The Aftermath

One of the many surprises that have come out of writing books is the breadth of experience I have received. Not only have my feeble English skills been put to the test time and time again, but I have been forced to learn marketing, formatting using © Adobe programs, graphics and layout, and more.

As hard as writing is at times, I have been blown away by the aftermath of a finished manuscript. I may or may not have a private victory party in my head when the final words leave my brain and meander their way to the page that gives them a certain permanency. The mental hangover soon hits, threatening to dissuade me from ever partaking in the bliss that is completing a book again.

My timeline has been getting shorter but still holds to a certain format (To clarify, I hold a full time job and have toddlers at home and my editors and artists have similar constraints). The bulk of the writing (Creation) ends after four to five months and then the editing (Quality Control) process begins. Depending on how many editors the time needed to let them do their thing is roughly one to two months. Then the finalized text must be formatted and the typesetting must be done (Production), taking another two weeks or so. Another part of production is the cover art, which in my case takes up to three months of back and forth due (during the writing) to limited availability of time on the artist’s part.

I need to find some pain relievers just thinking about it… Once all the separate parts have been completed I then submit the files to be made into a book. I wait a week and receive the first of a couple proof copies and two weeks later I officially publish. A sigh of relief. Until the next day when I start checking the sales of course. Oh, and did I mention marketing?

So about a six month process with a lot of moving pieces that I mostly enjoy doing but causes white hairs to compete with my brain for supremacy of the general head area. Is it worth it? Personally, yes it is. I wish any aspiring Author could hold a completed book in their hands, the feeling of accomplishment and pride is worth every painful and rewarding moment. Even then I do not consider myself an Author as the title denotes a sense of experience and legitimacy that I do not feel I have the right to. But, the following definition is open ended enough that I feel somewhat less uncomfortable with others calling me the prestigious title:

Author: a person who writes a novel, poem, essay, etc. (Dictionary.com)

Whew…that etc. sure helps.

Honestly, I have enjoyed the experience and plan to continue to write for many years. If anyone would like to ask questions or just commiserate with me, please comment below or sign up for the newsletter on the contact tab for more dialog on the writing process and my Fantasy series.