WORK IN PROGRESS

With a lot of extra work over the weekend and in the evenings, and because of the amount of time I’d already put into it, I managed to get episode 14 out to my editor this week which means I now have a maximum of three weeks to get the final episode polished and ready for edit. Ideally I’d want this done in two. A week for the first main run through, then a week for final tweaks. It should be possible.

I’m currently almost three chapters into the nine drafted and so far I’ve added another 400 words which does not bode well for the 9,000 word limit. I will have to have a keen eye to cut chaff where I can.

I have commissioned a new cover for the full paperback. Ouch, it was expensive, but I will be thankful down the road that I’ve spent the money. It should be completed by the end of February with work starting in two weeks.

I’ve switched to working on my publishing book in the evenings and now it’s around 25,000 words in depth. As the scope of the book grows I’m thinking about doing a two stage release. The first will be a core slimline version and the second will be expanded. This will allow me to get something published before the middle of the year so I can sell it at my events. I won’t promote it at all online, instead waiting for the full version.

However once Stopping Power is written I’ll be concentrating on the publishing book and so I will have a better idea of this strategy depending on how quickly I’m getting the content down on the page.

EVENTS

With 6 weeks until the first event of the year, back to Guildford again, and I’m ramping up my preparation. I’ll be ordering stock this weekend and continuing to bundle the short story packages.

This week I’ve been writing about craft fairs and public appearances for my publishing book and as part of the research, I’ve been looking back at the first event I attended in 2019. Oh how far I have come since then!

With the King’s coronation I’ve had the event moved from that date because the feeling is that everyone will be at home watching. I’m a royalist but I’d rather be selling my books!

That’s it for this week. I would say it’s back to the grindstone, but that implies I’m not loving every minute of the time I get to do anything relating to my books.

Comments and suggestions welcomed as always.