Pilgrim Spokes Moving Down The Path Toward Release
I’m learning a lot about myself as an author with each book I publish. Right now, in this place and at this time, I’m having more fun at it than I ever have.
I’ve learned to separate the author in me from the publisher in me, and it keeping them separate, I get to find more joy in each.
The author in me is taking a break right now.
- A couple people have gone through the manuscript and provided a beta read and edit, suggesting several excellent changes and enhancements. Readers have them to thank for an improved manuscript.
- I’ve finally landed on a title, which is the hardest part of the whole danged thing for me. (The title is Pilgrim Spokes btw.)
- I’ve handed the manuscript off to Erin for her to boil the thing up in her special cauldron of editing magic. As usual, I’m positive she’ll deliver outstanding edits of my rough storytelling in a way that will sooth my fragile ego while correcting my clumsy mistakes.
- Now I wait. I really want to continue to make changes, but I need to wait for Erin’s edits or I’ll have a versioning nightmare. While I wait, I’ve begun a little outlining for the next book. This one may title itself, something like Pilgriming The Trace, following the journey of Dave, Ian and me up the Natchez Trace a year or so ago. (A theme is developing in these titles…)
On the other hand, the publisher in me is gearing up and having fun in the publishing business.
- I’m exploring improvements to my distribution model and partners.
- I’m reaching out to a few folks who have offered to read advanced copies of the next book. Those advanced reviews are critical to early sales on Amazon. (I need to devote a whole post to the “Amazon Review Phenom.”)
- I’m putting together a marketing plan that’s a heap better than the last one, which was a heap better than the one before that.
- Ann begins cover design work this week, and Kristen will start interior design when I recover from Erin’s edits.
- Last but not least, I’m looking forward to helping at least one new author break into the publishing world in 2016. I figure I’m learning this business, and doing okay at it, and I want to share that with other folks.
More to come on the ETA for Pilgrim Spokes, but my preliminary guess is around May 1.
