By Julie, looking forward to a long weekend writing
Dear Readers, do you like hearing about our writing or publication process? If the answer is no, I am so sorry. You’re not going to love this post. But if the answer is yes, buckle up. I’m appointing you all my accountability partners.
I have two books due this year–one on August 1, one on December 1. I spent January plotting them both. I set up a schedule. I put my plots in Scrivener, and started on the second book in my Theater Cop series (the one due August 1). I hoped for a pre-Malice finish of the first draft. Missed it by a week, but hit it on Sunday. With A Kiss I Die (working title) is clocking in at 75,000 words so far. I am determined to give both manuscripts time to breath, so I can read them with fresh eyes. Trust me when I say this isn’t my norm, so I am happy I met this first self imposed deadline.
What I neglected to add into the schedule was the arrival of copy edits and proof pages. Both have been done for Chime and Punishment, which will arrive in bookstores on August 1. I got the copy edits for A Christmas Peril, my first Theater Cop book, which will be published September 8. They are due next week, and then the proof pages will come in. According to my schedule, the book that is due December 1 should be started soon so that a draft is done while I am working on With A Kiss I Die (working title) edits.
Then there will be launches of Chime and Peril. Two series, two names, one woman.
How lucky am I that I have the great good fortune of juggling all of this? Very, for sure. Even luckier because Liz (aka Cate Conte), Jessie (aka Jessica and Jessica), Sheila (aka Sheila, but with many series), and Edith (aka Maddie) have been down this path before, and I can learn from them. The imagination part isn’t the difficulty. It is the switching gears to the publication process that makes my head spin.
This weekend I will be working on the Theater Cop series, books one and two. Here’s the printed copies. Very soon there will be post its, sheets of paper, and highlighter marks marring both manuscripts.
So, dear readers, this is where I need your help. Would you mind if I keep you up to date on this journey over the summer? Will you help keep me honest? I’ll post updates on Twitter and Instagram, let you see how it is going. Next month I’ll tell you the story of the trading card I created, including the picture of me.
I will send you some updates on Instagram and Twitter, and I’ll check back next month.
Dear readers, should we lay odds? Am I going to keep to my writing schedules? Or am I going to go off the rails and be writing for Thanksgiving?
I think it might be tempting fate to lay odds, Julie. I know you can do this thing, it’ll just take honing your ball juggling skills – which you’re already great at!
Tempting fate is the story of my life! Looking forward to talking with you about how you do this.
Julie–I love knowing about the writing and publishing process. I’m on a two book a year schedule too,(Witch City Mysteries–Kensington) and reading your post, just after Cheryl Hollon’s description of her writing system is both helpful and daunting! Book #6 is due this month and Book #7.in November. I am trying hard to be more efficient!
Due this month and in November? Yikes–you know exactly what I’m talking about!
I’m ashamed of myself for being terrified of writing ONLY one book every 8 months. You gals are my inspiration.
ONLY one book every eight months? That’s really hard! Not much different than 2 books a year!
You’ll be great, Julie. But yeah, feel free to make us your “accountability partners.”
Thank you!
You sound very well organized–and I know whereof you speak, since I’m currently working on proofs of my November book, heavy-duty revisions (what, you say? you want me to add a character?) of next January’s book, and awaiting first-round comments on the June 2018 book. Somewhere in there I’m supposed to write either two or three additional ones, with deadlines of 3/18 and 4/18, which means I should be starting them now. Remind me again why we do this to ourselves? (Because we love it–mostly.) I’ll be happy to keep you on track–it’s so much easier to tell other people what to do than to do it yourself!
You amaze me!! Let’s plan on checking in every once in a while!
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Thank you!! Love this!
You can do it Julie!
Thank you Diane!
You absolutely can do this. You sound like you have your schedule very worked out. I will love hearing about your process and how this is moving along for you. I follow you all because of the things you write …and my love of New England. Born and bred there before moving away years ago.
Being from New England never leaves you, does it?
I’ll be cheery you on!
And picking up the pieces. Cue “that’s what friends are for…”
You’ll make it. You have no choice, right? Well not any other good choices.
That is very true! Contracts are helpful in that regard.
I’m sure you can do this and I am filled with admiration. Happy to read about how it goes and be part of the cheering section.
Thank you Triss!
It looks like you’ve already made a great start! I’m in your corner, rooting every step of the way!
Thank you Celia!
I’m in awe of your organization and ability to juggle so many things at one time. I love the “insider” story of writing. It makes me appreciate the books all the more. I believe taking about what one is doing is a great way of staying accountable. Go for it, hon!
Thank you so much!
You may be sorry to ask for accountability. Now, shouldn’t you be writing?
At work, but tonight!
I’ve got complete faith in you! (Don’t make me come over there and rap your knuckles!)
Are you kidding me, of coarse , we, your readers want updates on your writing schedule. It make the anticipation of your next books more fun. And of coarse, you will do it all in time, on deadline and do a great job as well.
I neither tweet nor gram (or whatever the proper term is), but I do TRY to keep up with the blogs. You go gal.
I am trying to learn from authors just like you, so I hope you do share your process and progress 🙂 I am amazed at your schedule and am confident your accountability partners will be celebrating your success. Blessings!
I thought some more about this posting and would love to see more about your plotting process and your first drafts too.