STEPH HUDDLESTON: How to Prepare for Publication
- Poppy Solomon
- Jul 19, 2023
- 5 min read
Updated: Jul 18
Steph Huddleston has been an editor at Shawline Publishing for the last three years, as well as working as a freelance editor for science-fiction, fantasy and romance authors. She’s a member of IPEd (Institute of Professional Editors) and is currently taking her skills to the next level by studying for her Master of Creative Writing, Publishing and Editing at the University of Melbourne. When Steph doesn’t have her head buried in a book you’ll probably find her curled up on the couch with her husband and their two mischievous cats, watching The Mandalorian.
So your book is making its way out into the world! First things first, congratulations! Regardless of your publication route (traditional, hybrid, self-published), this is a big moment and you probably have a lot of emotions and questions. Excitement, anxiety, exhaustion…
In order to hopefully make this process as smooth as possible this post offers some general guidance on how to prepare yourself well for publication. For the purposes of this post, we’ll be generally focusing on hybrid and self-publishing but you may find that many of these principles apply across different models of publication.
It’s worth bearing in mind that many publishing houses have their own ways of doing things and the information here is just a starting place.
1 Complete your revisions:
In Poppy’s recent post, she covered how to prepare yourself to work with an editor. We’re assuming that your editor has worked with you and provided your edited book back to you. Now that you have the book back in your hands, it’s time to get to work on your revisions.
As you look through your editor’s changes and suggestions it’s normal to feel overwhelmed or even irritated (don’t we all wish our draft was a masterpiece that could be left untouched?). Sit with those feelings for a moment, then take some breaths and get on with processing what’s needed from your end. What changes do you need to make? Are there any that you’re not comfortable with or need to discuss further?
It should go without saying, but your editor is on your team. A good, professional editor wants your book to succeed and be loved by readers too—so please pay heed to their suggestions and complete the work necessary to bring your book up to a publication standard that all parties can be proud of. Ideally, your editor should be someone you feel comfortable collaborating with, and that you trust with your vision for the book (that’s why you hired them in the first place, right?). As you work through the revisions, you will hopefully find yourself seeing where your editor is coming from, even if you don’t agree 100% of the time.
If there are still edits you disagree with, don’t understand or would like to discuss, make a note and talk to your editor about them. As an editor, I would much rather an author have a chat with me so we can find the best solution for the project than have a disappointed or confused author—at the end of the day, this is your book, and you need to be confident in it. Editors aren’t (or shouldn't be!) draconian enforcers of language, but want to work with you to help your book be even better than it already is.
Depending on your publication model, you may have a deadline to complete your revisions by and while I’d love to say: always complete your revisions by the deadline, I’m also a reasonable human who knows this isn’t always possible. If you can, negotiate your deadline with your editor to ensure it is achievable taking into account your life and commitments, then do your best to meet it.
If something happens and you don’t think you’re going to make the deadline, it’s always best to let your editor know as soon as possible. (Remember the bit about being on your team here!) While your editor may have deadlines of their own to meet, that shouldn’t come before making reasonable accommodations for the many things life can throw in our path.
2 Communicate with other publishing team members:
As you get closer to publication, there will likely be people other than your editor that you need to communicate. Whether it’s a cover designer or the layout team, do your best to respond to all people promptly and with clear communication. Review your contracts and budget to check that all parties are being respected in regard to fees and expected timelines. If there are delays, or changes to the budget (hopefully not, but these things occasionally happen) it’s best to know about these early so you can make adjustments as needed. If you’re self-publishing, check in with any parties you’ve brought on to help with the book’s publishing.
3 Final Checks
Check proof pages and samples carefully. It’s exciting to see your book starting to come together, but it’s important to balance that excitement with a detailed focus to pick up the little things that can slip by at this time. It’s far easier (and cheaper!) to correct a typo before the book goes to print, rather than after. That being said, all books tend to have a very small percentage of errors in them, despite the absolute best efforts of all parties involved. But remember that these checks are key to quality control.
While the nerves might be getting more intense, do your best to remain calm and take one task at a time. There are a lot of jobs that need doing before publication (there may be more than you expect) but by staying level-headed and respectfully communicating any concerns as they arise, you’re in the best position to make the most of this experience.
4 Make a marketing plan:
Though it varies depending on the model of publishing and the individual author or book release, most authors need to do some marketing in order to boost their sales. The best time to plan for your book’s release is before your book’s release. Consider what social media channels you have (if you don’t have social media, it’s probably best to consider it). Ask yourself where you’re going to focus your energy (there are a lot of options, but chances are you don't have the time/resources to do it all without burning out). Paid ads, or hiring a virtual assistant to run your socials may also be an option, depending on your budget.
Depending on the level of support in your publishing route, you may consider getting in touch with bookstores regarding signings or stocking your book. While some publishers may plan an author’s launch event, this shouldn’t be taken for granted—especially if hybrid or self-publishing. Have fun with it and plan a celebration for your book finally being in the hands of readers.
5 Expect some hiccups along the way:
Publishing a book isn’t easy and it takes hard work. Usually, it takes several people and a strong support network too. This isn’t said to discourage, but to prepare you: expect hiccups, but don’t freak out. When you’re pouring so much effort and love into a book, it’s natural to be upset when things don’t go to plan. But keeping a level head and being solutions focussed is a far more productive use of your time. When you need help, ask for it and don’t be afraid to ask questions. As we’ve mentioned before, the right editor will be your greatest collaborator and a champion for your success.
Discover more from Steph:
This post is the second in a two-post series with Poppy from Poppy’s Pages Editing so be sure to read her post on Preparing Your Manuscript For Editing.
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