For the first time in my life I have been able to stick to a writing schedule, and I’ve been able to do it more than once. 2013 was spent writing, writing, and writing some more. I finished rough drafts of two novels, edited another, and my debut novel, Detours, was released in April. Through it all I have also been able to maintain three blogs, two of which will be getting major makeovers in the next month or so. It has been the singularly most prolific year for me, writing-wise, and I have so many people to thank for making that a reality: my wife, my children, my coworkers, my Facebook friends, my real friends, and random strangers who I’ve come in contact with who have made me ponder some things. I never know where inspiration is going to come from, and I have so many who have inspired me just this year alone.
So, with that in mind, I have an announcement to make, and I’m nothing but giddy about it. My second novel will be released on February 18, 2014. The date is as firm as it can be, and I’m so excited to be able to announce it. Of course that means that between now and then there will be a whirlwind of activity to get ready for the release. I will be updating the progress here on my Journal in installments along the way so you can travel this road with me. I wasn’t able to do that with Detours, not like I wanted to, so this time around I will revel in the adventure. Here’s where I am in the process…
EDITING
Keep in mind that I’ve gone through the manuscript with a fine tooth comb no less than three times already, from start to finish, but during those other editing sessions I was first reading for grammatical correctness, for punctuation errors, and for general understanding. Now I’m working on character and plot issues, including character and plot development and accuracy within their prescribed areas in the novel. I am basically working through each character and his/her interactions with others, and then going through each plot point and fleshing it out. If you were wondering, this part of the editing process takes a lot longer than the initial rough edits, but it’s a lot more satisfying in the end.
TITLING
I have always saved my titles for absolute last, and this novel is no exception. I have had a working title from the start for it, however, which is something I can’t say about most other pieces I’ve completed. Its working title is The Bank Job, and I really don’t like it as a final title, but that’s what working titles are for. They serve as placeholders until I can come up with something I feel fits better and has more… character to it. It’s how I came up with Detours after so many working titles fell short of my expectations. Now that I’m so close to finishing my second novel, it’s time to start thinking of a final title. Any and all suggestions are appreciated.
PROMOTING
Working feverishly to finish a project of this magnitude can be awfully daunting, but a larger part to finishing the work itself is figuring out how I’m going to promote it. To that end I’m joined many message boards that teach promotion tools and techniques. That’s an invaluable resource to have as a writer, a connection with other writers who have been there and who are going through the process at the same time, just in different ways. Also, I’ve been working on promotional materials myself, with novel excerpts, early reader reviews, and novel summaries designed to draw potential readers in. I am also in the process of redesigning my author profile on Amazon’s site.
COVERING
A novel cover image is probably one of the most important aspects to consider in the end, and containing the essence of the novel within its cover can be a very daunting task. I like being in charge of the cover, but I have been working on many different perspectives when it comes to my next novel’s cover image. I think I want to go simplistic, but I still need to show the main thrust of the conflict in the novel within it as well. This portion of the pre-process will take longer than any of the others for this purpose. Once I have a title it may make this easier, too.
Welcome to my Cutting Room Floor. February 18, 2014, here I come…
Sam
Sam's Online Journal 