Monday, July 17, 2006


Dear Friend and Reader:

We've just received a couple of comments in response to their being no Monday horoscope this week. I would like to speak to this point to address any silent concerns that may be out there, and see if I can offer a little insight into what goes on behind the scenes of the materials you receive. Part of the problem is that in times when I am extraordinarily productive, I set up a situation where easing back even a little creates a sense of something missing.

The Monday horoscope, officially called the bonus horoscope (seeing as we're Planet Waves Weekly, not Planet Waves Twice Weekly), is one of four or five monthly horoscopes that appear in different publications, which is why they have names like Flaunt or Lemonade. This schedule varies based on two factors: one, the magazines are not always strictly monthly; Flaunt, for instance, comes out 10 times a year.

Second, in order to manage a very busy writing and editing schedule, it's sometimes necessary for me to combine Monday horoscopes, where my outside contracts allow. In such a case, you would experience that one or months two later as a missed horoscope. By the time that month arrives, I am working on horoscopes that may be one to three months ahead of the current time and I cannot just stop and fill back in. And, for example, I am already underway on the 2007 annual edition, which is a project that needs a lot of lead time because so much goes into it.

One thing we don't mess with is the weekly horoscope. Even during my recent "break" there was not actually a missed beat in the weekly horoscope or the birthday report. The only difference was a shorter version one week.

Something else to be aware of is that I had been sending out birthday reports Wednesdays, but have folded them into the Friday edition, where they began. This creates a perception of "less service." But all the birthday reports are there -- in the Friday editions. In all, there are about 3,000 to 4,000 words for EACH sign of birthday report material. Some web services charge the amount of our annual subscription fee for just that much writing.

I recognize that there is a need for consistency in business and in publishing, and I take this very seriously, as the people who work with me every day can tell you. But as the main person who produces content, particularly astrological content, I recognize that I have both energetic and creative limits -- human limits -- and I do my best to honor them. As anyone who has had the experience of being creative on demand knows, it's not possible to be perfectly consistent from day to day, week to week and year to year. And it's not necessary.

Living here in Europe, I hear a lot of people surprised to discover that I don't take a full month off, as is customary here. People just close up shop, pull down the gates over the window, and stick a sign on the door -- Back Aug. 31. Employees of companies and the government have this same privilege (generally, however, vacations are shorter in England, where the work ethic is more like in the U.S.). When people hear I don't take a month off, there is often a derisive comment toward Americans included, that all we do is work -- as if any of us could just stroll in and tell the boss, "See ya Aug. 31!"

Planet Waves is not your ordinary publication. We are strictly organic; not fed by syndication services; not created by a formula. This takes time, effort, energy and resources, and it takes a healthy relationship with our underwriters -- our sponsors -- our subscribers -- that is, you. As a result of having a real, actual newsletter from someone you can email, someone you know exists and has a viewpoint, there is a human factor. Planet Waves is not perfectly consistent, schedules change, and I have a life outside of work that I respond to.

I think that in all of my writing directed at others, I take a fundamentally compassionate approach to growth, responsibility and life. I try to live by what I teach.

We have a Mission Statement, that used to be called the Terms of Service. I would really be grateful if you would read that -- it's an interesting read, I'm told, unlike the fine print on a software package -- just so you know where we're coming from, and have a sense of our vision. I'll place three excerpts below; here is the main link:

http://planetwaves.net/TOS/

Thanks for your understanding -- and for coming along on our publishing adventure.

Yours & truly,

ERIC FRANCIS



Excerpts from Terms of Service

a. Planet Waves Weekly's subscription services are guaranteed. If you choose to cancel, you are eligible for a refund of remaining issues. We may ask you why you are requesting a refund so we can factor that into our quality control and business plan. Your subscription covers -- at minimum -- a weekly mailing and Internet posting each Friday. All other postings should be considered "bonus materials."

and...

2. Planet Waves does its best to maintain a flexible position in life and must be responsive to world conditions, personal considerations, astrology and other factors. The publishing schedule is subject to change at any time.

3. As the publisher, Eric Francis sets the schedule. Some issues may be late and the occasional issue will be canceled.