Devon Ellington's Blog, page 45
February 1, 2024
Thurs. Feb. 1, 2024: How Information Affects The Plan
image courtesy of Gerd Altmann via pixabay.comThursday, February 1, 2024
Waning Moon
Cloudy and raw
You can read the latest on the garden, including tomorrow’s planting plans, over on Gratitude and Growth.
The car passed inspection! Phew! All I had to do was get the taillight replaced. They said I fixed the windshield wiper properly.
Today’s serial episode is from LEGERDEMAIN:
Episode 160: Another Attack on Shelley
Shelley is attacked again, and her rescuer is a surprise. Or is he?
I puttered in the morning, trying to get some work done, and headed out just before 10 to deal with the car inspection. They were very nice. They had to order a new bulb and have someone run it up there, but once it arrived, they popped it in, and the car passed inspection. Enormous Phew.
Now, I have to get the tire patched and switched back out, so I have a spare.
Once the inspection was done, I did a library run, and then, I was home. Exhausted. Ready to nap for about a week, but home.
The website renewal went through just fine. The car insurance payment went through just fine. So all good on that front.
Turned around some score sheets. Did a training session for the volunteer judging I’m doing, which was very helpful.
Booked the tire patch appointment for tomorrow morning.
Wrote and submitted the book review, and told them I am ready for the next assignment.
A friend of mine had very sad news, and I wish there was more I could do to help her.
Hit a wall by mid-afternoon, and was caught up on the have-tos (although not the want-tos). I read an anthology of essays called THE WORLD SPLIT OPEN, published by Tin House in 2019. Writers talked about how and why we/they write.
There were some very specific quotes that resonated with me deeply:
“Literature is intimate behavior between strangers” – Russell Baker, p. 40.
“Fiction results from imagination working on experience” – Ursula K. Le Guin, p. 101.
“Fiction is experience translated by, transformed by, transfigured by imagination” – Ursula Le Guin, p. 105.
“The work of the artist is to see into the life of things” – Jeannette Winterson, p. 185.
Separately, each of these gives one hours of meaning on which to ponder. Put them together, and the resonance is even stronger.
I am sure I will come back to these quotes often in the coming months.
Did not sleep particularly well, and woke up at 3. I hope we are not going back to THAT pattern. I’d hoped I finally broke it.
No meditation this morning, because the teacher is sick again. Which is not surprising, since she stopped taking precautions after the first time she caught COVID, and then wonders why she keeps getting it. Sigh.
On today’s agenda: Legerdemain, both writing new material and revising, editing, uploading, polishing, and scheduling episodes. I may only upload two today and two over the weekend. We’ll see. I have a few small coverages to turn around (mostly score sheets), and then maybe start the contest judging, since I had the training yesterday, and there’s MUCH more in my judging panels than I agreed to. I did not realize this was a nation-wide contest for high school age writers (although I am judging just entries from within the state).
Work stats from January:
New words: 70,652
Editing: 64,386
Client work: 26,257
Video/website hours: 9
So what does that tell me?
If I’d worked on a single project for January, I would have close to a complete new novel (or, if it was category-length, a complete novel). The average word count on new material per day was between 2500 and sometimes up to nearly 6K. This is good information, especially if I feel like I’m not getting somewhere on a project; it’s slower because my time must be spread out over multiple projects. And it’s a fairly realistic look at the output I need to do in a given month (although I suspect it’s closer to 60K than 70K).
As for editing, that’s a good chunk, and makes sense. I edited the serial material, and I edited a novella, a one-act play, and a poem. That feels like a solid amount of work and fits in with the overall what was accomplished.
Client work: That’s a pretty good amount of work done for the month. But it also indicates that I’m definitely being underpaid for what I do, when I look at the income. Again, this is important information. The current clients aren’t going to pay me more. Therefore, it’s time to add some new clients to the mix. I can set a multi-month strategy for that, now that I have this information. I have some ideas on how I will do that; it’s a case of carving out the time to work on the LOIs and proposals. Now that I see how vitally necessary it is, and that it will not behoove me to coast for much longer, I can get to work. I also need to get back to pitching articles. I didn’t do much of that last year, and I need to get back on that horse. I enjoy writing articles. When they are paid appropriately – not these $20 for a 2K article idiocies.
Video/website time was only 9 hours, and I did not spend as much time marketing as I should. I need to spend more time on the websites, updating and adding new material. In the case of the Cerridwen’s Cottage website, there’s a good deal of work to do there, as well as reshaping some material that originally appeared in almanacs a long time ago into new formats, and to build up the name recognition there. My editor told me that the almanacs sell 20,000 copies minimum. That’s an audience I need to tap, since I’ve been in these annuals since 1994. I had hoped to do some website work on LEGERDEMAIN this week, while it was the week dedicated to LEGERDEMAIN, but we all know how the week went cattywampus. While I will up my marketing in February (especially with a couple of ad buys and doing some of the Vella games), serious website work won’t happen until March.
I admit, I grumble sometimes when I’m filling out the day’s form, but this is important information on how I’m growing and changing my business this year. And by “business” I mean the fiction as much as the copywriting. I can’t count on royalties; those are going to fluctuate. While some royalties and bonuses from the serials carried me last year during the strike, the reconstruction of payouts doesn’t give the same bang for the wordcount. It’s something I talked about on the blog a few weeks ago, about how I need to balance the long game and the short game for the serials. Because of the restructuring, a good many of the short game and those who can’t be consistent with episodes and/or thought this was quick cash are getting out of the game, which leaves more room for those of us serious about it. But it’s getting the material in front of our audience, beyond the author groups reading each other’s episodes, that’s always the challenge. This is where the demise of Twitter has had a huge impact, although TikTok has somewhat made up for it.
Anyway, that’s a bit of a glimpse into the business side of the full-time writing, especially from a freelancer who doesn’t do the typical corporate gigs and doesn’t consider writing fiction and plays and the rest a hobby, but also doesn’t have one of the Big 4 publishers behind the work.
I’m disappointed in myself that I didn’t finish the CAST IRON MURDER edits, but that is on the schedule for this month.
I better get going, hadn’t I? Have a good one! I keep thinking it’s Friday, but it’s only Thursday.
