Every first Wednesday of the month, the IWSG (Insecure Writer’s Support Group) engages writers to share their fears, thoughts, progress, struggles, excitement, encouragement, or anything really, about their writing.
This amazing, supportive group of writers was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Today, the awesome co-hosts are Jemima Pett, Beth Camp, Beverly Stowe McClure, and Gwen Gardner.
Book progress
Wow. September passed in the blink of an eye. And, wow, what a busy month! I’m finally making good progress on my road to publication. But let me tell you, trying to self-publish your book in a satisfying, professional manner – eBook and paperback – requires heaps of concentration, dedication, time, stress, and the necessary frustration. The learning curve is steep, every decision is important (and there are many), every attempt at research sends you down a rat hole, and everything takes forever.
My title and subtitle
At least a year ago, I settled on the main title for my book: Plunge. Yet, I kept changing and reconsidering the subtitle, placing voting polls on a couple of writer-focused Facebook groups, bugging friends about it, throwing a few options at you, my Roaming About readers. At last, because I really had to (a cover-in-progress ought to have the correct subtitle!), I settled on one. I sure hope I don’t change my mind again. Ladies and gentlemen, the official title of my upcoming travel memoir is Plunge – One Woman’s Pursuit of a Life Less Ordinary.
The front cover
Last month, I hired a cover artist, based on the recommendation of a fellow writer (Thank you, JH Moncrieff). Kelly and I have been working on the layout and design for Plunge. Here is the main photo we are using…
Liesbet, Kali, and Darwin swimming ashore in the Bahamas
I hope to reveal the finished cover later this month! We are still adding a nautical element to the front cover and I need to settle on a suitable font, today.
The back cover
My cover designer needed a few items to create the back cover for the print version of Plunge. I sent her my author photo, a brief bio, and the book blurb.
Here is how those look like:
Liesbet Collaert’s articles and photos have been published in sailing magazines worldwide. Born in Belgium, she has been a nomad since 2003 with no plans to settle anytime soon. She currently lives “on the road” in North America with her husband and rescue dog. Find her adventures on www.itsirie.com and www.roamingabout.com.
Thank you to all who helped out with my final book blurb when I asked for your input! Here is the result:
Tropical waters turn tumultuous in this travel memoir, as a free-spirited woman jumps headfirst into a sailing adventure with a new man and his two dogs.
Join Liesbet as she faces a decision that sends her into a whirlwind of love, loss, and living in the moment. When she swaps life as she knows it for an uncertain future on a sailboat, she succumbs to seasickness and a growing desire to be alone.
Guided by impulsiveness and the joys of an alternative lifestyle, she must navigate personal storms, trouble with US immigration, adverse weather conditions, and doubts about her newfound love.
Does Liesbet find happiness? Will the dogs outlast the man? Or is this just another reality check on a dream to live at sea?
The photos
Remember, how in a previous post I mentioned something about the 10,000+ photos in my archives about the decade of adventures covered in my book? Well, I ended up browsing over 40,000 photos, taken on the road, the water, and ashore between 2005 and 2015! Yes, that took weeks and blurred my eyes beyond being able to focus anymore. I selected a few hundred for promotional purposes, fifty to go on a special webpage, about thirty-five to be placed inside my books, and a handful potentials for my cover. All organized in folders and kept track of in my head, to prevent duplicates.
Unfortunately, that was not the end of it. Soon after, I discovered I couldn’t put color photos in my paperback (too expensive), that a quarter of the files were too small for consideration in print, and that adding captions wouldn’t be easy either. The photos had to be edited, recreated, replaced, structured, and ordered. Luckily, Mark is helping me with that now. I cannot look at one more photo (when I’m done with this blog post)!
The manuscript
Plunge returned from my copy-editor on the last day of September. Since then, I have taken her suggestions and revised the book one…last…time. My “baby” is currently in the hands of two fabulous and trustworthy proofreaders. I hope to get it back by the end of this month to do the final typesetting and read-through, by me and Mark.
Formatting/typesetting
Believe me, I had no idea about most terms and what they entailed either when I plunged into this project. Mark has taken on the job of “creating” the actual books. He is using Reedsy for the eBook and InDesign for the print version (the second tool requires another learning curve). These are massive projects in themselves and two separate events. As of now, we have decided on trim size (physical size of the paperback), color of the paper (cream or white), fonts, line spacing, headings, and photo organization. Typesetting each book will take days.
What’s next?
While I admit that we’ve come a long way these last months and that the end of my road to publication is in sight, the hard work is not done yet. At the moment, we are still figuring out the cover, the formatting of the eBook and paperback, and the photo additions.
