Sometimes, delays can be a plane in the ash.
Things are slowly getting back on track with TYOTRD after a long hiatus. Here’s where things stand, where they are going, and a few of the challenges immediately ahead.
♦ Line-editing is ongoing. I’ve received the edits for The Bellringer and The Nature of a Curse, and I’ve completed applying the edits to The Bellringer. I hope to begin applying edits to The Nature of a Curse within the next few days. Meanwhile, my editor is continuing on with line edits for A Distant Light.
♦ I’ve been working on backstories for some of the minor characters. My aim is to hold off on starting an email newsletter until I have a good quantity of these backstories completed, since I’d like to offer one of the backstories in each of the email newsletters to my subscribers.
♦ The main “map of the world” has been slightly revised.
♦ Book covers have been tweaked. I wish I had the money to hire a professional. Alas, that will have to wait for subsequent editions.
♦ I’ve dabbled with next book trailer.
During all of this, as time has permitted, I’ve been going over saved articles and other information concerning the best way to launch the story, the mechanics involved, and “best practices.” One really good source of info and inspiration has been The Author Hangout podcasts. I’ve learned so much, and only hope I can apply a tenth. Shoestring budget, though. With frayed shoestrings!
I can’t list everything, but here’s a list of a few of the tasks that I still need to do:
♦ Apply all edits as received from editor (including the Reader’s Companion).
♦ Do Scribus work for interior layouts (including maps, CTAs, etc.).
♦ Send out ARCs to interested parties.
♦ Finalize “back of the cover” blurbs for all volumes of the story.
♦ Finalize all of the accounting stuff with Bowker, Ingram, Smashwords, Amazon, and so forth.
♦ Finalize backstories and newsletter planning.
♦ Begin compiling a mailing list to keep those interested informed of things.
♦ Finalize publication schedule.
♦ Prepare Media Kit and promo strategy.
♦ Begin production work for print and electronic versions.
The Publication Schedule really ultimately depends on how long it takes for the entire story to go through this last (I hope!) round of editing. However, it seems clear to me that when I receive the last notes from the editor, I should be able to establish a firm publishing schedule. It also seems highly desirable to publish each volume in fairly rapid succession, with no more than three months between the release of each volume. Right now (as of this writing), it seems prudent to hold off until 2016 before the first launch (of The Bellringer). But I’m STILL keeping my fingers crossed that I might be able to begin this Fall! So I’m tentatively (and somewhat ambitiously) aiming at December 1st as a release date for The Bellringer.
So there you have it. I’ll keep you informed as well as I can as things progress from here on out.
Thanks!
William
TYOTRD Website