-to-do list. Josh and I are coming home the first week of August for the corn roast. This summer is really flying. I'm getting stuff done but not near as much as I'd hoped for.
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