I urgently need to come up with a marketing plan, think about ways to promote (and start doing it), help Mark with the eBook, research how to upload and distribute the book, create an ARC (Advance Reader Copy) to garner reviews and quotes before release date, contact sailing magazines and other channels, figure out a book landing page on my blog, deal with the photo collection and captions on another page, write the front and back matter of the book (copyright page, dedication, acknowledgement section, longer author bio for the eBook), purchase ISBN-numbers, inventing our own press (name and logo)…
The list still seems endless. To make matters “worse”, Mark, Maya, and I are hitting the road again, indefinitely, this weekend. (Yep, I need to prepare a little bit for that as well.)
Will I be able to remain productive enough? At least, I am getting there!
Cheers! (Photo taken in Curacao)
October 7, 2020 at 15:46
Holy cow, Liesbet… you don’t do things the easy way, do you? It must feel overwhelming right now but if you take it on one chunk at a time, you will reach the finish line and feel very satisfied with your effort. I’m very excited for you, and I’m looking forward to reading your finished product!
October 8, 2020 at 15:02
Hi Janis! I don’t think Mark and I have ever done anything the easy way… A-type personalities; sometimes (often) that is a burden more than a joy. I agree with the “one step at a time” approach. I just wish I could finally mark one or two of these big projects off the list completely, as a lot is still hanging. But, once I get closer to the end, excitement will replace stress. 🙂
October 7, 2020 at 16:05
Go Liesbet!! The title for your book is wonderful!! Of course if you change it the next name would be just as wonderful too.
My, what a lot of work for you. Hang in there and keep on keeping on. In the end you will have a worthwhile, and hard earned accomplishment. I enjoyed reading your blurb. It certainly captures one’s attention and makes me curious. I love that. You have a gift for writing, but beyond that you are open, interesting and have a unique way of sharing your experiences.
I like the photo of you swimming with Kali and Darwin. All of the photos are beautiful.
October 8, 2020 at 15:04
I just LOVE your comments, Lea! They are always so positive and encouraging. <3
The middle part of your comment would be the perfect review of my book, haha. Hopefully, you still think all of this after you get to read it! 🙂 No lack of beautiful photos. Picking a selection was the hardest part. Thank you for all this!
October 7, 2020 at 16:05
Great job on the blurb! You nailed it!
October 8, 2020 at 15:05
Wow, Sean! Having you (of all people) say that means a lot to me. Hard work and determination do pay off sometimes. 🙂 Thanks for inspiring me with the expert advice on your blog.
October 7, 2020 at 16:20
Try not to look at the big picture, just tackle things one at a time. That’s always helped me when things get overwhelming. Congratulations, Liesbet! I love the blurb!
October 8, 2020 at 15:07
You speak from experience, Jill. And, I totally agree with chewing off small chunks at a time. Sometimes, the overwhelming feeling makes this hard, though. But, I’m finally feeling a little bit less stressed today; the first time in two months. Thanks, as always, for your kind words.
October 7, 2020 at 16:41
Glad it’s all coming together!
Give yourself plenty of time to market. That’s one thing I learned – you need as many months before release as possible.
October 8, 2020 at 15:08
Yes, Alex! Pieces of the puzzle – a big puzzle. But, once it’s complete, it will have all been worth it. Jeez… marketing. Yeah, I do need to get on that as soon as possible. Too few hours in a day! 🙂
October 7, 2020 at 18:38
Such great progress! So happy for you!
October 8, 2020 at 15:09
Thanks, Ellen! You know what it’s like, seven (or is it eight now) times over. 🙂 We will see how it goes once we hit the road. Maybe we can commiserate together. Although, you are doing just fine!
October 7, 2020 at 18:58
So much work. And do many new things to learn! But you have such determination, I know you’ll get there. I love the blurb.
October 8, 2020 at 15:10
Thanks, Duwan! The blurb has been a “work in progress” for almost as long as the book itself! Tricky stuff. We WILL get there. Eventually. And, before the end of this year. 🙂
October 7, 2020 at 19:12
Congrats, Liesbet, for getting so much done. I’m sharing a link to Claire McKinney’s site which I think has a lot of valuable information about book marketing and what a book publicist does. Even if you do the book marketing yourself and don’t hire a book publicist, I find lots of useful checklist and tips. There is a free social media e-guide that may give you even more tips on how to promote your book with your existing social media platforms. Hope you find this useful.
