What I've learnt

I hope that The Changeling Tree isn't going to be my last novel, not least because there are a number
Image from Wikipediaof loose ends which would drive me mad if I left them hanging. However, I'm also hoping that I'll have learnt some useful lessons from the mistakes I made first time round, and that these will enable me to do it more efficiently and better in future. Now seems like the right time to set these down, before I forget and revert to character.
It's necessary to have different copies of the text for different purposes (paperback, e-book, etc.). The later this separation is made, the less time I'll have to spend updating multiple versions of the same text and, potentially, introducing new errors into them.I'll spot different things proof-reading in different ways. For example, when I read aloud, I'll spot repetitions and ambiguities; when I'm reading silently, I'll spot missing commas and spelling mistakes. It's not possible to focus on proof-reading for long periods of time. Break it up, why don't you?The chapter numbers are going to change lots of times. It's a waste of time worrying about this too much until I'm nearly finished.Make sure I've got permission to use fonts and images sorted out well in advance. They might be free to download or re-use, but double-check that I'm ok to use them for commercial purposes.Everything I thought was amusing when I wrote it will seem irritatingly smug by the time I'm ready to publish it. I'll just have to hope it appeals more when it's fresh.Pagination is going to keep changing until very late in the process. I can keep adjusting this on a daily basis if I like, but it doesn't make me happy. Leave it to the end.Even if I think it's finished, I'll find things I want to change when I see a proof copy. Make sure I've left time for this.No-one cares whether bow-tie is hyphenated or a single word. Seriously. No-one caresThe earlier I start the set-up on KDP, the more time I'm going to spend changing the book details, cover, blurb and so on. Now that I know how it all works, I can leave this until later.Allow time for KDP to do its bit: processing paperbacks takes a bit longer than e-books, so the paperback has to be finalized first.Changing the page size and font size at the last minute is stupid. There's no excuse for it. Do you hear me?I will keep on fiddling forever if I let myself. I need a deadline to focus my mind.The cover image has to go right to the edge (tsk!)The Changeling Tree is available in paperback and as an e-book on Amazon