Read about this week’s progress by P. H. Solomon with The Unseen Hand and other projects.

Hello and Happy Monday to everyone! PH here with a weekly progress report. This weekly post is meant to keep me honest about how much I’m doing as well as keep readers informed. As such, the post format may change as some projects progress or roll off the active list due to completion. Regardless, my intention is to keep everyone informed of progress on various items, especially new books up to release. Let’s get started!

Last week was better in terms of amount of work done on projects. One aspect of my revision and editing was going back to a tried and true process I use with spreadsheets in order to better track what I want to change and how in manuscripts. It seem like a lot of extra work, but it allows me to go through a survey and then put the plans into action quickly. One of my main problems remains my odd symptoms, especially fatigue and brain fog. Sometimes, I have insomnia so I just work which helps me get tired and push toward my goals. I’m working with my issues as best I can.

The Unseen Hand

The Unseen Hand continues to more forward. I made substantial progress editing newer content for the epilogue adventure/case. There were some newer ideas about presentation that came to me and I worked a long time to implement them. This portion of the book is taking solid shape and I expect to complete it later this week.

The remaining content from the manuscript has been edited previously and only needs to be fully revised for consistency with the new epilogue and other series arch developments. I expect to start working thoroughly through these portions of the book next week and make solid advances toward the self-imposed mid-June deadline.

A Charm in the Hand

I’ve made significant progress through the end of the manuscript this week. I’m not quite to the end, but expect to finish this phase of the draft tonight or tomorrow. Using my editing technique as well as working in Word helped me review the draft much better than I had been. Separating the remaining content gave me more focus. I look forward to sending this one off to my editor soon and letting the book begin to take shape.

Update: I’m rather exhausted so I won’t complete this tonight. Tomorrow is better, then moving on to work on All Things Forgotten.

Added Project: All Things Forgotten

Some progress was made on this project during last week. However, I made a decision to make a major push with on during this week. I’ll rely heavily on my editing process to make as fast a survey of the draft as possible and then make changes. If I don’t see that I can complete it, I’ll try to make as many changes as I can and look to having the best consistency possible throughout the book while touching up main issues.

The primary goal for this book is getting it in the best possible shape for the promo submission, then completing the work over the summer for an October release. If the book is not accepted in the promo, then it will be just that much further along and I’ll probably slide the release day to a later time so I can work on the other books and The Cursed Mage Case Files.

Miscellaneous Projects

The same projects remain on my radar:

1. Upgrading Archer’s Aim (this site) to a newer theme. My intention is upgrading this site using a service depending on funding. I’m still in flux about scheduling the work, but this is in the works as I progress with the various details of the business and the imprint development.
2. The imprint is well underway at this time:

• • ISBNs should be purchased this week.
  • The website may be built by a third party, it just depends on my funding (see below).

I’ve taken steps over the last week to taking myself more serious from the business side of things. Doing this will allow me more flexibility with marketing, business funding, and actually being an imprint. I feel this is important so I’m working on the imprint from a different angle and will making more specific announcements when the time comes. However, the intention is to soon have print editions available for marketing to bookstores during the summer.

Still no word from Podium and I’m not surprised. However, I will probably contact someone directly to gauge interest as some point during June when I have more concrete details about the release of the next two books.

Here’s the past post about the subject for those who are interested:

The Unseen Hand submitted to my audio publisher, Podium Audio

That’s all for the week that was. I hope readers get an idea of what it’s like for a self-publishing author, let alone any author. It’s always busy since this post doesn’t cover the rest of what needs my attention, as well as my health concerns.

Thanks for stopping by the site today and reading this post. Please leave your thoughts in the comments section. Like what you’re reading? Feel free to follow this site, you can even view the site from the WordPress reader app. Looking for more information? I’m growing a text club for faster, shorter announcements and exclusive specials. You can also join me in Marston’s Station, my private fan group on Goodreads where you can read about more non-public development news and additional exclusive special deals. Look for me at these additional sites too. There are plenty of ways to follow and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Know someone who would love this? Let them know:

Read about this week’s progress by P. H. Solomon with The Unseen Hand and other projects.

Hello and Happy Monday to everyone! PH here with a weekly progress report. This weekly post is meant to keep me honest about how much I’m doing as well as keep readers informed. As such, the post format may change as some projects progress or roll off the active list due to completion. Regardless, my intention is to keep everyone informed of progress on various items, especially new books up to release. Let’s get started!

