Finances

Three Dictionaries, Beta Reading, and Other News

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I’m going to try and keep this quick. I want to get back to Beta editing.

But yes, readers, your eyes have not deceived you. Beta editing! Axtara – Armies and Accounting is now in Beta! I finished the primary Alpha pass this last week, and I’ve spent the last two days doing pre-Beta work, which is still ongoing … But I sent the Beta Invites out yesterday anyway for the first Beta pass.

So yeah, we’re drawing one step closer to the release of the third Axtara book. As soon as I’ve gotten everything into the hands of the Beta Readers, I’ll also be reaching out to the cover artist of the first two books to start looking at figuring out what the cover might look like. Unlike the first two books, where I actually had a really strong concept for the cover long before I contacted Codie, I don’t really have an idea of what I want to feature on the cover of this one, so I’m going to have to work out a few possibilities to float and see what Codie likes the concept of.

Also, I am going to be looking at getting this installment of Axtara something else that’s been requested quite frequently: Maps! Yes, that’s a plural. A map of Elnacier (incomplete, obviously, so that later areas can be fleshed out as new books require, because I haven’t planned that far ahead) and also a map of the important areas of the continent.

Don’t worry, they’ll go up on the site too. Now, as to how I’m going to pay for all this? Haven’t figured that out yet. Maps aren’t free, and cover art definitely isn’t. My options are “Sell more books,” “quadruple Patreon support,” “kickstarter,” or “miracle.”

In other words, if you’re a fan of the series, keep letting the world know. Publishing as a whole is really struggling right now, for a multitude of reasons, but as an author, I’m in that struggle.

Now, on to happier news after that abrupt dose of reality.

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Pushing Onward and Other News

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Hey folks, Max here with the weekly update.

You know, it’s been a long time since I’ve done and Op-Ed. I’ve even had a recent comment on one such post noting that I should do a new one for a new media project that had released to be a colossal flop (the Borderlands movie, if you’re curious). Obviously, I haven’t done that. Frankly, while yes it would draw in people who want to hammer the Borderlands movie, I feel that’s about it. And that audience already knows that the Borderlands film is bad. Sands, most people already knew the Borderlands film was awful without even seeing it, which is kind of why its box-office was awful. And yeah, it makes all the mistakes Hollywood has made before with video-game adaptations and refuses to learn from.

So … does it really need a post? Not really, in my opinion. Especially since that would mean two things: Me seeing it (something I really don’t want to do, as I like the series as a game series), and spending time writing an Op-Ed everyone coming in would already be able to guess at the crux of, when instead I could be spending time on Axtara – Armies and Accounting.

So yeah, if you do want my opinions on the absolute flop that is the Borderlands movie, check out those links above. It’s the exact same material I’ve posted before, but that’s because Hollywood is committing the exact same sins. It’s becoming increasingly clear the only way we as consumers can get something that’s true to the actual adaptation, like Fallout, is if the project just plain isn’t associated with Hollywood.

Anyway, both of those things—time and Axtara 3—are fairly important to me right now, as I’m still in quite the financial bind. Magic and Mischief has sold well, minus the continued failing of the paperback (more on that in a moment), but it’s still not enough for me to meet all my financial obligations. At the moment, I’m expanding my debt while applying to various jobs and hoping something is a legitimate job offer and not just another data harvesting operation. Given the increase of spam I’ve gotten in return, not all of them have been, I think.

But yeah, my current financial status makes getting more books out, and soon, a priority as well. Though I’ll admit I have no idea how I’ll pay for any covers when I’m getting backed up on things like food. Problem for another day, I think. What I’m getting at is that if I’m writing lately, it’s got to be something that ties in to production, rather than an extra that’s just sort of there. I don’t monetize the site or allow ads on it, so pop-culture stuff isn’t much of an investment, while another Axtara book? That’s another story.

Speaking of which …

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Why You Should Read … The Pinch

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Yes, it’s time for another one of these posts. Why You Should Read …, if you’re not familiar with them, are posts where I talk about books other than my own that I have perused, enjoyed for one reason or another, and now recommend to all of you for (probably) those same reasons.

I’m a big proponent of reading—well, not just reading, but thinking and comprehending. Thinking critically. Questioning. Gathering information and then using it to look at the world through a new lens. Comparing lenses and asking why one may work better than another.

I’m also a big proponent of seeking out knowledge. I don’t hold at all with the idea that “what I’ve got is good enough, and I refuse to learn more” (sadly a common concept, I feel, in modern culture). We should, I believe, always be striving to learn new things, new knowledge and new concepts. Again, there’s a way to do that intelligently and with patience, but seeking out and learning new things is one of the blessings of modern society. Well, at least, the capability to do so is. A lot of people, sadly, don’t take advantage of this, then still want to play in the grand sandbox, pitting their toy soldiers of ideas against actual tanks (and often not understanding in the slightest why their plastic memes failed to make a dent in a well-armored, carefully researched opponent).

