So, you’ve finished your first manuscript. How do we get it out there to a world of potential fans?

Here are your answers in seven, no 11, no 14, no 16 easy (?) steps. Keep in mind that everyone has a different process, and no process is right for everyone.

1. Finish 1st Draft
2. Clean / Tidy (2nd Draft)
3. Concept Editor Goes Here
4. Get the manuscript to Beta Readers
5. Collate feedback from Beta Readers
6. Cry. Make friends with a bottle of spirits
7. Re-Write using Beta feedback (3rd Draft)
8. Get the manuscript back to Beta readers
9. Scream when the feedback suggests you change things back to how they were
10. Procrastinate terribly. (Bonus points for starting a new manuscript)
11. Re-Write using Beta feedback (4th Draft)
12. Clean / Tidy (5th Draft)
13. Line/Copy Editor Goes Here
14. Check format (size, font, the page settings). Add front and back material, the cover blurb, and placeholder artwork.
15. Send Final Draft to ARC team/reviewers
16. Create/Purchase the cover
17. Publish

Just joking… kind of.

All those bold bits above, I’m going to do a post on those explaining what I mean. At least I will at some point.