Sending your baby off to an editor is both an exciting yet daunting experience.
Sending your book to an editor, probably less so, but you see what I did there. If you’re looking to me for comedy, I offer my services at competitive rates.
One thing that I have found hard to adjust to is the sudden void in my life now that my book is with an editor. I’ve nothing to go back and tweak, nothing to tamper with for the tenth time. I’m simply waiting for my judgement.
But, you should use the book edit wait wisely. There are plenty of productive and important things to be seeing to. Here are just a few of them, to make the most of the wait, hopefully making it go that little bit quicker.
Set Up a Website
If you don’t already have a website, then now’s the time to set one up.
If you’re looking for something basic, head over to WordPress.com. It’s my personal free blogging host of choice, and although I don’t use it anymore, I’d recommend it if you want a simple, clean looking tool that gives you all the basic options you’ll probably need.
If you’re looking for something a bit more professional, shell out for a hosting package and install WordPress.org software instead. I am registered with BlueHost for around £4/$7 per month, and simply installed the WordPress software on their framework to use it. I don’t want to turn this into a guide, but if you want help with the process, check out DuoLit’s brilliant piece on setting up an author website.
Remember: whether you choose free or self-hosted blogging, content is always king. A free blog with great, consistent posts is infinitely better than a random, poorly edited self-hosted one. Use the time waiting for your book to be edited to get some great content uploaded, at a regular rate.
If you already have a website, then take this chance during the book edit to make those improvements you’ve always wanted to make. Get into a blogging routine, and if you post quality entries, then you’ll have something of a fanbase in place when your book launch arrives.
Get to grips with social media
If you’ve been reading my posts, then you’ll know by now what an advocate of social media I am.
Use this opportunity whilst waiting to receive your book edit to set up your social networks. With a book to work on and a website to run, remember to pick a few that you are confident of maintaining. I regularly post on Facebook and Twitter, but my YouTube channel gets little attention. I have made it my priority to create a real routine, or stop using it altogether, so crucial is consistency.
If you’ve already got everything in place, make sure you’re following the rules of social media etiquette. My post on how to become a bad tweeter from a week or so ago should act as a good starting point. Another good resource is Joanna Penn’s guide to using Twitter effectively: give it a read.
As with blogging, the two key factors to social media success are quality and consistency, so strike a balance and you’re on to a winner.
Write another book!
Probably the least popular option, but you’re an author now, so why not get some planning down at least? That way, when your debut book is finally out in the open, you have a good platform and motivation to get to work on your follow-up right from the off.
You’re going to be really busy when your book launch comes around, so now may be a good time to at least think of a few places you could go next. A sequel, perhaps? Or maybe something completely different? Jot a few ideas down and don’t let that creative side go stale.
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I think the key themes here are consistency and quality. Use the time you have to get that website looking as good as it can, schedule your social networking output, and jot a few ideas down for your next book. I think that should be enough to keep you occupied during the gruelling wait for the book edit.