First of all - the text. After all the revisions, self-editing, professional editing, proofreading and countless hours of listening in Scrivener, it's all done and ready for publishing. Whatever last-minute ideas I may have about how the manuscript could have been improved, these will remain just that: thoughts and ideas.
Then - the blurb. There was hardly anything to mention at Friday's Zoom call. Joe suggested trying to make it in first person. I detest that idea (especially since the book is written in the third person), but I'll post both versions in the Full-Time Fiction group; let's see what the audience thinks. If anything, I may try the first-person blurb on Amazon and use the one in third person on the printed copy.
A brief content warning to inform readers that the characters are true to their time; that, too, is done. And the KDP account... These guys sure know how to grab people by the throat. It's bad enough that they force two-factor authentication. (Losing your phone in this day and age means losing access to your entire life.) Not only did they collect every single bit of information about me, including the Social Insurance Number, but they wouldn't leave me alone until I flashed my driver's license in front of a camera. Can someone tell them Orwell's book was a warning, not a how-to guide?
So that's all done. Now, about what's left.
First and foremost - it's the cover. They email me a new revision, typically around midnight on weekdays. I sent back my comments within an hour. I try to be as simple and as clear as possible. However, sometimes it feels like they have a hard time understanding me. Or, perhaps, the designer simply rewrites the AI prompt and sends the new version back. Sure, they allow unlimited revisions. But this once-a-day communication (and only on weekdays) means I'm effectively limited to just 5 per week. With only 8 business days left till Full-Time Fiction Live, I start regretting not going with MiblArt. They offered expedited service for $700 (US). Just $300 extra, and I'd likely have the cover ready by now.
Then - the keywords. With the text and the blurb ready, I can put all my free time working with the Publisher Rocket, looking for the right keywords. Once I figure these out, I can move forward, possibly making the book available for pre-order. Hopefully, by then, 100Covers will have something more concrete I can use, at least as a placeholder image. Then there's the front and back matter, such as the copyright page and others, but that can be easily taken care of once the most pressing tasks are dealt with.
To sum it up, this is where I'm at with my book. Not yet the launch, but it's close. Have a happy Canadian Thanksgiving Day / Columbus Day, everyone. And stay tuned for more updates.
Cheers,
Leonard.
Happy Canadian Thanksgiving and Columbus Day, everyone :)