Here’s a sample: https://www.clairemckinneypr.com/market-your-book-in-pandemic-election-season/
October 8, 2020 at 15:14
Hi Natalie! Thank you so much for the link and the recommendation. I’m looking forward to reading Claire’s article about marketing your book in a pandemic. It’s now bookmarked and open in a tab on my browser! I have to admit I have been worrying about the election season, since I hoped to “launch” Plunge the end of November. How come you are interested in book publishing? Are you working on a book as well?
October 13, 2020 at 08:52
Hi Liesbet, I’m not working on a book although I don’t rule out writing my story or fiction one day 🙂 I’m curious about the book publishing and marketing process and have been reading about it on and off.
October 14, 2020 at 14:03
Good for you, Natalie! I’d love to read out of curiosity and not out of necessity (which feels like a chore), one day. You’ll be prepared when the time is right for your story or book. 🙂
October 7, 2020 at 21:52
The title PLUNGE is apt and the subtitle sets your book apart from others giving it a feminine yet unique twist. I see you have garnered many good suggestions here, especially on marketing.
I’m amazed at the number of photos you perused – wow!
One word about change of pace here. Although you may be traveling soon, and may think you work will be disrupted, perhaps a change in lifestyle may be a good thing, a release from the tedium of what you are going through right now, sort of a “grounding.” Now how oxymoronic is that?
Don’t worry: You have been productive, and you will continue to be so. You know I wish you the very best!
October 8, 2020 at 15:20
Hi Marian!
The entire photo idea and selection took way too much time. On hindsight, I should certainly not have browsed everything, instead targeting a few areas and grabbing some eye-catching photos from whatever folder my mouse clicked on. Oh well. When have we ever done something the easy (or quick) way? We need to follow all the leads. Always. Whether it is with research before buying a product or with this book publishing project. I am running out of steam, though.
I like your suggesting about slowing down on the road and enjoying the change of scenery and pace. It’s what happened the previous five years. Right now, though, I’m at a point where it needs to get done. Because as long as it isn’t, this project will weigh on me and prevent me from enjoying anything at all. Really. I’m a mess right now and WANT all my focus and time to go to this memoir. Hitting the road and attempting to visit a few friends are an “obstacle”. Yet, after a couple of drinks, I might enjoy an evening here or there. 🙂
October 8, 2020 at 19:14
Ha!
October 7, 2020 at 23:40
What a summary of accomplishments, Liesbet. Yes, I know how hard you’ve been working (and looking at those photographs), but you have a great team and a wonderful story to tell. Can’t wait to see the final edition. Now I know why you didn’t volunteer to be a co-host for IWSG this month! Enjoy every moment on the road and keep writing.
October 8, 2020 at 15:23
Hi Beth!
It feels good to have a few women/writers in my camp who speak from experience. It is so hard to explain all the work involved to my immediate family or friends. I don’t even try anymore. 🙂
I was an IWSG co-host two or three months ago (that was my second time) and I volunteered for December 2020 as well, a little while ago. But you’re right, I wouldn’t have had any time to do so this month, that’s for sure. I do always make it a point to visit the co-hosts and Alex every month. Luckily for me, this month you are a co-host and I already follow your blog… 🙂
October 8, 2020 at 08:33
Looks great! Good luck with the publishing process 🙂
Ronel visiting on IWSG day Revamp Your Backlist
October 8, 2020 at 15:24
Thanks for the encouragement and well wishes, Ronel!
October 8, 2020 at 12:38
I like every bit of this, Liesbet. The tagline is wonderful–it says so much in so little. I am so excited to read this!
October 8, 2020 at 15:25
Hi Jacqui! I need to promote you to Chief Cheerleader! 🙂 Every one of your comments makes me smile. Feels so good!!!
October 8, 2020 at 14:24
I love the title. Love love love it. I’m so excited for you – what a lot of work, and every effort will be worth it in the end. And now on the road again too? Can’t wait to find out where this time. I thought of you during last night’s windstorm (more wind than rain, unfortunately). Near here, an entire town without power. Trees down, and I could hear Mark “why are we in New England???” 🙂
October 8, 2020 at 15:30
Oh, Pam!
I can just feel your excitement. This is awesome!!! I’ve thought about you a few times, recently, being bummed about how we – once again – did not meet this summer. I haven’t even been to Boston the entire six months I have been living in this apartment in Newburyport! Oh well… Next year!?
