Improv is short for improvisation – spontaneous ensemble theatre where performers make up theatre/music.writing on the spot. The BIG advantage of self-publishing is being able to make inspired changes to the text. For example, in 3 WISE MEN, I added a chapter some years after it was published and the new text was the result of an inspired moment. Such improvs are difficult to do in traditional publishing, which is a pity. After all, we do change over time and our ideas mature and shift as we age. Given the time it took to write MUTINY, I don’t expect any big changes, but the option is there to make them if I feel the need. For example, MUTINY has a focus on Artificial Intelligence and rapid advances in this field may well require a small re-write at some stage, and this is easily done via the self-publishing process.
editing
Done and Dusted
Another milestone in the publication of MUTINY – final edits all done and both paperback and kindle versions uploaded. It’s just a matter of waiting a few hours for the updates to appear online but, I must say, quite a relief to have this book polished and finished. Just to recap: Beta Reader find 3 errors –> author fixes errors and decides to check manuscript for others –> 10 days later the full edit is finished –> book formatting done using Rakib on Fiverr (can’t speak highly enough of his work) –> new versions uploaded onto Amazon. From errors being discovered to having revised manuscript uploaded was around two weeks. That’s all folks in the (busy) life of a self-published author. Now, back to my day job :-).
Is the Finish Line in Sight?
There is much debate about whether to write with a clear idea of the ending, or to wing it and let the writing unfold to a surprise conclusion. Before I started writing, I had no idea which process I would follow, but it soon became clear.
It is said that a friend once visited James Joyce as he wrote, inquiring upon arrival the source of the scribe’s obvious vexation. Of course it was the work, as always. “How many words did you get today?” queried the visitor. “Seven,” replied Joyce. “Seven? But James… that’s good, at least for you.” “Yes,” Joyce at last assented, before lamenting, “But I don’t know what order they go in!”
I think many writers can relate to the challenge of determining sequence and structure across an entire manuscript. So, who’s right? Is it better to set down your stakes straight away, finish line forever in sight, or at least in mind—or to wing it, to breathe life into your story and its inhabitants and sit back and enjoy the ride?
I must confess that I have no idea of how my novels will end, and that’s why I love writing. I wait for the ending to surprise me, then hope that my readers react in the same way. My first ending for MUTINY was OK but – as one of my Beta Readers pointed out – there was no real twist. I went back to editing the manuscript and ‘discovered’ an ending that was far better. And it got even better after meditating on it for a few days. Looking back on my writing journey for MUTINY, I spend countless hours on the opening chapter – feeling much like James Joyce struggling over every word – and an equal number of hours agonising over the finishing lines. The hours soon became days and the days years, until MUTINY was well-matured and ready to print. And, the funny thing is, James Joyce happens to make an appearance in MUTINY.
Another Day, Another Issue
My orders for 8 x 3 WISE MEN arrived last night – alas, with poor packaging damage to the books. After some negotiating, Amazon kindly offered a full refund, which was a nice outcome, but little comfort as I prepare for my book launch (of MUTINY) in two weeks’ time. The copies of 3 WISE MEN were for those interested in a package of both books. In addition, these copies of 3 WISE MEN are the revised version following the full edit completed last month. That leads me to an interesting challenge – how to distinguish the new copy from the old? The solution was to include a lovely addition of an e-Type Jaguar car on the back cover (see pic with this post) plus a note on the inside cover.
Out with the New, In with the Old
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I have been revising my first book – the one I picked up by mistake. I’m pleased to say that revisions have been completed and I am much happier with the result. I really enjoyed a few chapters that I had skipped over before (more on this shortly in another post). This led to another consideration – should I also change the cover design to reflect the new version? And, I did, but it is subtle. In fact, I preferred the first book cover design and tweaked it in Photoshop for the new version. It’s clearer, cleaner and has more impact. It also includes one of my lead ‘characters’ – an e-type Jag. I hope you enjoy the changes too. The time taken for these revisions was about 3-5 days at a leisurely pace. FYI, the reformatting of text for Kindle and paperback cost about $US60. Being able to do these changes on the fly is a huge advantage for self-publishing. But, I warn you, choose your formatting expert wisely.
