Good News

Well good news at last. Its been a long six or seven months (maybe more) waiting to get another book off the ground.

This week I was expecting an email to say the current status of the book, and a DHL package arrived at home, which was the contracts for the work. So great news!

I've posted them back today, and will start work in ernest on Sunday. The deadlines are tight, and it's going to be very hard work. The book is to be completed (450 pages) by January.

This is about half the time, and a hundred more pages than the last book, but I learnt alot from the last, and fingers crossed, I'm not going to have the same time issues this time around. Dont get me wrong, this timeframe is interesting, and will require me to put alot more dedication to it than before. I will let you know how i get on.

Just to give you an idea of the plan and the requirements (for anyone wanting to be a potential author out there)... Ive now booked 7 days holiday from work (3 in September, 2 in October and 2 in November) to help me keep the page count up. I used alot of my holiday up for the first book the previous year, but partly because of time issues I had to take extra days off to play catch up. So using just the last 7 I have actually doesn't sound alot (let's hope it's enough).

Im working on the basis that I need to do about 30 pages a week. Sounds easy but it can be difficult working full time and spending time with the family. The extra holiday time off helps alot, as the kids will be at school, and I can spread the 30 pages alittle more evenly over the week. The hard work is when you dont have time off, and in the week, its difficult to motivate after a day at a computer screen, to come back and put some time and effort in. So when you dont have a spare day, most of the work comes from the weekend. 30 pages doesnt sound alot, but when your on a few difficult chapters, that can decrease very slowly :(

Im an active game player (of course), and so that will need to be drastically cut. I play WOW (World of Warcraft), this will need to be cut to a very small amount (and any other games), keeping them to short bursts for light relief and writing breaks.

The same will be said for TV time. It's nice to sit down at 9 or 10pm and put on a nice dvd etc (I don't watch alot of normal tv). But that will go until end of December, which will make my wife happy, as she can concentrate on watching her programs without needing to worry about boring me.

Finally, Coffee and Tea will need to be in good supply, music (I-tunes), lots of early mornings and late nights. You need to make sure if your writing you have all the things that can help you progress. Watch out for the things that can distract though, like checking email every five minutes, or logging onto a forum you like and checking for posts... can really dent into your time.

So this is it, felt like a long time, but its now here, time to get on with it and see what happens. I have a couple of weeks to get some work done and give it to the publishers. The half manuscript is due end of October, so I'm going to be busy.

Oh you might be wondering what the book is about? Well its computer based again (hope if your reading this blog thats the kind of books you like), but for now, thats all i can reveal. Once the publisher has completed the front cover, a domain will be purchased and a new website will be made. Then i will let you know what it is and what the content is likely to be.

I will post again in about a weeks time and let you know how i'm getting on.

Thanks

Jason

Time for Reflection

It's been a while since my last post, but there has been a reason for this. Unfortunately the book deal that I was working on, fell through. It left me a little out of sorts, and i didnt feel like doing anything at that point.

Of course I was upset at not getting on with the book (I had already made all the contacts and pressured people into getting the permissions forms sorted quick ready for the start date). But it was not to be, and well thats what happens sometimes. I had my mind set on it and it took me a couple of months to want to even consider another project.

I'm in a position where ive written one book, but I want (need) to write another. Im sure I've mentioned it before but it's a weird experience, I dont feel like a true author at the moment, just someone who's written one book.

Well I've contacted a publisher with a proposal (not the same book idea as the one I was going to do - this is something new :). Ive been told that I will hear next week (probably). So it's back to the waiting game. This next book (if it gets signed) is less of a problem if it doesn't happen, Ive not needed to get peoples permission to get ready for it. Its much more straightforward (I'm glad to say).

If it doens't happen I'm not sure what Im going to do, I really need to write this second computer book. It's something my brain wont let go of, and I just need to do it. I dont really want to wait for the opportunity in 12 months etc, I just want to start it now. This may have something to do with how long it takes to get the book to print but also just needing to write a book that I feel is interesting (I don't have many book ideas that I really love the idea of).

Im hoping if it does happen, the book will be completed by January, which is a very very tight deadline, but I'm just going to have to work really hard and get through it.

If it does happen, I think for now it might be the last computer book I will do. Just because Ive only got three really good computer book ideas, the first Ive done, the second was not signed, and this one that Im currently working on getting signed. A problem then is what to do, I really have always wanted to write a fiction book, but that is a totally different set of challenges, and Im not sure I have those types of skills (I have some ideas but perhaps not the writing style or skills). It will be a challenge and I may well and truely fail. But i didnt actually think i would ever be published, so why not. Oh well that is for another time and another blog, something for me to consider next year.

Hopefully i will post something alittle more positive next week.

Jason

Ps for those that are interested i am now at level 42 of World of Warcraft :)