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Post by corabuhlert on Oct 10, 2018 3:08:17 GMT
Not to all books, but to some where some extra information would be helpful. For example, I have an author's note for a novelette in my 1930s set Silencer series, where I talk about airships and zeppelins and explain that I took some liberties to make the story work. And since my cozy space opera series focusses a lot on food, I occasionally add an author's note to share a recipe for a dish mentioned in the story or a link to a recipe if it's online or talk about my favourite bakery which I tuckerized. I usually put them in the back, because of spoiler potential and because I don't want to clutter up the sample.
Meanwhile, I've sent the latest book in my cozy space opera series out into the world.
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Post by K'Sennia Visitor on Oct 10, 2018 3:24:04 GMT
corabuhlert It makes sense to only add authors notes when you have something to say. Good choice! And congrats again on publishing.  Today has been another organizing day, but I think I've found a good way to do it this time, and I feel like I have accomplished some small things.
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Post by K'Sennia Visitor on Oct 13, 2018 6:36:45 GMT
I haven't been writing today, but I have been organizing my TUOK docs. I started out the day with 179,960, and have so far gotten down to 173,689. I am moving one good copy of the docs I need to save for TUOK into one of three folders: characters, scenes, and worldbuilding. This is step one of my evil plan. I have also come up with a possible way to solve a huge TUOK problem. So mini aays for progress!
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Post by robertlcollins on Oct 13, 2018 13:46:03 GMT
Finally getting around to jumping into this. I finished up a short novel early last week. After a break of a day or so to plot out another work I started on my current project. It's flowing quite nicely. I'm rather enjoying that it's making me build up the world while the characters figure out why they're having to learn about the world. I'm hoping that all the writing I'm doing will make it turn into a novel-length work. I think all but one of the books I've completed this year have been short novels. I would like the challenge of finishing something longer. Pausing for the weekend, then jumping back into the story Monday. |
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Post by corabuhlert on Oct 14, 2018 3:14:59 GMT
I sympathise, robertlcollins. My stories usually tend towards the shorter lengths as well, novellas and novelettes rather than short novels.
Though my current WIP officially crossed over into short novel territory yesterday. Though I'll wait for the final wordcount before I determine whether I'll market it as a novella or short novel.
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Post by K'Sennia Visitor on Oct 14, 2018 8:14:42 GMT
Today, I deleted 13,707 word docs, and saved the few that weren't copies.
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Post by Jeff Tanyard on Oct 15, 2018 4:22:16 GMT
Just finished the second draft. I had to re-write the ending a couple of times and rearrange some scenes. I think I got it all to come together, though. 120k words and change. Hero ended the story with a broken nose but isn't seriously injured otherwise. He got lucky this time. 
Next stage is the mobi edit.
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Post by K'Sennia Visitor on Oct 15, 2018 4:44:59 GMT
I continued organizing today. Much deletion. Much more to come. Organization is tiring. *snoozles* Great job, Jeff Tanyard on finishing your draft! |
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Post by corabuhlert on Oct 15, 2018 4:52:09 GMT
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Post by Jeff Tanyard on Oct 15, 2018 5:43:04 GMT
Thanks, y'all. I had hoped to get this thing published this month, but it looks like November might be more realistic. We'll see how it goes.
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Post by corabuhlert on Oct 16, 2018 4:26:50 GMT
When you publish it, give me a shout and I'll feature it at the Speculative Fiction Showcase, Jeff Tanyard. |
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Post by Jeff Tanyard on Oct 16, 2018 5:50:41 GMT
When you publish it, give me a shout and I'll feature it at the Speculative Fiction Showcase, Jeff Tanyard .
Thanks, Cora. |
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Post by beaker on Oct 24, 2018 1:50:17 GMT
I'm burned out on newsletters, so to try something different, I put a draft short story (28000 words) on pre-order. I had it sitting around because I'd cut it out of my series. I plan to make it free and also wide as a way to promote the series. My sales have been down since I stopped using newsletters, but yesterday when the book went up on pre-order, I got an unexpected amount of page reads. Today not so much page reads, but more sales than I expected. No one bought the pre-order, just the regular books. I'm wondering if this if from the famous Amazon new release "algo love," or if I just got more sales than I expected. Does anyone know?
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Post by corabuhlert on Oct 24, 2018 4:21:19 GMT
No idea, beaker I fear. I hardly get any algorithm love from Amazon at all. I no longer even have also-boughts. Meanwhile, I sent off the non-fiction article I've been working on these past few days. I hope I get it back and don't have to make too many changes. I also finished the penultimate chapter in my novella/short novel and now only have a single chapter to go, then I'm done.
Plus, I translated a survey for college students.
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Post by K'Sennia Visitor on Oct 26, 2018 1:29:51 GMT
I've been off the path for a while, but today I read a tweet about intersex people which reminded me of my character, Rachel, and it re-inspired me a little bit. So I did a search for all mentions of my space station cos that's the part she's in, moved to a new folder, shut down XD, and read Rachel's profile to get reacquainted. So that is a start. Bitty aays for me.  |
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Post by K'Sennia Visitor on Oct 27, 2018 18:21:13 GMT
This morning I opened up a new google doc and began interviewing a character. So far, so good.
