Post #200 January 20 2020

“Recap of Year 2019”

Today, I provide a summary of writing and publishing results for calendar year 2019. 

In general, 2019 was a great year for me, in publishing terms.  Following is a breakdown of downloads from all sources (reported via Smashwords.com) for all my online titles.

Total net downloads for 2019 = 24,042

Total cumulative downloads for all titles since I first went online = 42,636

Downloads for Tales of the Quantum Corps = 9454

Downloads for Quantum Troopers = 21,382

Downloads for The Farpool Stories = 6961

Downloads for Time Jumpers = 1838

Downloads for alternate history titles (3) = 2602

All others = 7360

Several points should be made about the above numbers.  First, note that Quantum Troopers is half of my total downloads for all titles.  This series has and continues to be pretty successful.  It doesn’t take a genius to see that, gee, maybe I should do more of this.

Toward that end, a new series which continues Quantum Troopers begins with availability on February 7, 2020.  It’s called Quantum Troopers Return (clever, no?). Unlike all my previous titles, this series and all new uploads this year will come at a small price.  I’m anticipating setting the price of QSR at $0.99.  We’ll see what affect, if any, this has on downloads.

In addition to the above series, I have started a new science fiction novel, entitled Monument, which I anticipate will be available probably in late summer 2020.  Again, this title will come with a small (as yet undetermined) price.

I also continue to work in the medium of short stories, novelettes and novellas.  As these are collected, look for a new collection coming in the next 2 years.  I have just recently uploaded a new collection of short works entitled Elliptical Galaxies (on January 17), now available from the Smashwords store and other fine ebook retailers. 

This recent collection and all existing titles which are currently free will remain free.  That seems only fair to me.

I have recently gotten some feedback from reviews and readers that they would like to see more stories set in the Farpool universe.  While, I don’t have any specific stories planned or outlined, such a development is not out of the question.  Bringing more Farpool stories to you won’t happen in 2020 but I am considering it and there is decent chance such stories could begin to appear in 2021 or later.  Stay tuned.

Finally, I really appreciate any feedback, on this blog or in reviews and other means.  I do not currently have a Facebook account but that is another development in the works.  Look for something in the latter part of 2020 along with an updated web site.

Many thanks to all of you who have waited patiently for new stories from my feverish brain and thanks for all the downloads and reviews.  The Word Shed will plug along in this new year with more posts about what it means to work as a writer in 2020 and more ideas about how we can improve our craft and pull in even more readers.

The next post to The Word Shed comes on February 3.  In this post, I’ll look at how writers hook readers and drag them in with killer first lines and paragraphs.

See you then.

Phil B.