Writing and publishing a book may take longer than you think.
Publishing is a process, and sometimes a slow process! Unfortunately, our culture and the indie pub industry are very big on quick turnover.
Get this book out, on to the next—don’t give readers time to forget you! Rush-Rush-Rush, and never mind the burn-out.
Yes, there’s the truth that if you don’t stretch yourself, you’ll never grow beyond your comfortable little bubble. But. The key is to know when to push forward and when to lay back.
Much as I want you to grow as a writer and put out your best work, sometimes, the best is often achieved at a slower pace. Think cheese and wine!
What do I mean by giving yourself time? I mean:
- When you write, allow the time you need to properly tell the story.
- Give yourself* or your editor time to edit, and afterward give yourself time for reflection during revisions (esp. during early stages).
- Build in multiple** edits if you need to. There is no shame in needing a line editor and a copyeditor and a proofreader! There’s great value in occasionally (or always) hiring a book coach! Sometimes you’ll need every member of your team for a book, sometimes only a couple. It’s okay to mix things up, depending on the story you’re telling; some books are harder than others, and every step here takes—what?—time!
- Give your alpha readers, beta readers, and ARC readers time time to properly do their job, too, which is to read and give honest feedback. As a side-note, if you only ever hear how terrific your story is, consider new readers. If you only ever hear how terrible it is, same. 😊
- And finally, allow yourself plenty of time to get that book formatted, uploaded, and published—these final steps are sometimes the most rushed cuz we’re just “absolutely done already with this stupid book.” But take the time to do it without making yourself crazy. Or making a silly mistake. You’ll thank yourself later!
For every stage of the process, make sure you allow ample time for things to happen—or for things to go sideways. You’ll be a happier human for it. And happier humans write better books faster.
📕📗📘
* I’m sure you’re self-editing/revising your manuscript before sending it to your editor no matter which stage you’re in.
**Yes, I know this gets expensive—which is why choosing your team is vitally important. Get the best value for dollar you can.