Launch Books Ordered
We are now just a month away from the book launch for MUTINY and the extra books have been ordered. I just hope they arrive on time. Meanwhile, what does a writer do when the book has been published. In my case, I have been a little disorientated and lacking the inspiration to get started on a new novel (yes, there is one in the works). In a moment of weakness, I picked up a copy (by mistake) of my first book – 3 WISE MEN – and started reading it. Guess what? I liked it and it seemed more relevant/significant in light of recent events in the Middle East. But I could see room for a few improvements and have begun a re-edit. And, to be honest, I am enjoying the experience, except for a few quirky Microsoft Word issues (oh, I loathe that program)! It will be fun to see where the editing takes me. Will I add more chapters? Will I change the plot? I don’t anticipate any major changes, but wait and see.
The Power of a Book Cover
“You can’t tell a book by its cover.” But, we do – all the time. The cover is super-important and is the first contact with the book when you pick it up. Covers signal genre, but the good ones do more than that. They give face to a book’s personality. They create excitement and anticipation. A cover has the power to communicate the book’s genre, tone, and theme, as well as to pique the reader’s interest. A well-designed cover can also make a book stand out in a crowded marketplace, and can help to establish the author’s brand. A book’s cover and its content should be inextricably linked.
Here’s the reaction to the cover of MUTINY from my middle daughter (age 47) yesterday:
- She picks up the book and looks at the cover, commenting, “I love the color” and “it looks really interesting.”
- She reads the back cover and adds, “So, the outcome shocks everyone. I want to know more.”
So, she’s hooked. Meanwhile, my cover designer has changed the spine width to make it fit better. But this led to another issue – the title is too close to the margins. So, I need to wait for the revised cover before uploading it to Amazon for the final version. Once this is done I can order more copies for the book launch :-).
Despite this setback of a few days, the Kindle orders are coming in from readers keen to get a head-start on MUTINY.
Just another exciting day in the life of a self-published author.
A Good Read if I Don’t Mind Saying…
Hooray, he final edits are now complete and, if I am allowed to say so, I enjoyed reading my draft again, especially the moments of humor. The end-twist was a nice surprise and I hope you agree. Who doesn’t love a good novel – one that comes from the challenges of life? My first novel – 3 WISE MEN – was less polished than I would have liked but, at least with self-publishing, I had the chance to reprint and improve it. My father (pictured here) was an avid writer and taught creative writing. I can still hear the tap, tap,tap of his golf-ball typewriter as he plowed into another short story (with no Word docs in those days). He survived WWII and had lots of stories. I am sure his writing became cathartic for him. His library was full of interesting books and these gave me plenty to devour in my spare time. Now, back to finding my cover designer!
The Motivation to Self-Publish
Writers are increasingly frustrated by the lack of any feedback from literary agents or publishers – who have little to no time to do so. This can take authors down the self-publishing route. I am at the stage where I have a stronger motivation. Yes, I have tried and tried and tried again, with input from two (very helpful) professional editors, to break into the traditional publishing world. Submitting a query letter to potential agents helps hone the writing craft and adds fire to writing “the hook for your book.” But, I have now reached the stage where I owe too much to the wonderful people who helped me research the background for my new novel – arranging visits to Museums, providing accommodation and encouragement. I owe them a finished work after all they did for me back in 2019. They will be thanked in the introduction to my new novel. Meanwhile, the final editing continues and I will shortly outline the next steps, including cover design and conversion of my word docx to the printing format.
The Edit Continues…
Well, dear readers, I am now midway through my final edits. I know that it is impossible to write a perfect novel, but I hate having glaring errors – even after a few years of writing and editing this one. What surprises me, is that every chapter has needed improving in some way – either grammatical or plot related. An interesting fact is that the word count has now dropped below 100,000 and I had the same experience with my last book.
Oh well, I must continue to finish editing and get this book ready to print. I have been unable to convince an agent to take me on, though one did ask for the full manuscript. Therefore, I plan to give details about the self-publishing process in this blog to help others who may be on the same journey.