Friends,

It’s a new week, which means it’s a new chance to achieve greatness! I have some things to talk about today, so let’s get started…

Thoughts on Blog Posts

So I’ve been thinking over the past few weeks and months about what I can do to improve my blog posts so that you, my readers, can get more out of the content I put out to you. One thought, at least to start, was to add a little spice to my posts, because a little change here and there can be refreshing! That being said, I’d like to start including a section where I can more formally give tips and advice on writing from my experience. As for this blog post, you’ll find it at the end.

The Faces of the War Collection

I’ll be getting the first mock-up covers from my cover designer sometime today. I work until 5pm today, so I’ll have all day to anticipate it! Like I’ve said in the past, it should be only a few weeks at most for me to get the final version of the cover worked out, if not sooner. And at that point, I’ll be sure to let you all know when to look for the official reveal. It’ll be closer to the book’s release. That leads me to my next point…

I just surpassed the 30K word count mark for Imminent yesterday afternoon! It’s a great feeling to be two-thirds of the way done with my manuscript, and that much closer to perfecting this story. In just one night in the past week, I knocked out about 2,500 words, and close to 3,000 on another night. If I can have about 6-7 days more of this kind of writing, I’ll have my manuscript complete in its rough form. That is also a great feeling to have!

I mentioned in my most recent YouTube vlog that the tentative release for this book would be Christmas, and in the vlog I said that I may have already said too much regarding that. I only said this because I wanted to be 100% sure (as sure as 100% can be for someone writing with a schedule like mine) before announcing the release date, but oh well! I am slating the release of Imminent to be in time for Christmas of this year! Stay tuned in on all that will be going on with this book, as well as with my other projects by following this blog, following my social media profiles, and subscribing to my newsletter! The next newsletter comes out on or around Wednesday, August 26, so subscribe now to receive it in your email (be sure to check folders other than your Inbox in case it finds its way somewhere else).

Inkitt Short Story

I recently submitted a short story to a site called Inkitt for a contest they’re holding until the end of September. The contest is titled “Reclaim Time” and is geared toward historical fiction stories. I refined a short story I had on my to-publish shelf and submitted it, soon being notified that it had been accepted. Since it is a contest, that means there is a winner. So what I’d like for you to do is this: go to this link and read my story (entitled “The Last Man”), and after you’re done simply nominate it by clicking the heart icon in the footer of the screen. I’d greatly appreciate it! Even if I don’t win the contest, it was great to get more content out to the public and to create something out of nothing one more time!

Indie Writing Advice

Something I have noticed through my writing experience thus far is this: there is a difference between planning a story and planning the publication of a story. It seems like such a “duh” concept, but it didn’t really hit me until this summer. Brainstorming, planning, and developing ideas for a story are thing you can do that don’t have a direct relationship to time in the real world. However, trying to plan how you’ll actually go about writing and publishing that story is something that should only be planned in small chunks and in the short term.

If you’re like me, you write semi-regularly with some days here and there seeing more productivity than usual. A “usual” writing day for me is anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending, and I can normally crank out anywhere from 500-1,000 words. On those days that my productivity soars, I can produce from 1,000-3,000 words (like the two days this past week). I hold the notion in mind that I’ll take what I can get, when I can get it, and for me that seems to help me justify my writing style well enough. But if I tried to convince myself that I want to have 4-5 days a week where I produce between 750-2,000 words consistently, I’m only cheating myself, my story, and my readers. Why? Because an indie who doesn’t write full time can never be sure when they’ll be able to sit down at their computer and write that consistently to produce what they consider to be on time.

So if you’re asking yourself, “What can I do to improve my productivity but also stay within the realm of a realistic writing schedule?” Here’s what I say to you: set small goals and work from there. Start with saying, “I’ll write for 15-30 minutes three days/nights a week. See what kind of productivity you make at that pace, then use it to gauge further work. If you can increase the time in those three days, or keep it at 15-30 minutes but for 5-6 days, that’s great! Do whatever works for you, because that’s what it boils down to. Don’t cheat yourself, your story, or your readers. If nothing else, remember that when and where you write.

That’s basically it for this week, but don’t worry – there will be more as the coming weeks approach, so don’t miss out on anything! I look forward to seeing you subscribe to my mailing list if you haven’t already done so, and I look forward to interacting with anyone, new or old, on social media!

Until next time,

-Eli