January 31, 2024
Wed. Jan. 31, 2024: Icy and Cold
image courtesy of Hans via pixabay.comWednesday, January 31, 2024
Waning Moon
Cloudy, icy, cold
Last day of the month, my friends.
And, it’s a Wednesday, which means there are two serial episodes going live today. The first is from ANGEL HUNT:
Episode 107: No One Knows What They Want
Lianna and Gaston’s shared kiss throws them into further emotional disarray. Then Zeke reappears.
The second is from DEADLY DRAMATICS:
Episode 57: Nina Doesn’t Believe Nigel’s Confession
Nigel suffers a heart attack and confesses; Nina thinks it’s all just a little too neat.
I was saddened to hear of the death of N. Scott Momaday. His writing had a big impact on me. I met him only once, years ago, at a conference in San Antonio, and liked him very much as a person as well as a writer. I was further saddened to hear of the death of Chita Rivera, a performer I deeply admired.
I was too stressed to be very productive yesterday. I decided to wait until today to go for the car inspection, which is cutting it close, but gives me a smidge more financial flexibility.
I turned around a bunch of score sheets, and got a couple of plays out in response to submission calls. I need to get back to the plays.
I debated about going to yoga or not. Part of it is worried about going anywhere without a spare tire, especially with all the road construction (which is why my other tire went flat in the first place). The other is that Dipsy Doodle downstairs takes my parking spot if he gets home before I do, and talking to him does nothing. But I’d already paid for the class pass, and really needed it.
So I went. Gentle Yoga was great, as it always is, and the fitness for yoga class was good, but exhausting. I am deeply aware of being the oldest person in the fitness class, although no one else seems to notice!
Finished the book for review. Will get that written up and out the door today, I hope.
The big thing today is to gird my loins and go for the car inspection. Either I can get the light and windshield wiper fixed and hope nothing is wrong and pass, or it will fail, and I have 60 days to get it going.
After that, I need to do a library run. Lots of books to return and pick up. The weather’s been too awful to go on foot, and I’d need to pack the books into the rolly cart, because there are too many to sling over my shoulder.
The judging panels seem to be all set up, so, in the next few days, I will get started on this volunteer gig AND do some work on the other contest, the one I’m being paid to judge.
I hope I can get some writing done today. I don’t want to lose the ground I’ve been gaining on LEGERDEMAIN.
Fingers crossed it all shakes out well today.
January 30, 2024
Tues. Jan. 30, 2024: Under Pressure
image courtesy of Gerd Altmann via pixabay.comTuesday, January 30, 2024
Waning Moon
Uranus DIRECT as of Saturday
Cloudy, icy, raw
The earworm of the title is deliberate.
Imagine that. We have no retrogrades for a hot minute. They start up again on April Fool’s Day, when Mercury goes retrograde. Yes, I see the irony.
Although the end of January has been a challenge, to say the least. I do not want to live in “interesting times.” I do not want “major energy shifts.” I want a few weeks of peace and quiet.
Today’s serial episode is from LEGERDEMAIN.
Episode 159: Some of Brone’s Memories
Some of Brone’s memories have returned, with devastating consequences for Ninel.
On Friday, I finished writing Episode 8 of REP. It was slow going, because I had to design a restaurant, a building, and a penthouse. I may cut much of what I wrote this week; not sure. Not sure if it’s necessary for the piece. I need to write a little further into it. Some of these episodes were a bit off the course of the original outline and notes. We’ll see. Of course, as soon as I tucked it away until its week comes around again, I got ideas.
Our cohort for the BHPC residency in October seems to be set. Two of the artists from last year are not returning, but two new ones are coming in, and they sound wonderful. I’m excited to meet them and work with them in autumn.
I got the car inspection/repair stuff settled for today. Fingers crossed it all works out.
I felt unsettled and restless most of Friday. The weather didn’t help.
Did the episode graphics for this week’s episodes of LEGERDEMAIN, the episode videos for all the serials, and a catch-up episode video for LEGERDEMAIN. Got those uploaded and scheduled on TikTok.
Turned around four coverages.
Read some for pleasure, some for research.
The contest I agreed to judge (as a volunteer) – which is already six weeks late in starting – sent the login request/credentials after 5 PM on a Friday. And people were complaining, within a few minutes, that they weren’t working anyway. What a disaster this whole experience is. How much do you want to bet that it will require several times more the time commitment they told us? I’d already signed off for the weekend, planning to do the login/setup first thing Monday. By mid-day Sunday, I got a scolding email from the coordinator for not setting up the account yet. No. This is my weekend. You’re already six weeks late, and I’m supposed to drop everything and answer instantly? No. I logged in on Monday, and of course the system still didn’t work. I sent a polite email Monday morning, saying that the emails came in after I had logged off and I had other commitments this weekend, and that when I tried to follow the instructions on Monday morning, there were issues. Also, there was a big red flag in the original invite: “You have been chosen.” No, boo, I VOLUNTEERED time for work for which I usually am paid. And it was supposed to be done by now, and it hasn’t even started. We seem to have sorted everything out, so let’s hope it’s smoother going forward.
Hard getting going on Saturday morning. Puttered around the house a bit. Got ready to take my mom to the Clark to see the HD stream of CARMEN, which she’s been excited about since October.
And. . .the car had a flat tire. Fortunately, it was in its spot in the parking lot. But there wasn’t time to call AAA – they take about an hour and a half to show up, then it’s changing the tire, then driving over, etc.
So I called a cab. We took a cab to the next town over, and made it in plenty of time for curtain.
Did I want to spend the money right now, with the other car repairs looming? No.
Was I going to disappoint my mom, who’s been looking forward to this since October? Also no.
Taxi it was. And, even at the price, it was cheaper than most cab rides up and down Manhattan. And we would have lost the money spent on tickets if we hadn’t gone. But was most important was that it was so important to my mom.
It was a modern production of CARMEN, streamed from the MET. Instead of 19th century Seville, it was set in modern day US at the border crossing. Carmen was a factory worker/gun smuggler.
