Quick Update: Trying Again Next Week
11 days ago
– Thu, Sep 05, 2024 at 07:57:26 PM
Greetings!
I had an ambitious plan for two weeks of productive work on SLSC. I failed at all of it. I did not finish a single item on my SLSC to do list because all of my efforts were pulled into work on the Schlock Mercenary book my husband and I are sending to print soon, also into extra babysitting for my daughter whose house had a plumbing adventure, also there was a bunch of medical stuff which I'm going to be non-specific about in this update except to say chronic conditions are hard, also there was emotional processing around that medical stuff, also I'm just tired. But even if I can't report piles of progress, I can make sure to report instead of giving you silence. Sometimes we don't get to be the creative people we want to be.
I love the quote from Mary Anne Radmacher "Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is that quiet voice at the end of the day that says 'I'll try again tomorrow'." So, I'll try again tomorrow, and all of next week.
Starting Monday I have multiple consultations and mentoring sessions scheduled, which will definitely help me keep my head in the space where I'm thinking about SLSC. I've also arranged most of my days so that SLSC gets morning brain instead of hoping to have brain in the afternoon. The week after that I board a plane to be a staff member for the Writing Excuses Workshop and Retreat. That event is specifically designed around helping people write, so I intend to use the structure of it to help me get work done.
I hope to post a quick update during the event, and I'll give you all a full status report on October 2-3, by which time I plan to have the book fully revised and ready for line edits.
Thank you for coming along for this journey, even the doldrum-y bits.
Sandra Tayler
Quick Update: Progress in Drafting
25 days ago
– Thu, Aug 22, 2024 at 09:39:23 AM
Greetings Backers,
TL;DR:
I've read through 29 pages of edit notes and feel confident about revising. Finished drafting the project management chapter and have started work on chapters about Weight of the World, Caregivers, and Believing in Your Work. I've made appointments with most of the Mentoring and Consulting backers. Up next: more drafting then lots of editing. Your next quick update will happen September 5 or 6.
Weeks go by fast for me because all of my days are full of overlapping task lists for multiple projects. Then there are the projects that pop up and surprise me. I hadn't planned on a full-bore project to clean and re-organize my office, but that happened. Sometimes I have to just roll with it when my brain says "we need to do this NOW" and I suspect that my subconscious knew something about what I needed in order to get this book done because I'm now happily sitting in my office space to work instead of avoiding it because the clutter makes me feel guilty.
For my last update I created a two week task list and it was really beneficial in helping me steer myself toward getting things done, so I'm going to repeat that. If you compare the lists from my last update, you'll see that some things got rolled forward instead of completed. That is inevitable when working with complex and overlapping projects.
Two Week Task List
Aug 22-24
- Draft Believing in Work (in process)
- Draft Caregiver Focus (in process)
- Draft Weight of the World (in process)
Week of Aug 26-30
- Work on setting up surveys in Backerkit (planning to send in early September)
- Draft Health Challenges
- Draft When things go sour
- Schedule appointments with myself to record the lectures: Caregiver's Guide and Introvert Community
- Get samples for sticker sheets
- Design work for notebook cover
Week of September 2-6
- Begin methodically working through edits
- Record at least 2 presentations
- (This week is deliberately lighter because of personal appointments on my calendar)
Chatty Details
I was so nervous to read my edit letter, especially when I saw that it was 29 pages long. I picked a day when I had space to work through any feelings that I had. Then I read it... and was encouraged. My editor made some suggestions that I won't take because they feel wrong to me, but the vast majority of her notes are ones I agree will make the book better. So I just need to dig in and start applying them.
One thing my editor did not know is that I have additional material to draft that she didn't get to see. I decided to go ahead and get that drafting done first so that it sits in place for the edit pass. I can already tell that the edit notes are shaping how I draft these new sections and it means the edit on those segments will be simpler when I get to them.
I'm really enjoying the process of drafting the additional chapters. I love collecting information and figuring out how to present it usefully.
My two week schedule is ambitious. My hope to have the edits complete by the end of September is also ambitious. Particularly since I need to do production and design work on things like the notebooks. I have a really cool idea for the sticker sheets that I need to spend time figuring out. And of course I have family and business projects that have nothing to do with SLSC except they require creative energy from me.
This morning I woke up with the thought "Do I have to do all the things today? Can't I just rest?" I need to listen to that gentle voice of fatigue and honor it sometimes. I've lowered my expectations for myself today and I've planned nothing at all productive for the weekend. So, yes I'm stating the ambitious schedule, but on a daily basis I will make decisions for long-term creative health rather than always pushing to meet the goal.
That's my update for today. As a treat for reading to the end, I offer this glimpse of my office space where I've finally framed and hung the art that has been sitting around in piles.
Having art on my wall brings me joy.
Thank you for joining me!
Sandra
Checking In and the Task List
about 1 month ago
– Thu, Aug 08, 2024 at 01:28:01 PM
Greetings Backers,
TL;DR:
I've made a two week task list to keep myself on track. Down below is a picture of prototype notebook that will be included with creativity bundles. (custom designed notebook is separate and different). Your next quick update will happen August 22 or 23.
