Amanda Hocking

I’m starting to get pretty excited about the release of Switched. So excited, I made this countdown:

So far, I’m really enjoying the traditional process. I was pretty transparent about my experiences with self-publishing, and I have no reason to not do the same with traditional process.

Some things I especially like: My editor. Also: The multiple copy-editors that go over my books to make sure they are error free, and the marketing time at St. Martin’s that is working on many, many fancy things for when my books are released.

My editor is really great. When I went into this, I’ll admit I was nervous. I’d heard all sorts of horror stories about editors wanting to slash and change everything and basically mutilating the original work. I’ve had none of that experience. While Rose does suggest changes, they’re only to support the overall vision of the book and make it stronger. There has been no slashing or mutilation, which I think is good.

We talked a lot about the Trilogy before she started editing and how I wanted that to go. I said that I didn’t want there to be too much editing, because the books had already been released. My goal was to make the changes subtle, so a reader re-reading the books wouldn’t be able to pinpoint exactly what was different, but they were left feeling more satisfied with things more clarified.

I was a bit more nervous with Wake, which is the first book in the Watersong series that is coming out next year. It hadn’t been released, so Rose was free to slash and cut, if she wanted to. But she didn’t. The edits she suggested were smart, clean, and simple. It still stayed true to exactly how I wanted the book. She only suggested things that made it stronger and better, which is exactly what an editor should do.

On the subject of Wake, I’ve been actively involved in every process of the book so far. Since it’s still a long way from being released, that’s basically just the cover. We talked about what I envisioned as the cover and picked through images that represented it. Then I picked out the models for the cover, and I even picked out their clothes.

I did not pick the photographer, but it acutally turned out to be my favorite photographer doing the cover photoshoot. I was so excited I actually shouted when I read they were doing it. (For comparison, this would be like if Christopher Nolan directed my book trailers.)

Plus, they’re planning a crazy amount of publicity for when the Trylle Trilogy is released. Something I’m excited about is that Switched is having a one-day laydown. I didn’t know what it was before I found I was going to have one. But now I’ve found out, and I’m excited about it.

I guess to be honest the biggest thing I’m enjoying about all of this is that there really is a huge relief off my shoulders. I send the book to them, give them notes, answer questions, and they take care of everything else. I just get to sit in my house and watch reruns of Frasier while they make my book awesome.

(And honestly, it’s freeing up a lot more time to write. I have several ideas for new books and serieses that I think I’ll finally have time to work on next year.)

I’m hoping to self-publish another book soon-ish, and when I think about all the work I have to do for that, it stresses me out. I have to edit it a ton, and I know it will still have errors, which frustrates me so much I want to rip out all my hair. I have to format it, and there’s a good chance it will still turn out wonky on a page or two. I have to do the cover, which means getting the title and lettering just right, and that always gives me a headache. Plus about  a hundred other little things that don’t seem like much but add up to being a whole lot.

That’s not say that I don’t enjoy self-publishing and there isn’t something gratifying about the work. Because there is. But anybody that says “self-publishing is easy” is a liar, and you should immediately punch them in the face for being such a liar.

But regardless of where the future takes me, I’m happy with what I’ve done so far, because it’s gotten me where I am now. And I’m tickled pink with where things are now, and crazy excited about the things to come.