The voices were terrific: Aigul Akhmetshina as Carmen, Piotr Beczata as Don José. The production design was good. While I appreciated the vision of Carmen as a traumatized woman at the hands of an abusive man, it was unclear whether she led the smugglers (as she did in some scenes) or was just caught up in it. And if you’re going to set it as the US/Mexico border, then you have to deal with the actual issues there, not just set it there and shrug them off, which is what this production did. Escamillo was a bull rider instead of a toreador and pretty much ignored in the production. And rodeo clowns? Really? Don José was very much an abusive, incel mamma’s boy. While the choice of killing Carmen with a baseball bat instead of a knife is in line with gender abuse (the whole “If I can’t have you, no one can”), it turned the knife choreography between them in Act II away from being the MacGuffin it’s supposed to be. She has the knife in her boot; they dance with the knife in Act II. That sets up the stabbing in Act IV. It would be logical, in Act IV, in the logic of the established world, that either she would try to defend herself and he disarms her and kills her (which, since she waves around so many weapons during the production would make sense), or he’d remember the knife in her boot, grab it and stab her. Instead, she basically stands there and lets him whack her with a baseball bat, which doesn’t align with the character that was built over four acts. EVEN if she believed “fate” handed her the death card in the earlier divination scene (and the tarot reader in me screamed about promoting that ridiculous trope), the character that was established would go down fighting. And Don José gets away with it without consequence. It was an “oops, bitch died” moment instead of “I’ve destroyed everything moment.” The curtain dropped immediately and it was like, “that was it?” There was so much dramatic and choreographic potential in that scene that was blown that it was frustrating. And I absolutely hated the projections at the top of each act. Peeps, I’m not here to see shadow puppets, and lengthening the time that the oversized image of Carmen placing her hand up against the scrim in each act was so heavy-handed after that first time that it was an annoyance, not an underscore of her emotion.
Daniele Rustioni, the conductor, was a delight. The joy he took in the work was infectious. He gave a really interesting lesson on the music in the intermission between Acts II and III. They showed the set changes. It was fun to watch the massive set crew move everything around, like a busman’s holiday. I even recognized some of the stagehands from my own backstage days (though I never worked the Met).
It was sung in French, which I realized about halfway through the first act when I found I wasn’t reading subtitles because I understood what they were singing. Funnily enough, I had dreamed in French a few days before the performance. Practicing in my sleep?
Called the cab again; same guy took us home.
I was wrecked by then, from the stress of it all.
My mom is already looking forward to MADAME BUTTERFLY in May; we may go to LA RONDINE in April, if things work out. I’d like to see David Tennant in the National’s production of GOOD in February, and later in February, Ian McKellan’s LEAR, but it all depends on how much the car repair costs.
Originally, we were told that we’d have 1-3 inches of snow Sunday into Monday. By Sunday morning, they’d upped predictions to a foot. I couldn’t get anyone out on Sunday to change the tire, and the car was safe where it was.
I did, however, plod down to Cumberland farm to get bread, eggs, milk, and coffee. I’d planned to stop at the store on the way home from CARMEN the night before, but that didn’t happen.
Had a horrible headache on Sunday. I wasn’t sure if it was a stress-induced migraine or pre-storm headache.
A rush coverage came in, and I needed the money, so I turned it around on Sunday morning.
The webhost renewal is more than they quoted me, but less than I feared, but still a stretch to hit on the day it’s hitting (and no, it can’t be moved; I checked). I’m being forced off the hosting plan I’ve been on since I started with this host onto a more expensive one. If I read the specs correctly, the price will double when it’s time to renew next year. It’s highly likely I will move hosts in January of 2025, which will be a PITA. And if I start worrying about it now, I will have a nervous breakdown. So I’m going to worry about paying for this year, and then start listening/looking/researching to see what else is out there. I did some of that research about a year ago for an acquaintance, so I’ll check that information first and build out. I need some very specific things from my host, but I also need the tech support, because I’m not a web developer (although I sometimes have to act like one to get the website work done). And it has to fit my budget.
The electric bill came in and was more than double last month’s amount, which is not okay. We don’t use that much. I have my theories as to what’s going on, but I need to get in touch with them.
The storm was supposed to start around one. Although it rained in the morning, and sort of snowed on and off in the afternoon, it didn’t start seriously snowing until well into the evening. And we didn’t get as much as predicted, thank goodness.
Read a book for pleasure that was cute, but needed some editorial restructuring, especially as far as the character arcs went. It was the author’s first novel, and it was obvious she used a beat sheet for it, instead of understanding structure and letting the story develop organically through characters. It was okay, but didn’t really work for me. Started a different book and loathed it, so put it aside. Read another book where I hated the characters for the first 80 pages and almost put it down, but pushed through. It got sweeter, sometimes to an annoying level, but I got too far ahead of it.
I decided to read Peter Lovesey’s SHOWSTOPPER instead. I originally met Peter back in the 90s at crime writing conventions in the UK, back when I was starting out. He’s a lovely human, and an excellent writer. The book is dedicated to Thalia Proctor, a good, long-term friend from that same chapter of my life, who died in 2022. I just bawled when I saw the dedication.
Once I pulled myself together and started reading it, I really enjoyed it. No surprise there.
Slept reasonably well, in spite of the stress of the week pressing down on me. Waking up at 4:30 rather than 2:30 is an improvement, but I’d like to stretch it to 5:30, when the coffee starts.
This week is dedicated to LEGERDEMAIN. The plan is to draft 10 episodes over the course of the week, and possibly rewrite one from last week. With pressures looming this week that can’t be changed, it is unlikely I will meet that goal, so I may adjust down to 5 or 6 episodes. I seriously doubt I’ll get any LIGHTHOUSE LADY episodes done.
I decided to leave the last episode uploaded last week as is. If/when I adapt the serial to another format, I will look at it again. I made some notes in the margin. But the episode, as is, reveals necessary character information. Is it the best choice for the piece? Still not sure. But it’s not the worst, either. I wrote two new episodes, which was difficult, because the overall life stress made it hard to concentrate. But I pushed through.
