September 2018, Accountability.

www.kennethshumaker.ca ken@kennethshumaker.ca

A Note for my absence and new return wit...

InUPress Notes

Written by Kenneth Shumaker

for InUPress

on September 23, 2018

You know, I’ve been here barely stalking the internet as I haven’t been feeling well while working with clients on their projects. Because of over working with clients and poor health I haven’t followed up with other people in contact or groups in reviews or contact. I also haven’t been writing properly. Today for the first time in four weeks the severe migraine has lifted, the bronchitis has faded along with the infections, my vision is clearing.

So today I ran a Zoom recorded session for two hours with a client and actually want to write and attend our various groups for the first time in over five weeks, So hello my friend, my last effort in writing was a partial episode’s first draft of 2,100 words four days ago and a full four-thousand word episode’s first draft a week before that. Which is sad as I was writing over two thousand words a morning up until five weeks ago.

Our video sessions with Del Rey will be shared with the public, soon as, DelRey & InUPress’ Writer’s Education, on Patreon, and InUPress Ltd at www.inupress.ca as a series of fifteen-minute videos addressing writing and publishing. I am also building my personal author and business brands and platforms again with online and local promotions and advertising.

Any feedback or suggestions from you for any of this are most welcome by me.

Thank you for reading, yours, Kenneth Shumaker.

May the words stay with you!

Motivating for productivity!

The novel, ‘Larret Army,’ is the first of three tales in the ‘Lost Souls‘ series of medieval fantasy. The ragtag group, Black Swan’s, challenge the terrorizing armies of the horrid new god, Tearmain, with the loss of many lives to both sides. Few escape the ravages of this war.

The novel can be bought on Amazon, Kobo, Apple and InUPress as well as stores and elsewhere online in book or ebook format. With enough formal requests, we will also create audio or hardcover editions.

All your comments are welcome and are read.

Our InUPress closing Newsletter

The InUPress accountability newsletter for May 2018.

Written by Kenneth Shumaker,

For Inevitable Unicorn Press,

On May 27^th, 2018.

Good-day friends and readers of Inevitable Unicorn Press and our authors.

As the writer, Kenneth Shumaker, I would like to report that I finished the revised first draft of book two of my science fiction series, the ‘Star Grean,’ this week and that I’ve written the first 12 k words into book three this month which I think was a win.

We here at InUPress have launched the medieval fantasy novel, ‘Larret Army: Rising Souls,’ with our publishing it on Amazon, Kobo, InUPress and so many more vendors on Friday, May 25^th. While we’re still finalizing some of the vendor’s editions it’s out there with most we publish with.

Also, we’re creating an audio edition which is being created with Kobo’s, Findaway Voice. This edition should be available this year?

As well here at InUPress, we are now working on Eric’s new short story. The work is a paranormal drama titled, ‘The Transcendence Machine,’ and is due for release this year.

As the author, Kenneth Shumaker, I am also working on my next novel in the ‘Lost Souls,’ series which is titled ‘Dendar.’ The novel is set for release this or next year, it is currently in 2nd revision after being read by beta readers, with the beta readers finding two big flaws in the story, one was that it ended too abruptly.

My Virily account has earned me my first royalty cheque from them last month and I reached over 300 readers with 304 followers. My favourite reader is Paul who read every one of my sci-fi/fantasy series episodes, Eren’s Challenge on one weekend (all 26 episodes) then every Morgus medieval fantasy series episodes the next weekend (all 16 episodes). In all Paul has read over 100 of my posts and I think he wrote me a comment on every one of them and voted more than half of them up! The man told me he favours the medieval fantasy series, ‘Morgus,’ by far, but enjoys both. He’s a prolific writer himself with over 300 posts.

I have other readers who have done similar reading but who weren’t so vocal, though most were more appreciative by voting up more of the posts.

Virily is great fun for seeing the creative work of writers, photographers and other creators. Check it out with this link: Virily

This post is my May month-end accountability report to you our InUPress readers and friends if you like please leave us comments with your thoughts and we’ll respond if you want.

Thank you greatly, yours, the staff and the publisher with InUPress, Kenneth Shumaker.

May the words stay with you!

inupress@inupress.ca www.inupress.ca

Our May 2018 author and work announcemen...

Our May 2018 author and work announcement newsletter.

Written by Kenneth Shumaker.

May 2, 2018.

Hello, in our April closing newsletter I had stated I would tell you a bit about the 7-Levers, 7 weeks with 10% increase per week: The Next 100-Days double your profits 10% increase per week challenge: which was started with a challenge start date of February 26, 2018, and ending April 16, 2018. The challenge was set by Kevin Appleby from the Next 100 Days podcast.

I completed the challenge and succeeded well, with mixed results in the challenge.

Have you ever had a goal or challenge you desired to complete? Where you aimed for an end result but missed?

I’ll let you in on my secret sauce to my success which I’ve used in my different careers and in my life to attain what I want. It’s a mix of patience and goal setting; mixed with an addition of 80% strong drive. But without setting clear, precise, measurable, achievable goals, none of it would have likely been possible to achieve.

I see people all over with tonnes of drive, many people with worlds of patience and they get nowhere in life. They’re attaining and achieving little. True, quite a few are happy this way. Many aren’t.

I’ve worked with colleges in security and as an instructor and also as Chairman of the Board for years of a mental health outreach program for the province of Alberta. I was a crew foreman and then a field supervisor of a three-crew team for a province-wide company for years.

I attained these through setting goals and mixing patience, understanding, drive and adaptability together. The glue was always goal setting.

My particular method I use is a six-goal tiered system.

I set one, two, five and ten-year goals, as well as monthly, weekly and daily goals.

Each tier is set with six goals which I desire to attain.

You ask … so what? It doesn’t matter if you set goals! No one ever achieves goals!

Well, I use a carrot and stick method. If I fail to achieve at least four of the six goals in a set time period, there is a penalty. These were set at the time I had set up the goal system.