The wind has been pretty strong here yesterday (and today) as well, especially noticeable on walks along the waterfront with Maya. We are leaving the area on Saturday, if all goes well. It’s about time I start packing the van up. And, you are so right, Mark is more than ready to leave New England and complained about the cold all day today. 🙂
October 8, 2020 at 16:55
Next summer, for sure! We’ll be vaccinated and pandemic gone and finally get together. In the meantime, have a great new road trip. When the time comes, I’ll be sharing photos of snow for you to share with Mark. hahaha. 🙂
October 8, 2020 at 21:11
Thanks, Pam. Yeah, I’ll show those snowy photos from Instagram to Mark. Hopefully, we will be somewhere warm by then! 🙂
October 8, 2020 at 17:13
Wow, this is getting exciting! It all seems to have come together in a rush (reading about it anyway, it probably doesn’t seem that way to you doing all the hard work).
October 8, 2020 at 21:13
Hi Anabel! You have no idea how I actually enjoyed stringing all these accomplishments together in this blog post. Before then, nothing seemed structured and everything was overwhelming and all over the place. I’m happy to report that things are finally coming together and I’m glad I managed to focus 100% on this book the last two months!
October 8, 2020 at 17:50
Congratulations on your HUGE progress! And I love your blurb – well done! Your to-do list is an all-too-familiar one, and it must feel daunting when you’re doing it all for the first time. Don’t worry, you’ll get there! And, as critical as the decisions seem now, most of them won’t be set in stone – even if you don’t get everything perfect the first time, you’ll be able to tune things up as you go along. That’s the joy of self-publishing! 🙂
October 8, 2020 at 21:16
Thanks, Diane! I have no idea how you pull this off over and over again, fifteen times!!! Kudos! As with teaching, I’m sure this process gets easier over time, but still – such a commitment and dedication every single time! There have to be some advantages about self-publishing… Being able to adjust and improve later is certainly one of them.
October 8, 2020 at 19:51
Wow, you have been crazy busy, Liesbet! Self-publishing is not for the faint of heart!! Your title is absolutely inspired, as well as the blurb and back pages. I’ve heard creating a mobi file is life changing, LOL, and something I will need to learn to do when I finish my edits. I’m very excited for you! Enjoy those October Autumn leaves!!
October 8, 2020 at 21:19
Hi Terri! Thanks for the kind words. We haven’t created the Mobi (or ePub) file quite yet, but we are getting close. At least the photos are straightened out now and Mark has done most of the formatting for that one. My goal is to have the eBook pretty much ready (apart from proofreaders’ feedback) next week, so I can create ARC copies and start collecting reviews. The leaves are pretty, but they mean it’s getting too cold for us in New England. We are heading south next week! 🙂
October 9, 2020 at 14:51
Wow, to your travels south, Liesbet! I bet you can’t wait to get back on the road. Funny that we are heading north in a few days to take up another truckload of furniture and boxes. Kudos to Mark for helping you format and another wow, for having the ebook that close to being ready!
October 9, 2020 at 16:34
We are both a bit conflicted about getting back on the road after such a long time being “stranded”. I’m way too busy with this book to be able to enjoy any sightseeing or camping and Mark is dealing with a few van and health issues… We will see what happens. 🙂
October 8, 2020 at 21:34
Congratulations, Liesbet! You’ve made incredible progress. Your book blurb sounds fabulous.
October 9, 2020 at 16:32
Thanks, Donna. We are getting there! 🙂
October 8, 2020 at 22:57
Congrats. It looks like you have it well in hand. 🙂
October 9, 2020 at 16:33
Trying, Anna… 🙂
October 10, 2020 at 09:46
Hi Liesbet, “Everything takes forever” and “finally making good progress.” Yay!
I immediately like your subtitle, especially learning more about you this past year. The three smiles on the main photo make me smile. A very busy month for you. You accomplished a great deal. Narrowing down and all the work with the photos is a huge feat. It warms my heart how Mark is right there helping you and mentally supporting you on this “Baby.” Like you say. Massive project.
I agree with Janis and many of the comments. Almost at the finish line and I look forward to reading your finished project! xx
October 10, 2020 at 10:15
Hi Erica! Thank you for reading about my trials and tribulations on this road to publication! And, thank you, as always for being a part of my cheerleader team. I am getting there, slowly but surely, so that is all good! 🙂
October 10, 2020 at 11:38
I love, love, love your cover photo and the title of your book. You’re doing great. Congrats on your upcoming new release!
