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May 7, 20234 min read

April 2023 Progress Report

The good and okay stuff for April of 2023


Title Card featuring April Showers Statement

I need a way to keep track of my continuing progress. I have a written list of monthly tasks but the only person that sees it is me. So, I can hide it in a drawer if I feel guilty when I rewatch the third season of Star Trek: Picard, which is fantastic.


On the other hand, if I update the interweb on my progress, the information remains available for perpetuity. Even if I delete this blog post a copy is probably saved by the NSA to use against me when I run for Ruler of the World.


Hiding and deleting never work because that small voice in your head still nags you. Not the one that details all your fears, or the one that says another piece of chocolate cake is fine. It's the Guilt-Giving Mother (GGM) voice. The one that asks, "Are you sure it's okay to play video games when you should really be writing?"


Hence, the reason I'm starting a run of updates here. Not only does it add another layer of authentication to my responsibilities. It also allows you to pull out the GGM voice and tell me what's what. What is what, by the way?


April 2023

1. Clean up social media feeds: I'm almost done with this one. I wanted to reset my LinkedIn feed and Facebook business page to start fresh. The former was easy to clean. Not so much the latter. I have a ton of old posts and broken links to remove from 2017, and it's a pain in the tushy to do this on a Facebook page.


2. Continue to update the website: I decided to apply agile methodology to this task. Originally, I would get everything ready before I went live, which took several lifetimes. Instead, I'm updating as I go along with a blog post here or a book link there. The result is measurable and positive movement.


3. Publish Thinking Inside My Box in eBook and print formats: Yes, and no. The eBook is available on Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, and other fine digital book retailers. Meanwhile, I'm still working on the paperback's cover. It's one of those items my lazy persona keeps putting off because it's time consuming. In either case, all sales of Thinking Inside My Box go to co-author Missy Hall and her battle against the b***h of breast cancer.


4. Ten Articles for Medium: Um, no. Again, the lazy part of my brain says, "Why waste your time when no one is going to read your work?" I call B.S. on this logic. People do make residual income writing for Medium. If I don't try, how am I going to measure the success?


5. Ten Articles for Marker Content: I decided to pass on this after reading reviews and the company's emails. They have 75,000 writers right now. I can't see them having an equal amount of buyers for their articles. Overall, it's not worth the effort.


6. 20 Magazine Pitches: No, but I have an excuse ... um, reason. I'm fine-tuning my query letters. Out of the 100 pitches I've sent out since 2021 only three were accepted, which isn't a good batting percentage. I have to revise my delivery, do more research on the magazines, and decide on my best niches.


7. One Pop Culture Book Proposal: I don't know if my lazy persona stops me or the general craziness of my life. Regardless, this entry has been on my to-do list for months. I have to make it happen in May.


8. Send a Story to Amazon Vella: The Mediocre Quest of Rathspun. It's a comedic fantasy about a somewhat average wizard who journeys to rescue a princess who's also a girlfriend-ish. Type. Person. The first chapters need another edit and I need a cover. Look for this in May.


9. Revise Fiverr Gigs: I undervalued my gigs. I've put them on hold while I come up with a new strategy.


10. Revised Existing Short Stories and Covers: The Gradualist, Butterscotch Pudding, and Cat on a Leash need some edits and new covers so they fall under the Wooden Short Pants monicker. Get it? Short pants? Short stories? This is another task that continues to be moved from one monthly list to another without action.


11. Create Print on Demand Merchandise: The items I created in 2021 and early 2022 are gone. I've decided to start a new line to earn passive income. Now, if I can only push myself a bit harder to make it happen.


12. 40 Letter's of Introduction: I sent out 12 LOIs, which is a huge achievment. I didn't send any out since the start of 2022. I received one response out of the dozen delivered. I'm about to send out my follow-ups. For May I adjusted my output to 20 LOIs.


Heck, creating this entry was an achievement in itself. I am determined to move my writing from a hobby into a full-time business. Let's see what May 2023 holds for me.


All the best.

Rich Scott Keller

 


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