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Post by corabuhlert on Oct 28, 2018 3:45:54 GMT
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Post by K'Sennia Visitor on Oct 28, 2018 6:47:12 GMT
corabuhlert, those covers are totes cute!!! They definitely look more cozy and lighthearted now. I like the titles, too!
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Post by robertlcollins on Oct 28, 2018 13:46:20 GMT
I've been plugging along on the project since my last update. It does feel pretty substantial. It's interesting to be writing a work where world-building advances the plot. I think I might even have to add one more chapter at the end to resolve a plot thread. I'll see how things go as I push towards the end. |
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Post by K'Sennia Visitor on Oct 28, 2018 20:09:44 GMT
I've been plugging along on the project since my last update. It does feel pretty substantial. It's interesting to be writing a work where world-building advances the plot. I think I might even have to add one more chapter at the end to resolve a plot thread. I'll see how things go as I push towards the end. Woohoo for substantial and for world building advancing plot. That's what we want to see! (nods head) Also, 3 cheers for the freedom to add in a chapter when the story demands it. |
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Post by corabuhlert on Oct 28, 2018 20:31:17 GMT
corabuhlert , those covers are totes cute!!! They definitely look more cozy and lighthearted now. I like the titles, too! Thanks. I'm very happy with how these turned out. |
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Post by K'Sennia Visitor on Nov 1, 2018 1:30:50 GMT
Every year I say I'm going to publish a bunch of Halloween books. I never do. I just say I want to. This year I was like, "meh." Then today I sold two copies of a little ghost story that I published in the summer. I think it's under 3,000 words and I spelled cemetery wrong on the cover, but I was too lazy to fix it. I didn't think it would ever sell since it was so short. But I was on one of my , "I've got to publish something, but I'm soooooo tired, so here is the mere hintest of effort I am willing to put forth" phases. The sales today shocked me and now I think I'm going to steal this and use it for a completed goal of publishing Halloween books. In a way the sales are actually bad for me cos my motivation meter is soooooo low that earning $0.35 one day is enough to drain it back to zero.  I need to get a handle on this problem of mine. Maybe I'll go with a new goal of putting something out new for Christmas. |
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Post by corabuhlert on Nov 1, 2018 3:42:20 GMT
I try to publish a Christmas story every year. Sometimes, they're standalones, sometimes they're Christmas episodes in established series. I'm not sure what I'm going to do this year. I have a Christmas novella in my space opera series that's about half-finished and that I probably could get out in time. However, it focusses on two characters I haven't introduced in the series yet, because the book that will introduce them has been giving me problems and I'm not sure if I can finish, edit, proofread, etc... both in time for Christmas.
But if I only finish the Christmas novella, readers will be very confused where those characters - two abandoned kids my protagonists sort of adopt - come from.
Not sure what to do about this. Maybe I'll write a standalone Christmas story or I'll write something in one of my other series, if I can come up with a good idea.
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Post by robertlcollins on Nov 1, 2018 14:01:23 GMT
I don't write seasonal works, but next year I am going to move to having two releases come out in the spring and two in the fall. I'm hoping doing that will jazz up sales of those books and the backlist I have. Otherwise, I plan to put up a blog post Monday about how much I wrote in October. I put up those posts around or just after the first of every month. It keeps me blogging, and I feel it keeps me honest about my writing progress, in that if I don't make my goals I have to say why in the post. |
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Post by corabuhlert on Nov 7, 2018 6:55:13 GMT
I finished my space opera novel! |
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Post by K'Sennia Visitor on Nov 7, 2018 7:20:16 GMT
Congrats again on completing your space opera novel!!!! *52,000 cheers*
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Post by robertlcollins on Nov 7, 2018 19:21:40 GMT
Yesterday morning I finished the project I've been working on. Came out to be a novel, just under 70,000 words.
So, I then decided to junk what I was thinking about starting on next. It was in a world I'd already written in. In the end I felt I'd already told the stories I wanted to in that world. Instead I've decided to plot out a completely new project. Still getting the idea down, but I feel more excited about this one. Here's hoping I can get back to writing soon.
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Post by writeway on Nov 7, 2018 19:37:58 GMT
Okay, my progress. For the last two months I'd been on break from actual writing and had been editing projects. I started writing again Saturday! I am writing book 6 which will be the last book in my series for next year. I also put my Feb 2019 release on pre-order yesterday. I also am outlining another story.
I'm feeling accomplished!
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Post by corabuhlert on Nov 8, 2018 5:10:31 GMT
Congrats on finishing your novel, robertlcollins and congrats on putting up your preorder, writeway . I didn't write all that much today, though I got started on the author's note for my just finished novel and also did some other writing. I also did the cover for my new novel. I'm really proud of how it came out.   |
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Post by K'Sennia Visitor on Nov 8, 2018 7:03:04 GMT
Ooh, I really like your cover @corabhuhlert! That is like the perfect space opera cover. Love it!
Today, I watched some videos about puzzle publishing.
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I need to get a handle on this problem of mine. Maybe I'll go with a new goal of putting something out new for Christmas. 