Tried to “authenticate” my domain through MailerLite (it was already “verified” but these fake security measures that are only created to cost customers and not really protect anyone are annoying). I had to ask my webhost for help. The plug-in should handle it; we shouldn’t be told we have to “add code” to our sites. After going back and forth with my webhost’s tech support (they used to be great, but they are now less than great, as the prices go up), supposedly the code is added, and it will all be fine in 24 hours. I am skeptical, but the MailerLite site claims it’s all done, so we’ll see.
Dug the car out, and tried to get AAA in to switch out the flat tire for the spare. The regular guy showed up; he’s really nice. A neighbor stopped to chat during it all. Turns out, they’ve known each other since the 1970’s. What’s interesting about people who stay and/or come back is there’s a sense of “I’m here because I like this place” rather than a sense of being trapped, which is different from a lot of other places. People here go and do things, and travel (when they can afford it and it’s safe). They see other things and get other perspectives. It’s very different to the places where people feel trapped or where people choose to be isolationist and exclusive.
New PayPal debit card arrived and I had to go through the whole “activation” process. But it worked, so that’s all set. The surprise from Spill the Tea Sis Apothecary over in Northampton arrived, and it was really fun. A nice bit of cheer for a stressful day.
I’m trying to maintain a positive attitude while taking realistic actions, but it’s hard not to be thoroughly discouraged.
On today’s agenda: I have to get the car fixed (if I can afford it), and, hopefully, it passes inspection. If I can’t afford the repairs, I have to let it fail inspection, and get it repaired within the 60-day requirement. I’m also nervous about driving until Friday without a spare, until I can get a patch on the blown tire and switch them back out. I need to go to yoga tonight (and it’s too cold to walk). I’m so frustrated. I budgeted so carefully, took on extra work, and was so frugal this month, and I’m still punished for not being rich. Let’s hope a lot of paid work comes in for February!
January 29, 2024
Mon. Jan. 29, 2024: Intent for the Week — Survive the Chaos
image courtesy of Gordon Johnson via pixabay.comThe end of last week grew increasingly challenging; it intensified over the weekend, and will continue this week.
My intent is to survive it, without too much damage.
What’s your intent for the week?
January 26, 2024
Fri. Jan. 26, 2024: More Rain and a Damp Mood
image courtesy of pexels via pixabay.comFriday, January 26, 2024
Last Day of the Full Moon
Uranus Retrograde
Rainy and raw
Uranus finally goes direct tomorrow. Maybe I won’t want to be such a hermit once it does.
Today’s serial episode is from ANGEL HUNT:
Episode 106: Gaston Doesn’t Recognize Zeke
Gaston insists the Zeke in Neville’s group is not the man who attacked them.
Tomorrow’s serial episode is from DEADLY DRAMATICS:
Episode 56: Charlie Has a Different Opinion
Charlie still thinks Jake is a killer, and worries about Nina’s safety.
Yesterday was busy, but pretty much good busy.
I finished the half-done LEGERDEMAIN episode. I think a flashback active scene might have been a better choice; if the mood strikes me this weekend, I’ll revise it and reupload it. It’s for the last week of February, so I should be able to do so, once it clears review. But who the heck knows, with the way they change the parameters all the time? Anyway, I managed to revise, edit, polish, upload, and schedule four episodes, finishing out February. Next week is, once again, a LEGERDEMAIN-centric week, with the intent of writing 10 episodes. If I can do that, and upload 4 of them by next Thursday, and keep going, I will be in decent shape. The first two tie-in novellas are percolating. I might be able to do rough outlines this weekend. I’d like to get them written and out by early summer, latest. Time to start building that world apart from the serial platform.
Got all the paperwork done around the episodes, too. Since I had a late start, after meditation, that was my morning.
I did some other Vella paperwork, too. Plus, I cleaned up some of the links and information on the additional pages and the sidebar on this site.
Then, it was time for script coverage. Turned around the five that needed to be done. Wrote, polished, and submitted the book review.
And that was the day’s work. I was pretty tired by then, and the weather was lousy, so no open studios for me last night.
Still trying to get an appointment for the car repair/inspection. I’m going to be a wreck until that’s all done.
On today’s agenda: REP, some admin, and four script coverages. I’ll see if I can get anything else done, but I’m not counting on it. My brain is tired. With a broken windshield wiper, I don’t want to go out and do errands in this weather. I might do some research – one of the Bibiena books came in, and I also have the lighthouse books. Or maybe I can do some CAST IRON MURDER edits.
Tomorrow, I will take my mom to see CARMEN at the Clark. Sunday, I have a lot to do around the house.
Have a great weekend, and I’ll catch you on the other side!
January 25, 2024
Thurs. Jan. 25, 2024: Rain on the Full Moon
image courtesy of Khusen Rustamov via pixabay.comThursday, January 25, 2024
Full Moon
Uranus Retrograde
Rainy and Raw
You can read the latest on the garden over on Gratitude and Growth.
Today’s serial episode is from Legerdemain:
Episode 158: Too Many Assets in the Infirmary
Shelley makes the rounds of her wounded.
I had a bad case of the “I don’t wannas” yesterday. But I dug in and worked anyway. Bills need to be paid. And two friends had good news yesterday, so I could be happy for them, and that lifted my mood.
I got about a half a REP episode done, before I had to leave for errands. One of the windshield wipers came off; I got it back on, but there’s another repair that will have to happen when I take in the car for inspection. I wish all this wasn’t an issue until March.
Amazon’s change to the serial payout system (so they can pay us less) is irritating. It doesn’t affect me quite as badly as some of the others, because it’s only a part of my writing pie AND the serials are part of a bigger overall, long-term plan. While the short term benefits are diminishing, I didn’t tie the long term rights to the company. In some instances, I can ride out certain elements (I hope); in others, I can pivot the plan. What is does to future seasons of the different serials is flexible. It’s most likely to affect the Nina Bell stories, and REP, since they are later additions to the mix with original longer timelines which may be shortened or changed. It will probably affect the ANGEL HUNT series least, since the plan for that was always finite; just how fast it releases may change, and how often episodes go live change. LEGERDEMAIN, for the moment, stays steady, but with tie-ins of unrelated stories set in that world releasing separately with wide distribution while the serial is still running. Once VIXEN’S HOLLOW goes back into the mix, it is likely to go up on Ream (if, by that point, Ream is still viable). VH was originally developed for Substack; but then, even before the whole Substack-lacks-integrity issues on various fronts, they didn’t have the bundling plan I needed to run more than one project on them.
