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  • The Canister X Transmission: Good to be Back

    The Canister X Transmission thumbnail

    It’s been two issues since THE CANISTER X TRANSMISSION went on a temporary hiatus . . . for a long time. It was needed. Not so much a break from the newsletter itself, but a break from the writing world in general. But now I’m back and am feeding you words every day. Videos, too, but those are fun.

    THE CANISTER X TRANSMISSION: YEAR FOUR and THE CANISTER X TRANSMISSION: THE LONG YEAR FIVE are at the printer’s and distribution is already underway. Since it’s not fully underway, I haven’t officially launched the books, but I will. Soon.

    People might wonder, “Why should I buy these collections, even a cheap eBook, when I get them in my inbox every Saturday?” Good question and a fair one. My answer is two: 1) You get a bonus issue in each collection, one not available anywhere else so if you enjoy the newsletter, it’s something extra for you. 2) It’s a way to show support for free content. Three bucks for the eBook where all issues are in one place and you don’t need an internet connection to read them. Sort of a way of putting a few bucks in a busker’s guitar case, if you want to look at it that way.

    Anyway, more issues to come. More content to come. More [hopefully] amusing items to read.

    Besides, you get my killer clown novelette free as a thank you for subscribing. Funnily enough, the same question about the collected editions of the newsletter can be asked for THE DANCE OF MERVO AND FATHER CLOWN. But my answer is the same: Supporting free content and supporting the creator who made it for you.

    But enough about sales. It feels good to be writing THE CANISTER X TRANSMISSION again. It’s sort of a way to air out my head plus also introduce you to stuff that you might’ve missed during the week. You can read over two hundred back issues for free here.

    Speaking of which, I don’t post every video I make to my blog. Lots of shorts and reels go out during the week so to ensure you get them, head on over to YouTube or TikTok and follow along. This way you won’t miss anything video-related.

    Crap. I did it again, didn’t I? Just pitched you on something. Bad habit.

    ZOMTROPOLIS: A RECORD OF LIFE IN A DEAD CITY is about to enter the editing stage so I can make my end-of-October deadline for release. I’ve been through the book a few times already, just not the new stuff I wrote to complete it. It will be an easy edit for both myself and my editor. Then it goes into production and the cover is made and ta da! Book.

    Hope you check it out once it’s released. I’ll be making a big stink about it so you’ll probably hear about it somehow.

    Anyway, time to get back to work.

    Enjoy your day.

    One step at a time.


  • The Daily Schedule of a Writer/Artist

    January 27 and 28 2020 day planner

    It’s been a long while since I wrote the daily schedule of a writer/artist (me, in this case). It might have been in one of the newsletters I sent out in the fall that I last talked about it. Might have been on the blog though I’m leaning toward the former. Anyway, regardless, a new layout of the schedule is probably due so here is what a typical day looks like for me at Axiom-man Central. Of course, like in any life, things happen that can throw a wrench into the following general workday. However, I stick to this schedule as the backbone of my whole operation and make time for it as able on days that get screwy. I’ve long advocated a schedule for creators as one of the important ingredients to making a successful career out of the arts.

    Monday to Friday:

    Wake up – Lately it’s been averaging between 8:30 and 9:30am. Next, roll around in bed for a short while to let the brain come online before checking the news.

    Coffee – Go down to the bunker and turn the computer on. Go back up to the main level and get coffee while the computer is loading (older machine so takes a bit to warm up).

    Patreon – On a day a Patreon post is scheduled, I do this first and get it done for my patrons. For example, today was the latest chapter of Gigantigator Death Machine so that was posted before writing this entry. Market Patreon entry.

    Blog – Skip previous step if a non-Patreon day. Write and/or edit blog entry. Take any required picture(s) and post. Market blog entry and set up in the broadcaster a couple of extra notices about the latest entry to air throughout the day on the social feeds.

    Break – Maybe around 15 or 20 minutes. Used to change mental gears. On the break I’ll either read something or play a game or fiddle with something around the house.

    Email – Check email and respond, if needed/able to.

