From Grathew's Desk
ep. 7
I know that this week should be a week off, as It isn’t a week scheduled for a From Grathew’s Desk, yet as next week will be after Christmas, and I’m going to to be focusing on getting everything else ready for the new year I decided that I might as well do another one of these while I wait to travel home for the holidays.
Over the past week I’ve been finalizing the outline for Project Ghost, which is nearing in on it’s final title. Finding something that’s exactly correct is tricky. I’ve also discovered I’m not as good at audacity as I thought I was. Meaning I’ll need to add the first episode of The Conspiring Lemurs’ Podcast to my todo list for the following week and a bit. I’ll have a Spotify link up soon. I’ve also found that the Pomodoro system works rather well for me when it comes to writing.
I made this discovery after blundering into it after checking out one of the Steam soundtrack of the year contenders: Chill with You: Lo-Fi Story. I was thinking it was going to be a lo-fi mix tape maker with maybe some kind of ‘story ui’ for want of a better descriptor. While the concept and pitch around it is very Japanese, the product is oddly effective. Who knew adding a story mode, and a cute mascot to a productivity app would make it more effective. Regardless the gamification of Pomodoro system is a brilliant move, hats off to Nestopi: you’re likely to be what lets me push through 2026, if not farther.
The first product of this system in action is going to be the set up for 2026. I was looking though my substack notes feed (a general fire hose of useless comments) and found more than a few ‘guides to grow your substack’ ‘classes’. Not wanting to bother reading them I fed them and my outline into various AI tools to see if my “Brilliant Substack Domination Plan (2026)” (tm) was any good. Turns out yes, or mostly yes. Depending on the specific AI and clump of those articles we are focused on. However that didn’t mean I didn’t find somethings that needed addressing. One of them was the Mission Statement. Now those of you who’ve followed me across my various misadventures in social media, the two of you understand the mission here, yet the rest probably haven’t found it written down anywhere clearly. That will be fixed on the 27th. It was the first article I used the Pomodoro system on and frankly I think it may be my best piece to date. Thus it will be the though line for 2026, and beyond. I think I may do one every time I go on a break in 2026.
Yes I am planning on taking more than one month off in 2026. I am thinking a 5/1 cycle for the year. Meaning I’m going to do 5 months on schedule and then a month off. Meaning January - May, will be more or less what I was doing for the previous two months. As it is both the amount of content I want to put out, and probably fairly sustainable Now I am doubling the number of Noah Bannon Chapters and adding Project Ghost on top of it. We will see if I’m being overly ambitious. Regardless the goal will be keep or build a schedule for those five months, then in June I’ll take my ‘Summer Break’ (probably with another challenge since I have the challenge Substack now). In theory I’ll have enough of a buffer to just relax and put out less with out chewing though all of the buffer. I’m going to play it by ear. If I get far enough a head that I don’t end up interrupting content at all, hurray, if not well I’m still figuring this out.
Speaking of challenges, New Year New Starts. If, somehow, you’ve missed it, it is my year end writing challenge. I know this year will be the biggest year to date. I’m excited to share what I’ve done, and get blown out of the water by what you’ve done. I have decided to do a bit of an expansion to Noah Bannon: Space Ranger this year as one of my three is directly related to Noah’s story. I may do one that ties in to Project Ghost for next year. Regardless I hope everyone who’s following me at least attempts and posts what they got done come January. Even if you’ve only got one done this year, I want to see it.
Which I think wraps everything up nicely just in time for Christmas. Have save journeys for those of you journeying, those of you hosting good luck. I will see you in a few days with the short stories, and this weekend with the mission statement.
Talk to you soon. Marry Christmas.
Grathew
Just because in theory one could still join up, and I mentioned it. Here’s the New Year New Starts post.
GrathewAnd the rest of the buttons.
