Prosperous soul in the making

MovingForwards

That's a difficult one to decide, is there anything you can trim to contribute towards it?

savingholmes

Hi Blackcats and MF.
Had a productive day today. Also woke up dreaming of stories so jotted some ideas in my journal ready for this evening. I've just tasked DS with making spag bol for tea. 

MF the only negotiables left in my budget at this point in the month - are a) a final payment to target CC once min payment has gone out and b) food. I've already deleted fuel, hair etc.  If you knew my family - food is not really a negotiable so... either EF or reduce final CC payment.  I have however received my first royalty payment - and I had put some 'buffer' into that account anyway - so I could withdraw some £ from that but I'd rather leave it in there for now.

I still haven't done my PPI tax reclaim so that could be an option to bring in future £...

MovingForwards

Food isn't negotiable for most of us, it's the nicest and easiest way to lift spirits.
Keep your royalties for putting back into your writing, be it advertising, website, images or whatever. Try not to think of it as family money at this stage.
Take it from your EF and repay it next month, then you won't get disheartened with DF path.

Honeysucklelou2

That must be an amazing feeling - to know that you have earned royalties from what you have written. What a fabulous achievement!

savingholmes

Thanks MF and HSL. Honeysucklelou2 said:

That must be an amazing feeling - to know that you have earned royalties from what you have written. What a fabulous achievement!

Indeed. Having to remind myself that from little acorns oak trees grow - as they are very small amounts currently. However once I get more of my series published and my author platform built - I hope it will be like a snowball rolling downhill in terms of bringing in more income as it goes.

savingholmes

Written another 1900 words of book 2. Part way through an action scene. Need to liven it up a bit more yet so taking a break to walk the dog. May then either try and write a bit more or try again another day.

savingholmes

£75 CC payment gone out - normal direct debit.

Fortune_Smiles

Excellent progess on the writing SH 😁  I am in awe!  I'm a really slow writer and I'm lucky if I manage 500 words in the fortnight between writing group meetings.  I'm hoping to publish a short story collection eventually... but at this rate, it may take some time 😆

Keep up the good work.

Fortune x

savingholmes

Thanks Fortune. Good luck with your writing too.
In the past I've gone months or even a year or so between writing on various books. I started book 2 years ago - writing about 3 chapters and then stalling for a while... Publishing  book 1 in December and the interest I've had from guys on here and social media sites - has helped boost my writing mojo. I got my 11th 5 star rating this week which is very exciting. I need to find some fresh avenues for marketing my books though as sales seem to have dropped off. So many people say building your 'author platform' is essential but it is hard to know how best to do that. I still haven't resolved my website... and despite that I am tempted to play with podcasting and youtube - for which I'd also be expected to have a website. LOL.

I finished work early today. I've added a few hundred words while editing but plenty left to go. I am hoping to reach 50,000 words or close to a first draft by the end of Easter... (I am due to have a week and half off then). Some way to go yet though.

DD is currently campaigning for food outside the house. Problem is I want it too... Not in budget though. In better news, DH has finally fixed our ensuite lights which have been broken for at least 1 year (only 1 out of the 3 worked). The only problem is the new lights are slightly smaller than the original holes (or the outer bit is) so we have been left with some weird gaps. Need to work out what we are going to do to resolve those now.  

savingholmes

Money dilemma resolved. DS is returning the £90+ that he owes me on Friday. He's had some of his Oz money clear in his account and gets paid for Feb at the end of this week. DH dug through his coin stash and I got the kids to contribute - towards so having Chinese!!