Update: Some More Changes for 2023

The End of MYTHIC

Back in January, I was able to announce the release of MYTHIC #20. At the time, I believed I would be producing new issues after the release of that one, that the magazine would be carrying on. Well, guess what? I was wrong. Just over a week ago now, I announced the end of MYTHIC, meaning that Issue #20 would actually be the final one published. 

I said this in a post on the magazine's website titled 'MYTHIC Is Closed': 

The title says it all, folks. I've had to totally shut MYTHIC down. There have been too many financial issues and even production issues, plus I've found that my current life circumstances have not allowed me the time needed to manage all of this. I've fought to keep it alive, but the fight became too great. So, I'm saying goodbye to MYTHIC. 

Thanks to all of those who loved the magazine and believed in it from its very first issues back in 2016. 

Sincerely,

Shaun Kilgore

Now that some time has passed, I've been sitting back contemplating the decision I made. When I look at the time, I spent both reading submissions and trying to deal with all of the elements of production and distribution, and then looked at all of the other work vying for my limited time and attention, I must admit a minor sense of relief. Not being the editor/publisher of MYTHIC is just one less ball I have to juggle. It's something at also ate into any sort of writing time I had.

I know now that I lost my ability to balance the time, so I regained the time I needed to write and do other things in the course of the day.

Now, I'm left with the clean-up from this almost seven-year project. Other than some issues that need mailed, I do have a final best of collection to prepare for publication. The Best of MYTHIC: Volume Two will now serve as an endcap to an era of magazine editorship that I am proud to have accomplished.

State of My Writing

I think this subject might be just as difficult to talk about as ending the magazine was, maybe more so. In many ways, I've been frozen as a writer. I've managed a few short-term thaws in my production, but they don't last. I'm totally off-balance and can't get into writing the way I did in the past. What's made it worse has been trying to write for someone else as a ghostwriter. I've done some work recently, but the whole process of ghostwriting has become almost repugnant to me at this point. I just can't do it anymore.

That means I've got to pivot to someone kind of writing that will also allow me to make some money too. Easier said than done. The one thing I'm trying not to do is be too hard on myself. It's almost an effortless thing for me. Stupid, I know, but there it is. 

So, I'm really just back to the drawing board and trying to keep my head above water. Some days it feels like I've got anchors latched to my ankles though. No comforting at all. 

But this writer will press on and see what happens.

A New Issue of MYTHIC Is Out

Hey folks,

I've managed to bring MYTHIC back from the brink—but only by a small margin. It will still need some more help to operate. That aside, I wanted to share what I posted about the release on the MYTHIC website:

A new issue of MYTHIC has arrived!

This latest one, Issue #20: January/February 2023, is the first scheduled in the now bi-monthly reoccurring publication of the popular science fiction and fantasy magazine. Inside you'll find original short fiction "Tally and Raul" by Mark Bilsborough, "The Clockwork World" by Aaron Emmel, "The Shattered Spirit" by Tom Jolly, and plus reprints, "Set for Life" by Warren Benedetto, "Hellhold" by Sean Patrick Hazlett and "Inheritance" by Shaun Kilgore. Also included: A new book review by Frank Kaminski.

Buy the eBook issue from our Payhip Store.

Also available on Amazon and other retailers to follow.

Facing Facts: A Final 2022 Update

It's been a while. I haven't posted on this page since early September. I figured it was time to say something since the end of 2022 is almost here. Lots of things have happened since I last wrote, but not all of them have been good. I think it would be accurate to say that I'm in the midst of a reboot of just about everything in my life—including my endeavors as a writer and editor. 

I am not going to spend time recapping the year. I'm looking back at the hits and misses. I have things I'm still trying to wrap up or complete in one fashion or another. But truthfully, it's all slipping back into the past and I'm not one to look back. I can only operate in the here and now and thereby influence the shape and flow of my future as a creative. 