They’re also trying to push writers into posting longer episodes that need more tokens to unlock them. Well, you know what? As a reader, I don’t want an episode that’s 3K. As a writer, that just makes it a chapter from a book, and that’s not the point of a serial for me.
We got our bonus/royalty notifications for December (which will be paid in February). It’s less than I hoped, but more than I expected. Neither I nor many of the others in various groups can figure out how they come up with the number. It’s getting more and more frustrating and unstable. Intentionally so, which means I have to make the best decisions for my long-term plan. I gathered some information from fellow serial authors, as far as how much time they spend reading/in games each week, and how much on tokens each month. It gave me good information, and, mostly, supports the decisions toward which I am moving. What others seek from these serials is not necessarily what my vision is for my overall career. This is PART of my career, not all of it.
Math. All these fuckers are making me do math, and I resent it.
But this is a business, not a hobby, so numbers and metrics matter, because it shapes the schedule and outlets for future work. I watch the numbers, and shift my decisions every few months as needed.
And while marketing is essential, you can’t market what isn’t written. Well, you CAN, but when something messes up, you’re in a pickle.
Speaking of pickles, I finally got an update on that Kickstarter project I backed last summer that was supposed to ship in December. Now they’re saying it won’t even go to the printer until mid-February, which means it won’t ship until sometime in March. At least we got an update, but what a nightmare this whole experience has been.
Dropped off the mail-in ballot applications at City Hall & chatted with the Clerk. Picked up cat litter, cat treats, and bread at Big Y. Dropped off books and picked up the large stack of books waiting for me. The lighthouse research books I need for LIGHTHOUSE LADY arrived, thank goodness. I have several books similar to it for the previous writing I’ve done on lighthouses (mostly for articles), but they’re all in storage.
Home, unpacked and sorted everything out. Turned around 5 coverages. Attempted to authenticate my domain in MailerLite. It was too complicated. I will try again today or tomorrow when I am less tired, or ask my host for help. My domain’s been verified, but now I have to add some code into my site, and it’s a PITA. Because I am not a coder, and it is a language difficult for me to navigate. But I have to buckle down and figure it out.
Got a very sketchy 1099 from a client, without any of THEIR identifying information on it, and it makes me uncomfortable.
Finished reading the book for review. I’ll write up the review and turn it in today.
I expected to be in a lot of pain after the fitness class, but I wasn’t. I definitely felt muscles I wasn’t used to feeling, but it wasn’t pain. Which is a good thing. The class has been extended through February. I had hoped it was just January, but I know it’s good for me, and I’m building on the lower back/core class, so I will keep going.
Weird dream last night, about being at a party on a restaurant patio that was interrupted by a man who wandered in spewing a sinister word salad. Wondering what my subconscious is trying to warn me about.
On today’s agenda: meditation, REP (I had a great idea for the piece during my morning journal writing session). Writing and submitting the book review. Revising, uploading, and scheduling the next Legerdemain episodes. I’ll see where I am then, if I have time to write more, or if I need to switch over to the script coverage at that point.
The original plan was to go to Open Studios tonight at MASSMoCA, but I don’t think the weather will support it.
Have a good one, my friends.
January 24, 2024
Wed. Jan. 24, 2024: Now We Have Slush
image courtesy of Jan Mallander via pixabay.comWednesday, January 24, 2024
Almost full moon
Uranus Retrograde
Snowy and slushy
I like the way this date look, don’t you? 24 of 2024? If you want to get into the numerology of it, it is 1-24-2024 which adds up to 1 + 2 + 4 + 2 + 0 + 2 + 4 = 15, which breaks down to 1 + 5 = 6. Six is a stable number, often meaning unconditional love. In tarot, it’s often a number of victory (wands) or generosity (cups, pentacles) or even travel (swords). It’s welcome after the chaos of the 5s.
I would love a quiet, steady, loving day.
It will be a sad day for one of my closest friends, though, whose beloved cat is crossing the Rainbow Bridge today, and I mourn with her.
We have two serial episodes going live today.
The first is from ANGEL HUNT:
Episode 105: Working Magic with Zeke
How can working with someone so deadly feel so right?
The second is from DEADLY DRAMATICS:
Episode 55: Herbie the Actor Comes Clean
Herb confesses to Nina his part in the con.
I double checked dates. This blog will celebrate its 20th anniversary on April 2. I should do something special for that, shouldn’t I? I remember not starting the blog on April 1 because that’s April Fool’s Day, one of my least favorite days of the year. It originally started on Blogspot.
In spite of all the worldbuilding necessary, I wrote two episodes of REP. Right now, there’s humor, but not comedy. I have to decide if I can build actual comedy organically (which sounds like a contradiction, but it can be built structurally if it starts organically out of character and situation) or if it is more of a dramedy. I won’t really know until the first draft is complete.
Even though the writing is much slower on this than the others, I’m enjoying it. I do have trouble, though, switching between REP and LIGHTHOUSE LADY. Much harder than LL and anything else. Not sure why. Which puts me back a little on where I wanted to be for LL, but I’m still in decent shape.
Did a round of promos for the re-release of “Severance.” Turned around six script coverages before heading for yoga. The snow wasn’t bad. Gentle yoga was good. The Fitness for Yoga class was challenging, but I liked it better than I expected to like it. I was intimidated by the TRX harnesses, but it turned out I really liked them.
Home, dinner, read. The dickhead downstairs used my parking spot, so I had to switch down to his. How hard is it to park in the same slot, like everyone else in the lot? But no, he has to do whatever the hell he feels like. At least he didn’t park across multiple slots, like he usually does. And talking to him does nothing.
I expected to be in so much pain I couldn’t move this morning, but I’m not. I definitely feel that I worked muscles that don’t usually get attention, but in a good way.
Today’s kind of yucky and mucky out there. We had a couple of inches of snow overnight. It’s supposed to change over to rain.
