Goals for the Weekend 2018-11-30

Welcome everyone!

This weekend, I am determined to get my ISBN numbers and build my marketing plan. I'm in the middle of working out some inconveniences in my personal life, but I think I can manage those two things. ISBN's should be pretty simple. I'll let you know how it went on Monday :)

Peace,

-Troy

The Stories Are True

Welcome everyone!

As I've researched how to write a novel, I've come across numerous stories of writers who had to overcome terrible personal hardships to get their book published. Often times those hardships had absolutely nothing to do with publishing a book. I chalked it up to authors just being more in-tune with their emotional state and perhaps prone to over-dramatize things. Well, I'm here to tell you, all those stories are true.

Two weeks ago, I wrote that I had a bad day. The full ramifications of that bad day are now known. They aren't catastrophic or end-of-the-line type things. Just very difficult for me personally. The personal, monetary, and opportunity costs are going to be difficult to bear. But I will bear them.

My book is coming out. I'm going to get there. I'm thankful for all of you who have reached out and lent emotional support. I need that. Good luck out there, and remember to believe those stories authors tell you. I didn't, and I wish I had.

Peace,

-Troy

Moving Forward

Welcome everyone!

Had a good discussion with my layout person. It involved some disappointing news. Disappointing, but clarifying. So now, I pretty much know what I have to do in December. I may have to take a day or two off work to get it completed, but it will be worth it. I can't wait to be through on the other side.

Peace,

-Troy

Back from Thanksgiving

Welcome everyone!

I'm back from Thanksgiving. It was a lot of driving this year to go and visit family, but it was time well spent. I'm recharged and ready to take on the finishing touches of my fantasy novella.

My booking questionnaire is finished! That's a big load off my mind. I'm in contact with my layout artists sorting through the details. I just got an update from my map-maker, and the map IS LOOKING SO FREAKING COOL RIGHT NOW!

Things are really coming together. Super Secret Project #1 is now about a third of the way done. Super Secret Project #2 is under way. Final edits are complete.

My marketing is still behind. That's where I really have to try to focus, but it's not easy. I don't have much of an author platform yet (except you guys!), so that's where my efforts are going to be concentrated next.

Anyway, hope you have a happy holiday season. Be well everyone! :)

Peace,

-Troy

Book Art! - The Hunters' Lodge

Welcome everyone!

Today, I have an art reveal. It's a hunters' lodge that features prominently in my book. Have a peak:

I'm not sure if/how I will use it when it comes time to publish. Honestly, the artist didn't make it nearly big enough. I feel that might be my fault since I just gave her the descriptions from my fantasy novella. I should have written a big long description myself.

Still, I think it looks nice. It captures all the details I really wanted and fits the architectural theme I was going for. We'll see what happens.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed looking at it. I'm going on vacation again for the rest of this week, so I won't be posting much if at all. Vacation means stoppage of work, yet again, which I find disheartening.

When I get back, it'll be time to put in some hard work in order to get ready for cover design and layout. I can't wait. I've gotten really tired of not having this book out on the market :)

Peace,

-Troy

Oops!

Welcome everyone!

I had such a bad week last week that I forgot about my art reveal! I'm so sorry about about that! Let's schedule it for tomorrow then. I'll be hitting the road for the American Thanksgiving holiday Tuesday evening, and I won't be back until very late Sunday. So, I won't have any time this week to post anything else.

So let's look forward to that. New art tomorrow! (if remember lol)

Peace,

-Troy

Goals for the Weekend 3018-11-16

Welcome everyone!

This weekend will be silly busy with preparations for Thanksgiving, so I'm not going to have much time to work on my writing projects. However, I'm going to attempt to do the following:

• Finish booking questionnaire
• Give my final draft one last read-through
• Sign up for additional social media accounts

If I get all that done, I'll be thrilled.

Peace,

-Troy

Is it Friday Yet?

Welcome Everyone!

Man, I need a weekend. I've made some progress in my upcoming projects. It's not been easy. Yesterday and today have been tough. But even in tough times, writers have to keep going. My January deadline to submit my book to the cover/interior design folks is getting nearer every day. My marketing projects are starting to pile up. And those pesky holidays are nearly upon us. I'd appreciate all thoughts, prayers, and well-wishes for the next couple weeks. I have a lot to do and plenty of hurdles in my way.