I'm using the last few days of 2022 to make some decisions about what the following year is going to look like. My aim is to put out the rest of the fires that have cropped up and caused damage in my personal and professional life. One of the things I want to focus on is streamlining and simplifying what it is I'm doing. Like everyone else, I've got strengths and weaknesses. So, I need to pay to the former rather than the latter. 

Even if I'm just tracing the outlines of what I'd like to see happen in 2023, I think it must always come back to doing more writing than I did the previous year. I'd add a caveat to this though: I'd like to get more of my own stories out to readers rather than just ghostwriting. It'll still be a component of my writerly income, but I'll be striving for more balance.

My work as an editor will also be changing in 2023. I won't reveal to much about that right now. 

In so many ways, I have reached a series of tipping points and I have to make some different moves. I'm hoping I'll be able to get it all sorted out at least for the most part. It all depends on what else life throws at me in this brand-new year barreling down on me. 

Stay tuned, gang. Happy New Year!

Now That It's September...

The last several months have not be the greatest. 

The struggles and obstacles have been frequent and I'm still in the midst of them. I don't really know when they'll end or if I'm even close to the end of the difficulties. Thankfully, I'm in better health and I do not have those kinds of problems too. No, this is about my livelihood, my financial situation, largely. Yes, there are some personal matters besides these, but I won't both going into any of that. 

I like to say I'm at least treading water, so to speak. Lots of mental energy is getting used simply in the process of crisis management as different issues crop up and I have to made various adjustments to how I've been operating my publishing and writing businesses just to meet my basic needs and obligations. I've had to make some very tough calls and it pisses me off. I'm sorry to those who've been affected by these changes.

I do not know where all of this will end but I do still have hope that I can sort it all out—given time.

In some ways, I just want to refocus on the things that matter to me. Kind of like going back to square one. At least as much as I can. 

Ghostwriting Redux

In an effort to stay fed and housed, and attempt to pay the bills, I've started delving back into freelance ghostwriting. This is a return really and I may be going much deeper this time into the business because the goal is steadier work that will allow me to reinvest in my floundering publishing company so it might survive to see 2023. 

This isn't what I wanted to do. I wanted to be making enough through Founders House to write my own work only and then turn around and publish it as well. But problems with the publishing company, some due to the pandemic, have forced me to end relationships with writers in an effort to shore things up. Still, none of its guaranteed to work and I may end up closing the doors completely. The only survivor might end up being my magazine, MYTHIC, which I've relaunched (again!). At the time of writing this, I'm running a Kickstarter campaign for a second volume 'best of' collection featuring stories from past issues of the magazine.

Feel free to check that out: http://kck.st/3wb1lKc

It will end on September 8th, 2022.

I've managed to pick up a handful of ghostwriting gigs since the search began. This is not nearly enough to call it a viable income stream yet, but I'm on a constant hunt for new clients and new project. I've even started seeking those who need book design skills and use what I've learned operating Founders House to help other indie writers but haven't gotten a lot of traction there either. 

My first goal with all of this is just a little bit of stability. 

Patreon Lessons

Since I started a Patreon page for my writing and publishing efforts, I've managed to gain a small following. The only problem has been keeping them engaged. I've had to admit that I just don't know how to leverage this great crowdfunding tool to build on my audience and gain enough followers to generate a legitimate income stream to help support my efforts as a creative.

As of this writing, my personal Patreon page, (www.patreon.com/shaunkilgore), is barely hanging on. Even after attempts to retool it, I just don't provide enough engagement to keep everyone interest. One of the features that I revived and targeted for support from patrons was Free Fiction Friday. But I've not had the time to write new stories and have run out of ones to post each Friday. So, it has fallen by the wayside.

Would I like to find a way to attract enough patrons to make enough to pay the bills? Of course, I would. For now, the page is still there for the curious. If you like my work as a writer or editor, please consider supporting me in this way. I'd like to be able to produce some exclusive content for patrons.

So, There It Is

I gave you a bit of an update in a nutshell. I hope to have better news to report the next time I give an update. I hope all is well with you and yours.