umm..when in april is episode 11 coming? 🙂
umm..when in april is episode 11 coming?
Ryk removed the approximate dates, but he was using about 10 weeks between release if I recall. Although, the removal of the dates suggest he may have been optimistic in his early estimates and thus it might take longer. Especially true since 10 weeks would have been about mid march (about now) and the episodes page is listed it as May. Which is about 16-20 weeks from Jan 8, 2014 (when the last book was published).
Had a really rough February. Had to move, had to deal with problems with my elderly mother, and then had a humdinger of a stomach flu. (102 for 4 days.) Set me back considerably. Pounding out 5k a day since to get it out by May. Probably mid May. However, I'm not taking any break between episodes this time. (I usually take a week or two off to "think" about the next one.) I gotta dive right in to make the July deadline for 12.
I will always try to stick to my 3 month publication commitment, but sometimes life just gets in the way.
Ryk
Ryk, Sorry about the tough February but as we all know defecation occurs. Not to divert you from work but is there any chance of learning what the title for no 11 will be?
Life does certainly get in the way. Considering how long it takes for some authors to put out new books, it seems like you're still ahead overall.
"Born of the Ashes"
Ryk
Great title.
Thank you for sharing it with us here.
Good to hear that you are feeling better.
Ryk,
Unless you are like Isaac Asimov who loved writing, you need rest time just like everyone else. No point burning out, when you're running a marathon.
Take care,
Hamsterman
@Hamsterman: Given the number of books planned "marathon" seems rather lacking and insufficient as far as terms go. Hence, hopefully Ryk didn't take my noting the time between books the wrong way.
We all are appreciative of the series, and of course we want them ASAP, but take all the time you need. We'd prefer the series to end well rather than fast. 🙂
Plus, these books will stand out there for years. A few weeks difference is not an issue to me and many others here. I suggest Cabo San Lucas is a good place to think... 😉
Ryk, seriously. Don't kill yourself doing the books. 1 or 2 weeks (or even much much more!) here or there are not a big deal considering we have to wait years for the next book in some series.
I am sure the bank from selling a book 11 may also be a motivating factor.
I imagine there is a great deal of freedom with being a writer. Heck, I would write from a boat cruising the Carribean or South Pacific.
I am sure the sales of all the previous books jumps when a new book comes out as well, but I doubt that is the main factor motivating Ryk. Sales to date have been good enough to let him stop worrying about a day job for another few years. You can see that in the Amazon rankings and comments Ryk has made along the way.
I see it as interesting that Ryk has said he was working on these ideas in the back of his mind for years. You have to wonder how much frustration plays in the success of any creative work. Warner Brothers' Cartoonists have written about how much trying to get around a bad boss caused them to create some of the funniest Bugs Bunny cartoons.
I have recently switched to working at home all the time, and I know there are some issues with that arrangement. I am sure Ryk is making some adjustments to working at home all the time now, as well.
Lastly, Gary, would you really write from those locations? 🙂
Lastly, Gary, would you really write from those locations?
Or possibly a Yurt on the Mongolian step.......
As I struggle with trying to settle into a routine that balances 'quality of life' with a 'successful business', I have been thinking about how I write lately. In the beginning, I was only trying to get a few books out quickly in order to make a few extra dollars to pay the rent. I figured that if I was lucky and got 4 books out in the first year, I might make enough. Making a lot of money was never on my mind. Then, when I did start making a lot of money, that greedy side took over and I wanted to write, write, write. Of course, that also led to fatigue, frustration, and family tension. So I backed off a bit, taking 5 months between episodes. (I can't remember if it was episode 6 or 7. 7 I think.) Sales fell considerably, and I panicked. (I have a daughter in college, and she no longer qualified for financial aide since I was making good money.) So I tried releasing more quickly, and that resulted in a more steady income stream.
Now, I'll be the first to admit that even putting out 2500 words a day, five days a week, can be challenging at times. And if you fall behind, it can be a bear to catch up. Now matter how much I try, I simply cannot maintain a steady pace. I always end up writing more than half of the book in the last few weeks before deadline! That creates a lot of pressure. It is quite painful when you have to admit that you're not going to make a deadline. You feel like you're letting down everyone who has supported you so graciously. (Not to mention spending their hard-earned dollars.)
So I wondered if I shouldn't switch to a 4 month release cycle. However, that got me thinking as well. What if the frantic pace at which I usually end up finishing a story is a major influence on both the story and the writing style? If I take more time, will I end up long-winded with big words? Will the pace of the stories drag on endlessly? I mean, my writing pattern is very much like my stories. Da, da da, da da, then BAM BOOM BAM POW! (ANd Bam Boom Pow again!)
So, I have decided to continue my 3 month cycle as much as possible, at the very least through book 15. I will take a few months off between parts one and two. (Books 15 & 16) I will need some time to outline episodes 16-30, so I know where I'm going. (I didn't actually outline episodes 1-15 until I was already writing episode 4.) I don't know if I'll write longer books starting with part 2, and maybe take 4 months between releases. I think I'd like to write at least 130k words instead of 100k. (I wouldn't mind charging $3.99 instead of $2.99 either, but that's a whole different conversation.)
Anyway, back to the Bam Boom Bang Pow!
Thanks, guys.
Ryk
