Looking back, 2020 was my most productive year in terms of publishing, and one of my poorest in terms of new words. The majority of the words published got written between November, 2019, and March, 2020. In the 445 days since I started using 4thewords.com to keep track, I’ve written 609,523. A lot of those are in the trash because they didn’t work out, but I’m resetting the counter to sync up with the year.
Words aren’t that good a gauge, but they’re something I can count. The more words I write, the more stories come out of them. Making myself accountable for the words means I have to do all the other stuff, too, and helps me focus – usually. Sometimes it just makes me melt down.
So, word counts are important to me. A novel is 100,000 words more or less. I draft at about 1000 words an hour which means a novel is 50 days at 2 hours. I’m coming back to this because it worked for me very well for months before it all crashed.
So much happened last year.
Text releases of: Cape Grace, Finwell Bay, The Wizard’s Butler, and Dark Knight Station: Origins. I’m caught up on paperbacks except for Dark Knight Station. (I’m waiting for the inevitable typo reports before I commit to paper.)
Audio releases of: Home Run, Cape Grace, and – just under the wire – Finwell Bay.
I have a new series starting up that I’m co-writing with my daughter. The first book will probably be the first thing we publish in 2021. Look for Salt, Book 1 of the Barbarians, in February-March.
Yeah. I’m going to gloss over the pain and anguish and move on to my goals for 2021.
A. Restore a 2000 word daily average (by month) for the year. In theory that’s about five or six novels. I know how to do it. I just need to get it done.
B. Get my walking and talking back on track. I only did about half the days in 2020 and that’s bad for me – mentally and physically.
C. Publish at least three books. My TBW pile has the next Ishmael book on the top (tentative title Semester in Space), The Wizard’s Cat behind it, and third is either a new shaman’s tale or another Ishmael book.
So that’s it. 2020 is gone. I’m hoping for the best in 2021 and I’ve got plans, tools, and techniques that can help me achieve them.
Thank you for all your support over the last decade. Here’s hoping you all have a safe and healthy new year.
Time to turn the page.
Happy New Year! Its been a tough year, but your books have helped us get through it.
Happy New Year! I’m glad to hear about the new books planned.
Nathan, I also enjoy Glynn Stewards work, its light reading, but he’s quite inventive and provides engaging stories.
Slipping back towards SF and away from Fantasy/Magic, I wonder if you have read any of Joel Sheppard’s work? He has three main series, a near (or nearer) future urban series featuring a human looking AI in a sexy human female body, a swords and crossbows style medieval series featuring a strong willed female, and a far future hard sci-fi series called the Spiral Wars. It is this series I particularly recommend. The audio book is narrated by the superlative John Lee, who’s elocution amplifies character building by an order of magnitude. You often post about what you are reading, while providing updates on your audiobooks. This always makes me wonder if you yourself enjoy audiobooks. For me, a well done narration can really make a book come alive. It’s why I first latched onto Quarter Share all those years ago. I found your narration to be captivating, not necessarily in its quality, but in its earnestness. Ironically, I have only listened to the original Solar Clipper series with your narration. All you other books I have read in text format, but I read them in your voice. So looking forward to more Ishmael books, and hope the girls find some proper love interests as well. As a member of the over-50 club, I recommend a nutritional tablet called Relief Factor (relief factor.com). It’s been amazing for my own arthritis in my feet.
Thanks, Nathan.
I’ll look into Shepherd’s work.
I used to have a very long drive to work and back every day. Upwards of an hour each way so I had plenty of time to listen. I don’t listen to audiobooks because I don’t have a commute – or any other activity like that – any more.
If I’m going to settle in with a book, I’ll read it myself. 🙂
So will that “Semester in Space” be a normal person’s “semester” or a Pip “semester”?
Keep bringing out the stories and we’ll keep reading them.
I’m envisioning a full year, picking up cadets early in their program and adding another year to the curriculum. There’s a lot of possibilities here and I’m still winnowing out the wheat from the chaff.
Nathan,
Just wanted to say thanks – I read your entire oeuvre last year after amazon recommending me one of the solar clipper series. I wish you good health and spirits this year, and look forward to reading your new works in 2021 and onwards.
I enjoyed Origins.
I had to laugh when I saw the title Semester in Space because of the history. Thanks for that 🙂
Perhaps you can tie that into Pip’s idea for an academy for crew in the Toe Holds. Does the semester include jumps into the Toe Holds? Or does the High Line really want to hide the Toe Holds?
Nathan,
This is the year in Australia that we were in lockdown for months at a time, and we needed to go someplace else. So I signed up for Kindle Unlimited and began looking for new authors. I like to dig in and write everything they have written. I found Wizard’s Butler and recognized a great writer. I then signed on for the Articles with Ishmael and I can’t remember when I have been so engrossed in a set of books. Thank You. I will be writing reviews for all of them, but I just can’t stop reading right now to do it!
I, too, have had some pain problems in my feel and legs, I sympathize. I have found great relief by eliminating Night Shades and sugar from my diet. Sounds boring, huh? Yes my daily diet is boring, and eating out is a nightmare, but the cramps are mainly gone. It took me over a year and one-half to discover all the well hidden ingredients in foods that are now eliminated. I am now eating great stuff by proxy in your books.
Thanks again. I will be following you for the rest of my life.
Origins is the best thing I’ve read in a long while. I think it slots in to the “favorites” right behind the original Ish series.
Great work! Keep it up!
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve re-listened to Ishmael’s tales in the past year. They are a balm to my psyche during these troubled times, and I can revisit them, like sinking into a warm bath. I really enjoyed “The Wizard’s Butler” and can’t wait to get the audio version. Just got your “Course Corrections” e-newsletter. Thanks so much for the “Indigo” recommendation. Just started it, and it is turning into another balm to my psyche kind of read. Just want to let you know, I appreciate you, I appreciate your TOMMW podcast, and I appreciate the quiet joy of reading and re-reading your books.
Hello.
Just wanted to add my compliments and encouragement. I have re-read all your works several times – they certainly stand up to a re-read and I get so much out of them each time. Joy and tears and inspiration. I will certainly be following you and buying your works for as long as they keep coming! Thank you Nathan. I hope 2021 is better for you health-wise.
Regards.
Hello Nathan. My wife and I have bought all of your books (as far as I can tell) and we’ll keep buying them as long as you keep pumping them out. But I can’t help but wonder whether you are pushing yourself too hard. To a non-author like me, 2,000 words a day year after year seems like an extremely hectic and stressful schedule. I also don’t know what your financial situation is, although I’d hope it is comfortable given all the books you’ve already published and how popular they are. Please don’t over-do it and damage your health. From my viewpoint, I’d like you to continue writing many books for many years into the future, even if it means they come out less frequently. Anyway, thank you for all of the enjoyment you’ve brought us, and please forgive my kibitzing.
Thanks, Daniel. 🙂