CM Simpson: Writer & Gamer

This week, the following was achieved: Current Projects: Progress on current projects was as follows: DarkFantasyNovel1A—Shadow’s Rise: Final edit of first 8 chapters. Publishing Tasks: Publishing Tasks completed were as follows: Finalised publishing schedule for 2013. Gathered buy links into a single document. Updated distributor sites. Updated blogs. Craft: This week I caught up on blogs and worked out how to put black-and-white line drawings into CreateSpace templates. New Arrivals: This week, the following pre-existing ideas were found and listed: ChapBook14: a girl, a horse and a dream. ChapBook15: a sci-fi letter story that gave me goosebumps.

As part of my tidy up, I have been catching up on the blogs. This time there were only around 800 to go through, and there were a lot more that made me stop. Here they are, separated roughly into subject areas: Readers http://www.thepassivevoice.com/12/2012/dont-hide-your-harlequins-in-defense-of-romance/ Scalzi-Hines Charity Pose-Off http://www.jimchines.com/2012/12/choose-the-form-of-the-scalzi/ Industry http://www.lindsayburoker.com/ebook-news/kobo-becoming-a-player-for-indie-authors/ http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2012/ten-bold-predictions-for-ebooks-and-digital-publishing-in-2013/ http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2012/kobo-partners-with-major-it-retailer-in-germany/ http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2012/urban-readers-prefer-ebooks-rural-readers-prefer-print-new-study-says/ http://www.thepassivevoice.com/12/2012/uk-copyright-reform-affects-fair-use-format-shifting-and-big-data/ http://www.thepassivevoice.com/12/2012/a-devastating-report-for-amazons-kin...

I decided about a fortnight ago that I was not going to manage the goals I had set. Excuses? I could give a few, but the main one is that I'm still learning the limits of writing around family and work, with the result that, after my last delay, as I started gear up to bull my way through the outstanding goals I realized I would be risking quality for the sake of pride, so I stopped. I have spent the last few days working out a publishing schedule I think I can keep for the next twelve months, while meeting editing, cover art, and interior art commitments, and will spend the last few days of the year tidying up some loose ends and preparing for next year. The end-state of my 2012 goals stands as follows: Success: 1/1 novel released for PenName2 - Madeleine Torr. 2/2 novellas released for PenName3. Partial Success: 4/5 Anthologies released; fifth anthology to be scheduled for first quarter 2013. UPDATE: Revised publishing schedule means the fifth antholog...

I keep thinking of what I want to say today, but nothing springs to mind except to wish you all the best for the holidays and to hope your break is restful, joyful and safe, no matter what occasion you are celebrating.

Markets http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/childrens-books-trends-for-2013_b62306#more-62306 Craft and Business http://killzoneauthors.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/honor-thy-fiction.html http://kriswrites.com/2012/12/05/the-business-rusch-ghosts-of-writers-future/ http://kriswrites.com/2012/12/12/the-business-rusch-writing-like-its-2009/ http://www.davidfarland.net/writing_tips/?a=158 http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=8318 Charity Pose-Off Warning: This could scar. http://www.jimchines.com/2012/12/poses-round-two/ http://www.jimchines.com/2012/12/wait-what-were-we-laughing-at/ http://www.jimchines.com/2012/12/poses-round-one/ http://www.jimchines.com/2012/12/a-challenge-to-scalzi/ http://www.jimchines.com/2012/12/cover-posing-for-a-good-cause/ http://www.jimchines.com/2012/12/pose-off-with-john-scalzi/ Fodder http://crimefictioncollective.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/when-cops-are-crazy.html

In spite of not having any download (or upload) capability early this week, the following was achieved: Current Projects: ShortStory24: Edit1/4, format DarkFantasyNovel1A—Shadow’s Rise: Continued Edit /4; ShortStory23: Developed ending and outline DarkFantasyNovel1B—Shadow Trap: Backburner Projects As part of developing next year’s publishing schedule, the following work was undertaken on the backburner projects: Developed RPGAdventure12 into sections, resulting in RPGAdventures12A-E . Publishing Tasks: Worked on release schedules for 2013, trying to balance publishing and writing tasks with work commitments Still working on it. Read industry blogs Updated blog New Arrivals The following ideas arrived this week: RomanceNovels12A-B and RomanceNovel12D: inspired from the title of RomanceNovel12C , below. DarkFantasy10A: spin-off from ShortStory23, probable series. ParanormalNovel1A: tigers, thuggees, historical India. The following id...