Most of the sticks are financial penalties with the money going into an account which in December is given to a charity as a gift. My current pot sits at $80.00. I had a big fail last month. My monthly fails are $50.00, while weekly fails are $10.00. Year fails I set at $200.00, so far this hasn’t been an issue. The goals for the year are accountable by November 30^th. This starts on November 30^th the previous year running to November 30 of the current year.

My weeks are from Sunday night to Saturday night. So, really, I only give myself a six-day week.

A four or five points success is a partial success or minor achievement and gets a small reward. So, for example, being as I recharge by being alone but I enjoy observing people interact in society, my weekly minor reward is to go for coffee by myself. This is also where I can take a study course on my tablet while occasionally observing people AND enjoy the peace and a coffee without clients/customers interrupting me, or my family! I may even take the opportunity to write. I hand wrote three chapters in a two-hour session once.

The big win is getting all six points and is a major achievement which earns a big reward. As an example; my weekly reward is to take a friend or family out for a meal, plus take two days off from work. What a bonus!

Now I made a pact with myself not to abuse the system, but I also set it up so I could stack all the penalties and reward. For examples, the penalty account is at $80.00, while the coffees are accumulated to 12, and the big wins are at 5, being as some were held over from last year still. I’m thinking of saving for a vacation.

So, regarding the results from the challenge, I told you about in the closing newsletter last month: when all bookkeeping was tallied at the end of April we had a win of a profit margin totalling $586.76 between the three business entities. This is up from our first win of $11.68 in February. Some of this was from royalties for content I produce, some was from computer repair work, some was from InUPress work.

Two of my businesses consistently lost money in 2016 and 17 as we are still in the startup development phase of our growth, while in the third business has been making a profit from day one in 2014 and has been operating in a community where four others tried to startup similar businesses and folded in less than eight months each.

Because the two entities lost so much in 2017 as I was developing them, my total margins were a loss, until February 2018. In April I saw my best month in three years. This was due to the challenge and the system of profits it advances.

There was no carrot or stick for me on this other than to use the 7-levers presented in episode 110 of the Next 100 Days podcast to achieve a profit margin of $60 or more in April.

I like challenges so I set the goals necessary, with setting up an editorial calendar and drive sheet after mud-mapping through the processes that would be necessary.

I believe in my processes, but they’re not for everyone. Many would struggle to try to use the systems. But if you think my systems might help you, just contact me to ask me more about how I work and how you might apply them. I’ve worked with others in the past, and they went on to own and run their own businesses and homes. This may not happen for you, but you never know until you take YOUR steps forward.

My intention for these opening newsletters each month is to present to you our goals and the tasks we set out to do for the month.

For May 2018 our goals of intention which we are to be held accountable for are:

1: Publish & launch my novel: Larret Army: Rising Souls.
2: Work on and finish Eric J Kregel’s short story manuscript developmental edit for: Transcendence Machine.
3: Take and develop the manuscript of my three book series writing up to a word count of 60,000.
4: Start developing my new alternative history drama thriller series: Calgary Drop, writing the pilot and a second episode.
5: Layout and format the book manuscript and design the cover for publishing of: Dragoman Bloodgrue, Volume VI: Servile
6: Restart our applications to the Canada Council for the Arts, membership. Applying for my author’s membership and InUPress imprint membership.

Our monthly carrot/stick system accountability ending for May 30^th, 2018:

The stick: less than four points: Penalty account: $50.00
The minor achievement: four or five points: a two-day break from work with a trip to a city.
The major achievement: all six points: one-week break.

So, now we’re also being held accountable to all of you.

I’m Kenneth with InUPress.

May the words stay with you!

inupress@inupress.ca www.inupress.ca www.kennethshumaker.ca

Inevitable Unicorn Press’ Kenneth&...

Written April 1, 2018, by Kenneth Shumaker

Published with InUPress.

Well! I’ve been silent to save annoying you! But I had to write you today.

I wrote two serial series episodes this week, had a failed business work meeting and a successful work proposal, thus, acquiring a job to create a web presence for a business. I’ll be doing the work through InUPress, which will include creating the business its logo, icons (their graphics) and documentation, as well as building them a webpage and producing some videos etc. I also wrote on my Star Grean book series project adding more to its word count on book one, as well as writing the 1^st draft of FoTS exercise (#4).

This week I installed a set of new network outlets and lines in my offices as I’m getting ready for the new server, Unicorn Phoenix, which I’m building and installing for InUPress and Knights of the Square Table. I am cleaning and organizing my offices with updating all three of my office’s whiteboard calendars for April, and this week, also I’m working on my businesses and author accounts bookkeeping today.

I have so much which is being accomplished.

As well, after talking with my coach/mentor last week, I’ve come down to refocusing down onto my main commercial publishing project for InUPress, the Star Grean series books project, and my two writing passion projects; writing for Virily and also on my Dragoman Bloodgrue serial series.

All this, while maintaining my income working for the computer repair business. I’m hoping more work starts to flow in soon.

I have been shotgunning on to too many different projects in the last few years, and I am now going to work with rifle shots to see how this works out for me. With so much to be accountable for I keep working forward.

With the anarchy reigning, InUPress published the alternative history steampunk novel, the second edition, written by Eric J Kregel. We launched the novel on March 18^th, 2018 on various platforms such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and others, as well it is available through InUPress.

But right now, today is Easter for many people. I wish you all, all the best on this day and every day. I wish you a good life, to you all. May your day be blessed for you, your family and friends, with you being healthy, strong and happy!

inupress@inupress.ca www.inupress.ca

May the words stay with you!

What Type of Writer are You?

Notes from InUPress

Presented by Kenneth Shumaker

Issue 024

December 20, 2017.

Poll #3

Written by: Kenneth Shumaker

With InUPress through Virily.

“What type of writer are you?”

