“Shermmies’ Planet” by Ryan M. Williams, author of the Moreau Society series, is available (with a bonus story) on Kindle, Smashwords, and Nook.

This afternoon I tried out a new journal/sketching app called Paper | FiftyThree, nice, simple tools perfect for a quick sketch when you’re not worrying about layers, layer modes, and a bunch of tools. I have several drawing apps on my iPad now, each has its own strengths but this is an easy, elegant and non-intimidating tool.

In my efforts to improve my graphic design, painting, and drawing skills I’ve been studying as much as I can — but I need to practice more often. It’s hard to find the time, but it’s something that I’m dedicated to doing.

Today I uploaded the February issue of Exposed Monthly to Smashwords. It’s very late. I’ve had the contents of the issue done for the past month but was hung up on the artwork. I had a concept for the cover art that challenged my abilities. I think I managed to capture the concept, but I can’t say that it meets my mental image of what I was looking to create.

And that’s okay.

I have to remind myself of that sometimes. I do the best I can, whether it’s writing a story, a novel or painting a picture for the cover of the magazine, or an e-book. I do the best I can and I try to have fun.

And then I practice more.

In recent weeks I haven’t been great about following my rule: Create. Share. Repeat.

Create. I’ve been doing pretty good with the writing, less with the art and I need to work on that, but I have been creating a lot of new content. Writing as Tennessee Hicks I just finished writing Killing Dead Things, which is launched in this issue of Exposed Monthly.

Share. This is the area where I’ve really missed my targets. I just haven’t gotten things out. The original idea for Exposed Monthly was to get the issues out right at the start of the next month, but as I wrote before, I’d started behind and haven’t caught up. I’m working to change that and over at my publishing site at Glittering Throng Press there’s a free story each week. New material, some from the pages of Exposed Monthly, and other stories will come out in the weeks ahead. Starting in June I’ll also be releasing a new novel, with more to come.

Repeat. I need to keep up with the current plan, keep on creating and stay on top of the sharing at the same time.

Right now I’m hard at work on getting the March issue ready for release. It’ll include a lengthy feature from the Character Voice Workshop taught by Dean Wesley Smith that I attended at the end of the month. Not a lot of new art in that issue either, but I have a few things to include. It’ll include more dead things, and some short fiction too. As I get back on track hopefully I’ll get the April issue out much quicker.

Publishing today is an exciting new world, and I’m busy tackling it, learning, and eager to share. Thanks for joining me for the ride!

This issue of Exposed Monthly features work created during January 2012.

The issue includes:

• “Eating Disorder” by Tennessee Hicks
• The conclusion of Land Lubbers: Cabin Boys by Ryan M. Williams
• The launch of Waiting for Cake by Kate N. Ryan
• Featured Indie Author Spotlight on author Jeff Ambrose, author of Dr. Balthasar’s House & Other Stories

And much more!

Pick up a copy now at MagCloud in collectible full-color 8.5″ x 11″ print, with free digital PDF, or purchase as a digital download.

E-book editions available at: Nook, Smashwords, DriveThruFiction, Kindle

Available soon in e-book editions at: Sony, Diesel and Kobo

It sounded like a good idea.

I think it is a good idea and I’m not going to stop.

Along with the idea of showcasing the novels and stories as quick as possible, I also wanted to illustrate the magazine.

“and what is the use of a book,’ thought Alice ‘without pictures or conversation?’”

I certainly hope that the novels and stories have conversations but it seemed clear that a magazine without pictures would look odd too. Paying artists to illustrate the magazine would have raised the cost far outside my means of pursuing the project. Exposed isn’t supported by ad revenue (any ads are of my own work, or the work of fellow indie authors that I choose to feature). Not to mention the added complexity it would have created.

And aside from all of that, I wanted to illustrate the magazine.

Now, I don’t consider myself a particularly skilled artist. I haven’t gone to art school. Over the years I have dabbled now and then with thoughts of pursuing art studies, but I haven’t done that yet.

That is, until launching this project. Exposed Monthly created an ongoing need to produce several illustrations each month. Illustrations that challenge my abilities and knowledge. Right now there’s a big disconnect from what I picture in my head and the final execution.

I’m used to that. It’s the case with any artistic endeavor. Writing’s no different. The manuscript produced may not communicate to the reader precisely what the writer intended. Each drawing, just like each manuscript, is another attempt to practice. In time the artist improves and their creation communicates much better, but progress isn’t uniform. This one works, that one doesn’t. The next does somewhat, and then maybe the next works really well. Over time you hope that you rise up and create something that works more often than not, but it’s always a struggle.

