Yup, you read that title right. This pantser is planning.
But that’s nothing unusual. Although I take a pantsing approach to my writing, I transition into full planner mode for my editing. And especially now that I’m working on the edits for two novels simultaneously, this planning is crucial.
In my notebooks for The Tunnel and Modern Hauntings, the pages are filled with notes based on beta reader feedback. And those notes are covered in post-it notes with additional ideas and details. Any beta reader feedback I received digitally is highlighted and colour-coded. My paper and digital calendars are filled with notes and timelines to help keep me on schedule (and yes, I factored in rest days for once).
I’ve also started to brainstorm cover art. I’ve had a look at comp titles and pre-mades to get a sense of what might work well for my books. I’ve been researching potential artists and pre-made options. I think I now know what I want for each book cover in terms of style, so I’m hoping to get my hands on at least one cover over the next couple of months.
In the midst of all this, I’ve been dealing with all sorts of other aspects of self-publishing. I have a secret collab coming up, as well as another interview coming soon. I’ve been getting Mark to help me with website updates. I got my annual Holiday Freebie ready to be sent out to Club Thrillrror book box subscribers as well as newsletter subscribers (don’t worry, everyone else will get access to the short story soon). And I’ve been finishing up my last markets and fundraising events for the year. Oh, and I did all this while trying to recover from a cold and the brain fog that came with it. That did not help with the burnout.
I’m really looking forward to December because I’ll be taking time off from events, making time for myself and for friends and family. And, most importantly, I’ll be prioritizing my edits on The Tunnel and Modern Hauntings. Throughout the early stages of the editing process, I wasn’t sure which novel I would publish first, but after looking at my beta reader feedback and working on my editing plan, I am confident that I will publish The Tunnel in the spring of 2025 and Modern Hauntings in the summer. If all goes well, I may even have a book ready to publish in the fall! (But lets not get too far ahead of ourselves – I do need to prioritize burnout recovery as well).
So wish me luck, keep an eye out for some fun updates coming soon, and stay spooky!
