An Update!
NEWS
OhmygoditsalreadyMarch.
Where has the year gone? I feel like I have accomplished a lot…while at the same time feeling like I’ve accomplished so little. How can that be?
Well it all boils down to one fact: that while I have made some really serious progress in a lot of ways these past few months, I haven’t written any fiction in a serious way in over a month now. So while I haven't hit the end of my first 12 weeks (how I am organizing my goals for the year), I thought it would be a good time to give a general update.
Writing:
There are a few factors at play here. First and foremost, I broke my stride, and then got hyper busy, and never regained it. I need to make a major adjustment in my schedule to carve out consistent writing time, and have not been able to do so. I am a writer that works best when I can build a little momentum, and I haven’t been able to do that.
I am technically still working on my horror trilogy set in Tuscaloosa County. Book one is drafted (and being uploaded a chapter a time each week on Patreon…nudge nudge). Book 3 is roughly halfway written. Book two is what I am currently working on, and I am about 12k words in I think. I am a little worried that there is also an element of me being mentally jammed up because there is something fundamentally wrong with this book. It wouldn’t be the first time.
Anyway, I have to get over this hurdle. I think the move is going to be locking in dedicated writing time each evening, starting at 830. Writing from then until I hit at least 500 words (ideally 1k, but baby steps at first). This, schedule-wise, is the best move. My issue is I am often mentally tired by this point of the day, what with work, followed by all the other Tales by Bob shenanigans I get up to.
Not Writing:
Here, things are going really swell. Here are a few things I have accomplished:
Stood up Bearded Bard Inkworks, the micro press I plan to use to publish my novels and ttrpg content.
Started production on the first Jubal County Audiobook.
Got my first zine totally laid out.
Ordered all new postcards, because I am a glutton for punishment.
Made a digital ‘thank you’ to send to folks, consisting of neat behind the scenes content about Jubal County.
Learned how to use OBS, Atticus, Affinity Publisher, and ProWritingAid.
Started back recording episodes of Books, Beards, Booze.
Built a couple of workshop presentations, and started turning older presentations into videos.
Did Chattacon and Atlanta Comic Con.
Set up a few refinements for my vendor table.
Got into a few more conventions.
Wrote a few free guides for authors to expand my education offerings.
Overall:
On the business side of being an author, I’m doing alright. On the author side of being an author, I'm struggling. Since writing words is the number one goal, I have to fix this and asap. Wish me luck!
