Several aspiring authors have asked me the same question - how do you go from writing to publishing?
So I decided to blog about the many steps I take from writing my Flirty & Feisty Romance stories to publishing them.
Just so you know, all my books are written in third person. Some authors write in first person. I do not.
Blurb
Sometimes, before I start writing a new story, I have written down the draft Blurb. At other times, I write the blurb after the first draft is completed.
Don't be afraid to try new ways of writing. For my current release, I decided to use character quotes for my blurb.
To get my 7 tips on how to write a blurb, click here.
Steps from Writing to Publishing:
In general, after I finish writing each story I do the following:
Re-write
1. I re-write the story from chapter to chapter.
2. In rewriting, I note down plot holes and dialogues I might need to fix. I can change character names, I can also add secondary characters to flesh out my story if needed.
3. During rewriting, I decide on the race of all my characters, (but you can decide this important aspect before you even start writing. For me, I do it either way).
4. I make sure my characters are multi-dimensional (at least three dimensional) - they have families, have friend(s), have faith, have a social life and have interest/hobbies.
Re-read
5. I re-read the entire story and I leave it for a few days or weeks to think more about any area of the story I need to fix. Many of the gaps to fill become clear to me especially when I'm having a shower.
Content-showing
6. Content showing (using a character's body language) becomes my focus, instead of 'telling' the reader what's happening. Also, I use action words rather than passive words, to give the reader the semblance of watching a movie.
7. Then, I include more details about my characters features - their eyebrow colour, colour of their eyes, shape of their faces, facial hair, gap-tooth, any special marks on their bodies, tattoos etc.
Editing
8. Then I read to edit the story for grammar, punctuation, tense consistency, date sequencing, flow and pace of story etc. I check that I have not switched point of view from one character to the other in one paragraph.
9. To avoid head-hopping, I separate one character's point of view from the other by adding a gap and a symbol.
Example: check some of my novels and you will see this picture when I switch the voice from the hero to heroine or from the heroine to hero:
10. During editing, I also check my sentence length. A variation of long and short sentences is my target to give the story an interesting and an action pace for the reader's enjoyment.
11. This is the opportunity to get rid of repetitive words or dialogue.
Formatting
12. Next, is the formatting if I did not format it from the start. It is important to format your book to give it a professional finish.
Example: Here is my formatting details for my eBook (in word) for Amazon Kindle. I also use this for my paperback, but I add my name and book title to the header and page numbers to the footer.
Go to your Microsoft Word document and
Click - Home
Click - Layout
Click - Margin
Click - Custom margin
Under Margin
Type in the following figures:
Top - 1.3 cm
Left - 1.3cm
Gutter - 1.3 cm
Bottom - 1.3 cm
Right - 0.8cm
Under Paper
Type in the following figures, my book sizes are (5 X 8inch):
Width - 12.7 cm
Height - 20.32 cm
Under Layout
Type in the following figures:
Header - 0.76 cm
Footer - 0.25 cm
13. Then I include the Appreciation page, Acknowledgment page, a scintillating Teaser, Author Bio and Buy links for my other books.
Example: Here is the Teaser from page 2 of my current release: "You're Mine".
Rachael shut her eyes and held her breath. Gently, Banjo’s
fingers stroked her lower back and spine. Breathing slowly, she sighed as his
scent wrapped her up in a strong wall.
Though his fingers were hard, his touch was as soft as wool.
As minutes ticked by, a thousand caresses flooded her spine with a new longing.
Beneath the table, her legs trembled, and inside her bra, her breasts grew
heavier.
“Okay,” she breathed harshly. “Stop!”
As if Banjo did not understand her command, he carried on
stroking her back lightly.
Tension gripped her belly and her lips shut up tight,
swallowing her gripe. Nothing had ever felt so good, or so right.
“Close your eyes and relax,” Banjo spoke softly near her
lips.
All she had to do was turn an inch and her lips would salute
his mouth.
Spelling/Grammar Check
14. I use the Review/Spelling & Grammar feature on Microsoft Word to check for mistakes.
Despatch to Editor
15. When I'm satisfied with my first draft, I send it off to my editor and heave a huge sigh of relief.
Next week, I will tell you more about what happens after I receive the first draft from my editor.
All photos are courtesy of Google.co.uk & Google.co.uk/search
If you have an opinion, question or more information, please share it. I will love to read from you and I also want to know you stopped by.
******
You remain unforgettable.
Love
Stella
Flirty & Feisty Romance
Our promise...is to deliver an intensely emotional experience you'll never forget.
