I’ve been deep in edits for Fragile Destiny, Book 3 of the Aether Chronicles series and it’s made me think about all the work that goes into getting a book ready for publication. Steps I wasn’t aware of when I first started seriously writing.
Back when I first started writing, I thought I was done when I wrote “the end. Revisions? What was that? I was lucky if I remembered to run spell check.
As I learned (and wrote several really bad manuscripts that will never see the light of day), I discovered all that you put into revisions–which is far more than spellcheck. It has to do with flow, pacing, making sense. Not to mention all that research.
And those gosh darn word counts.
I made synopsis and queries and finally, sold a book.
Done right?
No…there’s so much that goes into making a story ready for your readers that happens after you sell your story — or turn it into your editor. Things I wasn’t necessarily aware of (um, what are first pass pages?)
Every publisher is a little different, but here’s the time line for Fragile Destiny which releases 8-8-14.
August 2012 — Started to write Fragile Destiny during Camp NaNoWriMo
October 2012 — Turn in proposal
December 2012 — Get go ahead to write entire book
April 2013 — Turn in full draft (which has been beta read, edited, ad nauseam)
July 2013– Get edit letter
September 2013 — Turn in edits
October 2013 — Cover is released
February 2013–See back cover copy
March 2014 — ARCs come out
Late March 2014 — Get line edits
April 2014 — Turn in line edits
Late April 2014 — Get copy edits
beginning of May 2014 — Turn in copy edits
May 2014– Get and turn in first pass pages (last chance to change anything)
June 2014 — Book goes to printer
August 8-8-14 –Book is released
I’m sure I’m forgetting things (and I may have gotten some of the dates wrong, also, for the other books in my series sometimes things were a little different. Don’t forget, every publisher has a different process.) Also, there are lots of things that go on behind the scenes that I’m not necessarily a part of.
Happy Writing!
~Suzanne
—
Suzanne Lazear is the author of The Aether Chronicles series, which is YA Fairytale Steampunk. Book 3, Fragile Destiny releases 8-8-14. Innocent Darkness and Charmed Vengeace are out now.
STEAMED! 