(Image by congerdesign from Pixabay)
The tags for this cover picture today included the word ‘breakfast’.
I’ve been looking at the ‘breakfast’, and I think it’s a slice of bread (or toast), with sliced banana on and topped off with chocolate flakes. Dark chocolate flakes. 🤢
Who has that for breakfast? 🤔
The weekend
I worked very hard on Friday to get the last part of ghostwriting (1) Book 6 in, and I actually managed it during the day, and while it was still daylight. I didn’t do anything else, mind. But at least I did do that.
The plan then was to have the weekend off. And I did. Mostly. We did the shopping mid-morning on Saturday, but on Saturday afternoon I planned my diary for the coming week and then I started the proofreading job that’s been hanging over me.
I lost the light, though, and didn’t feel like (a) dragging the project light into the living room (where I could sit and work while the poet watched the cricket on telly), or (b) going to sit on my own in my office. So I called it a day and took the rest of the evening off.
Also on Saturday, ghostwriting client #1 sent me the schedule and the outline through for Book 7.
On Sunday I started work again after midday and worked, again, until the light went. And I almost finished it too. I only have a few pages left. When the light went again, I did some brainstorming work for the cover story for Words Worth Reading.
Also on Sunday, payment was approved for ghostwriting (1) Book 6 Part 4, and the contract arrived for Book 7.
The plan for the week
Because I did the diary work on Saturday, I already have a plan fleshed out for the week.
The basic plan is that from 10am to 1pm I work on my work (3 hours), and from 2pm until 5pm I work on client work (4 hours).
My work
Here, then, is my list for the day:
- write today’s blog post
- import today’s blog post to Medium
- write outline for The Girl on the Bench (still a working title)
- brainstorm The Most Scariest Night of the Year
- draft the welcome letter for Words Worth Reading Issue 1
- update Asana (project management)
- read through Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras is the current name of the 50,000-word novella that I’m splitting in two for the first two issues of Words Worth Reading. At the moment, I’m still trying to come up with the cover. (I’ll add the cover to the library but use the artwork in the magazine.)
I do have a whole series of artworks for a series of books starring the two main characters and I’d like to use one of those. However, the poet thinks that the first one is a bit dark – in colour, not in subject. So he’s going to have a go at ‘lifting’ it a little.
If I go with the new cover, then I might change the title, as ‘Mardi Gras’ is quite light and happy and cheerful, whereas the stories are going to be a little steampunky, and ‘Mardi Gras’ is a bit twee for that, I think.
Client work
Here’s my client work in for today:
- finishing proofreading history book
- markup pdf
- return history book to client
- break down outline for ghostwriting client 2
- send feedback to ghostwriting client 2
- start writing ghostwriting (2) book chapter 1
- break down outline for ghostwriting (1) book 7
- transfer outline for ghostwriting (1) book 7 to Scrivener
- start writing ghostwriting (1) book 7 chapter 1
There is another ghostwriting client waiting in the wings, but they’re being a bit unresponsive to some of the questions I’ve been asking. They want me to sign an NDA, which is understandable, but they won’t confirm the rate of pay and they’ve failed to acknowledge the start time I’ve given them.
Now, from my initial look, it seems like it might be a nice new regular client to have. But to ignore two fundamental questions at this stage of the game is waving a little red flag for me. I get that they might want me to sign the NDA first, which they have sent. But how hard is it for them to say that?
I’ll be keeping a close eye on that one.
