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Post by Admin on Jan 12, 2017 14:01:49 GMT
I need to block out one hour a day for Knock Knock. I need time to do book work and pay taxes to IRS. (this is absolutely have to or I'll spend more in fines than I actually made.) I need to work one hour on art, at a minimum.
Joshua gets the afternoons. He works with Kathy one hour a day. Then we either continue to do computer work or he will begin switching to painting.
I'm getting behind on housework. I think today is going to be find the floor day. It doesn't look like much but the jobs are big, and time consuming. I'd really like to have a schedule that is consistent and respected so I know every day what I need to get done.
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Post by bill on Jan 13, 2017 3:40:45 GMT
I know what you mean. Now that I have a job I'm working on building writing time into my daily/weekly schedule. It will be a learning curve, but I'm determined to continue to write a lot. I have so many ideas I want to get on paper. And I read everyone's 2017 goals on Holly's site and it's inspired me. I've started my list and want to get it finished this weekend. I'll post it then.
Keep working on the schedule. You'll eventually get one worked out! It's going to be a big year for you and Josh!
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Post by Admin on Jan 15, 2017 13:26:49 GMT
I hope the new job is going well. Having a regular paycheck takes a lot of stress off. At least, that's what I dream of having some day. I doubt if writing will give me a regular paycheck but I'd settle for something coming in rather than all going out.
I don't know if you keep up with WABWM on Holly's boards. I posted this this morning:
This morning I'm pulling all my articles and poems that I've written. I've got over 30 first published articles that I can recycle into a non-fiction memoir type book. I've had a lot of people ask me for this type of book before. I'm going to categorize my articles, which are essentially slices of my life, and see if I can pull them together into a cohesive package. See if I can use one for each chapter. I write humor, so I think I can come up with a heart-warming, humorous look on surviving life. I have chosen Sunday's to work on this project because its outside of my other projects. Something that is essentially already written. It just needs organized, fleshed out and put together. That's the plan anyway. I might have enough to do several volumes depending on how long I want the book to be. I'd rather have fast paced, fun reads that give the reader something to ponder. I might stick some artwork in it. I haven't decided yet. but I might.
Today, I start printing out all my articles and poems. I need to see what I've got. Once I've found them all, I'll categorize them and see how they break down. I might get one book. I might get two books. I doubt if I'll get three but you never know. I might. I'm not sure what word length I'm shooting for. Something smaller than a novel. maybe in the 30,000 word range. I'll see how it falls when it comes to writing it.
Its a project. and work in progress is always good. It will broaden my horizon if I have more projects lined up for publication.
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Post by bill on Jan 15, 2017 19:33:20 GMT
I think you've got a great idea there. Follow it through and see what it turns out to be. I look forward to reading your articles when you have it done!
I've put together my goals for this year. I've been organizing my weekly/monthly goals using my own created acronym - PREMS, which breaks down the writing process like this: Planning, Rough draft writing, Editing, Marketing/publishing, Studying. Each of my tasks falls into one of those categories. Anyhow, that's how my years goals are organized.
Planning: - Flipper, book 4 (I have about 10,000 words written but need to outline the rest of the story) - A World Amongst (This is my ghost story. I wrote 35,000 words for Nano. I have much more of the story I want to write and can't wait to get to it. I don't know how this will turn out - a novel? several novels? novellas? I don't know and don't think I will until I finish the story.) - A Millionaire story (I started this 2-3 years ago and have bits and pieces. Actually, I think I'm going to combine two different stories I've started. It needs a lot of thought and organizing before I proceed, but I'd like to get it going forward) - Prank on Santa Clause Story (I have an idea for an original Santa story that I'm really excited about!)
Rough draft writing: - The four stories mentioned above
Edit (revise) - Mystery (I'm in week 15 of HTRYN and want to finish this story and submit to agents. If I don't get a bite on an agent I want to self-publish in 2017) - Earth (Flipper, book 2. It's done but needs tweeking. I might try to use it for the HTRYN crash course after I complete the course with Mystery) - Zentron (Flipper, book 3. I have it written and have started it through HTRYN but paused now that I have a job. I want to finish revising so I can publish it early in 2018)
Market (Publish) - Vetrix (Jan/Feb) - Flipper Flash Fiction (Feb) - Unconventional Love Stories (Feb) FF - Satisfyingly Strange Short Stories, Volume 4 (Feb) - Newspaper Columns (Spring) - Hodgepodge of Poetry (Spring) - Flash Fiction Collection (Put all my flash fiction stories in one book and add a few more. This will make it big enough I can create a printed copy to have available) * The above books are all finished. I may have a littel formatting/proofreading to do but the stories are complete
- Earth (Flipper, book 2. I would like to have it published sometime in the summer) - Mystery (I hope to publish this by next fall) * That gives me three novels released in 2017. And a large amount of backlog of flash fiction and misc. books.