Apologies for last week’s missed post, but there was an unforeseen issue with an incident on the highway. Just to be brief, my car was struck by a pick-up truck bed-liner which came out of the truck bed in the wind. There was a spool of weed-trimmer line inside the liner so the windshield was smashed along with a nice dent in the hood. I was blessed to walk away with hardly a scratch. That incident could have been worse. The car is in the shop for who knows how long.

The previous week was rather up and down because I wore myself out with a busy prior week writing as well as other events. My brain fog and fatigue shifted me into low gear. I’m trying to pace myself otherwise and stick to my tried and true revision format.

The Unseen Hand

Work on The Unseen Hand has been uneven. I’ve taken measure to work on pacing myself and shifting back to a familiar revision format that keeps me on track (maybe at some point I’ll discuss the specifics). With a slight shift in approach and taking breaks, I’m back to making steady progress.

I expect to make good progress this week and stay on track with the schedule which is completing the revision by 6/15 and publication by mid-August. This is my main priority, but I’m willing to let the date slide due to fluid developments (see more below).

Pushing this series forward is a big deal since so much content has been written already. I also want to free up time to begin work on additional books in each series I have in flight.

A Charm in the Hand

Work on this manuscript sputtered with my up and down life of late. However, I’m using my revision approach on this phase of the book to get it to my editor ASAP. There’s really not that much left to completing the current phase, so I want to get this off my plate this week, if possible.

There, I set that goal and we’ll see if I can make it or not.

I’ll need a cover soon, regardless. I need to brainstorm ideas for my artist.

Added Project: All Things Forgotten

A sudden opportunity has crossed my path through SFWA. I can submit a book to a promotion starting in October. Since the planning is months in advance, the submission deadline is 5/31.

All Things Forgotten is a draft I’ve had in my back pocket for a couple of years, but the plot fits the promotional theme. Since I have a fit, I’m going to give the book a chance and try to complete a whirlwind revision for the submission. It won’t be the final version, but it will get my foot in the door for the promotion. I’ll still have time to complete the book for publication by no later than 10/22. I’ll give it a whirl and see if I can make the deadline. If I do, this will be injected into the publishing schedule and I’ll order a cover for it (requiring another brainstorm).

More news about this one next week if it’s going to make it or not.

Miscellaneous Projects

The same projects remain on my radar:

1. Upgrading Archer’s Aim (this site) to a newer theme. However, I want to really take the site to a new level, so with the  other priority, I’m considering a business upgrade…
2. The imprint is well underway at this time:

• • I delayed my ISBN purchase due to some business decisions.
  • Business cards did arrive.
  • Design plans for the imprint website are decided.
  • Print editions will be in preparation rather soon (depending on the ISBNs)

However, I’ve decided I need to improve my business along with the creation of the imprint and upgrading this site. To that end, I’m considering either crowdfunding or securing a small business loan to better cover expenses for the business including marketing and book production. It would mean having the chance to hire out the upgrade to this site as well as the creation of the imprint site. Contracting work on the sites and some other details would create a large time savings allowing me to produce the books while not taxing my available energy. It’s a consideration for taking the next steps forward. If I move into crowdfunding, I’ll share the details and how anyone can lend a hand.

There’s no update from Podium at this time. I don’t know how long the evaluation will be, but it could be several weeks before I know something. If the result is positive, I’ll share ASAP.

Here’s the past post about the subject for those who are interested:

The Unseen Hand submitted to my audio publisher, Podium Audio

I might also mention that I’m looking into a few other changes including production of a few more short books including another anthology, a few prequels for each series and some bundles of these in different combinations, plus some extra Cursed Mage cases for fun. Regardless, I do have a total of 4 new series underway with more to come from The Bow of Hart Saga Cycle. Moving to a larger business model will help me get back to mainly writing rather than spending so much time on other details. It’s time for a change!

That’s all for the week that was. I hope readers get an idea of what it’s like for a self-publishing author, let alone any author. It’s always busy since this post doesn’t cover the rest of what needs my attention, as well as my health concerns.

Thanks for stopping by the site today and reading this post. Please leave your thoughts in the comments section. Like what you’re reading? Feel free to follow this site, you can even view the site from the WordPress reader app. Looking for more information? I’m growing a text club for faster, shorter announcements and exclusive specials. You can also join me in Marston’s Station, my private fan group on Goodreads where you can read about more non-public development news and additional exclusive special deals. Look for me at these additional sites too. There are plenty of ways to follow and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Know someone who would love this? Let them know: