June 2020 Update

This month has been insane and I have much to talk about. I have discovered the advantages of setting up pre-orders on Amazon. I currently have four of them going with one being dropped on July 3rd. I will provide links after my spew for those interested. It seems like things are starting to move, yet it also points out that I still have much to learn in terms of marketing.

Without further adieu, here is my monthly update.

2020 GOALS

1. Write 600,000 words in publishable story related projects.
   • (Bonus) Write 800,000 words as a stretch goal.
2. Write every day of at least 500 words making words in a row at 731 days in the road.
3. Catch up on editing allowing no more than 2 manuscripts waiting to be edited.
4. Edit every day of 1 chapter at a minimum.
5. Secure cover art for any book in the editing stage.
6. Publish a minimum of 1 book.
7. Publish a minimum of 3 books.
8. Publish a minimum of 5 books.
9. Publish a minimum of 7 books.
10. Write one blog post a week.
11. Write update blogs at the start of every month.
    • Write an update blog for the remaining months.
12. Clean up Tokyo Tempest #1 with a proofread.
13. Write and submit 5 short stories to markets.
14. Publish 7 short stories or novellas to amazon.
15. Set up a Patreon account.
16. Set up proper social media author accounts and a proper newsletter.
17. Have 1 paying client of editing services.
18. Make 100 dollars one month through publishing.
19. Make 500 dollars one month through publishing.
20. Make 1000 dollars one month through publishing.
21. (Bonus) Get back in shape physically by losing 20 lbs
    • (Bonus) Loose another 20 lbs

There are my goals for 2020. Notice I made a few changes. I will discuss them in the following section.

Breakdown of Goals.

As I have so many goals, and many of them build on others, I will be only going over the goals I am dealing with at the moment.

1. Write 600,000 words in publishable story related projects.
   • I am at 307k words for 2020. This month I wrote 52,391 words. If I keep this pace up, I will be around 614k words for the year. This is good. I am writing more than I did last year. The average had been trending down due to distractions. In the later half of the month, I have turned it away.
   • You may have noticed a stretch goal of 200k more words. This is not a sane decision. I recognize this. This is due to me looking at the novels I wish to produce this year and realizing I’m not going to get the manuscripts complete. I don’t expect to get this done as in order to make my 800k goal, I will have to write 2700 words a day. This is a crazy goal for someone who types it instead of dictating. Like I said. I don’t expect to get this done, but it is not for the lack of trying.
2. Write every day of at least 500 words making words in a row at 731 days in the road.
   • I am on day 548 of 731. I am making my goal. It is hard at times, but I am doing it.
3. Catch up on editing allowing no more than 2 manuscripts waiting to be edited.
   • This is working. I suspect that I will be working on this goal until December. But we will see how I do. I have more to do with editing, I may have to work more on it, but with the added Bonus goal, it may be hard.
4. Edit every day of 1 chapter at a minimum.
   • I got this one down. I have managed to make it something I do during my normal day.
5. Secure cover art for any book in the editing stage.
   • I have decided to only do covers for books that are getting close. No need to stress over it.
6. Publish a minimum of 1 book.
   • Done! Enlisted. Book one of the Agent O’Neal Saga.
7. Publish a minimum of 3 books.
   • I am only counting books published and not on pre-order.
   • Kidnapped. Book two of the Agent O’Neal Saga.
8. Publish a minimum of 5 books.
9. Publish a minimum of 7 books.
10. Write one blog post a week.
    • This is being done. I have yet to miss one and I don’t attend to miss it.
11. Write an update blog for the remaining months.
    • This is to keep going. No time to waste.
12. Clean up Tokyo Tempest #1 with a proofread.
13. Write and submit 5 short stories to markets.
    • I should write some short stories.
14. Publish 7 short stories or novellas to amazon.
15. Set up a Patreon account.
    • I need to make a move on this. No one can sign up to something that doesn’t exist.
16. Set up proper social media author accounts and a proper newsletter.
17. Have 1 paying client of editing services.
18. Make 100 dollars one month through publishing.
19. Make 500 dollars one month through publishing.
20. Make 1000 dollars one month through publishing.
21. (Bonus) Loose another twenty pounds.
    • My January weight was 277lbs. My weight today 252lbs. I am twenty pounds lighter. This was all done by intermediate fasting. It seems to be working. As the year is only half over, then I will strive to loose another 20lbs.

