A Futuristic Journey

by Grace Bridges
(Globetrotter. Right now? Dublin, Ireland)

Faith Awakened

Genre: Science Fiction

As a young child, I often wondered if people in Heaven could return to an Earth-like life. As a teenager, I played with the idea of making this into a story, but didn't get all that far. At 22 I began to write, first plotting out the chapters. The plot changed a fair bit in the course of writing.

I finished the manuscript about five years after beginning. Most of it was completed in the fifth year. After doing my own preliminary edits, I submitted the manuscript to critique groups - one major website for sci-fi and fantasy (critters.org) and one smallish Christian fantasy group known as Dan's Killer Crit Group. I also sent the file to individual writer friends who'd agreed to look at it.

I received around ten complete critiques, where people inserted their comments in the manuscript file. The folk from the mainstream group were less merciful, but they did help me find some plot holes and fix them, which was very significant to the end result. I printed out the original and all the critiques in very small print and took them to North Africa for a week, where I read them all and scribbled changes into the margins of the original where they needed to be made. I also proofread for spelling errors, went swimming and sightseeing, and read nine books at the beach. One of them was Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Browne and King, and I applied its principles immediately.

I made a movie of the whole process: http://youtube.com/watch?v=Nxz5ZFnVzfw

I did not accept all the advice I was given. Half is probably realistic. I came home and made the changes to the file.

I met a graphic designer from Spain on Shoutlife. She offered to do my cover image. It was brilliant, and after a little tweaking, we got the proportions and placement right. Using the image, I created front and back covers to the measurements stated by Lulu, and added text using a graphic program - title and author on the front, and a blurb on the back. I used the new image to create a book website and included a place for reviewers to sign up. I made noise about the new site at various social sites.

I printed the current manuscript and proofread it again. Sent it to one or two friends who did the same.

I formatted the manuscript to 6x9" page size with 1" margins and added page numbers. The text is Garamond 12pt with a line width of 16pt to loosen it up. Each chapter began on the 10th line of a new page. I created 24 chapter head images with the text "Chapter 1" etc, because I wanted to use the same font as on the front cover and Lulu doesn't recognise it (would have changed it to Courier!). I uploaded the cover graphics and the manuscript to Lulu.

I ordered around 40 copies and had them sent directly from Lulu to the people who'd agreed to review my book. Most were beginning authors like me, but a few had a larger claim to fame. Being an adoring fan got me a couple of good contacts. A large number of people also received an e-book copy on request.

I took a break for a month or two and watched review comments come in. It felt real good. I collected thousands of friends at Shoutlife and tried out all kinds of Internet social networks to meet potential fans. I read POD People by Jeremy Robinson and tightened up some of my strategies as a result.

I began to film book trailers. Not just one. Ten. One serious, nine funny. Look for them at my youtube page.

I added 3 pages of the best short comments, an author bio, a title page and a copyright page to the beginning of my manuscript file. At the end I put in a thanks page, website info, and ads received from swap partners who will also put my ads in their books. And of course an ad for my amazing graphic designer!

I stuck a great comment from my most famous bestselling reviewer on my front cover, and a handful of others on the back. I changed the author photo to a better one and formatted the back cover to leave room for the barcode Lulu then added. I ordered a copy for me and one for a friend in another country, and we both searched again for typos. We found two or three.

I purchased Global Distribution on Lulu which is basically ann ISBN and an Amazon/B&N page. I made final changes, uploaded new files, and approved the book to appear on Amazon.

I ran a blog tour which ran to about 20 posts all over the web. This took some preparation and a few free books, but ended up coinciding exactly with the book's appearance on Amazon (about five weeks after the Lulu release date) AND an interview on national radio in New Zealand, which I'd set up by email and they liked my website. Nobody cared about it being POD.

I reminded my pre-pub reviewers to post their comments on Amazon, which many did. Sadly, many who got a free book were never heard from again. For next time I'll have a better plan who to send it to.

I have now sold a few hundred copies, mostly on Lulu. But I'm still glad I put it on Amazon. The reviews there are my best publicity.

Maybe this isn't exactly success as many would define it. But it's been a great beginning. Most readers have loved it, my family is proud, and that has been enough to get me through writing a second novel.

I continue to surf through sci-fi forums getting to know people. The SF fans are out there, often well-hidden in obscure corners of the Net, and they want to be found!

I adore the immediacy of self-publishing. I can upload files and get a proof copy in my hands inside a week. And it was a fantastic learning experience, one I would not hesitate to repeat. Watch this space, I guess...

Visit Faith Awakened.