I'm just now emerging from two weeks of Gen Con prep, attendance, and aftermath. I'm staggering around and trying to remember what was going on before the convention took over every waking thought. If you'd like to know how the convention went, I wrote about it in my
Newsletter that I cross posted to my Patreon. Today I am re-engaging with this book project, remembering what I was doing, and making a task list for myself so that I can stay on track with getting everything done.
Two Week Task List
In order to keep the task list from feeling too overwhelming on a day when I'm picking up the dropped pieces of multiple ongoing projects, I'm keeping it focused on the tasks I want to accomplish between now and the next time I give you a quick update in about two weeks.
Mon - Tues next week:
- Use the filled out form to contact those who have consulting as part of their pledge to set up individual appointments.
- Use the filled out form to schedule the first group mentoring meeting and send out an email to each of those backers about that.
- I've got edit notes from the developmental editor. I'll read them and start thinking about how to implement them.
Wed - Friday next week:
- Set up an appointment with developmental editor to ask any questions I have about the notes.
- Draft Project management chapter and Believing in Self chapter.
- Schedule appointments with myself to record the lectures: Caregiver's Guide and Introvert Community
- Get samples for sticker sheets
Week of Aug 19-23
- Work on setting up surveys in Backerkit (planning to send in early September)
- Draft chapters
- Record at least 2 presentations
Chatty Details
The edit letter arrived three days before I was due to jump into the car for my big Gen Con trip. Reading an edit letter is often an occasion for a huge attack of imposter syndrome or self doubt. I knew that I did not want to potentially unbalance myself right before a big and stressful effort. So I've let the letter sit with the plan to dig into it starting next Monday. I need to know what my editor thinks, but I'm setting myself up to receive those thoughts in a constructive way instead of stressing over them. I'm a little bit anxious. What if everything I wrote is terrible? What if I can't fix it? What if... I could come up with a lot of those. But next week I've cleared a space and I'll just get to work.
Other than writing up this post and sending some emails, I'm taking the rest of this week to unpack, do laundry, set my house right side up, send emails to follow up on conversations at Gen Con, and remember where I was on multiple ongoing projects. But I do have one happy thing to show you!
I got a sample of the notebook that comes as part of the creativity bundle:
There is still design work to do around the image, but this test was to find out the general quality of what the supplier can give me. I love it. I'm going to be able to let people choose blank, dot grid, or lined pages. It has a pocket in the back, an elastic closure, and a ribbon. In the final version I may make the image smaller and include a quote from the book as part of the design. If I do, I'll let you all vote on what the text should say.
If you didn't get a creativity bundle, you'll have the chance to add it or to just add a notebook when you fill out your surveys in September. by then I also want to have some images for the stickers and the custom designed notebook as well. I have lots to do on a tight timeline, but I'm excited that I get to do it.
Thank you for joining me!
Sandra
Plan for moving forward: Full Status Report
about 2 months ago
– Mon, Jul 22, 2024 at 09:51:17 AM
Greetings Backers,
One of the things I like to do when giving updates on a project is to provide a TL;DR (Too Long; Didn't Read) section at the top of the update. If you're wanting only the most relevant information delivered quickly, you can just read the TL;DR and move on with your day. If you like more detail, you can read the whole update. So with that intro, our first
TL;DR:
- I provide a deliverables list and an expected timeline for the project.
- Those at mentoring and consulting levels should hear from me this week about scheduling, but actual meetings will start happening in late August or September.
- I will be on a road trip to Gen Con July 28 - August 7 which will impact work on this project. If you're going to be at Gen Con we're booth 1145, or you can take a class from me. List of classes here.
- Surveys will go out in the first half of September.
-
Pre-order Store is now open! (Existing backers can add on items to your existing order via the survey when it goes out.)
- This update is a Full Status Report. I'll only do these every month or two. Most updates will be smaller and more narrative rather than list-full.
- Your next Full Status Report will be the week of Sept 30 - Oct 4. I expect to give shorter updates every week or two between now and then.
And now we dig in to details!
Deliverables List (and status of each item)
SLSC Print book: Currently in the hands of a developmental editor. I've identified 7 more chapters that need to be added to the book, which might increase the word count by 20k or more. I'm hoping to get 1-2 chapters drafted before my Gen Con departure, but there are a lot of claims on my attention this week.
SLSC ebook: This will be produced and released within about a week of when I send the physical book to the printer.
SLSC Audiobook: I will begin production on this as soon as the physical book is off to the printer and the ebook has been delivered.
Custom Designed Notebook: I will be working on this in tandem with revising and editing SLSC. I already have ideas for how to arrange some of the activities on the pages.
Notebook (for creativity bundle): I've ordered samples for this blank notebook. Once they arrive I can decide whether this will be a spiral bound notebook or stitched. I do plan to let people with creativity bundles choose to upgrade their blank notebook to Custom Designed if they wish.
Bookmarks: Design work on these will begin after Gen Con and after I get the new book chapters drafted.
Notecards: Design work on these will begin after Gen Con and after I get the new book chapters drafted.