Basically, Why You Should Read … posts are the occasional recommendation of books that I find worthy of being added to someone’s read shelf, for one reason or another. Some are fiction (because you absolutely can learn a lot from fiction, as many scientific studies are discovering) and some are non-fiction (because understanding the building blocks of the world around us along with its cause and effect is pretty important). Today I’m recommending one of the latter: The Pinch by David Willets. Or, to use it’s less common full title, The Pinch: How the Baby Boomers Took Their Children’s Future — And Why They Should Give it Back.

Yeah. It’s a mouthful. And the longer title isn’t especially popular with some people, as you may guess. After all, it straight up points out an issue and assigns blame right there, and against a particular generation that doesn’t much like being blamed for anything save the good. Which, you might suspect, could be part of the problem.

But David Willets is not intimidated. In fact, he’s a member of that generation (the Boomers). He’s also a British lord and chair of the British Science Association as well as a member of the British Council of the Institute for Fiscal Studies. In other words, he’s not some random individual. Willets is someone who was tasked with studying the economic impact of the largest generation ever, along with a whole wing of the British government and independent research groups. And after a several-decade study, comparing data going all the way back to the late 1800s (and in some cases even earlier), and yes, involving the United States, Willets wrote a book about their findings to try and widen their audience because, well, it’s vitally important that people know what they found out.

And I’m saying that you should read it. Hit the jump.

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Quarantine Chat: Finances, a MacMillan Backpedal, and April Apocalypse

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Hey folks! This is a bit overdue, but quite honestly my plate has been full of other things, like getting episode three of Fireteam Freelance ready for this Saturday, which will then be followed by Alpha editing A Trial for a Dragon and the Beta. Plus the whole pandemic thing which …

Well, I’ll lead with finances. As most of you might expect, I’m one of the many people that’s been adversely affected by the Covid-19 Pandemic. So things right now financially aren’t the best.

I’m not losing my housing, thankfully. Not in the next week, anyway. But … things for the next few months are definitely going to be difficult. My part-time job furloughed myself and everyone else there until August at the earliest, and while we might get unemployment, that’s a maybe. Sands, my being an author may disqualify me from it entirely, despite the pandemic and the fact that it isn’t enough to be entirely a sole income yet (as for the why there, it’s because America hasn’t really been a good place for the small business for a few decades, slaved instead by “go big or go home” mentality).

Basically, things are looking rough for the next few months. The roughest they’ve ever been. The smooth waters of February vanished quickly with this latest storm.

That said, there are ways you can help, ways that don’t involve simply sending money via Patreon (I mean, you can do that, but I understand many are in a similar situation to my own). Quite simply: Talk about my stuff. Share.

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The Pitfall with Patreon

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Okay, I realize that this title may be attention-grabbing enough to start people off with the wrong ideas. So I’m going to make it clear right up front: I am extremely grateful and thankful to those of you who donate to my Patreon. There have been months where I’ve only gotten by thanks to the kind and generous donations of my Patreon supporters. Writing is … a tough job. It doesn’t pay great pretty much until it does. But I am forever grateful to those of you that donate a little bit of your income each month as a thanks for the articles I post. I couldn’t do Being a Better Writer without you guys (especially as BaBW is ad and subscription free).

No, this post isn’t to have issue with that. Rather, it’s to bring up something I’ve mentioned before. An issue with Patreon that’s, well, quite prevalent. And ultimately, a death sentence if someone falls into its trap. Which I’ve seen happen more than once.

It’s not the fault of Patreon, and I don’t wish to insinuate that. I believe it has more to do with human nature, and the idea of “being owed.”

Okay, so let me just dive right into things. Patreon, if you’re unfamiliar with it, is a modern take on the “Patron of the Arts” idea. See, back in the old days of history, “Patrons” of artists would basically donate money to various artists, musicians, so that these artists would have money to live while they made their creations. You have to realize the idea of a musician selling records is entirely unique to our modern era. If a talented young musician, say a classical composer, wanted to be a classical composer, they could find a patron who would support them with money for living needs in exchange for the musician creating music. If they stopped creating, the patron would stop funding them.

Patreon is the digital equivalent of this concept. Find a webcomic you like? An artist? A modder? Any sort of creative soul you want to support? You can support this person on Patreon, donating them a sum of money each month. The idea being if that 100 people donate $5 each, that creator then makes $500. So for the cost of a half-price lunch a month, 100 people can support their favorite webcomic creator, for example.

Cool, right? I agree. It’s a modern take on the “Patron of the Arts” formula.

But not one without its weaknesses. And it’s flaws. Some of which are, without mincing words, almost deadly to a creator.

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