Peace,

-Troy

Had a Bad Day

Nothing serious or catastrophic. Just very disappointing. It will make life difficult for a while.

No Better Time to Be a Writer

Welcome everyone!

Yesterday afternoon, a colleague of mine lamented that anytime someone has a question now-a-days, they just look it up on Google. And I was like, "Well....yeah!"

When I started the process of writing my fantasy novella, I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I had some vague understanding of the Freytag pyramid and what not, but no apprehension about what it took make a book.

I learned all that by looking it up, reading articles, listening to podcasts, and watching videos. How else was I (or anyone for that matter) supposed to learn? It's not like I could sit at the feet of Stephen King or something and learn apprentice style!

So it somewhat baffled me why my co-worker thought "looking it up on Google" was a terrible thing. If an individual wants to learn something, it is possible to do so now in an independent and self-directed way. There are limitations, of course. You aren't going to learn to perform surgery on YouTube, but you can learn ABOUT surgery on YouTube. That's never been possible before.

As far as writers go, now is a great time to become one. There are so many terrific people out there sharing their knowledge and experience FOR FREE with anyone who cares to catch their podcast or watch their video channel. Becoming a published author has never been more achievable, and I for one am incredibly thankful to all those who have helped enable me.

Peace,

-Troy

The Drawbacks of the Holidays

Welcome everyone!

I made some tremendous progress on my projects this weekend. I had a good chunk of Sunday and nearly all of Saturday to work on them. The result was about 18 hours worth of work completed and total exhaustion by the end.

I'm gearing up for my marketing push toward my release date in February. But here's the problem: Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's. Now, I'm not a Scrooge that hates holidays and thinks that Christmas is a day's pay without a day's work. The issue is, I do a lot of traveling over the holidays. My family is spread out all over the eastern United States. I might drive 12 in a day, for instance. Then, of course, there's time visiting and having fun.

All that translates into precious little time to work on my book and gaps when I might be able to use social media. I'd really like to step up my efforts, but I know that consistency is absolutely important to building an audience.

The weeks of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's are going to be completely shot for me. I won't have much time at all. So, I'm thinking about waiting until 2019 to start. That's probably too late, but I want to be reliable. Holidays make that impossible.

So, I'm kinda stuck. Maybe I'll have an idea between now and then that will solve the problem. We'll see.

Peace,

-Troy

Goals for the Weekend 2018-11-09

Welcome everyone!

It's Friday again, so it's time to talk goals for the weekend.

• Email layout guy about stock art for the interior
• Continue to develop author-platform project #1
• Complete Skillshare class on marketing
• Get in some reading (currently reading Half a King by Joe Abercrombie)

Hope your weekend is productive and successful!

Peace,

-Troy

Too Far Off and Not Enough Time

Welcome everyone!

Today I'm struggling with two very contradictory feelings. That is, my publication date is too far away and I still don't have enough time to get everything done I want to get done.

The reason I say the publication too far off, is that I really want to get to the end of this part of the process. It has been a very long journey. I started writing notes for this story three years ago. I completed the first draft 24 months ago. And it's still three months before anyone will be able to buy my book. I just can't hardly stand waiting any longer.

At the same time, there is still so much to do. I need to finish a class on Skillshare. I need to get the map done. I need to come up with a cover idea. I need to get my marketing plan in order. And about 30 other things. It's crazy!

Sometimes, a feeling sneaks up on me that I'm biting off more than I can chew, that I should have aimed a little lower for what I wanted. Then I smack that idea right out of my head. I want it all, or at least, I want to experience it all. Writing a book and publishing it is so hard and such a rare thing, there's no reason to go only half way. I'm going all the way, even if it ends in disaster (I don't think it will, but it might). So no fear from here. My head is down, and I'm pushing my way through.

Peace,

-Troy

More Book Art Coming!

Welcome everyone!

Looks like I will have some more book art ready for you next week. I really like what I have to share, although I'm not sure if I will end up using it in my book. I'll have to explain why when it's ready.

Speaking of book art news, I have commissioned the map for my book. I am REALLY nervous about this. The map, I think, will be very helpful to the reader in understanding the plot of my book.

