Chapter Delay and (Big?) PM News
Added 2025-03-13 18:26:59 +0000 UTC
Hey all, I need to postpone tomorrow's chapter.
This week (with incredible help from Nid - thankksssss) I went through the final proofs for book 6 and sent in the audiobook notes. Lots of work, quite draining.
My deal with Podium goes to book 6. If you remember, it's the one where R. Brown jumps ship and in the epilogue, Max finds Wibbers. I don't really want to leave Kindle readers who don't know about Royal Road/Patreon hanging so I asked if we could put a note at the end along the lines of 'we're not publishing these any more but here's where you can keep reading'.
That has led to a (friendly!) discussion with Podium in which they suggested that while some continuation may be poss (currently unknown), it won't be for the 27/28 books I have in my head unless it suddenly starts selling a LOT more. Which is understandable, obvs.
But the suggestion was made that it would be in my best interests whatever happens to START A NEW SERIES.
At first I was like, what, Benny's Boots? (Discord reference.) My Master of Orion homage?
She meant divide PM into 'volumes' so that there could be multiple (two, I suppose) starting points in the series. It struck me that NOW would be almost a perfect time to do it. (Halfway through the story and, you know, things seem to be going well... Heh. Can't resist a doomshadow, can I?)
Player Manager would cover the first 14 books, up until Max takes Chester higher than they have ever been before (literally in the case of the new stand).
[Name reveal imminent! Drum roll...]
SOCCER SUPREMO book 1 would take us into the rest of the 26/27 season and we would go as normal. For you, no big change. I would treat it as an 'introduction' book so that people who know nothing about the sport could follow it, but my wife is always saying 'remind me what a full back is' so for most readers it wouldn't be a hardship to get a refresher on some of those points.
(One benefit would be that you could recommend Soccer Supremo to people who don't want to deal with Max's early immaturity and constant grinding.)
At this point, nothing is fully decided but I think it makes more sense to have Soccer Supremo 5 than Player Manager 19 or whatever. Don't you think? (While I like having the books made real, the Patreon readers are king!)
This wouldn't actually change much of what I have planned for the remaining chapters of book 14, but my head is spinning. Last night I couldn't sleep, thinking how I'd start the next book and the implications and etc. etc. and today my productivity was garbage. So instead of two short chapters you'll get a medium one on Monday that I hope will be satisfying.
[One thing they mentioned was that I should promote the book on Audible Plus (https://www.audible.com/pd/Player-Manager-A-Sports-Progression-Fantasy-Audiobook/B0CC33WJ5F). If you have that and listen, it beefs up my stats. Personally I don't like asking the people who already support me so much to do more but if you have Plus, it's free, so.]
That's it. Let me know if you have strong thoughts!
And sorry!
Comments
I played MOO and MOO2 growing up and I would be very into that. But more than anything, I’m supportive of Theodore Steel. Do your thing, whatever helps you deliver your story and keeps it fun for you. I’ll be reading regardless.
Kyle Kirby
2025-04-26 01:52:44 +0000 UTCTBH when I thought about starting Wandering Inn I thought, wait, it's HOW LONG?! Once you're in you want more but I do get why it's overwhelming for some people.
Ted Steel
2025-03-16 20:26:08 +0000 UTCWow that's amazing. You didn't have to do that! But thanks so so much.
Ted Steel
2025-03-16 20:25:09 +0000 UTCReading this disheartened me, so I went to Amazon, bought each book, and left a glowing review for each. (Not the KU stuff but the real purchase.) So basically, keep up the great work.
Eidetic Eidolon
2025-03-16 18:40:14 +0000 UTCLet’s just never stop Max Best adventures. Rename it whatever just never stop Ted or I am flying to across the pond to find you.
Taylor Harris
2025-03-16 14:07:20 +0000 UTCI think its interesting that there being a lot of Books in a series puts people off and that people might want to start a series in the middle.
James Probert
2025-03-15 14:00:53 +0000 UTCI can see how that would be a good idea, knowing a series has over 18 books must be extremely daunting.
MXMentalStanderd .
2025-03-14 23:00:21 +0000 UTCAll the fun of the fair.
Richard Carling
2025-03-14 22:27:14 +0000 UTCSoccer Supremo has USA appeal. I hope it is much more successful and hooks readers back to PM too.
Richard Carling
2025-03-14 22:25:58 +0000 UTCExcept you wrote the prequel first.
