The inception idea: an embroidered post card created by refugees from the first World War (circa autumn 2019, in Claire Lynn’s Creative Writing group)
Receive a second, narrative-compelling caveat from members of the TownTwinning association Hexham-Noyons; adjust the plot accordingly.
Drafting the novel, a halting, stop-start process for the next five years
Initial distribution of the first draft to friends and family: encouragement compelled perseverance; some authorial darlings sacrificed!
With that first draft, a mentorship opportunity thanks to Wigtown Book Festival Trust (December, 2024) to hone the writing craft
First developmental edit report on the first four chapters –>!develop character motivation better, and enhance verisimilitude (March, 2025)
Comprehensive developmental edit of 115k word ms (circa July, 2025)
Joining AllianceIndependentAuthors.org (Alli), as an Author Member (July, 2025)
Conscientious re-drafting and trimming to 100k words (October, 2025)
Comprehensive professional (HeddonPublishing.com)copy editing (November, 2025)
Create author’s website (circa December, 2025) and populate with graphic content illuminating the first four chapters
Build home recording studio with microphone, MacBookAir, lots of duvets draped around a pair of clothes-drying racks
Begin recording on Audacity for Audiobook (January, 2026); receive accent advice from a fluent French-Canadian speaker.
Begin to plan marketing strategy; realise the creative aspects of this part of the book business (circa February, 2026)
Begin to apply lessons in marketing gleaned from Alli.
Inveigle a professional graphic designer to create a book cover
Print and distribute Advance Readers Copies to selected beta readers (circa March, 2026); adapt according to advice, capacity and authorial sensibility
Plan the date of the formal book launch (10th September, 2026), arrange venue (gcat.scot/arts) and interviewer (MargaretElphinstone.co.uk)(May, 2026)
Apply to an Awards competition (PenMastersGlobal.com) based on a recommendation from Alli and BookAwardsPro.com, hoping for fair assessment of the literary quality of the ms.
Apply to participate in the 25th September – 4th October, 2026, WigtownBookFestival.com Spotlight on Local Writers; accepted for a reading 29th September.
Named Category Finalist in the Global Literary Awards competition, for literary excellence; acquired badge/imprimatur for the book cover (June, 2026); badge affixed to book cover.
Booked Advance Readers at HiddenGemsBooks.com (June, 2026), with the expectation of receiving fair and unbiased reviews from avid book lovers upon publication
Aim to complete Audiobook recording by 1st July, 2026, with parallel fine editing as the recording proceeds
Next step is to finalise the eBook and paperback formats, and upload to appropriate platforms (Amazon/KDP and Ingram Spark which liaises with Indigo for PrintOnDemand supply of bookstores and libraries in Canada, a target audience.
When the ebook is in pre-release status, upload the Audiobook audio files, linked to the Amazon eBook, to Audible.com for compiling into an Audible book for publication.
Continue to develop author’s blog/website: 5 minute audio of a dramatic piece; blog items to show the process of bringing this novel to fruition; attempt to show how the process is also a creative enterprise, and can be fun.
Collate a mailing list from various writing efforts over the years; provide a complimentary copy of the eBook from the authorial website for a window of circa 1 month, prior to publication, so that the actual launch of the published novel will be a collective event, together, incorporating author’s words and readers’ reviews
Aim to create blog entries highlighting milestones along the remaining process towards publication; enjoin in conversation with Advance Readers through the Contact form on the authorial website.
Experience, and spread shared joy throughout the collective readership as the novel begins to reach a wider audience.
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