Future plans.

I have much to do. My plan is to have a new title released each month. Writing a new title every month is insane. With each novel being 75k words or more, this is an insane number. This means that I will have to increase my word count to 900k or even to one million. I will try for 800k for this year, then I may increase it in 2021. I don’t think this is going to work, but I will try. Plus I need to learn more about marketing. I need to figure out how to get my books in front of people. If they don’t know it exists, then they can’t buy it.

This journey is not something I can do alone. It takes support from many people for it to become a reality. The easiest way is to visit my Amazon Author Page and purchase one of my books. They are available in all countries and for free in Kindle Unlimited. I do have a tip jar set up at Ko-Fe, where you can buy me a coffee. Or you can also visit me on Facebook. Your help and support are much appreciated.

COVID-19

The world has changed. One day I was looking forward to the start of my kid’s spring break with family coming over. I have a month left of my semester at university before I start the summer session.

Now, things are different. The spring break went from two weeks of having my kids in the house to being done until September. Except the school district didn’t say, it’ll be back in September. They said it’s closed until further notice. To me, that means I may be homeschooling the kids for the next few years. If it lasts that long. My kids were disappointed when I told them spring break was over, and I bought them school books. They have been doing schoolwork every day, whether they like it or not.

For me and my schooling, it has all been transferred to online learning. Which is different. Now students all over have to learn the discipline to self-motivate to get their work done. For me, it’s challenging to get the assignments done on time, and I think my self-discipline is higher than most. Not better than most, but it’s high. My wife might say something else about my work habits. She calls me a workaholic perfectionist under my own tyrannical rule.

The amount of stress from the uncertainty is everywhere. I can’t turn on Facebook or Youtube without seeing it. The uncertainty of money, food, etc. is everywhere. Store shelves are bare as people stock up on essentials. The last thing people want to do is to be locked in their homes and starve to death. (I’m not talking about the TP fiasco. I don’t understand that.)

However. All of that is an aside and not what the blog is about. Like many, I have self-isolated into my own house. I have a terrible history with bronchitis, and as this causes breathing issues, I have no interest in getting it.

What to spend my time working on?

For me, the answer is one of three things in no particular order. I help my kids with their schoolwork. Or I do my own school work. Or I write my novels. I am even hoping to read a few books myself.

For you, it might be different. It is something to do with escapism, and I got your escapism right here.

If you are from the United States and not Canada, like I am, Kindle Unlimited has a two-month trial. This is a good deal, and details can be found here.

Once you have the trial, what do you read?

Sleeping Legion Series by J.R. Handley

One of my all-time favorite series filled in intense action and in-depth characters.

Rebyrth by R. Max Tillsley

For those with kids needing distractions, this is a favorite story of my son, who says its a great adventure story about robots, conspiracies, and kids defying all odds.

Cone of Silence by Drue Bernardi

Take all of the disaster books, and the cream of the lot will be this one. Written by a storm chaser, this is about a meteorologist trying to do the right thing.

Demon Scroll by Tim Niederriter

Demon Scroll is an epic sword and sorcery novel where the heroes and monsters may be one and the same.

Jordie in Charge by E. A. Shanniak

For those whose takes aren’t in the standard fantasy and science fiction genres, Shanniak has got you covered. She writes romance novels set in a fantasy world of her own.

Storming Area 51, an anthology.

Thirty-five awesome stories – one kick-ass meme that started it all.
It started as a joke. Storm Area 51 they said. They can’t stop all of us they said. But all laughter stopped when the U.S. Air Force mobilized the reserves and pulled out the big guns.

This is an anthology where you can find my short story, “Rise of the Ghids.” Storming area 51 is all about people to storm the secret base to see the aliens. But what about the aliens? What is their story? That is what I told.

Seismic Shock by Nathan Pedde

This is my own novel. Set in Tokyo, Japan, when Yellowstone supervolcano blows its top. This starts a chain of disasters from earthquakes to tsunamis that shut down nations and society as its currently known.

I hope these suggestions help you to spend your time in isolation.

This journey is not something I can do alone. It takes support from many people for it to become a reality. The easiest way is to visit my Amazon Author Page and purchase one of my books. They are available in all countries and for free on Kindle Unlimited. I do have a tip jar set up at Ko-Fe, where you can buy me a coffee. Or you can also visit me on Facebook. Your help and support are much appreciated.