Manuscript Report: Galley Finished and Recent Reads

It's been a while since I last posted (a little more than two months) and there's really no excuse for it. I believe it may have been a mild, or perhaps moderate, case of writer's block because I've never gone that long without posting something.

Did you miss me? Don't answer that! 

It's not like I've been sitting around doing nothing I've read two manuscripts from friends for blurbs to be included when their novels are published. 

I also read another book, mine. 

It was the galley to proofread for any typos or other problems. It's probably the 12th or 13th time I've read the manuscript, which will be a published work on Oct. 1. I'll have another post about it in a week or so that will include the cover. 

As for the galley, I didn't find many things to fix, which is good. And I thought the novel read well — if I say so. I thought my editor and copyeditor did a great job in preparing the novel for readers. 

It will be the fifth novel in the John Ross Boomer Lit series. The most recent was "Make Room for Family," which was released last Feb. 1. Time flies. 

Here are couple recent reads from the young adult market: 

Ken Hodge's coming-of-age story about a boy growing up in Oregon in the decade before World War II. Hamilton Skutt, the narrator, has plenty of tales to tell, with some salty language to go along with his humorous escapades with family and friends. Skutt certainly had a colorful life that brought him into contact with lots of people including a mysterious Mexican who enters and leaves his life, always handing him a card that has him perplexed about what it means. 

Mike Ryan weaves a time-travel novel for young adults that provides history lessons as well. The story centers around Gordon Beckwith, a history buff, who lands a summer job working in the Massachusetts government. He discovers a time portal that carries him back to the Revolutionary War. The story presents interesting characters, mostly young teens, who bring diverse backgrounds as they try to grow and work together. Until the next time . . .

Writing Update

I've finished the edits on my manuscript and now it's time to move on to the galley proof to see if there's anything else that needs to be fixed before publication on Feb. 1. 

It's not a rewrite but feels like an abbreviated one. What I'll be looking for are typos, stretched-out words on a line, orphans and widows, misspellings, and anything else that appears out of kilter. 

So I'll be reading the 95k words again, possibly for the last time. I don't know about other authors, but after awhile I'm ready to move on. 

By the way, I have a title and cover for the novel, the fourth in the John Ross Boomer Lit series. I'll let you know after I finish this step.

And speaking of that, I plan to be involved in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) in November. I've participated on two previous occasions, both resulting in published novels. You might give it a shot; I find it invigorating to keep on pace to produce 50k words in 30 days.

Between going over the galley and NaNoWriMo, I'll do some research and notetaking to prepare for my next novel. I'm more of a pantser than a plotter but I do like to stay somewhat focused at the start of the writing process, then the characters take over.  

Until the next time . . .

New Novel Update

I've read the galley proof of my latest novel, New Horizons, and submitted an errata sheet to my editor. It's now out of my hands until the book's May 1 release date.

New Horizons, published by Wings ePress, is the third book in the John Ross Boomer Lit series. This time John and Sally Ross encounter happiness, headaches, and heartaches on an international trip to Budapest, Hungary.  

Back to the galley.

The corrections, as well as a few additions, were minor in that they don't require any major revisions that would delay publication of the novel. Everything is moving along at a smooth and manageable pace.

As with other writers, it bothers me when I see any kind of error after publication. And no doubt there a typo will appear in the final product. It happens to all authors, on every level—major and small publishing houses and those who are self-published. That's not an excuse; it's the reality of publishing. 

And it's not only authors and editors to find them. Eagle-eye and casual readers spot them as well. And it's the readers we want to satisfy, in the final product (print or ebook) and the story.

Between now and publication date (did I mention May 1?), I'll continue working on the marketing and promotion of New Horizons. Check back here for updates. It's easier if you simply click the "follow" button in the right margin. 

By the way, Wings is celebrating its 17th year in publishing so check out the wide variety of books from its talented stable of authors from around the world.

Until the next time . . . 

Progress Report: Back to the Manuscript (Galley Proof)

Another step has been completed on my soon-to-be-released novel—proofing the galley.

Since my last post, I've perused the galley for any typos, misspellings, grammatical goofs, and other corrections that need to be made before publication on Nov. 1 by Wings ePress.

As I've mentioned in other posts,  I have mixed feelings about reading the galley. The main aspect I dread is having to reread the novel—again! I've probably gone through it 15 times including rewrites and editors' suggested edits. For a work that's 93k words, you do the math.

But, on the positive side, seeing the manuscript in book form provides a fresh view about the story. I gain a stronger insight on how the novel flows. And in a new light, I might find a discrepancy, or two, that needs to be fixed. I found a couple that slipped by me on previous reads, and now they've been fixed.

