Lou Paduano | Urban Fantasy Novels | Sci-Fi Crime Series

Setting Goals and Sticking to Them

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A simple enough concept, right? Not so much when you have quite a few tasks piled up on the docket. Setting goals is essential to keeping pace with the business of writing. Sticking to them? Well, sometimes we all need a little help in that regard.

Scheduling

Setting goals is all about sitting down and scheduling your time. I try to make this a weekly routine. Every Sunday morning I figure out my week.

Social media calendar. Blogs to consider. E-mail newsletters to send. Drafts to edit, outline, write, publish. Wherever I am in the process. All get added to the list.

And then I set my goals.

Start small

I typically end the list with anywhere from ten to fifteen items. Some are long term. Some are as simple as clicking a button or updating a profile page.

Knocking off the small tasks is key to healthy goal setting. It scores you an early win and motivates you to keep pushing, keep working until every item is crossed off.

At least, that’s how I look at it.

Falling into traps…

Long term planning is crucial to your business, to writing in general, but it can be a detriment when trying to stick to your goals. Broad stroke thinking, higher order mapping, tends to be more about sketching out ideas for the future than actually working on something tangible.

I’m not judging at all. It needs to happen. Knowing where you MIGHT be in a year can be a great motivator. It can also overwhelm you and cause you to buckle under the pressure of something that is only a possibility and not set in stone.

I’ve been in this trap lately. With Greystone finished on my end, I’ve been looking ahead to 2019. The next series of books is much larger in scope than Portents. More characters. Conspiracies and twists around every plot. Deeper mysteries. More books, in general.

It has me locked in place. Thinking about each and every piece of this ever-growing puzzle. From conception to marketing. From drafting to publishing schedules. Each aspect demands more time leaving me precious little to focus on tangible goals.

And sticking to them.

Hit those goals.

How do you snap out of it? Start small.

For me, it was centering the new series on a single character. Who is he? Why does he matter to this story? Where does he start and end?

A small piece of a larger puzzle but one able to be solved in the now, rather than the nebulous future.

Maybe it isn’t that simple. Maybe you need to walk away for a bit. Set a different goal. A different mission for the week.

Last week I updated my Amazon Sales Pages and worked on keyword/category shifts. I’ve been telling myself to do it for months but never found the time or the motivation to accomplish the task. Now it’s done. A tangible goal achieved and I can get back to work on what I should be doing.

Getting ready for 2019 to be a kick ass year.

Set your goals and stick to them. Crossing them off the list is a pleasure unto itself and will lead you to the next great challenge.

Thanks for reading.

Stockpiling Content

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There are as many different publishing strategies out there as there are stars in the sky. All hold merit. All have benefits and pitfalls. Since closing out my time on Greystone I’ve been toying with a number of ideas on how to proceed. Not just what to write but how to present that content. One thought that crops up more often than not is stockpiling content.

What am I talking about exactly?

The kid in me, that enthusiastic pain in the ass that wants to write his little heart out day in and day out, is completely against this approach. He wants to jump from book to book, hitting the publish button as quickly and as often as possible.

Who wouldn’t want that? There’s a satisfaction in seeing your work out in the world that cannot be replicated in any other task we do as writers.

The problem with that model of production is that there is no lead time. One project ends and the next needs to get going right away to keep the trains moving.

I don’t mind the pressure of content creation. But it fails to take into account the marketing push, the social media aspects of the business. It’s purely creative.

Stockpiling content puts a hold on the publishing side. It’s strategy over quantity. To me, that’s appealing on a number of levels.

Benefits of stockpiling content

Better planning. If you’re working on a new series, this method allows you to take your time on the planning level to outline your narrative. Not just a single book but where everything leads – much like I mentioned during my ramblings on story bibles a few weeks ago.

More planning equals more connections for a fuller reading experience.

Lead time. If Greystone has taught me anything it’s that lead time is crucial. My goal has always been to be a year ahead of schedule when it comes to publishing. Due to some setbacks at the end of last year I’m down to about six months ahead and I can feel it every time I sit down to work. More lead time helps remove the stress, the crunch time of producing quality content.

Faster delivery. Let’s say you’ve written a trilogy. It’s taken a year to get all three parts completed but now they are ready to roll. Instead of offering one per year or even one every six months you can have them ready and waiting for your reader at a much faster pace. This increases interest for your narrative and doesn’t keep an impatient reader from turning to another series and completely forgetting about you.

