Progress Report 2022 Week 08

Introduction to Progress Report 2022 Week 08

I managed to weather a Real Life Family Event (RLFE) this week. What impact did it have on the three goals I had set? Hint: The impact was measurable. Other factors also viciously attacked my word count, but sometimes that’s not all bad. Let’s take a look at the numbers to set the stage for discussion.

Progress Report 2022 Week 08 By the Numbers

Word count was way down. But please don’t judge me too harshly! I have an excuse!

Last week’s word count was over eight thousand words. This week was only a little more than half that. I lost one complete night of writing due to the RLFE, and that translates into roughly two thousand words. Did I just get lazy and blow off another night? Or do I have a better excuse than that?

Fortunately for my conscience, I do, in fact, have a better excuse. As I prepared to write Matsushita Sachi’s Plot Turn 1 chapters, I realized that I needed to give her arc a lot of attention. I’ll talk about why in the next section. That meant, though, that I had to give a lot more thought into the Indonesian and Greater Asian Mag Lev Trains terminal set. The space elevator for the Asian region comes down in Indonesia, so I had to research climate, a likely location for the elevator and its terminal, and the attendant helipads.

Which meant I had to figure out the type of helicopter, which was thematically important because the California Republic built and marketed that model. That wasn’t all. I had to design the set for the helipad in northwest Kyoto, the city where the Matsushita family lives. Her return to Japan was a huge moment for Matsushita Sachi, and I had to frame it right.

I based the Kyoto North West Helipad Services on an existing helipad and upgraded it to 3 pads. Capture from Google Maps.

On the day I designed the Indonesian sets, I managed to write 162 words. The next day I spent building the Kyoto sets, plus the home complex for one of the families supporting the Matsushita family. The Matsushita Holdings Company is basically a zaibatsu in everything but name, so I wanted it to feel natural and immersive. On the day I designed those sets, I didn’t get any writing done.

I can measure how much I honestly like a set by how fast I can write after designing it. I average around two thousand words in a two hour block. The day after I finished designing the Kyoto sets, I wrote more than three thousand five hundred words. So, it looks like I approved!

Discovering the Heart of the Story — Early This Time!

When I was writing the first draft of Evolution’s Hand Book 2: Dying Breath, I struggled with the first half of Melchizedek “Dek” Conrad’s chapters. The reason’s simple: Even though I knew the theme and characters, I wasn’t sure where the book’s heart should be. After I figured that out, I ended up enjoying Conrad’s arc, especially where it ended up.

This time though, I figured out the heart of Evolution’s Hand Book 3: Primary Target when I was putting the Indonesian sets together. I won’t say much about it beyond saying I’m glad it’s Matsushita, given where she’s been through the first two books. In spite of myself, in spite of how little I like my own writing, I have to admit: I really want y’all to read this stuff. I’m excited to know what you think of it!

I’ve written the first draft the fourteen of the opening chapters.

Of Audio Books and the E-Mail List

Thanks to Lynn (the Otaku Author) for his comment on last week’s post. I had looked at ACX and Findaway as possible source for recording an audio book, but I think I got too impatient trying to find their pricing. They have options to put only a little money down but share a larger portion of the profits. That might work well for my first book. It looks like one or both would then allow me to transition to a plan where there’s no profit sharing if I bear all of the up-front production costs.

Wouldn’t it be great if that’s how it worked out?

So, the idea of an audio book with the initial launch is still alive.

I purchased ActiveCampaign’s basic plan last week. This week, I went through their introductory training class, and I think I’m ready to build my sales funnel. I hope to have more to report next week!

Goals for the Week in Progress Report 2022 Week 08

The proof reading edit for Evolution’s Hand Book 1: Executive Action is due on February 28. I’ll need to decide then on a release schedule, which will likely mean beginning a second read-through of Book 2: Dying Breath. Until then, here’re my goal for the coming week:

1. Continue writing Primary Target: I wrote 2/3 of Conrad’s and 1/2 of Matsushita’s Plot Turn 1 this week. I want to finish both this coming week. As a stretch objective, I’ve like to start Atticus Porter’s Plot Turn 1.
2. Decide, once and for all, whether or not to launch Executive Action with an audio version.
3. Setup the e-mail list’s sales funnel and consider launching it.

What Do You Think?

Have you joined any e-mail lists? If so, is there anything you really about them? Anything you’d prefer not to see? I’ve love to hear your thoughts in the comments!