Over time, followers of this blog have learned a lot—and probably more than they want to—about the publishing process. In other words, when all you really want to know is what time it is, I keep right on telling you how the clock is made. This is one of those times, and here we go again.
After I submit a manuscript, I sit on my hands and wait for the first step in the editing process—the editorial letter. After my editor reads the manuscript, she (with two exceptions over the years, all my editors have been female) sends it back to me with corrections inserted (for my approval or disapproval) along with suggestions about changes in the story itself. Once I make said changes and return the manuscript to New York, guess what? I get a paycheck.
Literary advances are broken into several pieces. Payments arrive on signing the contract, on delivery and acceptance of the manuscript (the D&A payment), on hardback publication, on paperback publication, and a final payment six months after the paperback pub.
I could probably go back in the blogs and find the exact date when I was told that the pub date for Smoke and Mirrors, was being pushed back until March of 2027. That meant the editorial process along with my payday were also being deferred. That’s when I buckled down and wrote The Taken Ones, the next Beau book, in one hell of a hurry in order to make sure that, for the first time in 40 years I wouldn’t have a new book coming out. The manuscript for The Taken Ones went to New York on January 29.
Even as I sent it, I had an idea that the long-delayed editorial letter for Smoke and Mirrors would suddenly show up at approximately the same time as the one for The Taken Ones. Sure enough, the Smoke and Mirrors letter arrived in my mailbox at 10:10 am on February 6. I started work on it that very afternoon.
That involves going through the entire manuscript, word for word, and making all the necessary changes, including not only the ones the editor has suggested but the additional ones I find on my own as I go along—the places where I repeat words within the space of a few lines; the times when my syntax turns into a garbled mess. That takes total concentration, and I worked at it hour after hour all weekend long—starting early and going to bed late. With the exception of the Super Bowl, (Go Hawks!) I ignored whatever was on TV.
Doing the editorial work after such a long pause was interesting. The story was so compelling that I found myself doing exactly what readers do—telling myself, I’ll do just one more chapter and then I’ll go to bed. Yesterday morning, however, at 7:52 and with eighty pages to go in Smoke and Mirrors, the editorial letter for The Take Ones arrived. Not wanting to derail my concentration on one book, I kept right one working.
In Evie Busk’s household everybody had to clean their plates before leaving the table, and so, leaving that latest email sitting there as new, I finished those last eighty pages. At 12:02 am this morning, Smoke and Mirrors went back to my editor in New York. Writing this blog is my literary version of taking a deep breath. Right now it’s time to make breakfast. After that I’ll finish getting today’s steps—43,888,949 so far. Then, after a 2 pm appointment, it’ll be time to be off to the races with The Taken Ones.
You can file this one under “No Rest for the Wicked,” I suppose, but the good news is, I’ll have two incoming paychecks instead of just one.
Cant wait for your new books. My favorite is Beau! ???
I do enjoy your tales of the writing/publishing process. It is very enlightening for me. I do keep a more rigid reading time, it’s how I keep my insomnia in check. I read to a certain time of night and then must stop and sleep. It is a bit disruptive of the story line at times, but it all comes back while I resume. It’s what I do. Although I have modified my reading time each day to four hours, which is a nice chunk of a book.
I laughed when you talked about your Mom’s rules about cleaning your plate. Same at our house, which continues for me to this day.
Thank you again for another great blog.
Thank you for another great blog. I admire your “stick-to-it” when doing the reading/editing process. It’s a must thing I guess. I know in my mind, keeping the story line flowing makes for the best picture of the book. I try to dedicate about four hours each evening.
The writing/editing process you’ve explained to us here is very enlightening for me. I’m glad you have done it.
Can’t wait! Need another J.A. Jance book to read!
And you certainly deserve those paychecks!
I love your books and am really looking forward to your new ones.
Tell your publisher that it is NOT okay with your readers to push back the publishing date of a new Jance book. We need to feed our addiction. And I find details of.the publishing process interesting.
You have really burnt the midnite oil on these two books!
Take a well-deserved rest!
I love hearing about the process – and all the details!
My (very wise) grandmother always said that if we learned just one new thing every day, that day was not wasted. So, Gram would be proud of me today. Thank you for today’s Gram-moment.
Congratulations on your persistence, and lucky for your readers. “No rest for the wicked.” was one of my mother’s favorites…think it fueled her persistence. Now, having seen this “wicked” statement this morning, I do wonder its origin…does anyone know? Is it from some well known literature or ??
Certainly, for you, there is no rest writing about and/or publishing about the “wicked”. Many, many thanks for your persistence.
You are something else! I cannot believe what you had to do, to get this book out..in time!
Now, doing it all over again with the next manuscript! I hope you and Bill have enough time together.., I’m a worrier….we appreciate all your hard work, and such great novels!
I enjoy reading your book information on how it’s done. I’ve been a fan for many years & Beau is my favorite. I think we’re around the same age, he’s OLD!
I think all your readers love learning “how the clock is made”. I find most everything you write fascinating. After all, you are a fascinating person.
Blessing to you and Bill.
You are so fortunate to have the skill set to keep to your schedule. can’t wait for the next journey in Seattle and wherever beau is headed.