I ask people this question a lot, especially when writers ask me for advice. You see, the advice you receive from some others may or may not apply to you, depending on the type of writer you are. Different types of writers work in different modes or styles. So, this advice that you receive maybe sound good advice for one author or writer, while it maybe horrible, useless, or even detrimental advice for another writer. You need to know what type of writer you are before working with writing tools and accepting advice. In the rawest most basic forms there are four forms of writers. We all are branches off from one of these in varying degrees. I haven’t met a single writer that is hardcore to one specific type – a deadlocked solid stereotype. There are stereotypes of each of these writers, which you can research them if you want to know more. I’m going to ask you which of the four you are, and give you a brief rundown on the type. You decide which field you play in most.

First, we have the common Pantser: Are you someone who flies along by the seat of their pants? Someone who works with no plans? Do you work without plot outlines or guides? Do you have no set character moulds for your article? Do you write with no idea really what the story you’re writing is about or where it’s going? Maybe you don’t even know what genre you’re writing it in, to begin with, or how long you’re going to make the article. If this is you, you’re a Pantser. Are you a ‘Pantser?’
Second, is the perennial planner. Are you the writer with the meticulous plot outline? The one with the full character bio profile files? All this before you write the chapter outline with which to build the skeleton of the piece you’re going to write. Do you set an exact target word count for the article, all before sitting down to write? If so you are a ‘planner.’ Are you a ‘planner?’
The third type of a person is the hybrid. This is the person who writes a plot, setting the genre and a rough word count targeting in a general decade of the thousands that they’re aiming for. They might rough out a couple of the main character profiles. Then they wing the rest, flexing their creative juices as they write, adjusting their rough plans on the fly. Are you a writer who rearranges their character bios and location settings on a whim. But keeping meticulous notes, so they can keep facts correct. If you keep notes and rough plans but don’t have a dead set skeletal plan, I call you a ‘hybrid’ writer. Are you a ‘hybrid’ writer?
The in fourth, and yes, there is a fourth, there is the ‘wannabe.’ We have the person who writes a few words here or there and tells people they’re a writer, but they never finish anything. They have notebooks of notes, or computer files of documents started. But they have no finished articles. Do you make plans – but only have plans to write, or has partial articles written? Saying these words to others, ‘I’m a writer,’ or ‘I’m an author.’ If so, then I say you’re a ‘wannabe.’ Are you a ‘wannabe?’

This rounds out the basic four types of writer I’ve encountered in my journey with my writing and publishing experiences, and with the connections that I’ve made networking. Experience has taught me that each type of writer has different unique requirements in time, tools and commitments, and each writer has varying degrees in their needs. No one specific set of advice works for all of them. Happy writing, to all of you.

This is my take on writers – I’d like to hear yours. So leave a comment here on your thoughts or experience as writers or with writers or authors. I’ll respond as quickly as possible to you.

You can contact me through the comments, email, postal mail, or even give InUPress a phone call during business hours.

Tell us about what being a writer is to you.

May the words stay with you?

These notes are written by, Kenneth Shumaker and published with

Inevitable Unicorn Press at Rusty’s Den.

“Join us on Virily to fulfil your reading and creative desires. View the creative images and writings of our Virily authors and image creators by joining up with a Virily membership subscription, satisfy your creative enquiring desires.”

“If you desire to learn new creation, business, or technical skills, seek out those new skills on a strong learning platform of over 18,000 courses. Hundreds of creative authors offer These courses, editors, business people and thousands of other creative professional crafts, business, and technical people online. Sign up now and join us with a membership subscription, learn nearly any skill you can think of, improving your abilities in your creative work, your business abilities as well as many technical skills.”

“We invite you to entertain your reading desires with our fantasy, sci-fi/fantasy and science fiction as well as other genres of writing. This includes non-fiction discussion episodes. Our articles and books are written by authors such as Eric J Kregel, Aria and Kenneth Shumaker published by, Inevitable Unicorn Press (InUPress).”

To find out more join us with memberships at Virily or Skillshare with InUPress’ author, Kenneth Shumaker on these links:

Join Virily with a membership subscription to this link: Virily.
Access a Skillshare membership subscription and receive a bonus with this link: Skillshare.
Or seek out more information from InUPress and its author’s writings by subscribing to an email membership subscription at this link: InUPress.ca.

Thank you, Kenneth, for Inevitable Unicorn Press (InUPress).

May the words stay with you!

Thank you for reading.

Kenneth Shumaker and Aria of Inevitable Unicorn Press.

or by email at:

give InUPress a phone call at:

1-780-523-5835

reach InUPress’ postal mail at:

InUPress

Rusty’s Den

Box 3323

High Prairie, Alberta, Canada

T0G 1E0

All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system (except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review or other endorsement or in a recommendation to be printed in a magazine, newspaper, or on the Internet) without permission in writing from the publisher. However, when contacted, the author may be generous with reprint rights and articles.

Trademarks and myriad names used in this work are not authorized by, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners. No association with the corporations or names is implied or intended.

About the author: Kenneth Shumaker (Rusty Knight)

Following a long break from writing after winning an award for poetry, Kenneth recovered his passion for writing in 2009. He is a science fiction, sci-fi/fantasy, fantasy, and nonfiction author with Inevitable Unicorn Press (InUPress). Kenneth is publishing on Virily as well as other blog sites and publications. He has available a medieval fantasy novel, titled, ‘Laret: Darkness of Souls.’ He also writes several serial short stories series and has other books available. Kenneth’s two businesses, his wife, his two children, and his six grandchildren also keep him busy.

We would like to acknowledge the following for their contributions:

The episodes’ author is Kenneth Shumaker.

Our episodes’ editor is Donna Shumaker.

The graphic designer and header creator is Kenneth Shumaker.

The episodes’ distribution, marketing, production, promotion, and publishing is by Inevitable Unicorn Press (InUPress).

Polar Bear Beta Reading

This is a program I’ve joined to participate in. Join other beta readers at Polar Bear Editing with Jeannette and have your manuscript beta read as well.