Naturally, in a fantasy story, there will be a journey. When you're naming off wild places full of new names and weirdos, it helps to give the readers something to anchor their imaginations on. A map can do that.

I'm nervous because it will take the map-maker nearly a month to get it done. I don't expect to have it until December 5th, and even then, it might require revisions. That might add another 10-14 days. Who knows?

I have to have my files completely ready to go and turned into the my cover and layout artists by January 3rd. That's cutting things awfully close. I don't like cutting things close. I like having them done way ahead of time; hence, why I have my final draft complete in November.

I'm tempted to commission a second map from a second artists just in case, but that's an added expense I don't wish to endure right now. We'll have to see.

Until next time...

Peace,

-Troy

Joining Organizations

Welcome everyone!

Yesterday, I started the process of creating accounts with several organizations. First, I made an account with Storiad. This is a website that helps authors market their books. It looks fantastic, and I've only just scratched the surface of what it offers.

Next, I created an account with IngramSpark. This will be the company I use to print my physical books. They are very professional and helpful. I can't wait to see the proofs!

Third, I investigated The Alliance of Independent Authors. I see that membership with this group offers some lucrative discounts (with IngramSpark for instance). I haven't signed up yet, and I'll explain why in a moment.

I joined Skillshare and have already taken a class about launching a book.. Building my author platform is next.

Finally, I created an account on GoodReads. It's not an author account yet. I think I have to actually have a published book to qualify for one of those, but it's good to go ahead and get my profile set up and review several books I've read.

Still to do: Amazon Author Page, iTunes, WeMe, and probably a few more.

One thing I have haven't done yet is spend any money. The full Storiad experience is $35 per month and the membership I want at Alliance of Independent Authors is $99 a year. My book doesn't come out until February, so I'd be looking at spending about $250 just for access between now and then. That's a lot right around the holidays with my cover, interior art, map, and proofs yet to pay for. I'm going to do it, I just have to time it right.

Anyway, I'll keep you posted on how it goes and my experience with each of these.

Peace,

-Troy

I did it!

Well everyone, I finished all the edits from my proofreader on my gothic fantasy novella. That's right, I now have in my hands the final version that will go to publication. FINAL DRAFT COMPLETE!

Now, I imagine I might catch a few errors here and there before February, but those will be the only changes going forward. Getting my book done this far ahead lets me turn my focus to some other things. October was a bad month for me as far as my goals for the month went. Here's a list of everything I wanted to do:

• Start Podcast
• Get Map Art
• Research ARCs
• Finish Final Edits
• Cross-post blog to all social media
• Establish Good Reads Page
• Get half or more of booking questionnaire done

As you can see, I only accomplished two of those things. Final edits are done also, but I didn't finish them until November 4th, so I can't cross them off for October. All the stuff I didn't get done now gets added to an already busy November. I hope I can manage.

I'm not going to focus on the negative, though. Here's the bottom line: I have a final draft of a book. I have the FINAL DRAFT of a BOOK!  I did it. I started this project three years ago, I've gone through the fire, I've been tested, and now I've come out the other side with a product I'm proud of and can be excited about. I know you'll be excited about it too once you get to read it.

Thanks for all your encouragement and support. I really love the messages I get on my social media accounts. You guys have really kept me going. I look forward to sharing with you all the details about the plot, characters, setting, and how my book fits in the genre as a whole. See you soon!

Peace,

-Troy

Goals for the Weekend 2018-11-02

Alrighty, this weekend, I hope to do the following:

• Finish THE FINAL DRAFT!
• Line up the map maker
• Line up indie author organizations to join
• Get some rest

Good luck to all of you this weekend!

Peace,

-Troy

Didn't Quite Make It

Well, I didn't quite get all the edits done before time ran out on October. I'm down to the last 30 pages or so, which isn't bad at all. I'll almost certainly get done with them before the weekend. Then, I can FINALLY get to work on my marketing. Ugh, it's been so hard waiting to do that, but I really needed my book finished so I could devote my whole mind-space to that project.

Looks like I'll have some new art to share with you next Friday. It's looking good, though, I'm not sure how or if I'll use it. Next up, will be the map for my setting. I hope I can find a good cartographer for it.

Anyway, I hope all of you are doing well. Happy Holidays! (I think I can say that now, right?)

Peace,

-Troy