I’m learning and practicing. I’m hitting the books. Since I work digitally I’ve upgraded my tools from my old Intuos 2 tablet to an Intuos 4. I’m reading ImagineFX (possibly the coolest magazine ever). I’m taking my visual art just as seriously as the written word.

And having lots of fun with it!

Another issue with this plan is time. I decided to launch the magazine late in November, so in December when I started pulling together the first issue I needed to create the art. I did that as quickly as I could but it put me out of sync with the writing. The November issue featured everything written in November, but the art was mostly created in December. The same thing happened with the December issue. The January issue even more delayed.

I need to fix that problem. To that end the January and February issues are coming out without many pictures. Sorry, Alice, but that has to be the case. I need to get the art work on the same schedule so that each issue features the stories AND the art from the month prior. That way I’m building the issue across the whole month, and then can release it right away at the end of the month.

Exposed Monthly showcases what I’m working on each month. That means you get to see my successes and failures as I learn. Thanks for taking a look.

Good news?

Okay, here it is: since October 18th I’ve written every single day! I think that’s awesome. What it really means is more content for readers, over 185,000 words of new fiction since I started my challenges.

So what’s the bad news?

Just because it gets written doesn’t mean that anyone can actually read it. I launched Exposed Monthly to give readers a first look at what I’ve written in the month prior in an attempt to get material out as soon as possible. Don’t worry, that’s not going to stop.

The trouble is, I’ve been spending all my time writing. That’s great on the one hand but if I don’t have time to get material out to readers then what’s the point? I’ve finished two novels recently which have had excerpts in Exposed Monthly, but they aren’t out for readers in a complete form. I have a backlog of stories that haven’t been released outside the magazine and titles that were written before I launched the magazine.

It also means that Exposed Monthly won’t end up as long, which will bring down the price of the full-color print editions. I’m also reducing the electronic edition price across all formats, effective as soon as the stores update.

Okay, that’s a problem, so what does it mean?

It means I’m modifying my challenges. The writing streak stays. I think writing every day is critical for my productivity. But I’m going to drop my target word count. I’ve been shooting for at least 50,000 words per month and that’s just not leaving me time  for anything else.

My new goal?

35,000 words per month. It’s a nice number. That puts a ~70,000 word novel done in two months. Or a longer work in three. On my schedule for the year I’m on track for completing six novels this year, so that isn’t bad. That gives me a book for each of my pen names this year if I don’t have to cut into the schedule any more and can actually stick to it. The schedule still looks pretty much the same, just longer on each book and some place-holder slots have been pulled out, pushed out to next year.

Fewer books, what are the gains?

Chiefly? More releases. More stories, collections and novels coming out from Glittering Throng Press. More timely releases. More artwork and illustration — and I need the practice! This is a big year as some of the series I’m writing start to take off. The Dead Things series will hit three books, same with Goblin Alley and the Moreau Society novels, not to mention all the other works planned including stand-alone novels like a new horror novel by R.M. Haag and my nearly-completed romance Waiting for Cake by Kate N. Ryan.

Personally, better health. I’ve slacked off my exercise goals lately and need to get back on track with that plan too. Also more time with my family, less stress and more sleep.

Will this work?

I guess we’ll see! I need to try something. I’d rather not cut back more than this on my writing time. I’ll keep the challenge page updated on my progress and each month Exposed Monthly will feature the very latest writing and artwork.

• Write 50,000+ words.
• Continue writing streak, currently at 106 days and counting.
• Release the next issue of Exposed Monthly: Raw Creation!

For the past three months I’ve been successful meeting these challenges. I was later on releasing the December 2011 issue of Exposed Monthly than I’d like, but it still came out. I hope to get the January issue out sooner. I also want to spend time doing more artwork, so we’ll see how that goes. I’m constantly learning and practicing and Exposed Monthly is the place to get the first look at what I’m trying, both in writing and painting/drawing.

On top of all of that I’ve got a new challenge. A fantastic writer, David Hendrickson, author of Cracking the Ice, is tracking members of ‘Club25′. Club25 is based off Dean Wesley Smith’s post on investing in your future. The basic idea is to publish something new every two weeks, and David is nice enough to track and report that to the group. So I’m participating, which means getting something out every two weeks (at least)!

• Release at least two new titles.

So that’s the plan. I’ve got a full schedule planned for 2012.

2012 Writing Schedule

That’s my schedule in Excel, which is also used to track progress and adjust expected completion dates. Just to give you an idea of what it looks like. Each day it’s updated and the formulas recalculate. It’s a busy year that should see the release of many new novels and stories! Thanks for stopping by!