Projected Schedule:

January 1-9, 2018, will be the period to turn in manuscripts.

January 10-17, 2018, I will organize all the manuscripts, enter them into my database and assign all the code names.

January 20, 2018, all the manuscripts will be dispersed.

February 12, 2018, all feedback is due.

To contact Jeannette at Polar Bear editing for service, email: Jeannette@PolarBearEditing.com

Or visit her webpage at https://www.polarbearediting.com/

Valley Printers & Signs Ltd., is located in Peace River, Alberta, Canada.

Art Script Canada Authors, of the Peace Country, Alberta, Canada.

Join Kenneth Shumaker (Rusty Knight) in the multiple books of his Dragoman Bloodgrue Volume collection anthologies. The first in the series is, ‘Dragoman Bloodgrue, Volume I: Fare Where?’ a collection of the first four episodes of the Dragoman Bloodgrue serial series. Read how Bloodgrue tests the gods’ resolve. Do the gods let the brave be fools? Is Bloodgrue brave or a fool? Follow Bloodgrue to see where his life’s path leads him. In ‘Dragoman Bloodgrue, Volume I: Fare Where?’ we are introduced to a young Bloodgrue as he begins his journey climbing the social ranks of Mount Oryn in North Docks. Find this fine colour volume to purchase as paperback or e-book on:

: Etsy

: Kobo

Journey with us to enjoy Kenneth’s intriguing medieval fantasy novel ‘Laret.’ Enter into ‘Laret: Darkness of Souls’ from the ‘Lost Souls’ series medieval fantasy novels and journey with the Black Swans through the Web Shireward as they battle the invading armies of the god Tearmain. This captivating novel is available at the following sources as a paperback or e-book:

: Kobo

Discover the multi-arcing story of the steampunk alternative history novel, ‘Exhaust from the Tin Woods,’ written by Eric J Kregel and published with InUPress. You may purchase this novel as a paperback or e-book at:

: Etsy

: Kobo

Purchase an annual subscription of ‘Notes from InUPress’ from www.inupress.ca, where you can receive our monthly e-delivery for C$12.99 annually. The notes are by Kenneth Shumaker, which contain interesting information on writing and publishing. These notes are published by Inevitable Unicorn Press (InUPress).

Kenneth has coaching sessions open on the art of writing and getting published. These are available for C$125.99 per hour. The sessions are open to a limited number of applicants. To arrange an intake appointment email inupress@inupress.ca, or call 1-780-523-5835 between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm MST, Monday through Saturday.

InUPress offers a 30-day purchase satisfaction guarantee. Your payment will be returned to you if you are not 100% happy with our friendly courteous client service and our professional product.

Sincerely, Kenneth with Inevitable Unicorn Press (InUPress).

Coming soon in 2018, we have Kenneth’s second medieval fantasy novel, ‘Dendar: Souls of Desperation,’ in the ‘Lost Souls’ series.

Due out in 2018, we hope you’ll enjoy Kenneth’s return with his medieval fantasy in the ‘Lost Souls’ series, with the second edition of his first novel ‘Laret: Darkness of Souls,’ returning in the new novel titled, ‘Larret Army: Rising Souls.’

Thank you for reading.

Kenneth Shumaker and Aria of Inevitable Unicorn Press.

through email at:

give InUPress a phone call at:

1-780-523-5835

reach InUPress’ postal mail at:

InUPress

Rusty’s Den

Box 3323

High Prairie, Alberta, Canada

T0G 1E0

Thank you, yours sincerely, Kenneth, with Inevitable Unicorn Press (InUPress).

Awesome! You finished episode 024 of Notes from InUPress.

Let us know what you think of Notes from InUPress by following this link going to www.inupress.ca. While you are there, you can join the Inevitable Unicorn Press e-mail subscription list to receive news and updates about work from our authors such as Aria, Eric J Kregel, and Kenneth Shumaker. When you first signup for the e-mail list, you will receive a free document. This free pdf changes with time.

While on the home page of InUPress leave us a comment, telling us what you think of our author’s work or our website.

Thank you for reading Notes from InUPress.

Yours,

Kenneth Shumaker with Inevitable Unicorn Press.

May the words stay with you!

My Journey Blogging!

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Notes from InUPress

By Kenneth Shumaker

Issue 005

Written: July 10, 2017.

Published on Virily: September 30, 2017.

Published on InUPress: December 3, 2017.

‘My journey blogging!’

Hi, I’m the wayward writer, Kenneth Shumaker. When I was in my twenties and thirties, I loved to get out and travel, exploring the world. I would think nothing of getting a couple of the guys together and taking a five-hour road trip just for coffee and a movie in the next city. Or taking a weekend drive for eighteen hours, ending up sleeping in my vehicle at the foot of a glacier at midnight because I had become too exhausted to drive any further. Then, in the morning turning around and driving back on a different route, observing the scenery the whole trip. This is how blogging for me is now, but on a more professional basis. I take these journeys through the world, now sharing my knowledge and experiences with you.

I’ve been blogging since 2009 when I started with the Owerton Challenge blog at www.owertonna.com/blog which I posted every Friday. The blog was a writing challenge for me to write a fictional post of 500 words, a post based on three words supplied by the blog’s readers. The blog lasted until 2015 when my traditional publisher made it part of our contract that I cease writing for the blog, as she felt the blog was competing with our publishing work that I would be writing for her.

Through various reasons, I started blogging other blogs, such as Bard & Dragoman at www.barddragoman.com, which I was invited to co-author with my editor, Aria. Other blog publishings were started over the years and continue still. I currently write for Virily, Medium and Scriggler among others.

