January Progress Post

The first month of the new year has come and gone! And that brings us to our “what did the Jaguar accomplish” post for January, and some plans for the coming months. Let’s get to it!

In writing news, I finished the new Alysha novel by adding about 70,000 words to the manuscript. I also finished editing Farmer’s Crown by adding another 17,000 words to it, because apparently my definition of edit is ‘make bigger.’ I wrote the Reese bonus scene, “The Call” (which you $5+ people got to read), and five episodes of the Kherishdar serial. So I feel like I did okay in the producing new writing department.

In the ‘prepping for market’ arena, I launched Healer’s Wedding—I hope you all are enjoying that one as much as I did writing it! And thank you for the reviews! I also finished the edits to the sequel and got it up for pre-order, which required putting together all the packaging and marketing materials for the e-book and print editions. This is great! As it means I’m scheduled out through March and can afford to look at the next few months with equanimity.

Artwise, I finished four pieces from blank page to color completion: the Wedding and Farmer novel covers, the Alysha short cover (“Leadership Lessons”), and the Almond painting. I did some random sketching, though not as much as I thought. More than I have in the past though; the new art desk is definitely helping. And I streamed five times! That was fun, and I’m managing my ‘stream once a week’ personal goal. Plus, I’m continuing to refine the camera and lighting set-up, and I think I’m approaching something that meets my standards. I just added a second fill light, and finally got the camera to sharpen things up so it looks clear. Much love to spouse who helps me fiddle with things when I get frustrated. Or before I get frustrated, allowing me to flop on the couch and not tear out my hair. <3

In audio news, I received the entirety of the Heir audiobook and listened to all of it for errors, plus I recorded the Heir bonus track and the audio episode about the coloration of the Eldritch and the Chatcaava.

Finally, in the crowdfunding category, I made 24 posts to Patreon and launched the Heir audiobook Kickstarter.

That’s what a normal month looks like for this particular ‘full-time writer/artist who makes a living at this.’ I feel productive, but not overextended. It’s basically a lot like a normal job: I wake up, sit down and start working, and stop after 8 or 9 hours of doing stuff. 

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Leaving January behind us, then, I’d like to talk about the forthcoming months. I’m just about done with both the edits and the packaging for the Alysha novel, which will be my May release, and that leaves me with the stretch between now and July (my next launch month) to schedule work on my next projects. I’ve definitely decided I need a Peltedverse break, and my six-book-a-year schedule allows me some leeway, enough that I feel I can spend a month or two on fan favorites that aren’t necessarily great sellers.

After looking at my available choices, and the amount of work each will take, I’ve decided on the following as my schedule until the end of the summer:

• Finish Alysha edits, post for pre-order (done in February).
• Concentrate on writing Kherishdar until done, probably in late April; increase rate of serialization to 2-3 times a week.
• Write Jokka novel(la), probably done in June, for publication in July.
• Start writing Coracle 2 with the intention of serializing after Kherishdar.

As you can see, I’ve made some changes to my plan, most militated by Kherishdar’s overhead. Things have changed a lot since I serialized the first Kherishdar stories. Back then I was exploring the setting as I wrote, and I could because there wasn’t much backstory. Now, though, there are three books, one of which is enormous, plus a lexicon and grammar and all the meta-conversations, and frankly it’s enough that I need to do research in my own setting to remember it all. Switching gears once a week from whatever I was working on for publication to write the serial episode was enormously stressful; that level of multitasking just isn’t efficient, and I have been worrying about making a misstep or not giving Kherishdar the level of mental energy it deserves. And the only solution to that is to give it my full attention.

It was the right decision, because the moment I made it I felt this monumental relief. I can feel free to fall headfirst into the setting and immerse myself and stay there until I’m done, and then I can concentrate fully on other things. This will turn the serialization process into ‘I’m editing when I post’ rather than ‘I’m drafting as I post’ and I think we’ll all be happier that way. Especially if it means I’ll be posting faster. We might even get Kherishdar 4 in ebook/print this year.

This, in turn, will free me up to returning to Coracle as the ‘post as I write it’ serial. I find Coracle relaxing. It’s more fun, it’s shorter, and the tone is a lot more forgiving. I’m looking forward to getting back to it as my Patreon side project once I’m done with Kherishdar.

Wrapping up the draft of Kherishdar will free me up to make the Jokka story the July release, because I should have plenty of time to write it once I’m done. And by the time I’m done with Red Honey (the Jokka story), I’ll be ready to come back to the Peltedverse and start sorting out which book in that setting I want to go at next. It will probably be Surela, but it may be Zafiil if I decide to edit that book instead of just straightening out its events in my head.

For these reasons, Kherishdar's serialization will be on hiatus for two weeks. I'll continue to post something on Wednesdays while you're waiting for me to switch to this new plan, though. Thank you for your patience as I move to serve you FASTER. *bounces*

As usual, my plan for art for the next couple of quarters continues to be ad hoc: whatever I need for the forthcoming marketing, crowdfunding, or story-development efforts. I’m still planning on streaming once a week, though, so keep an eye on my twitch if you’re into that. (If you’re not, I’m slowly figuring out how to edit video so I can post some time lapses to my youtube channel. Stay tuned!)

That wraps up January and gives us a look into the next few months! As always, comments and questions and random flailing or wailing welcome. :D