Admin Season

By / May 4, 2022 / 3 Comments

Admin season always sneaks up on me. It is how I describe those periods of time when I’m living by my task list and paying attention to dozens of small administrative tasks all day long. This time I was at least ten days into admin season before I realized that I was in the middle of admin season. Probably because I’m still juggling the last tailing ends of things to deliver for XDM2e while also starting the ramp up for Shafter’s Shifters and our Patreon makeover. In fact, maybe I’ll just make a list. Or several.

XDM2e

  • Keep working with our accessibility consultant to get the fully accessible versions of this book complete. (ETD end of June.)
  • Discuss the feasibility of ePub and Mobi formats with an expert. (Meeting Saturday)
  • Update the QFT PDF so that it matches XD20 v2. (Yes I know that sentence is barely comprehensible. I’m changing numbers in a game module to match updates to the game mechanics in the new version.)
  • Layout the character stand up PDF.
  • Keep communicating with Tracy to track the progress of the audiobook version.
  • Keep communicating with the printer to track the completion and arrival of the print version.
  • Re-learn how to put digital books up on sites other than our own store.
  • Clean up my warehouse and make floor space so I can receive pallets of books.
  • This list will spawn an entire new list of shipping and fulfillment tasks once the print books arrive.

Shafter’s Shifters

  • Daily meetings with Howard where I’m a sounding board for plot problems and character thoughts.
  • Post chapters for our Patrons each Monday through the end of May.
  • Gather feedback from beta readers.
  • Be an alpha reader and then editor as the book progresses.
  • More tasks will spawn for this as we reach the point where we’re ready to crowdfund.

Writing Excuses Retreat

  • Check and answer customer support emails daily.
  • Weekly meetings to make sure tasks are on track.
  • Manage meeting scheduling as needed.
  • Help draft some communications to staff and attendees.
  • Participate in setting up and managing the Discord communities.
  • Other tasks as assigned.

Household Admin

  • Grocery shopping and other resource acquisition.
  • Prescription management.
  • Appointments and calendaring.
  • Manage the outsourcing of lawn care.
  • Accounting and bill paying weekly.
  • And I’m supposed to be prepping areas of the house for further kitchen remodeling, but somehow I never get to this part of the list.

Business Admin

  • Weekly accounting and bill paying.
  • Ship store orders to customers at least twice per week.
  • Learn how to format digital files so that we can offer Planet Mercenary and the Mayhem Cards as POD items on DriveThruRPG.
  • Check the PO Box.
  • Check and answer customer support emails.
  • Calendar management to try to picture how the next months will go.
  • Gen Con planning.
  • Inventory tracking and re-ordering. (We’re nearing reprint time on a couple of books.)

Writerly Stuff

  • I have two newsletters to write and send out. (One for Hypernode Media, one for Sandra Tayler.)
  • I’m reading a book to give feedback to a critique partner.
  • Drafting the Structuring Life to Support Creativity Workbook.
  • Revising House in the Hollow.
  • Blogging (Which I’ve obviously not been getting done much lately.)
  • Holding monthly Creative Check-Ins with a small group.
  • Intending to write a short story, but never quite getting past the “vague concepts” stage.
  • Feeling guilty that I’m not putting up more things on Patreon.

Personal & Family Stuff

  • This list is not for public consumption, but it exists and has many items on it.

These lists are not comprehensive. But seeing them all in a row like that makes me think I should grant myself a little bit of grace for the things I want to be doing but never quite manage to get done. I’m optimistic that I can actually clear away some of these things in the next few weeks and create more space in my schedule.