Two Years To Publish A Book
My six tips on how to plan your timeline like a project manager
I’m not a fast writer or publisher. Over the years, I’ve slowed down my process to make sure the book is where I want it to be before I publish it. I don’t agonize over every sentence, to make sure it’s perfect. Years of National Novel Writing Month have taught me to get the first draft written quickly. Years of indie publishing have allowed me to find a good support team of editors to shape the story into its best form. At my best, it takes me two years to write the book after I’ve written the first draft.
I always have to remind myself that I am one person with a full-time job, besides writing. There is only so much time I can put towards writing. The process works very differently for people who make their living from their writing, having no other source of income. There are some who make this a part-time job, but if you’re like me, here are my tips for making this happen.
1- Write your first draft quickly and put it away.
Many writers give the advice to put your first draft aside. I don’t pick up the book again for at least six months. That’s fine since I have other projects in different phases. Once the draft is done, I can focus on another book until I’m ready to edit.
2- Make all your edits before you let anyone read the draft.
I do this at least once. I often do a reverse outline as I read. That is, I read and re-create the outline based on the finished draft. From there I can make changes. I typically do this on paper and the notebook will be filled with sticky paper reminding me to add this or change something through the book.
3- Determine how many editing phases you’ll need and how long each will take.
I know the team I typically work with: beta editors, a line editor, and a proofreader. Add in software to help with the copy editing/proofreading process. Each one of them takes a different amount of time and I can’t have one begin until the previous phase is done. If my beta readers take three months to finish a book and give me notes and my line editor needs a month and a half, that means I should estimate that taking four and a half to five months.
What if I need a book coach? If I’m struggling with story development, I’ll take a step back and work with a story editor or book coach. Some people do that right away. I tend to know if I need this well before I’m ready to consider other readers but other readers might not. Depending on the level of work, they may take a few weeks or a month.
4- Create a timeline for production based on the editors you’ll need.
Write this down or draw it out. Make sure you give yourself a minimum and maximum amount of time. My beta readers and line editor may need four and a half to five months but I’m going to be editing after each of them. I add in time for my edits. If my energy is good, I’ll only add another month to each phase, extending it to six and a half to seven months. If the pandemic has taught me anything it's that I will possibly need more time. At the most, I’m looking at seven to nine months.
5- Identify what you can do yourself and what has to be done by vendors.
I know I can do both ebook and paperback formatting by myself but I can’t create my own cover (no matter how hard I try). How much time does each of these people need? Can any of it be done before your final draft is ready? For example, I know my cover designers typically need two weeks — onemonth but it can be done at any point in the process. As long as I give them enough time, I can hire my designer as soon as I’m ready.
6- Calculate the timeline.
Add on the minimum time and the maximum timelines. How long will this take if everyone is working at their best? How long will this time if everyone needs all their time? This is the point where I consider the final publication date.
Here’s what mine often looks like:
Beta readers 3–4 months
Next draft 1–2 months
Line Editor 1–1.5 months
Next draft 1 -2 months
Software Copyedit: 1 week
Human proofreader: 2–3 weeks
Final edit: 1 -2 weeks
Formatting ebook and paperback 1–2 weeks
Upload and review of ebook 5–7 days
Upload and review of paperback 2–3 weeks
The cover design happens while my line editor is working because I know that will take at least a month. My ebook and paperback rarely release on the same day because there are typically problems with the paperback that I won’t see until I get the proof copy.
The minimum amount of time = 9 months (give or take a few days)
The maximum amount of time = 13 months (give or take a few days)
Yes, that's a huge gap of time. What I typically find is that vendors may need a little wiggle room but the variation is on my end. I may not have the energy to get things done so it will take longer. Ultimately, I don’t set a pre-order date until I’ve gotten back edits from my Line Editor. I know, as soon as I start with beta readers, that I will likely need ten or eleven months before I publish the book.
In project management, this process is similar to the critical path method. The timeline you’re creating is similar to a Gantt Chart. I’ve adapted it to suit my needs as an indie publisher.
I’d love to hear about your timeline in the comments. Sit down and lay out your timeline. Let me know your minimum and maximum. What phases do you include that I didn’t?
