A Homework report! I never tell you what I’ve been up to behind the scenes with any regularity, and it doesn’t show as outputs (unless I direct you to it), so I decided to do a new feature on the second Monday of the month – my Homework report.
Logically, it should be the first Monday or the last Monday of the month… but several times a year that will coincide with the IWSG post in the same week. It can’t be third Monday, because that is currently MMGM day. So today it starts, and we’ll see how long it goes on.
The Homework Report schedule
I have a stack of things on my to-do list, which I often indicate at the start of the year. Topics cover updating the blog or websites in various ways, looking into new promotional opportunities, short story calls, adding new stuff to my series websites, getting audiobook versions done…
I’ll start with a catch up of various bits and bobs I’ve been doing this year.
Recent Homework Successes
Short stories:
I did end up submitting two short stories, one to the Bridport Prize and one to an anthology call. I must do more next year, but it’s a start. I wasn’t feeling too inspired, so I wasnt surprised they weren’t accepted.
Quest for Oh fall-out:
It’s amazing just how much work completing one extra bit of Viridian backstory can generate.
- new covers for the series ebooks
- some serious updating of the website, including the Cavalieri-Chang Word Usage ‘book’ which will probably always be a work in progress
- a list of ideas for more content
and… completed… getting to grips with the Universal Book Links from Draft2Digital, the ones that go to Books2read.com/my short link. Now all the UBLs might replace the existing links on my pages… but I think they are better left alone. I see the Books2Read links as best for promotional material.
I have done a flyer with the Books2Read links for my Viridian ebooks. I ran out of copies (a half dozen) after three of my craft fairs, so I’ve printed up a dozen more, now that I’ve bought new paper. I’d had that last lot of paper since about 1995. 100 sheets printed 2 up lasts me a long time!
I’m going to need a new order of bookmarks for the fairs in the new year, so they’ll get the books2read links on them.
To-Do List
Content for the Viridian website
- more background on each of the books. I’m thinking about the world-building side really, the context, differences in morality issues etc.
- a diagram of the Viridian system to go with the tour of the system
- excerpts from the books
Content for the Princelings website
It basically needs some attention all round. Exactly what can go on this list when I’ve worked that out.
Audiobooks
I’m holding back because I still havent been transferred onto D2D from Smashwords. Doing the UBLs is one thing… publishing the audiobooks is quite another.
My blog
Sorting out the blog book pages and changing the way I use the portfolio system is well overdue. And there’s too much duplication in different places. There’s a page I want to add for the contacts I’ve made through the book fairs. I need to update my legacy site too. That’s the one on my free WordPress account, which I don’t talk about anywhere, but contains all my books and some content for interest, too.
Other writing projects?
The Cavies junior book sequel. I wrote it, and I started thinking about illustrations. For some reason I lost confidence in my ability to do it. Maybe my ‘be perfect’ kicked in. But although the first book sold well in the spring — well enough for me to get more stock in — I’ve hardly sold one since.
I’m beginning to think of other writing projects, the top of which is my ‘modern Black Beauty’ idea. I even talked to one of the potential customers on my stall about it. We’ll see.
Impressed by so much organisation and efficiency, so much I could be doing and don’t – yet…
Current distraction stems from the lowest tier of government – parish council, civil, not religious, and vehement objection to the visual impact of a mast which could deliver a phone signal.
Demands that the names of those who voted for a mast be disclosed.
No details yet on proposed sanctions intended,.
Refer the objector to the relevant legislation ?
Or suggest a more decorative mast, maybe around 1,000ft ?
That’s the sort of activity that bungs up my brain, stopping me doing anything on my todo list, yet also prevents me taking action on the building event. Good luck.
It’s great how much you’ve accomplished this month. And it sounds like you know what you what you want to tackle next.
If I get one of those done by next month, I’ll be delighted!
I wonder how you organize everything to do with your books? With this, that, and the other going on in my life, I’m afraid I’d never be able to keep up. Well done.
Well, I don’t really keep up…hence the list. Some of these things have been on the list for years!
That’s a very good list—you have been busy this year. I need to make a similar list, to chip away at. Some of the things I need to do look remarkably similar to what you need to do—and you’ve given me some ideas, too (gee, thanks). For this month, though, my focus is on writing, writing, writing. And editing photos.
I’m exhausted just reading that! And you can certainly make paper last.