Here is my progress for the year through the end of June:
I hate missing deadlines.
I am going to confess that being so open about how much I have missed this year is a little embarrassing.
But also motivating.
While I am still behind where I had planned to be at the end of June, you can see my Type A over-achiever has been in full swing getting me ahead on the rest of the year’s goals so that I WILL be caught up by the end of the summer.
Maybe.
What is holding up the release of Knight of Valor?
Interesting that you should ask. I am struggling with the book cover. Again.
After all of the work that goes into writing, editing, editing, editing.
The book deserves a professional cover. We’ve all seen books that don’t have them and cringed.
As a matter-of-fact, the first edition of George RR Martin’s A Song of Fire and Ice (also known as Game of Thrones) had an “experimental” cover and almost tanked the entire series.
Covers are important, so I am working toward getting a professional looking one.
I know some authors create their own. I laud them for that, but I don’t have years of graphic design experience. I am not afraid of learning, but I would rather spend that time on writing and improving my abilities as a storyteller. Some authors hire professional accountants to do their books and prepare their taxes. That is something I can do myself.
A few things about cover artists:
- Most have more work than they can handle, and you must put your name down for a slot based on when you think your book will be complete
- I can’t order a cover until I have a page count.
- I don’t have a page count until I complete the final draft.
- I missed my target date to complete the final draft
So, yes, I missed my slot. The person I am working with thought she would get to it back in May. Then she pushed it out to mid-June. Now I am hoping mid-July.
In the meantime, I have not stopped working on new stories or revising existing stories.
I am hoping this is going to work like buffer stock. Once I have worked ahead a bit, I can better absorb variables without disrupting my end release date to readers.
Fingers crossed.