The Birth of a Book...Start to Finish

By Debby Giusti

Dear Friends,

We are living through a time of upheaval and confusion with the coronavirus pandemic. I hope all of you are hunkered down comfortably, with food and other necessities. I’m praying for you and for our country and the world. God bless and protect us all.

On a lighter note, let’s talk about the journey a story takes from conception to publication. It starts with an idea…or a plot point, an inciting incident or exciting climax or even a snippet of dialogue. That first blush of inspiration grabs the writer and forces her to the “What If” stage. What if the hero is an Amish recluse who’s questioning his faith? What if the heroine is a dazed Englischer suffering from amnesia?

The writer starts to build a story like a carpenter constructs a house. The opening, first meet, call to action, escalating tension, black moment, climax and resolution are added. The setting is chosen—an Amish farm, a military post, a small town in Georgia—along with the theme, moral premise, hooks and motifs.

The characters take shape—Ruthie Eicher and Noah Schlabach or Becca Troyer and Zeke Hochstetler—and a relationship develops between the writer and the hero and heroine. With gentle prodding, the characters reveal their goals, motivations and conflicts—both external and internal. Friends, mentors and enemies become part of the story structure. Secrets, even secret babies, are added to the mix. Backstory is sprinkled in along with foreshadowing and red herrings.

Once the writer “sees” the story, she begins to pen the first three chapters and synopsis. The synopsis is a narrative overview of the entire story written in present tense. The synopsis and three chapters make up the proposal that is emailed to the editor.

Within the next thirty days or so, the editor reads the proposal. She can ask for revisions or make suggestions to enhance the story. She can reject the idea, or she can approve the submission and give the writer the go-ahead to finish the manuscript.  

If not done before this time, the writer signs a binding legal contract to submit the completed manuscript by a certain deadline. In return for the story, which is her “product,” the writer will receive an “advance” payment, usually given in three installments. The writer receives one-third of the advance upon contract, one-third with the acceptance of the proposal and one-third upon acceptance of the full manuscript. After signing the contract, the writer is obligated to complete the manuscript and submit it on or before the agreed deadline.

Now, the writer writes the story, revises the story, stews about the story, makes changes to the story, deletes unnecessary scenes, adds dialogue, adds scenes, rewrites the beginning…the ending…the black moment…stews some more. During this process, the writer loves the story, hates the story, hates herself for writing the story, then starts to like the story again. Eventually, once the writer is satisfied that the story is ready to submit—or her deadline looms—she emails the manuscript to her editor.

The editor reads the manuscript. She may return the manuscript to the writer and ask for changes. If so, the writer makes the changes and resubmits the manuscript. If the editor approves the manuscript and  the changes, she contacts the financial department. They send a check to the writer for the second installment of the advance.

Line edits are done by either the acquiring editor or a freelance editor contracted by the publishing house. The edits are done on the computer in “track changes” format.  The editor then returns the edited manuscript to the writer.

The writer is given from two weeks to a month to revise the manuscript and make the requested changes. Additionally, the writer answers any questions the editor may have mentioned in her edits and tightens any areas that still need work. After making the changes, the writer reads a clean copy of the manuscript—this is the last opportunity the writer has to make changes to the story—before returning it to the editor. Upon acceptance of the manuscript, the financial department sends the writer the final third of her advance.

During this time, the writer completes the Art Fact Sheet for the Art Department and Marketing. Three scenes are selected as possible cover art suggestions. For Amish stories, the writer chooses two scenes that involve the heroine wearing her kapp, or bonnet, and a landscape scene. A 500-word synopsis and a few storyline questions are answered, which marketing uses in promotion and to attract foreign sales. The short synopsis provides information for the editor or assistant tasked to write the back of the book blurb. The writer also submits photo links or copies of photos of characters, setting, clothing and scenery and any additional photos that will help the Art Department in their creation of a cover.

The editor requests a list of possible titles. The writer may submit ten or fifteen titles and then be asked to come up with more ideas. The executive editor and editor choose a title, usually from the submitted list. Soon after the acceptance of the revised manuscript, the writer submits the dedication and scripture that will appear in the book.

The manuscript is reviewed by a copy editor who looks for any incongruences, such as a character having blond hair in the beginning and brown hair later in the story. The copy editor also checks for typos, and any grammar or punctuation mistakes. If she has a question concerning the story, she sends her query to the editor who forwards it to the writer for clarification.

Before the manuscript goes to print, another editor or two and the executive editor read the final copy. Once the editing process is completed, the story is printed in mass market format.

Approximately three months before the release date, the writer receives a case of books to give away or use for contest entries. The Direct to Reader book club receives their books soon after that. The bookstores receive their shipments in time for the books to be on the shelves and ready for purchase by the release date.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this brief review of a story’s journey from conception to publication.

A lot of time and energy goes into publishing a story. The writer works hand in hand with her editor and the other personnel at the publishing house. Every effort is made to create a wonderful story for the reader.

Did you realize what was involved in publishing a story? Are there steps in the process that surprised you? Do you enjoy the cover art? How important is it to you when you buy a book? What about the blurb? 

Grab a cup of coffee and let’s talk about what we like about the stories we read, what attracts our interest and the many facets of the publishing process. Leave a comment to be entered in a drawing for a copy of my April release, DANGEROUS AMISH INHERITANCE.

Stay safe and healthy, dear friends! Let us know if you or a family member is sick or has been exposed to the virus so we can cover you and them with prayer.

Wishing you abundant blessings,

Debby Giusti

www.DebbyGiusti.com

Dangerous Amish Inheritance

By Debby Giusti

“Move off the mountain. No one wants you here.”

Can this Amish widow survive her dangerous stalker?

Someone wants Ruthie Eicher off Amish Mountain…enough to terrorize the widow and her boys. Now Ruthie must rely on her former sweetheart, Noah Schlabach—the secret father of her eldest son—as they figure out why. But Noah has turned his back on love and the Amish way of life. Can he shield Ruthie…without breaking her heart again?

Pre-order HERE!