To write WARPAINT, I have to change my schedule

This comes down to priorities and plans.

I want to get both Cadence Drake: Hunting the Corrigan’s Blood and Cadence Drake: Warpaint into print this year. That’s my priority.

I’d planned to move BOTH How to Think Sideways and How to Revise Your Novel to public versions this year, then write Warpaint while finishing the HTTS Walkthrough, and the extension to How To Write A Series.

Only I was standing in the shower late last week and the hot water hitting my head apparently landed on the reality center of my skull with a bit of extra oomph, because I realized it’s already AUGUST, and I’ve been working just about full-time moving How To Think Sideways to the public version since LAST YEAR.

Granted, I had to find and put together an entirely new delivery platform in order to do this, Margaret had to build new software for me, we had to test it, I had to proof and format the biggest and most complicated course I have, I had to set up every single item that can be downloaded as a separate product, learn the software that allows me to link everything together, get the lessons formatted, create all the sales pages for the lessons on my shop, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple (and still pending, but gonna have to wait a bit now) Kobo.

The build-a-new platform stuff is done. All those product edits, formats, uploads, linking and delivery setups, tests, and sales pages AREN’T.

And, now that I know the process, I have to concede this point to reality. I don’t have time to do both.

How to Revise Your Novel is already on a working platform. Students can take it right now. It isn’t available everywhere, but it IS available. Warpaint isn’t.

Best case, I could take How to Revise Your Novel public by mid-November, if everything that didn’t break my way this time broke my way next time. But I’d have to work as hard on that as I have on HTTS, and I couldn’t write Warpaint.

I’m writing Warpaint, dammit. I’ll get as many of my novel reprints online at the same time, I’ll do as much as I can on the Walkthrough and the Write A Series extension.

But first and foremost…

…on NOVEMBER 15th, 2012, I’m publishing Warpaint: A Cadence Drake Novel.

It is going up on my site, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, and if possible Kobo (having some odd problems with them right now, so I’m not promising that platform).

How to Revise Your Novel will make the jump to public in 2013.

And for the writing neepists among you. Here is my writing schedule.

Cadence Drake WARPAINT Numbers

Existing words: 21,430
Total words needed: 80,000
Words to completion: 58,570

Available working days to publication: 64

Revision: 14 days
Formatting and Pub: 7 days
Weekends reserved for other work–cannot be used for buffer.

64 – 21 = 43

58570 ÷ 43 = 1362 words per day BEST CASE

Preferred Pace: 2000 WPD

58570 ÷ 2000 = 29.285 rounds to 30 working days.

Starting date: August 16.
Publication Date: November 15.

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Posted

August 6, 2012

Fiction, Writing Life

Holly

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17 responses to “To write WARPAINT, I have to change my schedule”

Carol Flynt

August 16, 2012

When you are about to close the classes from the forum format, you’ll give us notice as you did with HTTS, won’t you? At least, that seems like the way you would handle it. I’m just making sure. 🙂

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Carol Flynt

August 13, 2012

Chalk me up as another “hurray” for your priorities. Both because it feeds your writing soul and because it gives me some time to work through the legacy classes before they go public. I’m only beginning in HTTS, but I want to do both HTRYN and HTWS before they go public, so this gives me a bit more time! Yay!

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Kit Russell

August 9, 2012

I did a little happy dance for Warpaint; your teases have really gotten me looking forward to it! (I’m just going to have to build a little padding into my NaNoWriMo schedule so I’ll have time to read it!)

May your fingers fly!

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T.R. Larson

August 7, 2012

Well… coming in late on the HTTS and wanting to get all the Boot Camp and Clinic material. I was wondering if you could maybe finish the Cadence Drake series and start another series(just a couple books). Just so I can get caught up is all. 🙂

Seriously, Good luck Holly. May your flow be like Niagara and your fingers be nimble.

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Sharon

August 7, 2012

Holly,
Wishing you a month of 2000+ words a day and NOT ONE headache.
No guilt. Guilt is a hideously useless emotion. Enjoy your process and thanks for sharing it so wholeheartedly.
-Sharon

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Elise

August 7, 2012

Go for it! As a few others have said, I would like to get in the HTRYN course and this will also give me more time.

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Sylvia

August 7, 2012

Holly, go for it. I WANT Warpaint! Apple wasted enough of your time. And like some others, it’ll give me time to find funds for HTRYN.
Blessings

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Cheryl

August 6, 2012

Good choice, as always! Just remember you started this path so you’d have more time for your writing. Since the process has not panned out that way, you’ve re-prioritized and shown us again that we can change things if they’re not working out.

I’m hanging out for Warpaint, so thank you.

I also think you’ve made a wonderful choice because I’ve been saving up to buy HTRYN before it moves … I like the forum-style of HTTS and how you can see at a glance what you’ve bought.

And remember everyone — you can still get HTRYN here where you’re part of a caring group!

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Kate Arms-Roberts

August 6, 2012

One of the things I have always loved about you as a teacher is how much of this sort of processing you share. I really appreciate it. Thank you.

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Pj

August 6, 2012

Holly,

Get on that horse, ride it (remember, focus, keep left. GO LEFT . . .

With that intention, you’ll hit the finish mark in Tharrrump-time and crash through the finish gate with all of us in the grandstand cheering you on! Do what you have to do; you do it well. The rest of us learn from you by watching and reading about someone who walks their talk; no matter what you’re doing, why, or how. Go Girl. (Love your colors!)

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Nessa

August 6, 2012

God, I’m exhausted for you.

I want that book, so get writing (I have the classes so I can afford to be selfish.)

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Kelly G in ATX

August 6, 2012

Dayum, girl! You may think that you’re setting lessons aside for the rest of us, but by setting your priorities and being honest and open about it, you’re still teaching us. Git them words wrote…we can wait for the rest of the lessons!

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Christa

August 6, 2012

Yes, Holly, publish the Cadence Drake books! I’ve been holding off buying a used copy so I can buy it directly from you.
Plus that will give me a little more time to scrounge up the funds to get into the HTRYN course before it goes public. : )
Thanks for all the hard work you do! I love your lessons, your HTTS and HTWAS courses really get my brain working when I’ve hit a slump (or even when I haven’t.)

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Arizona

August 6, 2012

Holly, go for it. And we hope you’ll keep us posted from time to time, just cos, you know, we love ya. Happy writing and may your fingers fly over the keys at warp speed. :o)

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Danzier

August 6, 2012

I wish you fluent fingers! That schedule looks, well, scary. Adventurous. …If you get done early can we buy it sooner? 😀

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EliseInAZ

August 6, 2012

It doesn’t surprise me that you’ve had to readjust your schedule. When you first posted how you were redoing the classes, it sounded like a very aggressive schedule. And I couldn’t believe that you were putting off full-time writing for over a year.

Writing has to come first. Your schedule still looks aggressive, but it’s certainly doable–barring migraines and other stuff life throws at you. Looking forward to the publication announcement for Warpaint.

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Rob Slater

August 6, 2012

Holly,
You go for it. I will buy your novel that day, but won’t start it until December 1st! NANOWRIMO! I can wait for HTTS updates and HTRYN until 2013!
Write on,
Rob

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