I told you all a couple of weeks ago that I was done with the book and ready to upload it. I did upload it to ibooks author and stumbled across a proofreading tool in there! So I switched it on and there were lots of green markers on page 1 and page 2 and in fact every page and so I set about responding to these green markers in order to improve my book even more! I was astounded just how many times I used the following:
Actually
As soon as
Once again
In fact
In order to
Nice
In relation to
As to how
Once more
In regards to
as well as incorrect ?!,.:""''. Oh dear. What a chore that turned out to be but I did it. Then I did it again and guess what I missed stuff the first time. That just left a final spell check and in the main it was the American versus English spelling dilemma! However, there was the odd green mark still in there that I had missed AGAIN! So I spell checked again and I am now finally satisfied that the text flows beautifully and I can't wait for you to judge that as my readers.
I await the art work for the cover to be finalised and then it can be loaded to ibooks and I have chosen an amazing company called Completelynovel.com for my print on demand POD paperbacks.
I have also begun to check out venues for my book launch and I have started to compile my invitations list.
I am in the early stages of the marketing phase and busy researching that on a daily basis and will update my blog when I have significant information to share with you all.
So to re-cap. I wrote the book, I re-wrote the book, I edited the book, my editor edited the book twice, my co editor read the book and then re-read it as a co-editor, I uploaded the book and discovered proofreading software and I proofread the book, then I proof read it again and then I spellchecked it not once but twice for a final sweep. Phew! You think it's an easy job being a writer. Think again. Brain taxing and back breaking. Will I do it again after this one is published? You bet! I have the bug!
Word of the day: Exhausted:Yes I know I have already used it but I really am Exhausted!
It is exhilarating to be at this stage, so close to publishing and contemplating having MY book, that I have written, launched but I am truly truly exhausted.Happy but exhausted.
Thursday 28 May 2015
Tuesday 19 May 2015
Who has the final word?
Who has the final word? Well today I completed my line edit and so I really have had the final word!
It has been a mammoth task going through my 100,000 word, 17 chapter novel line by line. A I have said before I am a perfectionist and it will only be good enough to send out to you, my fans when I and my editors are completely satisfied that there is not a grammatical or plot stone unturned! I, as the author feel I can personally do no more to improve this, my first novel. That feels like a huge achievement because as you write, re-write, read and re-read your work you can see the mistakes jumping at you to be corrected. I actually feel I am at the end of this books 'writing' journey and I am now ready to send it on it's publishing and marketing journeys. That feels good. I am itching to get to the same state of 'I can do no more' within those phases too. I really get that getting a book published is a third writing, a third publishing and a third marketing.
I had a vision and I turned that into a reality and I look forward to what my readers have to say about this, my first novel. It has been a journey in itself. My late nights and early mornings, my liquid lunches as I couldn't bear to prise myself away from my desk, my research, my laughter as I voiced my typing through the software and watched my laptop type, my tears as I did so, my conversations with my reviewers and my editing team, my changes of plot, my losing the plot! It has been incredible and if I never write another word then I can say that I have written a novel. Is there a possibility that I will not write again. Not a chance!! Books two and three are simmering in the research department of my mind! To all who have shared this amazing journey of words. Thank you.
Word of the day: Dream:
Follow your dream. Just do it. You really can do anything you want to. If your belief in yourself is allowed to grow then you can do it. Nuture that belief in yourself. Whatever it is, grab hold of it and never ever let go until you are satisfied, like I am today that you are ready to share your dream. I knew I could write a novel, I knew I could write a very good novel and I know that my novel will be loved by everybody who reads it. It is sad, it is hilarious, it is relatable and it gives us all faith in finding trust and love.
It has been a mammoth task going through my 100,000 word, 17 chapter novel line by line. A I have said before I am a perfectionist and it will only be good enough to send out to you, my fans when I and my editors are completely satisfied that there is not a grammatical or plot stone unturned! I, as the author feel I can personally do no more to improve this, my first novel. That feels like a huge achievement because as you write, re-write, read and re-read your work you can see the mistakes jumping at you to be corrected. I actually feel I am at the end of this books 'writing' journey and I am now ready to send it on it's publishing and marketing journeys. That feels good. I am itching to get to the same state of 'I can do no more' within those phases too. I really get that getting a book published is a third writing, a third publishing and a third marketing.
I had a vision and I turned that into a reality and I look forward to what my readers have to say about this, my first novel. It has been a journey in itself. My late nights and early mornings, my liquid lunches as I couldn't bear to prise myself away from my desk, my research, my laughter as I voiced my typing through the software and watched my laptop type, my tears as I did so, my conversations with my reviewers and my editing team, my changes of plot, my losing the plot! It has been incredible and if I never write another word then I can say that I have written a novel. Is there a possibility that I will not write again. Not a chance!! Books two and three are simmering in the research department of my mind! To all who have shared this amazing journey of words. Thank you.
Word of the day: Dream:
Follow your dream. Just do it. You really can do anything you want to. If your belief in yourself is allowed to grow then you can do it. Nuture that belief in yourself. Whatever it is, grab hold of it and never ever let go until you are satisfied, like I am today that you are ready to share your dream. I knew I could write a novel, I knew I could write a very good novel and I know that my novel will be loved by everybody who reads it. It is sad, it is hilarious, it is relatable and it gives us all faith in finding trust and love.
Friday 8 May 2015
Too many too's!
I have spent many hours of late just completing repetitive editing work line by line, re-reading and then re-editing again. It is pains taking work and would normally be the role of an editor but with the fee for this work standing at £1,000 I cannot afford that. Being a perfectionist this has to be write right? I know, just testing, it has to be right! There were far too many too's!!
I have also been looking at print on demand options which for those of you who don't know is a system whereby books are printed to order and delivered to your reader directly, similar to a system amazon have! I will therefore being doing the online version for Apple ibooks and then providing a link for print on demand.
I have also been doing some notes for a further two books and I advice that you always have a note book nearby. I woke with a start the other day at 5:30am and was scrabbling for a pen and paper to scribble quickly as the back cover of my book, which I have struggled to write suddenly came to me. If I hadn't found a pen then I would not have remembered the next day, so yes, note books at the ready always. You never know when either inspiration for new work or amendments to current work will pop into your head.
Word of the day: Perfectionist: I have a perfectionistic attitude to my work and I am glad I do, I am happy to work through the repetitive line by line to get to the perfectly fine. It has to write, right!
I have also been looking at print on demand options which for those of you who don't know is a system whereby books are printed to order and delivered to your reader directly, similar to a system amazon have! I will therefore being doing the online version for Apple ibooks and then providing a link for print on demand.
I have also been doing some notes for a further two books and I advice that you always have a note book nearby. I woke with a start the other day at 5:30am and was scrabbling for a pen and paper to scribble quickly as the back cover of my book, which I have struggled to write suddenly came to me. If I hadn't found a pen then I would not have remembered the next day, so yes, note books at the ready always. You never know when either inspiration for new work or amendments to current work will pop into your head.
Word of the day: Perfectionist: I have a perfectionistic attitude to my work and I am glad I do, I am happy to work through the repetitive line by line to get to the perfectly fine. It has to write, right!
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