Icarus Kote

New and proud author of a blossoming tale. The Ivory Saga has begun. Bear witness to its prelude.

[Icarus Kote @IcarusKote]

It is finally time. The Ivory Saga begins. Son of the Sanctumite is now available on Amazon. #ShamelessSelfpromoFriday #ShamelessSelfpromo #fantasybooks #writerslift #authorsoftwitter #books #fantasy #bookboost #writerscommunity #readingcommunity

https://t.co/3hTM17vk3A

[Icarus Kote @IcarusKote]

I finally got around to writing the first draft of my fable. The hard part is going to be editing.

[Icarus Kote @IcarusKote]

I attempting my very first 36-hour fast. It is hour 19. It has been hour 19 for what feels like 2 hours.

[Icarus Kote @IcarusKote]

Whenever I try to focus on writing my sequel, I keep going back to marketing. Since not many read my first book, I keep thinking that I'm writing a book no one will ever read. I've got to stop thinking about it. Writing is what makes me happy. Marketing is worse than taxes.

[Icarus Kote @IcarusKote]

Not only did I have to research into blacksmithing, I had to make it matter in a narrative sense. I can finally proceed.

[Icarus Kote @IcarusKote]

Nine parts copper.
One part tin.
Melt them down.
Tin first.
Then the copper.
Mix thoroughly.
Pour into casting.
Simmer.
Check for imperfections.
Anneal.

[Icarus Kote @IcarusKote]

Oh no. I'm at the part of the sequel where I need to figure out how smithing works. I need to put in enough accurate details where I showed I did my homework, but not enough where I put the reader to sleep. The chapter doesn't end until I find some semblance of balance.

[Icarus Kote @IcarusKote]

Audiobook is now just about ready to post on Audible, but I need to figure out how to get it traction. It doesn't matter if I post the audiobook if no one ever bothers to listen.

[Icarus Kote @IcarusKote]

Audiobook's almost done. I asked my narrator a few questions, and she said she gave the encouragement that I could be an author for a living. That is nice to hear, but I just can't see it, since I keep falling on my face with marketing. Someday, strangers will read what I write.

[Icarus Kote @IcarusKote]

Got a few beta readers for the next book. They like what they see so far.

[Icarus Kote @IcarusKote]

I should resign myself to letting the first draft being sub-par and trust myself to fix it the next time around. Just have to focus on the plot points making sense. The minutia will come over time. I just can't agonize over the phrasing anymore on the first draft.

[Icarus Kote @IcarusKote]

Had to dedicate an afternoon to just creating a spreadsheet for resource allocation. Nothing like bean-counting to make the years weigh down on you.

[Icarus Kote @IcarusKote]

Very certain I got an A on my final. I'm glad it was only an hour as well. I didn't have the energy for much more. Let's see if I can make some writing progress despite the long day.

[Icarus Kote @IcarusKote]

Found extra time by unexpectedly waking up in the middle of the night and start writing things out. Today's going to hurt.

[Icarus Kote @IcarusKote]

I am now changing gears in my strategy. I'm going to engage with bookstores directly and see if they will put some free copies on their shelves. I'm no door-to-door salesman, but I must keep trying.

[Icarus Kote @IcarusKote]

Ran a route outside. I didn't get much faster, but I didn't buckle under the heat. Progress.

[Icarus Kote @IcarusKote]

I have made some more progress on the sequel. While I have the first book's manuscript at the ready for reference, it is much more satisfying to find the page I'm looking for on a physical copy at my desk.

[Icarus Kote @IcarusKote]

I'm learning that marketing is as endless as it is joyless. I've decided that having having a completed series that no one has read is a better problem to have than never figuring out marketing, despite putting so much time into it.

[Icarus Kote @IcarusKote]

@Anthonylance60 Kid pieces together that the world and the people in it are not very nice. The people he cares about are not necessarily excluded.

[Icarus Kote @IcarusKote]

Has anyone here used Scribophile? Has that been helpful to your writing?