Pitfalls

Taking too much time between projects. The lull between published works might hurt more than it helps in the long run. This is the point I keep getting stuck on with my post-Greystone projects. How do I stay in the game while also making sure I’m not sabotaging my next series by rushing it into the hands of my readers?

Driving readers away. Blasting out content at a rapid pace might force some readers away as their monthly book budget might not be able to handle the load. A steadier schedule might be more palatable but where is the happy medium?

Where do I stand?

This is the question I’ve been asking the last few weeks as I plan out 2019. (Insane, I know…)

Stockpiling content has a great appeal to me as someone who plans meticulously each step of the way. It puts more focus on the narrative and offers more strategic methods of publishing in the long run. But will readers be patient in the interim?

For another look at this topic, be sure to check out Nick Stephenson’s blog where guest author Peter Bartram discussed launching all three books of his trilogy at once.

I’m curious to hear your thoughts. Email me at lou@loupaduano.com. Can’t wait to hear from you!

Thanks for reading.

Writing Update – February 8, 2018

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Writing Update

A Circle of Shadows – I started my final readthrough today. By Sunday, A Circle of Shadows will be passed to some early readers to give me feedback on a narrative level. My stomach is in knots over it. It always is. Months of plotting, scripting, drafting and edits have all led to this moment so fingers crossed I didn’t completely blow it!

Sticking the landing has become my mantra during this edit. This book, while not the end of the series, closes out a number of plotlines that have been building since Signs of Portents. The story behind Beth’s demise is revealed. The secret organization hidden in the shadows of Portents comes to light. Threats return from the past and a new one rises bringing war with her.

Lots of action in this one with some great character moments for the entire cast. Everyone gets their moment, which has been the real treat with this novel.

Conclusions are absolutely a blast to write but the pressure of getting them right? STRESSFUL!

Pathways in the Dark – The paperback is available now on Amazon! Everywhere else will be on the 20th as well as the ebook version. Be sure to pre-order your copy for the launch price of only $0.99 if you’re going digital!

Paperback readers – Don’t forget to claim your free ebook copy through the Kindle Matchbook Program!

           

Reading

The Black Book by Ian Rankin – The fifth novel in the Inspector Rebus series is even better than the last. Rankin manages to weave dozens of threads together seamlessly. I was a third of the way in before I realized what the main mystery was, there were so many different things going on and all centered around our charming, curmudgeon lead, John Rebus. Loved every second of it.

There will be lots more reading updates next time around. I’ve been binging on books lately while I gear up for a HUGE project coming your way next year!

Destination: Unknown!

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With the edit to A Circle of Shadows winding down, I’ve found myself in a strange new position. A chance to write something new. A moment to consider a new story, a new series. Endless possibilities usually invites boundless enthusiasm, a swell of creativity and this is no exception to the rule.

Over the last few weeks I’ve been supercharged, jotting down notes like mad on things I never had time to consider previously. Larger scale epics, space operas, serialized fiction.

But what is the right choice? Which of these unknown destinations is the one that will carry me – and by extension, my lovely readers – to the next great book?

Taking a step back.

It’s difficult to do. Finishing Greystone has been like running a marathon. You’re exhausted but so jazzed by the accomplishment you can’t wait for that rush again. That surge in your brain to keep writing, to keep creating new and exciting stories.

I’m trying to fight that urge right now.

Yes, I’m brimming with ideas, concepts to challenge myself and new characters I can’t wait to have a chat with as they tell me their story. If there is one thing Greystone taught me, however, is that planning is key to success.

I went into the world of Portents with a mission. Five books, each of which had a goal in mind even prior to the writing process. It offered me a guide as I went about constructing the narrative in detail.

Some people look at that as cheating, that it takes the creativity out of the journey.

Not me. I thrive on the planning.

Where I went wrong…

I was ready to rush into the next project. I even had it on the schedule for this month to outline and script.

Then I wrote The Last Outpost.

It was a learning experience to say the least. I went into it like a bull in a china shop and it shows in the draft. Instead of following my process I jumped into the script. Instead of answering questions at that point as I typically do, thanks to time constraints I flew through the draft.

Maybe it was because the story was a standalone and didn’t have to set up anything else. Maybe it was because it was another idea that had been hiding out in my brain so long that I thought I knew everything.

Only I didn’t.

Don’t get me wrong, the book was something I wanted to write for years. The story is spot on. Part sci-fi, part horror. Everything I loved about the genres mashed together.