In 2016, I opened up a new Owerton Challenge at www.owerton.ca. I have written sixteen posts in two new series. However, I’ve been remiss in posting these as I’ve been too divided by my many publishing efforts over the last two years: growing my new business, publishing, and setting up my network and contacts. But I’ve been missing you, my readers. The original Owerton Challenge had over 1,800 readers by 2015. Bard & Dragoman has grown to over 3,000 followers over various platforms. But, so far, I’ve been too fragmented and inconsistent in other places to develop your trust here and your readership. This is going to change with my new working schedule and with more consistent post publishing. Virily, Bard & Dragoman (Which is renewing as Ever Bard), along with the renewed Owerton will see me as a regular publisher of posts with new schedules.

On Virily I will publish two fiction series: the ‘Eren’s Challenge’, a sci-fi fantasy serial series, as well as ‘Morgus’, a medieval fantasy serial series. I will also publish a nonfiction post, called ‘Notes from InUPress,’ which are interesting notes written by me, and the occasional polls.

This is our journey together, sharing our trust in each other and guiding the travel of our quest. I’d like to hear from you with you writing us your comments with your ideas and feedback. You can leave your comments in the comments or as an email. Even phone me. I’ll respond to you as soon as I’m available.

These notes are written by, Kenneth Shumaker and published with Inevitable Unicorn Press at Rusty’s Den.

Thank you for reading, please leave us a comment.

May the words stay with you!

Trademarks and myriad names used in this work are not authorized by, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners. No association with the corporations or names is implied or intended.

Awesome! You finished episode 005 of Notes from InUPress.

Let us know what you think of Notes from InUPress by going to www.inupress.ca While you are there, you can join the Inevitable Unicorn Press e-mail subscription list to receive news and updates about work from our authors such as Aria, Eric J Kregel, and Kenneth Shumaker. When you first signup for the e-mail list, you will receive a free document. This free pdf changes with time. Recently, the gift was a copy of Kenneth Shumaker’s biography of the protagonists, the Black Swans, from his epic fantasy novel, ‘Laret’. Later, the bonus was an episode from the epic fantasy serial series, ‘Markus’.

While on the home page of InUPress leave a comment, telling us what you think of our author’s work or our website.

Thank you for reading Notes from InUPress.

Yours,

Kenneth Shumaker with Inevitable Unicorn Press.

We would like to acknowledge the following for their contributions:

Our author is Kenneth Shumaker.

Our graphics designer of covers and headers is Kenneth Shumaker.

Editing is by Donna Shumaker.

The distribution, marketing, production, promotions, and publishing is by Inevitable Unicorn Press (InUPress).

About the author: Kenneth Shumaker (Rusty Knight)

Following a long break from writing, I recovered my passion for writing in 2009. I write science fiction, sci-fi/fantasy, fantasy, and nonfiction as an author with Inevitable Unicorn Press (InUPress). I am writing on Virily and other blog sites and publications. I have available a medieval fantasy novel, titled, ‘Laret: Darkness of Souls.’ I also write several serial short story series and novels. My two businesses, wife, two adult children, and six grandchildren keep me busy.

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“Join us on Virily to fulfil your reading and creative enquiring desires. View the creative images and writings of our Virily authors and image creators by joining up with a Virily subscription membership, satisfy your creative enquiring desires.”

“Second, if you desire to learn new creation, business, or technical skills, seek out those new skills on a strong learning platform of over 50,000 courses. These courses are offered by hundreds of creative authors, editors, business people and thousands of other creative professional crafts, business, and technical people in online courses. Sign up now and join us with a membership subscription, learn nearly any skill you can think of, improving your abilities in your creative work, your business abilities as well as many technical skills.”

“We invite you to entertain your reading journey with our fantasy, sci-fi/fantasy and science fiction as well as other genres of writing. This includes non-fiction discussion episodes. Our articles and books are written by authors such as Eric J Kregel, Aria and Kenneth Shumaker published by, Inevitable Unicorn Press (InUPress).”

To find out more join us with memberships at Virily or Skillshare with InUPress’ author, Kenneth Shumaker on these links:

Join Virily with a membership subscription through this link: Virily.
Access a Skillshare membership subscription and receive a bonus through this link by joining through this link: Skillshare.
Or seek out more from InUPress and its author’s writings by subscribing with an email membership subscription at this link: InUPress.ca.

Thank you, Kenneth, for Inevitable Unicorn Press (InUPress).

Notes from InUPress, E002, Have you fel...

By Kenneth Shumaker

Issue, 002

September 3, 2017

Have you felt alone as a creative?

Hi, I’ve been sitting here wondering who I can talk with about publishing work issues, and I draw a blank. I’ve been at it for a year as publisher, but my work has been published since 1983 and I still sit here alone.

Don’t get me wrong, I have friends who are authors, and writers I can talk with. But no agents, editors, marketers, promoters, or publishers who’ll communicate with me even about basic concepts, until a month ago. Not unless I put hundreds of dollars in their pockets.

I find this ironic.

I am online every day working. I listen to a minimum of five podcasts a day and read blogs and watch vlogs of authors, agents, editors, marketers, publishers, and promoters, who almost all proselytize to reach out to the community and network by connecting. To also network and be part of their community.

I thought, okay I want to learn. I want to be part of these communities, I’ve gone as far as I can alone. So, I listen. Learning the methods they teach, I wrote thirty people, at least I thought it was thirty people. Fifteen high visibility A and B list level people and fifteen lower list level people, with an open email, after I studied their work and bios. I wrote them briefly discussing what I liked about their work and a brief line asking if we could open a dialogue.

Guess how many responded!

Three. Two were secretaries from two of these people saying that if I wanted to know more about what the author had to say I should join their mastermind courses, (Which cost over $2,000 for a one year course, in each case), while the third who responded, offered to do editing for me, nothing else in her response.

Is this the open friendly community we have?