- Once I get the Flipper Flash Fiction done I want to find out the cost of the book. I would like to give away copies to Halstead Middle School students. I would also like to give a copy of Vetrix (Flipper, book 1) to each of Blake's classmates in 8th grade. Sure, it's in part hoping they will buy further books, but it's mainly to give Blake an opportunity to enjoy the attention and notoriety. This book would never have happened without him and his name will be on the front and picture on the back with me. - In May I want to take what physical books I have and the ones that I have done of Mom's and set up a booth at Yates Center Days. I need to figure out how much of that kind of stuff I will need to do to get my name known.
Study: - HTRYN (I will finish this course at the end of Feb, early Mar) - HTTS (I am thinking about doing this course and writing my Santa story. I would love to have the Santa story ready by next Christmas season but I doubt that is possible with everything else I have going on. By the time I take the course and write the story, then revise, etc. it will probably have to wait until Christmas 2018.)
Those are my goals for now. I wonder how any new ideas I come up with might fit in? This is my first time to have yearly writing goals that include more than one story, so we'll see how they go.
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Post by Admin on Jan 15, 2017 20:29:12 GMT
Thats a great list. I'm really impressed with how thought out you've done. When you mentioned Yates Center days it reminded me that Emporia has a big day in June every year. They line the streets. I'll see if I can pull up the information. Its an annual event. Marti was in it one year. I wasn't because it fell on the same weekend we had the family reunion and I opted for family over selling.
Also, you might want to join the Kansas Writers Assoc. I'm not sure what all it does but it might give you info on writer happenings within the state. If nothing else, it will connect you with other Kansas writers.
I'll keep on my current goals and add what I can to the line-up to give myself a bigger back list. I'm still convinced that its a strong back list that will make the best income.
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Post by bill on Jan 15, 2017 21:18:51 GMT
One of my thoughts for this year was to start learning how to market my material. I'm not sure how to fit that into my schedule. Besides, I'm not sure where to go to start learning. I'll start with the ideas I have and see what I come across to help me learn. At some point I'll have to buckle down and take the initiative to learn the marketing side, but I think I'll end up procrastinating that part for now.
That being said I'll do what comes to mind. YC Days, Halstead library book signing, I'll see if the school will let me do a presentation, if Emporia or another place comes to my mind I'll take advantage of those opportunities. Plus I'll check intot he KWA. That's a good idea!
Getting a big back list is what I focused on the last few months. Now I want to focus on the the books/novels. I hope it helps - only time will tell. One thing that was helpful was to write a lot. I think I leanred a ton writing all those flash fiction. I hope to do more some day
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Post by Admin on Jan 15, 2017 22:03:19 GMT
I think my first major hurdle is to learn how to balance my goals and Joshua's. I still need to have solid times that are mine and solid times that are his. I'm still finding it too easy to waffle the times and that isn't helpful.
I wish I could remember what the book sale in Emporia was called. Its in June and its a big deal. I'll keep trying to find reference to it.
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Post by Admin on Jan 15, 2017 22:19:55 GMT
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Post by bill on Jan 15, 2017 22:47:33 GMT
Thanks! I'll check it out.
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Post by Admin on Jan 21, 2017 23:47:04 GMT
I got a nice amount of editing done today. Felt good to make some actual progress.
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Post by bill on Jan 22, 2017 1:04:40 GMT
Great job! I love days when I feel like I got a lot done of what I wanted to do. I've been busy the last few days working on the publishing part. I have Trapped on a Cloud at Creatspace and Amazon. Hit a snag with Vetrix but still working on it. Not getting any writing done, but I know this stuff is important too.
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Post by Admin on Jan 22, 2017 2:13:16 GMT
That's wonderful news. Is it available to buy yet?
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Post by bill on Jan 22, 2017 2:55:37 GMT
The printed version is available on Createspace and Amazon. Amazon didn't convert the file correctly so I don't have a digital copy available yet. Since I used the pdf file from the old publisher I'm not able to make adjustments to the file. At least I haven't figured it out yet.
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Post by Admin on Jan 22, 2017 4:04:56 GMT
I'll see if I can get a copy from Createspace. You get the best royalty from there if I buy it directly from them and not through Amazon.
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Post by bill on Jan 22, 2017 4:24:35 GMT
Here is the link to the book on createspace. www.createspace.com/6823911I'll get the link posted on Facebook soon. I thought I would get the digital book available before advertising. If you buy a copy let me know how it looks. I think it looks fine but I'd like confirmation. If you want to wait I would be glad to give you a copy.
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