Snow usually hits Winnipeg around the end of October. This year it has come early. In fact, it’s snowing as I type this. Those white patches in the photo above are snow. Rumor has it a storm might hit this weekend. No matter. Since it’s Thanksgiving in Canada this weekend, I’ll be safe inside eating turkey.
The arrival of snow means it’s time for me to start getting my winter productivity plan underway, which is a variation on how, and what, I’m working on now.
I’m hoping this winter season is an opportunity to catch up on releasing books that should have come out while I was ill and, possibly, create some new ones. The next step in the process is to sit down and ponder timelines then break those general timelines down into smaller steps so deadlines can be adhered to. (My newsletter is a great place to keep up to date on timelines and work being done.)
Stay warm.
– APF
Ps. Tomorrow, a new chapter of my ongoing creature feature serial novel, Gigantigator Death Machine, hits Patreon! Don’t miss out.
Status report for 100919 – Busy week thus far, including–but not limited to–notes on marketing ideas for books, comics, social media, and the blog; Inktober; SEO work; book order facilitation; contracted publishing work; daily blogging; idea formulation.
Last night, as I was winding down, I was struck with an idea for another massive project, one that, by it’s very nature, would be ongoing for years to come. I made a bunch of notes, but I had that famous moment where I thought, Gee, don’t I have enough to do already?
“Why is it that I keep coming up with ideas for gigantor projects? As if I’m not busy enough writing books, making comics, blogging daily, taking and sharing pictures of my cooking efforts, marketing, freelancing, and trying to rebuild my life. I need to stop sleeping.”
If I could indeed stop sleeping, that would free up 8 to 10 hours a day. But I also know that without a good night’s sleep, a person won’t make it in this world, and my years of functioning off minimal sack time are long gone.
My plan for this massive project is to let it simmer in the ol’ noggin and if I’m still hyped about it in a week or two (or more), then maybe I’ll put it in motion.
One of the main reasons people enjoy entertainment–whether that be books, comics, or movies–is because they say it provides them with an escape from everyday life. And let’s be honest: the world isn’t too pretty right now. In fact, if people needed an escape from reality, 2019 is a good year to hammer down on that.
It’s often claimed people don’t like to think when being entertained. They just want a break from life, be told a good story, and that is all.
Except . . . that doesn’t happen. Entertainment immerses you in life under the illusion of escape.
See, there is a reason that while we’re in the middle of being entertained we like what we’re watching/reading, why we have favorite books or movies. The reason is this: we can relate to the source of entertainment on some level, whether overtly or subtly. Whether a scene is plain-as-day relatable (someone at work getting a cup of coffee while talking to an intense co-worker) or something metaphorical even if just on a subconsciously-recognizable level (good guy fighting a bad guy, equating to us wrestling with our own issues), everything in a piece of entertainment is a reflection of real life, the very life we’re trying to escape from.
(Even something as whacky as watching a psychedelic cartoon is akin to us closing our eyes and watching the colors swirl by.)
You get my point.
There is no “escape” into entertainment. It might feel like it with your brain sending reward chemicals throughout your body and you’re muscles relaxing while you slouch in your recliner; you might even forget your problem(s) for a short time, but in actuality, you’ve simply just changed your perceived interaction with the world.
If anything, entertainment is an avenue that gives us the tools to deal with the world around us. How many times have you watched a movie or read a book and related to what’s going on, whether to a specific person or situation? How many times have you looked at how a character handled something and applied a similar or same idea or solution to your own life? How many times have you quoted memorable lines to yourself whether for encouragement, wisdom, or humor? How many times have characters reminded you of people you know thus creating a bridge between you and them, even bringing some understanding as to why your friend Joe does what he does? The combinations of these things are nearly endless.
Entertainment speaks to us on multiple levels and automatically puts us in a state of active or passive engagement. And it’s this engagement that immerses you in entertainment. Your brain is always working. It never shuts off. Even when you sleep, it’s working and showing you stuff and telling you stories.
As you’re being entertained, you’re processing what you’re reading or seeing and correlating it to what’s already in your head and the world around you to help you make sense of life. It’s impossible to escape into entertainment, that is, truly escape. Entertainment is simply another window through which to view the world. (Even fantastical worlds, which were created and written with some, even minute, connection to reality.)
All this isn’t meant to put a damper on entertainment value but rather add a new layer to it, a recognition of what’s really going on when we try to get away from planet Earth 2019.
Outside, fall has settled. The gray clouds are out. My kind of weather.
This is a fitting picture of work life at the moment. Lots of work in progress (the leaves), with ominous gray clouds hanging overhead (projects yet to be done). It’s been a long time since I’ve had sixteen thousand things on the go. (Okay, not that many but you get the idea.)
I’m thankful to be working again. I’m thankful to have enough on my plate to keep the creative machine going.
I’m thankful I’m no longer in my own personal gray forest. Just a gray forest of work.
As mentioned in yesterday’s post, I’m participating in Inktober this year. This is my first time. For those who don’t know what Inktober is, it’s basically NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) but for artists. The goal? Draw one inked drawing a day and share it with at least one person on-line or off-.
Today is Day Three so after I post this blog entry, I’ll be working in my sketchbook to create a new offering. Days One and Two are posted to my social media, which is where you’re invited to check out my daily drawings. My Inktober efforts show up on my Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr feeds.
