Decisions have been made, edits are done and the manuscript for “No Time to Quit” has been submitted for formatting! After the last few weeks doing nothing but working, editing the book and basic survival necessities, today was an exciting day!
Maybe I should back up a little bit. The manuscript went through an editorial assessment where an editor at Westbow Press looked it over and did a sample edit on a few pages. Then she wrote a report about the manuscript’s merits, as well as improvements that could be made to make the book stronger. She used words like “compelling”, “inspiring” and “engaging” when describing the book. She also made some valid points and gave me wonderful changes to work on.
To be honest, I was nervous about that part of the process. I didn’t know how the manuscript would be received, and whether or not someone who is not invested in the story would really like it. The editor’s comments pleased me. I put her sample edit next to the original and went over it one sentence at a time. The changes were minor, and they made the book stronger.
The next step was getting an estimate for Westbow to provide the content edit she recommended. It was $1,200, and with the changes being minor, I decided I could do it myself. I underestimated the time it would take, figuring I could get it done in a couple of days. That did not happen. I got the estimate on May 28, and I just finished polishing the manuscript this morning.
One of the reasons it took so long is I used an online grammar tool that went through everything word by word, and sentence by sentence. I didn’t agree with many of the suggestions, but the process made me think through the sentences and my style of writing. It was a wonderful exercise, and I’m sure the book is better because of it!
Now for the decisions: The plant photo is going to be used on the cover, and a table knife photo is going to be a shadow underneath the words on the back cover to show Mom’s actual size at birth. I have changed the placement of a few things, and have added about 10 photos of Mom at different times in her life. The child photo I was going to use on the cover is going inside the book instead.
The title of the book is “No Time to Quit: Life in a Broken Package”, and I expect to have copies in my hand by the end of August. Once the book is in production, information will be sent to Amazon, Google, Barns&Noble, and other online book sellers. I was told today that the distribution to those places will be done by Westbow, which helps me out tremendously. They send the information out and it is up to the individual companies if and when they add it to their online store.
As for royalties, I get more when people order at Westbowpress.com because there is no retailer cut, but I don’t care where it sells. I just want Mom’s story out there.
I’m learning a lot! And I have a lot more to learn. How do I write a prospectus to book retailers and libraries to encourage them to carry my book? Who do I contact outside my local area for readings, book signings, etc.? Getting the book published is only a start. The work is just beginning…
Speak Your Mind