    Work – Writing, drawing, editing, freelancing, book production, marketing, etc. Could be all of those or just one of them. Depends what’s on deadline and what isn’t. Work until 4 with a couple breaks thrown in there between tasks to rest the eyes and/or hands and get blood moving throughout the system. I’ve been trying to give careful attention to lunch because I get so wrapped up working I forget to eat then around 2 I start to feel real sick. A bad habit I’m working on. Back to the job: Pressing work is in my day planner so I consult it every morning so I know if I’ve set the day aside for something(s) specific. Whatever the day planner says I’m doing is priority one for the day. If the day planner shows the day as open, then I work on the next thing due. If things are due more or less around the same time, then I pick whatever I’m leaning toward at that moment.

    End of day – Around 4pm. Start shutting things down; possibly do a couple small tasks that had to wait until the end of the work day for whatever reason (i.e. a quick marketing thing or a phone call or whatever).

    Evening – Cooking is my thing so after the work day is done, I put on my chef’s hat and start thinking about what I want to make for dinner. This involves scoping out the deep freeze and scanning the pantry for ideas (though I usually start getting ideas mid-afternoonish). Then I cook dinner and let the day’s issues–if there are any–melt away. Once dinner is done, the evening is mine to do whatever with whomever (I usually hang out with author Melinda Marshall and this ranges from playing games to reading to TV to going for groceries, etc). On other nights, Melinda and I hang out with my boys.

    Bed – 10pm or thereabouts.

    Saturday:

    Wake up – Somewhere between 9:30 and close to 11am.

    Coffee – Enjoy a cup of coffee with Melinda.

    Newsletter – Head down to the bunker to send Saturday’s newsletter.

    The rest of Saturday and all of Sunday are days off, and it typically takes until late Saturday afternoon for me to put the week in my back pocket. Saturday evening and all of Sunday are used to do next to nothing and purposefully not think about work so my brain can heal from the week and be sharp for the week to come.

    And that’s what a typical week looks like here in the Great White North.

    To touch on what I said above about this schedule being the backbone on days things don’t go as planned, on such days I still let this overall schedule float in the background of my mind so that when a window of time opens up amidst that particularly goofy day, I can still do what needs doing or at least get a start on those things so the day isn’t a wash.

    Right now, this schedule works well and hasn’t changed much since I last talked about it. It will no doubt change somewhere down the line since life isn’t stagnant, but this method works for the time being.


  • New Artwork and Publishing Services Rates for 2020

    Keyboard and Pen and Markers
    I work with both traditional and digital tools.

    With 2020 around the corner, it’s time for me to visit my freelancing Artwork and Publishing Services Rates again and adjust things for the New Year.

    The following rates will be effective on January 1, 2020. If you book me before January 1, I will honor my old rates so this is a chance to book me now even if your project won’t be ready to go until early in the New Year.

    The formula for the list below is Old Rate > New Rate

    All rates are in US funds.

    Editing (which is a full edit that covers everything from copy editing to proofreading):

    Short stories (1,000 – 7,000 words): 1¢ per word > 1.5¢ per word

    Novelettes (7,001 – 15,000 words): $250 > $275

    Novellas (15,001 – 40,000 words): $325 > $350

    Short novels (40,001 – 60,000): $425 > $450

    Novels (60,001 – 80,000 words): $500 > $525

    Blockbusters (80,001 – 120,000): $625 > $650

    Doorstops (120,000+): inquire for quote

    Formatting:

    Paperback formatting – $200 > $225

    eBook formatting – $150 > $175

    Paperback and eBook formatting bundle – $325 > $375

    Book Cover Design (includes the paperback and eBook files):

    Using stock art/photos/art you acquired elsewhere: $275US or $350CAN > $300US or $400CAN

    A note on stock photos: I do my best to seek out stock photos that are free for commercial use, however, sometimes the perfect photo needs to be purchased. Responsibility of cost for the purchased photo is the client’s. All proposed purchases are cleared with the client first.

    NEW – Using my original art created for the project’s cover (which includes the use of the art plus all the design that goes into a stock photo cover): $500US or $675CAN

    NEW – Artwork Commissions

    Penciled only: $150 (for up to two figures; additional figures $20 each)

    Inked: $200 (for up to two figures; additional figures $30 each)

    Colored (digital or traditional media, depending on the piece): $350 (for up to two figures; additional figures $40 each)

    Custom Artwork: If your project doesn’t fit the above commission guidelines, inquire anyway and we’ll figure out something that works for both of us.

    Thank you. I look forward to working with you.