October has just started and I had to spend some time thinking about what this month will look like in terms of work (roughly). If I’ve learned anything from my years in this business, it’s that one needs to be organized. Fortunately, my natural thinking process involves putting everything into lists under various headings and then looking at those items and breaking them down day by day. Some stuff is written down on paper, other stuff is written down in my head. Regardless, those items are then transferred to a calendar—both real and mental—thus informing me what each day entails. For the most part, I’ve learned to leave tomorrow in tomorrow, even parts of today in their respective parts of today. All that matters come nightfall is that the day’s tasks are done.
This eliminates confusion and keeps a rein on anxiety.
So what does my October to-do list look like?
So far:
– regular Web upkeep like this blog and backlog SEO work
– edits for a client
– finding out the finer details for a job I’m signing papers for tomorrow and then doing the work thereof
– Inktober until the end of the month (daily ink drawings posted to my social media channels)
– Ship off Kickstarter rewards for the Axiom-man/Auroraman: Frozen Storm campaign to Jeff Burton (this includes getting things done at the local printer for the paperback; my part of the lettered edition hardcover is done)
– posting the Gigantigator Death Machine serial novel, behind-the-scenes stuff, and essays to Patreon
Welcome to October, ladies and gentlemen. Today marks the beginning of a new month, the onset of fall (my favorite season), warm houses, cozy soups, lots of coffee, Happy Jack (pumpkin ale from local brewery Fort Garry Brewing Company) and, of course, lots of work.
Under normal circumstances, the end of October would not just be Halloween, but the Central Canada Comic Con (C4) as well. I couldn’t attend last year because I was ill and this year it was unfortunately announced C4 has closed its doors for good. Which is too bad. It was a massive show with tens of thousands of people in attendance. I always looked forward to it to meet my readers and sign old books and new. I tabled there from 2007 to 2017. It is a bummer, but all good things must come to an end, I suppose. I don’t know what happened behind the scenes or why the show wasn’t sold to another party, but I am grateful for all the years I attended, the year I was a guest, the kindness of the show’s owners (Michael Paille and Violet), the cool people I met, the creators I networked with, the wicked cosplay I saw, and, most importantly, having a chance to talk to my readers face-to-face.
It truly is the end of an era, the end of Central Canada Comic Con.
I wish Michael and Violet the best as they go into the future.
Back to October: I have some plans for this month. Not sure what I want to say on here just yet, but creating will be done. I suppose for now just watch this space or subscribe to my weekly newsletter.
Once more I’ll state my belief that blogging is not dead, just misplaced. In a world of quick social media posts and soundbites, it’s easy to forget the Web is loaded with websites chock full of information, entertainment, and news. Many folks are dissatisfied with the way social media has gone and how it affects their mental health and overall well being, so I encourage you this coming week to spend time web surfing to see what you’ll find. Check out articles you’ve been meaning to read, creator websites you’ve been meaning to go to, topics you’ve been meaning to investigate.
As an invitation from me, please take a moment and explore this blog. There is a lot here by way of free entertainment and free information. A decent portion of my creative output is spent giving readers things for free and I want you to take advantage of it so you can get to know me as a creator. On this site alone you have access to numerous articles, artwork, movie and book reviews, links to other creators, and more. This blog–the magic of blogging–is my way of getting information and entertainment to you in a way social media doesn’t let me. This blog is my house and you’re welcome to stay here and put your feet up for a while.
On a personal note, I’m enjoying blogging five days a week. It’s an opportunity to share ideas and information with the world on a platform that is my own. I’ve always believed writing is about honesty and that any creator needs to live and express themselves honestly without fear of what other people think. There are enough clones in this world and part of the role of the arts–when handled without pretension–is to speak to the human condition and portray things as they are uncut and uncensored. This role also falls on the creator and not just their work. The idea of art being about self-expression (that is, the work created) but not the artist themselves being self-expressive is a contradiction. I’m not saying an artist needs to put their whole selves on the display for the world to see, but I am saying that–and I’ve seen this countless times over–it’s a disservice to the reader or viewer for the artist to put across one message with their work but then muddle that honesty by playing to the public and telling the public what they want to hear instead of being truthful in whatever is being expressed.
The magic of blogging is that a blog is one way for a person to express themselves honestly. Sure, some folks might not like what they read. Others will be all over it. The point is that the expression was made and, frankly, these expressions will be all that’s left of us after we leave this world. I’d rather leave bits of my true self behind than an illusion for the public.
This is my approach and arguments can be made against it being the right one. What I do know is that my blogging and what I blog about works for me both professionally and personally. And that’s really the trick, isn’t it? Finding out what works for you? The only way to do that is to experiment and play around and find your groove. Only then will you, too, discover the magic of blogging.
This week I’ve been growing my Patreon. More people have come on board (thank you) and more content has been added. Friday saw the new chapter of Gigantigator Death Machine go up along with something from behind the scenes. Other items have been added to it since it first launched. Though I’m still at the beginning stages of my Patreon page, I’ve learned that it’s meant to be tended to like a garden, with water (content) and sun (people) making it grow. It’s thrilling to watch the page find its footing. I have a lot planned for it and it’s important to me to make sure my patrons are happy as much as is reasonably possible.
In other news, most of my Web mechanisms are now in place for the winter months. There was a lot of work and a lot of setup required to get the creative machine running again. I’m glad the bulk of it is behind me because now I can focus on creating new things and adding to the groundwork that has already been laid. Watch this space for news on upcoming releases.
Shortly, the new issue of The Canister X Transmission goes out. Don’t forget to take part in that. You get a free novelette as a thank you for joining us.
The weekend is now here. Take some time for yourself over the next two days. Go for a walk. Read a book. Sit outside and take in nature before it freezes over. It’s good for you.