So, I contacted an editor who follows me on twitter and after a brief email exchange I paid her to edit a piece of my work. I asked if she would connect in networking, as she was promoting the open connection network concept. She said if I wanted any networking or community, to join a Facebook group, or LinkedIn. That response, even after I paid her to do work for me. I had already joined both and in the three months I’ve been in Facebook groups, and two years in LinkedIn, I get very little real connection, and nothing to do with my work. With any connections I do make, anytime I bring up publishing, I receive silence. Anytime I mention my own writing, I receive silence, yet they run on and on about their own same dead writing topics, just worded differently. I spoke with one author on his own Facebook page, it was an half-an-hour discussion and we talked about his work, he never asked about mine, I liked and followed his page, he never returned the favour. I even joined a University professor’s LinkedIn profile group page discussing online business, tried talking with him, but get little from him, other then his blog posts. I follow many agents, authors, editors, and publishers and I have several hundred following my Facebook, and 174 LinkedIn pages, and 3,730 following my Twitter pages, but will any of them talk with me? No! Not unless they’re trying to sell me something.

A month ago, I had another editor work on another sample of work, and with our similar sense of humour and with this editor finding herself a fan of my writing, we’ve hit it off. We’ve chatted a few times without putting coins in either persons pocket. So, the time frame it took nineteen months to make one conversational connection.

So, what I’m saying if you are trying to connect and network with other creatives and you are feeling alone, you’re not alone. There are others out there too, like you. But you have to talk with others, not make it a one-way street waiting for them to talk to you. Talk with the people you follow and don’t just try to sell to them.

Let’s talk, if it’s about writing, publishing, reviews, beta reading, you name it, if it has to do with writing, I’m open to talking. I’m the author and publisher, Kenneth Shumaker with InUPress (Inevitable Unicorn Press).

My links:

: Facebook

: LinkedIn

: Twitter InUPress

: Twitter Rusty Knight

: InUPress email – inupress@inupress.ca

May the words stay with you!

By Kenneth Shumaker

Trademarks and myriad names used in this work are not authorised by, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners. No association with the corporations or names is implied or intended.

About the author: Kenneth Shumaker (Rusty Knight):

Following a long break from writing, Kenneth recovered his passion for writing. He is a science fiction, sci-fi/fantasy, and fantasy genre author, as well as a non-fiction writer, with Inevitable Unicorn Press (InUPress). Kenneth has been blogging with the Owerton Challenge and other blogs for many years. He now writes several serial short stories. Also, he has available, a published fantasy novel, ‘Laret’. Kenneth’s two businesses, his wife, his two children, and his six grandchildren keep him busy.

We would like to acknowledge the following for their contributions:

The episode authors are Kenneth Shumaker.

Our episode editor is Donna Shumaker.

The graphics and headers are by Kenneth Shumaker.

The episode distribution, marketing, production, promotions, and publishing is by Inevitable Unicorn Press, known as InUPress.

Join Kenneth Shumaker (Rusty Knight) in his Dragoman Bloodgrue Volume collection anthologies. ‘Dragoman Bloodgrue, Volume I: Fare Where?’ is the first of the episodes of the Dragoman Bloodgrue serial series. Read how Bloodgrue tests the gods’ resolve. Do the gods let the brave be fools? Is Bloodgrue brave or a fool? Follow Bloodgrue to see where his life’s path leads him. In ‘Dragoman Bloodgrue, Volume I: Fare Where?’ we are introduced to Bloodgrue as he begins his journey climbing the social ranks of Mount Oryn in North Docks. Find this volume to purchase on:

: Etsy

: Kobo

Enjoy Kenneth’s new intriguing fantasy novel ‘Laret’, released June 19, 2017. Enter the Darkness of Souls and journey with the Black Swans through the Web Shireward as they battle the invading armies of the god Tearmain. This captivating novel is available at the following:

: Kobo

Discover the new novel, ‘Exhaust from the Tin Woods’, written by Eric J Kregel and published by InUPress. You may purchase the novel at:

: Etsy

: Kobo

With an annual subscription from www.inupress.ca, you can receive our monthly delivery of ‘Notes from InUPress’ for C$12.99 annually. The notes, by Kenneth Shumaker, contain interesting information on writing and publishing and is published through Inevitable Unicorn Press (InUPress).

Also, Kenneth has coaching sessions on the art of writing and getting published for C$125.99 per hour, available to a limited number of applicants. To arrange an intake appointment email inupress@inupress.ca or call 1-780-523-5835 between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm MST, Monday through Saturday.

InUPress offers a 30-day satisfaction guarantee. Your payment will be returned to you if you are not 100% happy with our friendly courteous client service and professional product.

Sincerely, Kenneth with Inevitable Unicorn Press (InUPress).

Thank you for reading.

Kenneth Shumaker and Aria of Inevitable Unicorn Press.

or through email at:

or give InUPress a phone call at:

1-780-523-5835

or reach InUPress’ postal mail at:

InUPress

Rusty’s Den

Box 3323

High Prairie, Alberta, Canada

T0G 1E0

Notes from InUPress, E001, What are the ...

By Kenneth Shumaker

Issue 001

August 27, 2017

With Inevitable Unicorn Press

What are the pros and cons of various publishing formats?

Self-publishing
- Author is responsible for all aspects of work
- Author is responsible for all your own costs
- Author controls all rights to the work
- Author can earn 4% to 100% royalties on net sales depending on sales distribution and vendor channels route taken
- No agent needed

Supported publishing
- Guided work with the publisher
- Publisher looks after printing and distribution
- Author is responsible for all fees
- Shared control of aspects of publishing (varies with publisher)
- The author may need to lease rights to the publisher for agreed terms
- Author earns from 4% to 65% of either net or gross sales, depending on arrangement
- Typically, do not need an agent

Traditional publishing
- Most publishers assign all tasks in-house, except most marketing and promotions
- Most publishers cover most costs except marketing and promotions
- Some publishers offer a cost sharing but then offer higher royalties or other benefits
- The author may have to relinquish some or all of their copy rights
- Publishers tend to purchase rights or lease various rights of the work
- The author can earn 6% to 65% royalties on gross sales
- Some publishers offer advances or other benefits
- Usually, need an agent to acquire entry to most publishers

Today there are almost equal advantages and detriments to self-publishing and traditional publishing, while the supported publishing gets a stiff bad rap from both sides. This is not to say that all the different publishing formats condemn each other. Some people utilise and support all three formats. Those who use combinations of formats are termed the hybrid published authors, or publishers. And they take a lot of flak for fence sitting.