Sticker sheets: I need to get samples from a vendor. I have an idea I'm excited about, so I'll be exploring the feasibility of it during August.
Thank you Postcard: Design work will begin in October.
Giveaway books: Once I have received my shipment of books I will set up a process where people can get these books for free.
Lecture bundle: After I return from Gen Con, I will get these lectures recorded, edited, and uploaded. I want to have them available to you by the end of September.
Consultations: I will be reaching out this week to begin scheduling.
Group Mentoring: I will be reaching out this week to begin scheduling.
Individual Mentoring: I will be reaching out this week to begin scheduling.
Timeline
This is the current plan. I will keep you updated and informed about any changes, delays, or exciting news.
July 22-26: I’ll be reaching out to those at the mentoring levels to start setting up appointments and groups.
July 28-August 7: I'll be on the road to Gen Con.
August 9 - September 15: Drafting chapters, getting them beta read, firming up the core text of the book so it is ready for line editing and proofreading. Design work on the sticker sheets, bookmarks, and other items in the creativity bundle. The survey to collect your address and order information will also go out during this stage. I'll start work on recording lectures with the plan to have all of them available by the end of September.
September 16- October 15: Line editing and proofreading. It is possible that both of these can happen in one pass, but it is more likely that they’ll have to happen sequentially. Work will begin on the Custom Designed Notebook, bookmarks, notecards, thank you card, and other ancillary items.
October 16-31: Layout and design for the print book and ebook. Send the book off to the printer. Once files are in the printer's hands they will give me a specific timeline for delivery. Same with the items ordered from other vendors.
November 1-5: I hope to have the ebook ready and distribute it to everyone who has an ebook in their pledge.
March 2025: Shipping books to you! (Hopefully sooner than this, but I’ll keep you posted.)
Current state of things:
The pre-order store is now open! If you know someone who wants this book, but missed the funding window,
they can place a pre-order here. Feel free to spread that link far and wide. The store is currently rudimentary. I will be adding more items and sprucing everything up over the coming weeks. As a backer, you will be able to add on more items via your survey which will go out in early September.
It is the week before Gen Con. We road trip cross country to get to this event and then run a booth for four days. I want to get started on drafting some chapters for SLSC this week, but realistically I'm probably going to spend my writing time finishing up the three presentations that I'm giving while at Gen Con (
tickets still available!) Since several of these presentations are also going to be what I record for the Lecture Bundle, I'm still doing work that moves this project forward.
I'd like to believe that I'll work on things while I'm on the road, but the reality is likely to be that the creative challenges of finding food I can eat (I have a medically restricted diet), helping Howard navigate his chronic fatigue, and connecting with friends and fellow writers will all prove too distracting.
I usually experience a creative surge once I recover from convention exhaustion, so I have high hopes for productivity in the second half of August. I'll need to take full advantage of that if I'm going to keep on track for my production schedule.
I'm very excited to bring this project to you and I'm looking forward to keeping you all posted about the journey to get there.
Thank you for being here!
Sandra
Thank you for your support!
2 months ago
– Thu, Jul 18, 2024 at 12:06:14 PM
Thank you my wonderful backers!
Thank you so much for showing up enthusiastically to support this book. Crowdfunding is always a question asked of the world at large. It is me saying "I want to make this thing, does anyone else want it?" I am so glad that in this case, with this book, the answer is yes. I'm glad I get to finish the writing and production on this book. I'm glad you all will get to read it. I'm glad that it will continue to exist and be a resource for people long after this project is fully delivered and complete.
Thank you!
Some Closing Stats
$39,330 total for the project
1140 Backers (when I was going to be happy with a few hundred)
913 paperback books sold (Which is enough to apply upgrades to the offset printing)
67 giveaway books
What's Next?
Today: I've got some steps to take in order to switch from live project to pre-order store. I've also got digital thank you notes to post in a multitude of places. And I plan to order celebratory sushi for my family.
Backerkit will collect your pledge money. If there is any trouble with payment, you'll have at least two weeks to square it away with Backerkit. After that period if there is still a problem I can help you. We'll make sure your pledge can go through.
Friday: I'll be a guest on the
World Anvil livestream. (Noon pacific time) We'll be talking about adapting your life to fit your capacity with a special focus on chronic illness and neruodivergence.
The Weekend: I am going to collapse into a small heap over the weekend. When not staring at walls, I'm going to take care of things and people around my house who have been neglected during the promotional flurry.
Monday: (or maybe Tuesday) I'll give you a list of deliverables and a timeline for production, surveys, add-ons, etc.
Thank you
Thank you for backing the project.
Thank you to everyone who reposted any of my many social media posts
Thank you to those who vouched for me and my book telling others why you think it will be worth reading.
Thank you for the recommendations you have given to people in offline places.
Thank you if you pledged for a giveaway book, I'm so glad I'll be able to share those with people who need books and can't afford them.
Thank you if you bought an extra copy for someone else in your life
Most of all:
Thank you for being the sort of person who wants to create things and is willing to restructure your life around that.
Creating things makes the world better.
Thank you so much for making my creation possible.
With gratitude,
Sandra