October 14, 2020 at 13:58
Thanks, Gwen! I’m not ready for those “congratulations” yet, but I hope to be in a few weeks. 🙂
October 12, 2020 at 22:29
I see you’ve reached the stage of appreciation what an indie author must accomplish to get a book out – jack of all trades. And lucky you having Mark to assist you! I love title and sub-title, it’s perfect! 🙂 xx Good luck! x
October 14, 2020 at 14:01
Hi Debby! To really understand (or, as you call it, appreciate) the road to self-publication, one has to experience it. No words or lengthy blog posts to it justice. The amount of stress and overwhelm cannot be translated onto the page… 🙂 Thanks for the wishes and understanding. 🙂
October 14, 2020 at 18:00
Welcome to authordom a la indie style! 🙂
October 14, 2020 at 21:45
Once the first one’s done, it only gets easier, right? 🙂
October 15, 2020 at 12:51
Right. 🙂
October 13, 2020 at 02:49
I can only wish you luck and admire the tenacity, Liesbet 🙂 🙂 One day soon…
October 14, 2020 at 14:02
Thank you, Jo! That day will come… 🙂
October 13, 2020 at 16:51
Bravo to you, Liesbet! I love the title, cover photo and description of the book. I am so proud of you. You’ve got your websites, your following, and your audience. Way to go! And I’m glad Mark is helping you. There is simply so much to do. I hope I can get my husband to help me if the need arises. Thanks for sharing all that you are learning. I will turn to you, if I go self-publishing route.
October 14, 2020 at 14:07
Hi Victoria! It sounds like you are reaching the final stages of your final draft. Beware… the writing part is the easiest part. In my opinion anyway. 🙂 The audience of my blog is not necessarily the audience of my book, but I do hope my blog readers will enjoy the story nevertheless. Yes, there is so much to do that the list never seems to shrink! Many pieces to the puzzle and determination WILL pay off in the end, whenever that end is. Thank you for your kind words, as always.
October 13, 2020 at 22:06
Congratulations on making it this far. You’re doing a great job. I love the title, the photo, and the blurb. It’s going to be a really interesting read!
October 14, 2020 at 14:09
Hi Debra! Thank you for the positive feedback and comment. And I think you’re right: it is an interesting read. 🙂
October 14, 2020 at 04:30
You really have a lot on your plate, Lisbet. I will follow your blog with interest. I had a solo female sailor I used to follow who also wrote a book about her adventures. She used a pdf format as it was some years ago. Your information on the publishing process is invaluable as I have three books planned. I don’t feel like I am getting anywhere at the moment with them. I wish you luck with all your tasks.
October 14, 2020 at 14:20
Hi Amanda.
Thank you for swinging by, leaving a comment, and following my blog!
Interesting about that other female sailor you used to follow and that she produced a pdf as her book. I guess that was before the eBook generation popped up! My reporting has taken different forms over the years as well… When I was in my twenties and backpacking the world, I created group emails for friends and family. (Before the internet, I sent handwritten letters – only to loved ones!) Then there was a “blog” on two different travel and photo websites (BootsnAll and Shutterfly), followed by my own sailing blog in 2007. I wrote on that one for eighth years. I’ve my current Roaming About blog since 2015, when blogging and commenting had become more popular.
You have three books planned? Wowzah! That will be a lot of work. Luckily (I think) after the first one, things will become easier. Have you finished writing those books yet, or are they WIPs? Fiction? what are they about?
October 15, 2020 at 18:25
Wow Liesbet you are almost there. Well perhaps it still feels a ways off but bravo to you for your determintation to make this happen. I recall when you asked readers for advice on the ‘blurb’. I think it turned out really well. Photo sorting can be enough to make one’s eyes pop out. Size and resolution another complicating issue.
Looking forward to further updates!
October 20, 2020 at 09:11
Yes, Sue, your description about “eyes popping out” when it comes to browsing thousands of photos is right on! Luckily, that’s done now. Every single step of the way to self-publication has been long and difficult with its own challenges. Even now, after making a bunch of progress, I’m still overwhelmed. Being back on the road makes me grasp at time, logistics, and opportunity to keep plotting along… It hasn’t happened yet and we’ve been gone for four days. One step at a time! I hope I have more to report by the next update on the first Wednesday of November! 🙂
October 28, 2020 at 13:10
Liesbet, what amazing progress you have made! Yes, you still have several steps to figure out in the publication process, but you’ll check them off one by one. Some of them are small decisions; others are more complicated processes. How about “Maya Press” for your independent press name? Certainly, being on the road will make it all more difficult. But I can understand that warmer climates are beckoning.
Jude
October 28, 2020 at 22:10
Hi Jude! You are right, ever since we hit the road (now almost two weeks ago – where does the time go?), I’ve made zero progress towards my book publication. I expected this, though, hence my furious time commitment and concentration the two months prior. We need to sit still more often. Moving every day and boondocking at parking lots is not conducive to progress or restful nights… I’ll get there. By the way, we named our press Roaming About Press. My guess is that I’ll be writing long after Maya has passed… But, I love your suggestion. It has a nice ring to it. 🙂