Richard Carling
2025-03-14 22:19:20 +0000 UTCI can't go back and get into the headspace. I would need to edit it to make it more accessible and that's not in my skillset.
Ted Steel
2025-03-14 12:34:26 +0000 UTCGiven the end of the deal, wouldn't it make more sense to end PM after book 6 and start the "next series" with book 7? Just rewrite the beginning to add in some of the changes you talked about. Reintroductions and explains ions
Galeg
2025-03-14 12:05:25 +0000 UTCI'm on board for the Master of Orion homage. Still my dad's favourite game ever and one of my nostalgic favs
Chris Memmott
2025-03-14 11:20:03 +0000 UTCAgreed. Single/dating poor Max vs married rich Max feels like the most natural dividing line the series is ever going to have.
Jazerus
2025-03-13 22:22:33 +0000 UTCIf it's just new branding and you will write say a one chapter intro to make it more standalone that's probably a good idea. Honestly from a biz perspective you probably should do that like every 3 books so you have a bunch of trilogies.
Timothy Jacobs
2025-03-13 22:10:01 +0000 UTCWhatever makes you happy and keeps the story going is fine by me.
LordOfMurder
2025-03-13 21:41:25 +0000 UTCTed knows Best!
Johan Karpantschof
2025-03-13 21:06:10 +0000 UTCI had an idea about how to do it that would allow me to explain everything while introducing a little comedy for older readers but yeah I WELCOME THE CHALLENGE I AM THE MAX BEST OF WRITING WHOO
Ted Steel
2025-03-13 21:02:48 +0000 UTCI'm trying to clarify that. It seems like a bit of a minefield but let's see. It's the London Book Fair this weekend and that's going to slow everything down.
Ted Steel
2025-03-13 21:01:02 +0000 UTCIt's the same story but it's Empire Strikes Back instead of Star Wars 2. It would have its own listing on Amazon and new readers could start there if they wanted.
Ted Steel
2025-03-13 20:58:02 +0000 UTCWould soccer supremo be a spin off or different perspective? If it’s just a different arc of the same story it should have the same name right? Or unless there’s a big jump of some kind that justifies the start of the new book
CMA27
2025-03-13 20:45:42 +0000 UTCAnything that brings more player manager / soccer supremo into the world
Geoff Urland
2025-03-13 19:28:07 +0000 UTCAfter the wedding. That is when the series feels like it could have a natural breakpoint from a character growth perspective of Max. It still doesn't resolve all the plot points from book one in regards to the curse, but it does let the hero go off into the sunset with all his just, or as some might see it unjust, rewards.
Thomas
2025-03-13 19:05:27 +0000 UTCThey're probably right. Starting a series with 26 books can seem daunting and drive away potential new readers. But I would still suggest to do the change after this season ends.
Uncle Snoo
2025-03-13 18:51:45 +0000 UTCWe're only half way?! Incredible. If that's the case it makes sense. Properly reintroducing not only football concepts but all the characters, relationships, plans and investments etc. sounds incredibly hard - without proper pacing I'd imagine new readers would get lost. But what do I know, I'm not a writer. Can you do that without a slow drip throughout half a book or more? I'm not particularly concerned if you go that route even if you focus on new readers for a while. Planning a 28 book series is insane already, so whatever it takes to make that happen I'm here for it.
Johan Karpantschof
2025-03-13 18:49:56 +0000 UTCI think it might imply that if discussions go well that PM 7-14 will be published by Podium and then PM 15 onwards becomes SS 1 and they'll do that too? I could be way off but that's atleast how I understand it
Matthew The Bread Smith
2025-03-13 18:49:07 +0000 UTCI just love this story and don’t want it to stop. You do whatever is best for yourself to keep writing about Max and his curse. I’ll keep reading it whatever you call it.
Mack
2025-03-13 18:44:15 +0000 UTCIf a new series start = more total books in this world, sign me up. I agree it won't have a huge impact on patrons if its just a name change and book 15 becomes series 2 book 1. If it helps you keep chugging, then I'm in full support.
Tyler Jansen
2025-03-13 18:38:20 +0000 UTCOne question: what happens to Player Manager books 7-14? Do you self-pub them on Kindle so they're still available and people who do like your series can keep reading? New branding, new start, new fresh positioning seems fine if it's from the point of view of getting fresh readers in and being able to jump into the midpoint of the story (and anyone who likes it trots off to buy PM1-14 ... ).
Wesley Burr
2025-03-13 18:35:16 +0000 UTC