On today’s agenda: another episode of REP. Finish the episode of LEGERDEMAIN I started a few days ago. I have to drop off our mail-in voting applications with the City Clerk at City Hall. Pick up some basics at the store like bread, cat litter, cat treats. Pick up the 15 library books that arrived in a clump. Turn around five coverages. Finish a book for review. Hopefully, I can go to tarot. I’m having a terrible time with keyboard and cursor issues on this machine. I hope this laptop will limp along for another month or so, until I can send it in for repair again,, and I have to have something else to work on in the interim. My warranty’s up in May, so I have to do it before then.
Have a good one!
January 23, 2024
Tues. Jan. 23, 2024: Yet Another Snowstorm Coming In
image courtesy of Janusz Walczak via pixabay.comTuesday, February 23, 2024
Waxing Moon
Uranus Retrograde
Another incoming snowstorm
I completely forgot to post an intent yesterday. I guess my intent is keeping on keeping on?
Hope you had a great weekend.
If you missed my post over on the GDR site about “Don’t Rush the Resolutions” you can read it now.
Today is the re-release day of my science fiction/western/horror novelette “Severance.” You can read a blurb about it on my Delectable Digital Delights page and watch the video. You’ll have to scroll down for it, it’s down near the bottom.
Today’s serial episode is from Legerdemain:
Episode 157: Questioning the Corpse
Corpse Talker Ren Foster gets some answers, which lead to more questions.
Friday was busy. The snow was late starting, which meant my headache was pretty bad.
But I wrote two episodes of THE VICIOUS CRITIC quickly. I thought the material would only be one, but it was too long for one of my episodes, so I found a good place to split it. I was tempted to keep going because it was flowing so well, but I knew I had a lot that HAD to be finished on Friday, so I made myself stop, update the style sheet and series bible, and put everything away. It will be a month before I get to work on it again, and I already miss it.
I wrote a LIGHTHOUSE LADY episode and ended at a good point to pick up again yesterday.
I did the week’s episode graphics for LEGERDEMAIN, and then this week’s episode videos for all the serials. Got them uploaded and scheduled on TikTok.
In the afternoon and evening, I turned around four stage play coverages.
Lilith St. Crow shared a link for a WP plug-in to protect AI scraping. I added it to all the websites. I can’t add plug-ins to these stand-alone blogs, which is annoying. But I did put it up on all the websites. It’s called Simple NoAI. She also uses the WordFence plug-in, which she likes a lot.
It was supposed to snow all day on Friday, but we just had a few flurries. It got very cold overnight, though, and was only 3 degrees F when I woke up on Saturday.
Weird dreams about being somewhere with two suitcases full of clothes and trying to figure out what to wear, and then going to have a meal in a bar that cost $57. I woke up thinking I’d spent money, then realized I spent it in the dream, and it wasn’t actually coming out of my bank account. But that’s a pretty specific amount, isn’t it?
Saturday morning, I finished drafting an episode of LEGERDEMAIN and drafted two more. Then I revised, edited, polished, uploaded, and scheduled the final two of the four episodes I wanted to upload for the week, which gets me through mid-February.
My next task was to do the videos for the “Severance” re-release, in TikTok, wide, and Instagram formats. If you’d like to watch the video on the Delectable Digital Delights page, as mentioned above, you can do so here. You have to scroll down, though.
After that, I did three coverages and two score sheets. And that was my day. I cooked dinner and read for pleasure.
I slept pretty well Saturday into Sunday for once. Enjoyed my morning coffee and journal writing, changed the beds (a day late, but it still got done) and did some household chores.
I drafted an episode of Legerdemain, and part of another one.
I headed out to yoga in the cold, and we had an intense and interesting discussion on the philosophy of the Yamas, the first of the 8 Limbs of Yoga.
Came home, and slid into the time blocked off for poetry. I didn’t write any poetry this week, but I read some of Mary Oliver’s POETRY HANDBOOK and some of BALLADZ by Sharon Olds.
When I was done with that, I started reading the joint memoir by the theatre performers and managers Marie and Squire Bancroft, who were prominent from the mid-1800’s well into the early 1900’s. I’ve had the book for a couple of years now. I planned to write a play based around Marie when the 365 Women Playwrights a Year project shut down. But I never got around to reading the book before. Definitely the right choice to read before diving into REP this week, even though REP is set in a science fiction/comedy setting.
Slept pretty well. Charlotte and Tessa came on the bed right away. as soon as the evening meditation was done. They decided it was more important to them to both be on the bed together than to fuss at each other, so all three of us got a good night’s sleep. Well, Tessa smacked me every time I rolled over, but for the most part, it was good sleep.
Up at a reasonable hour on Monday. Went through a bunch of email that piled up over the weekend. Got up the post on the GDR site.
Turned my attention to REP, which is the primary focus this week. I started by reading the draft of the five episodes already written, with an eye to rearranging the first four episodes into three.
I did so, and rewrote the next episodes (which was episode 5, now episode 4), and wrote a new episode 5. That was pretty tiring, and took a lot of worldbuilding, and a different kind of worldbuilding than I use in LEGERDEMAIN, because the world of REP is very different than the world of LEGERDEMAIN. This draft is getting it down on paper. When I go into more serious revisions, I have to focus on building the comic elements to be stronger, and to build properly, so they can land and pay off.
I started a new episode of LIGHTHOUSE LADY, but the deadline for a rush coverage loomed, and I couldn’t concentrate on LL with the rush job in my queue.
I got the rush job done, I got a bunch more scripts in my queue, and I completed a stack of scoring sheets. I created an ad for the “Severance” re-release, that I can alternate with the video. In early February, I’ll probably do a small ad buy on FB for both “Severance” and LEGERDEMAIN.
I should have gone back to LIGHTHOUSE LADY or LEGERDEMAIN, but I was too cooked. I’ll have to make up for that today.
I heard about a Word X Word event in February I would really like to do, but it’s at night in a place I don’t know, and I don’t have the night vision to risk it. Plus, checking the forecast, we’re supposed to have a pretty good-sized snowstorm. So I’m going to pass.
I started reading a perfectly pleasant book for pleasure. It’s not great, but it’s decent brain candy.
