And so another month (and a bit) passes, some of it good… some not so good. Amongst a host of other things going on in the real world, we had to find ourselves a new house. We didn’t mess about either. We saw a house, we bought it, and we moved in, all in a matter of weeks. It didn’t leave much time for writing.
That said, I still managed to make some good progress. I was able to finish part one of Kirea’s short story, which I hope will be the first in a collection of background stories for characters in The Ember Child. I also managed to complete a chapter in my latest WIP, and got a good chunk of the way through a second. I’ll get back to tracking things properly next month, once the dust has settled from the move.
Meanwhile, I’ve also had some time to think about the blog. You see, one of the few disappointments of having to move house is that the Cave has gone. Or, more accurately, the lavish study that gave the Cave its name has gone, traded in for a bit of worktop stuck in a dark corner just outside the new kitchen.
Long term the plan is to replace the physical Cave with a new, superior version, but for now I’ll have to make do with kitchen traffic disturbing my creative flow. Not that it’s all bad. Easier access to the fridge and kettle seems a fair trade off, all things considered. What I’ve come to realise is that the Cave is as much a part of myself as it is the place I work. Wherever I go, the stories will continue to flow from that big, cavernous hole I carry around in my chest… no, wait, that’s not quite right…! Pah, you know what I mean!
As things stand, I still think the blog can be doing more to improve my writing and increasing exposure to my work – which is the aim of the game really: finding new readers. The monthly progress reports and occasional life experience are great, but not really enough to get unfamiliar readers interacting and coming back for more.
So I’ve decided it’s time to put some meat on the bone, to spice things up, to throw a fly in the ointment, a monkey in the wrench… ok, I’m done. Basically it’s a new dawn for the Cave and I’m going to give things a proper go.
I’ve thrown a blog schedule together (fancy, I know), in which I plan to be dropping posts twice a week. I don’t really want this to impact my novel writing or family time too much, so I may not hit the target every time, but the plan is to post on a Tuesday and a Friday.
To give myself a better chance, I’ve decided on three areas to post about, with around three different topics for each.
Firstly, there’s Tales From Domanska. To date, most of my fantasy stories take place in the world of Domanska, and this is where I’ll post all about them. You’ll find all the latest news relating to my works, including new releases, special events, and exclusive competitions. You’ll also find excerpts of my current works in progress, plus a selection of short stories exclusively released on the blog.
Then there’s The Writing Craft. In this area you’ll find my monthly progress reports, where I’ll keep you posted on how the work is going… or not going, as the case may be. I’m also planning on posting some articles on my writing process, including the tools I use and the techniques that work for me. Under the category The Journey you’ll find posts all about the road to publication, hopefully joining me in the quest to take my current WIP from the idea stage right through to submission and release.
Finally, there’s Life Stuff, in which I’ll blog about anything else life throws at me along the way. Stories that amuse me; reviews of the books and movies that inspire my own work; plus the occasional fiery rant. You’ll find them all here, and much more besides.
To help get all this across, I’ve created a new home page that hopefully better informs visitors of who I am and what the blog offers, plus provides easier access to the content they’re interested in.
Check the Home page out now to see the refurb for yourself. I may make a few tweaks here and there over the next few days, so don’t hesitate to drop me an email or leave a comment with any feedback. Anything that helps me improve is always welcome.
And don’t forget about the new mailing list too (coming soon!). Signing up for that will give you all the latest news, hottest posts, and special offers, as well as some exclusive content.
Mostly though, just keep in touch. This new Cave will have all the bling.
Tony
21st September 2018
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