Myself, I’m hybrid, as I’ve dealt with all three publishing formats. I’ve been traditionally published twice, I currently self-publish my work, and I’ve been supported published. As well, I own a supporting desktop publishing business that does traditional publishing as well. With this mixed bag of experience, I may be one of the few who can speak (from experience) from on top of the fence.

Traditional publishing, gets top marks from some of those who break its barriers and squeak into the houses, thus getting published. Through perseverance and hard work, mixed with a ton of luck, some manage to make some money and/or fame. Basically, besides the writing and submitting manuscripts to the publisher, all the author has to do is the marketing, putting in the effort that is agreed upon with the publisher. Some publishers may still pay a small monetary advance to strong, promising authors. But the advances have reduced significantly to just a mere few thousand dollars, if paid at all. And the author has to realise that they receive no royalty payments until that advance is paid off. Also, with traditional publishers, royalties are paid on gross of sales after expenses are deducted. So, if you sign for a 12% royalty, you do not receive $1.20 of each $10 of sale, you receive 12% after expenses are deducted. A book selling for $10 could gross you $0.86 or less on a 12% royalty. You are also expected to do almost all of the promotions and marketing after the launch and the release. You are responsible for building your own branding, etc. Also, most publishers now expect you to have your author brand and a social presence established before they’ll sign you on.

Royalty payments tend to range from 4% to 12%, but may be as high as 24%, depending on predicted sales of your product and your marketability. This is because the publisher has to recover the thousands of dollars they spent getting your product ready for distribution and market. Once your advance is paid, you may receive your royalties quarterly, if enough accumulate.

Supported publishing generally entails a publishing house who guides you, distributes, and prints your book. They organise all the editing, book cover design, formatting, and so forth for fees. Benefits? You, as the author, don’t have to hire the people to do the work or know what needs doing. You don’t distribute to vendors or organise the printing of your product, and you don’t have to collect the sales from vendors, etc. But you pay fees, or a fee. With most reputable supported publishers, you keep the rights to the work, or they may lease just the rights you want them to have for the length of term you’re willing to lease to them. Some help you with marketing and promotions, for a fee.

Supported publishers pay you a royalty, usually much higher than a traditional publisher, as they’ve already recovered most of their costs from you. However, they still have expenses in regards to distribution and to vendors for the term of your lease or contract. So, they keep part of the sales to recover their costs. Some pay royalties on net sales, some on gross sales. The typical range for royalties varies significantly, based on your brand, marketability, and your product. The royalties, are usually based on gross of sales, range from 10% to 45%, and as much as 65% in extreme cases. The author may be paid quarterly, once enough royalties have accumulated, depending on the arrangement you make with the publisher.

Self-publishing gives the author the ultimate control of the publishing, as well as total responsibility. No one else is responsible for any aspect of your publishing. The self-publisher is in charge of deciding what aspects of the publishing they will hire out. You receive no help unless you ask for it, and even then there are no certainties in receiving help. If you succeed, you reap all the rewards, except for what you parcelled out in getting the product published.

Royalties? You reap what you sell minus expenses. It varies from distribution type and vendor, being as high as 100% of net sales to as low as 4% of gross sales. It’s up to you how you distribute and to which vendors. But realise that some types of vendors and some markets are restricted and closed to self-publishers. Some markets are still reserved only to traditional publishers even today. You’re 100% responsible for marketing and promotions. You get paid depending on the schedules of the vendors and distributors and your arrangements with them.

Then comes the issues of accolades and awards. Most prestigious awards are reserved for traditionally published authors, but there are many opening up to self-published and supported published authors now, though these authors find it much harder to break into awards and accolades.

No matter what method you use, the money only arrives with sales. You need a product that people are willing to buy, and you need to market and promote in whatever manner you can.

Typically, it is not just sheer luck that gets sales, lightning-strike success is hyper-rare – one in ten million authors. It is said that of people surveyed, 81% thought about writing something, but only 5 to 8% did. Of those authors who write, it is statistically shown that 91% see less than 200 combined sales of their works in their lifetime.

If 81% of the world’s 7 billion people want to write, that equates to roughly 5.6 billion people. Of those, supposedly only 283 million write something. Of these, 25 million sell more than 200 combined sales in their lifetime. That is if the whole world population participated.

But according to Amazon statistics and also Author Earnings, there were roughly 8 million published authors in 2016, in English speaking print. From what I can ascertain, fewer than 720,000 ever sold more than 200 combined sales on record in their lifetime. Of those, less than 11,000 broke 2,000 sales of all their combined products in one year. These figures combine traditional, supported, and self-published authors. But the records show of these roughly eleven thousand authors, 52% were self-published or supported-published. To add to this, of the top earners in the reports, the combined sales of published material in 2016, 48% were self-published or hybrid.

What I’m showing you is that it’s still anyone’s game. It is up to you, the author, to decide how much effort and expense you are willing to put into being published, and then choose your format of publishing. Don’t let naysayers sway you. Almost everyone is biased, favouring the way they’re already doing things or the way they prefer to do business.

I’ve had equally good and bad experiences in all three. My sales are equal in all three. So, I simply leave it to you to determine what level of effort you are comfortable with.

May the words stay with you!

By Kenneth Shumaker

Trademarks and myriad names used in this work are not authorised by, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners. No association with the corporations or names is implied or intended.