I slept for eight hours without interruption last night, which is rare. I woke up feeling like I’d slept too much, but that’s okay. I went to sleep with Tessa on the bed; woke up with Tessa and Charlotte on the bed.
I heard some sad news from a close friend. One of her beloved cats is fading from cancer, in spite of treatment. It’s so heartbreaking.
On today’s agenda: REP (probably just one episode), finish the episode of LEGERDEMAIN I started on Sunday. Maybe finish the episode of LIGHTHOUSE LADY I started on Sunday (doubtful). Promote today’s episode of LEGERDEMAIN. Promote the re-release of “Severance.” Schedule the car inspection, and get the taillight fixed. Five or six small coverages to turn around. Two hours of yoga, hoping that the storm doesn’t trap me at the studio (it’s supposed to start while I’m in class).
It looks and feels like the storm will start earlier than expected; I’m hoping it’ll blow through and be done by the time I have to leave for yoga.
That’s all the news. Tessa is patrolling, Charlotte is on her perch in the window in my office (originally meant to be a worktable, but she claimed it), and Willa is back in the fleece sheets after eating a big breakfast.
Have a great day!
January 19, 2024
Fri. Jan. 19, 2024: Planning a Snowy Writing Weekend
Friday, January 19, 2024
Waxing Moon
Uranus Retrograde
Cloudy and cold; incoming snow
Another storm coming in all day today.
Today’s serial episode is from ANGEL HUNT:
Episode 104: Randoph Neville’s Private Study Group
Lianna and Gaston attend Randolph Neville’s elite group, and find a dangerous surprise.
Tomorrow’s serial episode is from DEADLY DRAMATICS:
Episode 54: Fired Again
Nina’s temp agency fires her, too, leaving Nina time to pursue her own agenda.
It was good to be back with the virtual meditation group, although we’d been apart since mid-December, so it took a bit to get us settled down again. But I’m glad I showed up.
After breakfast, I headed out to run the end-of-week errands: grocery store (for just a couple of things), library, liquor store. Home, hauled it all up the stairs (not too much), put it away. A seed catalogue arrived, and I had to spend some quality time with that. One of the books that came in for me is a cookbook centered around the cuisine of Barcelona, and there are some recipes I want to try.
Hard to settle back into the desk when I got home. I prefer to write before running errands, before I’m “tainted by the day” but that’s not always possible, especially with wonky weather.
Revised, edited, uploaded, polished, and scheduled two episodes of LEGERDEMAIN. I have an episode to finish either today or tomorrow and get the next two up. This weekend, I need to write 4 more episodes to upload next Thursday. I’m still writing a few weeks ahead, but not as far ahead as I’d like.
Amazon is FINALLY requring serial authors to admit when they use AI to generate work. I wonder how many will lie? I hope that’s added to the serial details, because I don’t want to waste any tokens on “stories” generated by AI. Some authors, in the group, are really proud of their AI usage, and I am keeping a list so I know whose pieces to avoid.
The Questing Quintet, a group of singers/secondary characters that are supporting one of the plot points in this arc, have been a lot of fun to write. I gave a few hints about their backstories, but I may, in and around everything else, give them their own tie-in novella. Even before I do aspiring scribe Joanne’s tie-in, and the comic heist tie-in. The singers’ story feels very present. At the very least, I’ll do the outline over the next week or so.
After the episodes were uploaded, the surrounding paperwork complete, the loglines written, I turned my attention to THE VICIOUS CRITIC. Wrote two episodes, which flowed well. Took a quick break, and drafted an episode of LIGHTHOUSE LADY, which was more difficult, mostly because I was tired. The organic order of the plot build is a little different than I have it in the outline, and I have to go with what works best for the story, rather than sticking to the order of events in the outline. As the story grows and opens out, it makes sense to do things a little differently. Part of the joy of the process, but I always worry that if I don’t plant something properly, it won’t pay off later on. But I can fix that in the next draft.
It was a good day, about 4300 words, all told, across the projects.
Sorted out an issue with a coverage where I wasn’t sure of the agency’s protocol. My handler was glad I contacted them so they could sort it out. Heard about a freelance gig that sounds like it’s somewhat up my alley, so I threw them an LOI.
Heard from my Nightwood colleague, where I read her play and gave notes, the previous day. She found the notes very helpful, and is excited to get back to work.
Read the novel JANE AND EDWARD by Melanie Edwards. It’s a modern day re-imagining of JANE EYRE set in modern Toronto (pre-pandemic). It’s very well done, and stands well on its own, with a tip of the hat to the source material.
It’s supposed to snow all day today, which is why I ran my errands yesterday. I wish it would start, so my pre-storm headache would ease.
On today’s agenda: two more episodes of THE VICIOUS CRITIC, which I’m eager to write. I will miss working on it for the next few weeks. It’s gone well, and I love being in that world. I will have hit the larger goal of 10 episodes for the week. I thought I’d write fewer, and I’m glad I managed all of them. One episode of THE LIGHTHOUSE LADY, which I’m also looking forward to. That brings me to my goal of 4 episodes of that serial for the week. Maybe finish the Legerdemain episode and do the revisions/edits/uploads/schedule of the remaining two I wanted to get up this week, but that will probably be on tomorrow’s agenda instead. That still leaves four episodes to write over the weekend (2 Saturday, 2 Sunday) which is do-able, even if I decide to do the editing of the earlier two this weekend instead of today. It keeps them all of a piece.
I need to prep and submit a play, too, once I decide which one I’m submitting to this particular call.
I also need to do the graphics for next week’s LEGERDEMAIN episodes, and the episode videos of all three serials for next week. I also have to get the video for “Severance” done this weekend, so it can go live on Tuesday with the re-release.
A bunch of coverages came in; I will do half today and half tomorrow. Most of them are pretty short; I think there are two medium-sized ones in the batch. I don’t want to read on Sunday, because I have to write 2 LEGERDEMAIN episodes, and then I have a yoga philosophy class at midday. I won’t want to do any coverage work after that.
I will, however, build some time into Sunday afternoon to focus on poetry.