But it was rushed. I won’t deny that. I wanted it written so I went for it.

The draft needs work. A ton of work. The narrative is there, however, and for me that was what I needed in that moment.

But going forward? Yeah, it is time to take a step back.

So what comes next?

I have a plan. It grows more with each day. With each note, with each thought, comes clarity. I’m not rushing this. After the last two years of living and breathing all things Greystone it’s nice to discover new things.

It’s going to be great though. You can count on that.

Come back next week to see how I’m making sure the next series starts off on the right foot.

Thanks for reading.

Writing Update – January 18, 2018

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The end of Greystone approaches and the start of a brand new project. It’s been a crazy month filled with broken furnaces and hot water tanks but plenty of writing in the mix as well.

Writing Update

Pathways in the Dark is available for pre-order!

         

It might not seem like much needed doing on that front but there is a ton of formatting and proofing to be done when getting a book to press. Very happy with the results so far and I hope you feel the same when the print and digital versions hit the shelves on February 20th!

A Circle of Shadows

The climactic finale to Greystone’s first major arc is coming together. I have a five page document of areas I need to work on. Hammering out details on character motivations or thoughts on how better to stage a scene. The spine of the novel is set. I’ve read through it three times this month so far and enjoy the hell out of it each time.

(Not my typical reaction if you know me…)

New beginnings and many endings to come with this book. You’ll hear more about it in a few weeks as I button up the self-editing phase.

Reading

Not much in the way this month with editing taking over. I have created a Winter Reading List that I posted earlier this week if you’d like to join me in the fun!

Watching

I have, however, tried to catch up on some viewing over the holiday break.

Supergirl Season One – I am a big fan of everything Kryptonian, in case Loren’s wardrobe wasn’t a big enough clue to that. I was worried about the stylistic changes for the show but absolutely enjoyed the arc over the course of the inaugural season of the show. Yes, the romantic interludes were tiresome but the inclusion of so many great background characters made it fun. Looking forward to the next one.

Fuller House Season Three (Part 2) – Yes. I am still watching this show. Many question my sanity but I find the lives of the Tanners/Fullers to be a nice change of pace from most programs in my queue. The deviations from the main characters bother me (a lot) but I feel like the show gets stronger with each season.

Spider-Man: Homecoming – I have been reading the adventures of Peter Parker for going on 25 years. During that time there have been plenty of ups and downs. The Sony films have been on the lower side of things for the most part. (Spider-Man 2 is still one of the best super-hero films of all time so I have to give them that one…) After two disappointing installments, this new iteration of the character was such a breath of fresh air.

While some of the Sony tropes remained (Hey look, no mask! or How about we throw a giant American flag in the background for no particular reason?) I think the helping hand of Marvel Studios kept the webhead grounded and interesting. And Michael Keaton was great. Can’t go wrong with Keaton in the villain role.

Hopefully some books will be read for the next one folks. Until then, stay warm!

End of Year Wrap Up!

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Well, that snuck up on me quickly. The end of the year is here! How does that always happen?

This has been a crazy year all around. Greystone is reaching the end of its first major arc. I’m diving into the final book right now and am so excited with the enormous shift coming from the events within. People will be angry, for sure, some downright insane over what happens next but there is plenty of story left to tell.

That’s what this has all been about for me. Telling stories. Big and small. From this blog here to the published page. I love being able to play on this stage, having the opportunity to converse with so many of you. I hope to be more available for local events next year and really bring people to the world of Greystone.

And all the worlds to follow.

Where are we headed next?

I’m figuring that out right now. There are 8 books sitting on my shelf demanding edits and another 9 begging to be written. From conspiracy tales to the far reaches of space, from superheroics to a supernatural legal thriller, there are many places to explore coming in the next few years.

And then there is always the second half of Greystone to consider.

This last month has been centered on moving my family to a new home. It’s meant that writing has been on the backburner. No longer though. Mapping out the next year has energized me and the projects coming your way are going to blow you away.

2018 marks the end of Greystone for now.

But 2019? Just you wait. It’s going to be amazing.

Thanks for being here.

None of this is possible without you. I can’t thank you enough for supporting the series, this site, the newsletter and so many other aspects of my work. This has been an incredible journey and it has barely begun.

Stick around. You won’t regret it.

Happy End of Year!

Have a safe and happy holidays! See you in 2018!

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