While the ultimate goal is to clean up a manuscript to where it's 100 percent free of mistakes, that's probably an impossibility. I believe any author would tell you that, even those who are contract with the big publishing houses. Those little gremlins manage to pop up somewhere along the way, no matter how hard you try to find them. 

Now it's on to the cover art. I hope to share it with you in my next post.

Until the next time. . . . 

Progress Report-—Back to the Manuscript (Editing-Submitted)

I completed the edits, revisions, and rewrites to my upcoming novel. My editor will receive 190 pages this morning, and then forward it to the publisher, who will have someone proofread the 94k words.

And then it will come back to me in the galley proof for one last read. It will be the last time I can make any changes to the manuscript. 

But there's still more to do in the interim before the novel is released on Nov. 1. I'll have to work with the design artist on the cover, write a synopsis for marketing and promotion, and take care of dedication and acknowledgements.

In the meantime, I'm going to take a short break and then begin work on the third book in the Old Ways and New Days series. 

Until the next time. . . .

Progress Report—Back to the Manuscript (Editing Update-Part Two)

I've spent the past month going over edits on my next novel. I'll be returning it to my editor in two days, then await the galley proof for one more read. 

The past few weeks have been grueling at times, especially when seeing things I wish I had caught before sending it to the publisher. That's a big reason to have an editor. They fix things you think you see and take away things the readers shouldn't see.

She also made recommendations on dialogue, scenes, and body language—and a few other things—that she believed would strengthen the story. Some I accepted, prompting a few rewrites;  and some I rejected because I felt didn't reflect the characters' personalities (only the author truly knows the characters although editors can flesh out more information).

I also found a few other problems that I was able to correct while reading the manuscript two times.

Once I finish with the galley proof, I'll turn my attention to the third book in the Old Ways and New Days series. 

Until the next time. . . .

Back to the Manuscript: Part 17 (Fini)

The countdown begins.

I've completed the proofread of the galley proofs and the cover has been approved. Now to wait for the Oct. 1 release date of "Old Days and New Ways."

Thankfully, that light at the end of the tunnel I've seen the past few weeks wasn't an incoming train.  I've made it to the other side; a bit weary and worn around the edges but still standing. 

I must admit that I'm tired of reading the manuscript. I believe it was a minimum of 16 times. I almost feel I could recite the novel by memory but that would be stretching it quite a bit. 

I gave the publisher four pages of corrections to be made; most were typos. There were a few word changes but that was about it. 

The graphic artist also presented me with several covers. I'll share it on my next post. 

Now I move on promotion. I'll have postcards and bookmarks made, something I've done with every book, and doing lots of stuff on the Internet. One thing I'll do is a giveaway on Goodreads. 

My first appearance with the novel with be at the Kentucky Book Fair on Nov. 14 in Frankfort. It's a great event that I would encourage folks to attend, whether they buy my book or not.

My next writing project will be a sequel as I intend for this novel to be the beginning of a series. But I'm taking a brief break to catch my breath and rev up my energy level.

Until the next time...

Back to the Manuscript: Part 16

The editing process is almost over. The next step, which begins today, is proofing the manuscript.

The publisher sent me the galley proof last night. This will be the last time I review my work before it becomes a novel. And that date is Oct. 1.

During the next few days I'll be rereading the manuscript, looking specifically for any errors that were overlooked during the main editing phase. These include typos such as word and letter spacing, grammatical errors, dropped or duplicate words, punctuation typos such as reversed quote marks and apostrophes, misspellings, and anything else that isn't right.

It's a slow and tedious process. I'll be glad when it's over. 

I'm also working the graphic artist in finalizing a cover. Previously, I gave her some ideas for the cover and she has come up with several drafts. We're not there yet, but getting closer.  I want the best cover possible for those who judge books by that impression.

I hope by this time next week I can declare everything is ready for the release date. 

Until the next time...

Homestretch for Book Release

The galley proof for "The Bully List" has been returned to the publisher and now the waiting game until the Oct. 1 release.

I'm glad I had fresh eyes (my wife's) proofread the manuscript because she found "missing" words that registered in my brain when I went over the passages. Ever had a "peanut (butter) and jelly sandwich and glass of milk?"
She also picked up on a few other items that improved the novel.

I also received some biased feedback from her about the story -- she liked it! I may have to take her out to dinner next week to celebrate, and it won't be for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. 

As noted in a previous post, my attention now is marketing and promotion. Several review copies will be going out in the mail. I may even set up a Facebook page devoted to my writing life. 

I've been on Twitter for about a year. If you want to follow or connect, I'm @MichaelEmbry. You can also find me at Google+ (as Michael Embry).