Next week, REP is the central focus for the writing. I won’t get many episodes written. Maybe 5 or 6? It may well be fewer, and that’s okay, too. I have to rewrite what I have, because they need to be broken down differently than in the first draft of the early episodes, so the full hook is baited by the end of the 3rd episode. Right now, it’s at the end of the 4th, and that won’t do. Premise and catalyst for the season/serial are upfront, and the hook dangled, but the end of Episode 3 has to be what really drives the audience to the rest of the season. That will take some doing, which means less time for new material. But this has the loosest time frame for writing and development, so I don’t need to stress.
I will still need to write 4 LIGHTHOUSE LADY episodes during the next week, and over next weekend, 4 LEGERDEMAIN episodes. I hope that will get me to the end of the second big arc in LEGERDEMAIN, or at least very close to it. I want the third arc to be much tighter than this one was.
Anyway, I’ve got a lot to finish today, so I better get going. Have a great weekend, and I’ll catch you on the other side.
January 18, 2024
Thurs. Jan. 18, 2024: A Meandering Day & More Storm Prep
image courtesy of Myo Min Kyaw via pixabay.comThursday, January 18, 2024
Waxing Moon
Uranus Retrograde
Cloudy and cold
We’re supposed to get snow on and off today, and about 3 more inches tomorrow. I have my pre-storm headache.
You can find out the latest on the garden over at Gratitude and Growth.
Today’s serial episode is from Legerdemain:
Episode 156: What Brother Lillet Kept in His Bedpost
Shelley discovers what Brother Lillet hid, but not from where it came.
Yesterday’s day at the Clark got completely scuttled. First, the lecture was cancelled. Then, the weather was so yucky, I really didn’t want to be out there driving in it. So I contacted the library and told them I had to postpone. I’m in serious hermit mode right now.
I did some online research on the Bibiena family, and found more than I had in previous searches (Google’s search function is almost useless at this point, and completely unreliable). But I found some information I didn’t have before, including information on the exhibit the Morgan Library did a few years ago, adding the Bibiena sketches from lighting designer Jules Fisher’s collection to their own extensive collection. I watched the video. I found a monograph I could read on JSTOR written by Hyatt Mayor of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1945, which had some interesting information. However, I disagree with his comment that the individual identities of the eight men in the family best know for their incredible stage design/architect eye/fantasy design doesn’t matter. And I wanted to know where the women were in all of this.
I found some other information on the family, too. Throughout, the pieces talked about how much the family genuinely liked each other and kept recommending each other, and what fun they had when they gathered in Bologna, which was their home base.
Bologna, a city that has always fascinated me. We’re back to Bologna.
But again, where are the women in this?
I ordered a book from Commonwealth Catalogue that I hope will answer some of my questions, and I will dig through the unique records in the Clark library when I have the chance. Even from the bits and pieces I read, I’m getting ideas for the characters. Although I originally envisioned a kind of over the top (at least theatrically) piece about the Canaletto- Bibiena theatrical rivalry, I think the piece might have a better angle. I’m pretty sure it would be too complicated as a stage play – read that as “too expensive” because of the amazing scenery they designed that broke new stylistic ground and was incredibly intricate, not just for its time, but for any time. It might work better as a novel or a film script. Which I wouldn’t even be able to start working on for two years or more, because that’s how long it will take me to do enough research in and around other projects.
The family was originally “Galli” in Florence and took Bibiena after one of them governed the citadel Biibbiena in Tuscany (yes, the two spellings are different), and that man’s son decided to go to Bologna (not Florence) to study art with Francesco Albani.
So, I guess I get to read some more history about Bologna and Tuscany! And study the work of the artists and architects under whom these artists studied.
My Playland Painters have to take priority, too. I don’t want them bumped aside any more than they already have. I feel that idea percolating. I created characters back in the BHPC residency inspired by the women in my photos (and I have every intention of finding beautiful frames for those photos and hanging them up this year). The fictional characters are starting to take shape, and I feel the beginnings of a story.
Anyway, that made me feel less guilty about canceling out of everything yesterday.
I managed to get to the post office, after digging out the car. Mailed the bills, mailed the birthday present for the family member, got some stamps. Put gas in the car. Made it back. The streets were very icy, so I was glad to stay home for the rest of the day, even with the sun peeking out. It was bitterly cold. My fingers got numb, in spite of gloves, and one ear was really hurting by the time I got back, from the wind, in spite of a hat.
I did some small script coverages, and then took the opportunity to read my Nightwood colleague’s play a couple of days earlier than planned and give her notes.
I had mentally put away all the other creative work in preparation for the day at the Clark, and I could not get it out of its compartment and concentrate. So, by 3 PM or so, I gave up and became cat furniture on the sofa, reading a book.
It was the author’s second book, and definitely suffered from a bit of second book-itis. I’d loved the first book (and hadn’t expected to; if several friends hadn’t insisted I read it, I wouldn’t have). This one is a prequel, and the ending had to work in connection with the next book chronologically which was the first book written, so it was somewhat bittersweet and not entirely satisfying. A bit on the abrupt side. I enjoyed the book, in and of itself, but it didn’t have the passion and energy of the first book. It felt more like it was by the numbers to expectation. It was still well done, it just didn’t have that zing that the initial book contains (and contains whenever I re-read it).
I should have spent the time figuring out how to change my domain sending address on MailerLite, but the technical instructions made my eyes cross. I will give it a go over the weekend.
Slept reasonably well. Charlotte overdid the catnip and passed out on the couch, so Tessa took the opportunity to sleep on the bed with me.
I had planned to stay home and write all day, because of the incoming storm, but tomorrow is supposed to be worse, so this morning, after meditation and breakfast, I will run the errands, and then write and do some script coverage in the afternoon. I have to finish the Legerdemain episode, and upload/schedule four of them to stay on track; I also need to do 2 episodes of VICIOUS CRITIC and one of LIGHTHOUSE LADY. They might not all get done today. Tomorrow will then be a heavier writing day, and I will also work on a couple of proposals I’d like to get out the door next week. VICIOUS CRITIC and LIGHTHOUSE LADY episodes tomorrow, next week’s episode videos, maybe a start on the “Severance” video. Hopefully, the power will hold. If it doesn’t, I’ll do what I can in longhand.
At least there’s some sun today, before the next storm!
Have a good one.