About the author: Kenneth Shumaker (Rusty Knight):

Following a long break from writing, Kenneth recovered his passion for writing. He is a science fiction and fantasy genre author, as well as a non-fiction writer, with Inevitable Unicorn Press (InUPress). Kenneth has been blogging with the Owerton Challenge and other blogs for many years. He now writes several serial short stories. Also, he has a fantasy novel available titled, ‘Laret’. Kenneth’s two businesses, his wife, his two children, and his six grandchildren keep him busy.

We would like to acknowledge the following for their contributions:

The episode authors are Kenneth Shumaker.

Our episode editor is Donna Shumaker.

The graphics and headers are by Kenneth Shumaker.

The episode distribution, marketing, production, promotions, and publishing is by Inevitable Unicorn Press, known as InUPress.

Awesome! You finished episode 001 of Notes from InUPress.

Let us know what you think of Notes from InUPress by following this links: www.inupress.ca While you are there, you can join the Inevitable Unicorn Press e-mail subscription list to receive news and updates about work from our authors such as; Kenneth Shumaker, Eric J Kregel and Aria. When you sign up for the e-mail list, you will receive a free document when you first sign up. This free pdf changes with time, the gift was a copy of Kenneth Shumaker’s. biography of the protagonists, the Black Swans, from his epic fantasy novel, ‘Laret’. Later the bonus was an episode from the epic fantasy serial series, ‘Lanis’.

While on the home page of InUPress.ca leave a comment, telling us what you think of our author’s work, or us leave your thoughts about the website. We appreciate your time and we will try to respond to questions and comments.

Thank you for reading Notes from InUPress

Yours,

Kenneth Shumaker with Inevitable Unicorn Press,

: Etsy

: Kobo

: Kobo

Discover the new novel, ‘Exhaust from the Tin Woods’, written by Eric J Kregel and published by InUPress. You may purchase the novel at:

: Etsy

: Kobo

InUPress offers a 30-day satisfaction guarantee. Your payment will be returned to you if you are not 100% happy with our friendly courteous client service and professional product.

Sincerely, Kenneth with Inevitable Unicorn Press (InUPress).

Thank you for reading.

Kenneth Shumaker and Aria of Inevitable Unicorn Press.

or through email at:

or give InUPress a phone call at:

1-780-523-5835

or reach InUPress’ postal mail at:

InUPress

Rusty’s Den

Box 3323

High Prairie, Alberta, Canada

T0G 1E0

Notes from InUPress, E004, Is building a...

Notes from InUPress

By Kenneth Shumaker

Issue 004

July 10, 2017

‘Is building a business like playing a video game?’

I find that as I’m building my business, I keep returning to computer gaming to relieve stress and relax. It helps, and then the other day it hit me: building my businesses is like play a video game.

Let me explain. The traditional framework for success is already in place for business and gaming. Both are riddled with multiple challenges of varying degrees.

In gaming, most challenges are independent of each other, but when you follow a particular quest, there is a set hierarchy of goals to achieve to reach a conclusion and win the scenario, completing the challenge and possibly leading to more challenges. Each completed challenge has varying rewards. As you work through a quest, there are many ways to fail. But the successful gamer steps back, looks at the steps that he took up to that point and examines where he failed. The player evaluates the choices he made and the subsequent results, and when facing the challenge again, he changes the choices he made that led to that failure. If these changes succeed, he continues on with the next step, continuing with his quest. Thus, succeeding with the challenges.

This is how we build a business. As in gaming, we don’t face only one quest/challenge at a time; we’re juggling multiple challenge quests and must prioritise and focus on the challenges according to reward and immediacy.

What saddens me is that each time I dust myself off after falling and failing a challenge, I find fewer people are accompanying me. I’m finding the old proverb, ‘go the extra mile, it’s never crowded,’ to be truer the farther I go.

I find that the further I go, the more I’ve learned from experiences that can’t be taught in classes, but yet we need mentors to guide us along with these events once we hit these challenges. How ironic – life is full of oxy moronic moments. So, as in gaming, I reset moments when I get stuck, and I ask a friend or colleague how they may have gotten past similar issues. Then I move into the challenge with this new experience and knowledge to face it again, making different choices. In this way, I continue to grow, building my business much as I play my video games.

By, Kenneth Shumaker.

Trademarks and myriad names used in this work are not authorised by, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners. No association with the corporations or names is implied or intended.

About the author: Kenneth Shumaker (Rusty Knight)

Following a long break from writing, Kenneth recovered his passion for writing. He is a science fiction and fantasy genre author, as well as a non-fiction writer, with Inevitable Unicorn Press (InUPress). Kenneth has been blogging with the Owerton Challenge and other blogs for many years. He now writes several serial short stories. Kenneth’s two businesses, his wife, his two children, and his six grandchildren keep him busy.

: Kobo

Join Kenneth Shumaker (Rusty Knight) in his Dragoman Bloodgrue Volume collection anthologies of serial series short stories. ‘Dragoman Bloodgrue, Volume I: Fare Where?’ is the first of the episodes in the Bloodgrue serial series. Read how Bloodgrue tests the gods’ resolve. Do the gods let the brave be fools? Is Bloodgrue brave, or a fool? Follow Bloodgrue to see where his life’s path leads. In ‘Dragoman Bloodgrue, Volume I: Fare Where?’ we are introduced to Bloodgrue as he begins his journey, climbing the social ranks of Mount Oryn in North Docks.

Find this volume to purchase on:

: Etsy

: Kobo

With an annual subscription from InUPress you can receive our monthly delivery of ‘Notes from InUPress’ for C$12.99 annually. The notes, by Kenneth Shumaker, contain interesting information on writing and publishing and is published through Inevitable Unicorn Press.

Kenneth also has coaching sessions on the art of writing and getting published for C$125.99 per hour, available to a limited number of applicants. To arrange an intake appointment email inupress@inupress.ca or call 1-780-523-5835 between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm MST, Monday through Saturday.

Discover the new novel ‘Exhaust from the Tin Woods’, published by InUPress and written by Eric J Kregel, available in paperback and ebook.

You can find the novel to purchase at:

: Etsy

: Kobo