And I'm still working on my revamped website that I hope to launch on Oct. 1.

When all of this is over, or at least simmers down a few degrees, I plan to get back to writing short stories to be included in a second volume of "Laments."

But for now, I'm focusing my attention on "The Bully List" and taking a few deep breaths and enjoying what has already been accomplished.

Until the next time...

P.S. I have set up a Facebook page -- Kentucky author Michael Embry. Please drop by and "Like" it.

Show Me the (Galley) Proof

It's getting down to the final days before "The Bully List" becomes a book on Oct. 1.

I received the galley proof several days ago. I hope to complete the process of finding typos and other parts that make an author cringe in the next few days. Needless to say, I hope I don't find many if any. 

Because I have read the manuscript so many times (at least eight), I'm going to have my wife read the galleys as well. She'll bring fresh eyes to the work.  

I received the postcards in the mail today so I'll be addressing them and getting them to the post office next week as well. 

For me, this is an exciting part of writing and publishing because all the hard work finally comes to fruition. Everything continues with promotion and marketing but at least you have a finished product. 

Until the next time...

Final Countdown

It's down to three weeks and four days before the release of my young-adult novel.

I received the book cover, which I plan to post in the next few days. I also will be using it to order bookmarks and postcards as part of promoting the novel.

I should be receiving the galley proof soon. That will occupy most of my time as I go over it word-for-word to make sure there are no misspellings, grammatical errors, or problems with the story. 

For an author, this is an exciting time. You've been in a lot of work in constructing a story, working with an editor and graphic artist, and then the final read before the everything goes public.

Until the next time...

Painful Process to Publication

The editing process is under way on my upcoming young adult novel. The publisher sent the manuscript to an editor, and after a thorough read, it was returned to me to make corrections for typos, missed or misused words, punctuation, style points, and to consider story suggestions.

It can be a humbling experience, especially when you stare -- make that glare -- at your precious creation on the computer screen and wonder: "How did that slip through?" It can be very frustrating, perhaps a bit stressful, and somewhat embarrassing. 

After the initial shock wears off, and you've made numerous fixes, you're grateful the editor found the mistakes, even if they're more than you want to see. You may even discover a few mistakes the editor didn't catch. But the bottom line is getting things right before publication, no matter how hard or painful it is.

It's practically impossible for a writer to find all the mistakes in a novel-length manuscript. When proofreading, a writer will often read words that aren't there. Sometimes you'll have a same-sounding word -- a homonym -- that doesn't make sense in the story. And spell check doesn't guarantee you'll find everything.  

While some may take offense to story suggestions, these can be especially helpful when the editor also puts on a "reader" hat. You certainly don't want readers to have questions about scenes in a story. And remember: they're only suggestions. You have the creative control.

After I return the manuscript, the editor will give it one more read and then pass it on to a senior editor, who will going over it as well. If there are any more corrections, it'll be sent back to me to make the fixes.  

When everything looks right, I'll be sent a galley proof for one last read. I hope I won't find typos or anything major, but if I do, this will be the last opportunity to make things right before it becomes a...BOOK! 

I've also been working with the cover artist. I was sent a draft cover  that captured the essence of the story. I provided her with some additional input, so that process should be completed in a few weeks.

Until the next time...   

Signed, Sealed and Delivered

I signed the contract for my manuscript, put it in a legal-size envelope, and mailed it to the publisher this week. If everything goes as planned, it will become a book for young adults on Oct. 1.

The book has been assigned ISBN numbers for print and electronic editions. 

Before publication day, there's more work to be done. At this point I'm completing forms that will be part of the marketing and promotion plan and the cover design for the publisher. That involves providing a synopsis, blurbs, excerpt, bio, keywords, cover ideas, and a dedication.

I'll be doing some self-promotion as well. I generally have bookmarks and postcards printed for distribution to friends, bookstores, and libraries. And I'll be spreading the word on Facebook, Twitter and other social-media sites and reader-writer sites such as Goodreads, Authors for Libraries, Authors Den, Shelfari, and Manic Readers.

As many authors will tell you, promotion and marketing can seem as time intensive as it was writing the book. Most authors would probably prefer not to do it -- they'd rather be writing-- but it's a necessity if a book is going to have a chance in the marketplace because publishers have only so much money to go around. 

I'll also be working with an editor in getting the manuscript ready for publication. And then I'll receive the galley proof for one last read. 

By the time the book is released, I want to hit the ground with some momentum. 

I've already started the promotion. Look at the bottom of this post for the Countdownr widget. I'll be watching it as well during the coming weeks.

Until the next time...