Milestones and Progress

Milestones were originally used by the Roman Empire to mark distance along their many roads. This helped people know how quickly they were traveling, and also how far they had to go. I think this is why I prefer thinking of accomplishments as milestones rather than goals. Goals imply that you’ve arrived, that you’re finished; milestones tell you that you’ve simply reached an important place on your journey.

Just recently, I completed a milestone that I began working toward at the beginning of the year. I finished writing the rough draft of A Test of Honor – eighteen chapters, 94,263 words, three months’ worth of focused creativity. And it feels amazing.

I’m tempted to give myself a break, to spend just a little more time celebrating the accomplishment. But I know better. The work it will take to finalize the book is not even half done yet. Then, consider the fact that the book is first in a trilogy – I’ll have to start this process all over again in a few months!

So what’s the next step? For me, it’s time for author revisions! I learned a lot writing this draft, and I even changed some of the characters’ names and other details as I wrote it! On top of that, I’d like to get some maps laid out because what do you call a Fantasy book without maps? UNFINISHED.

After revisions, I pass the book on to an editor. I’ve got a few I’m looking into at the moment, and I’ll start collecting samples from them once I get about half way through the revision process myself. While the manuscript is away being edited, I’ll be busy looking at cover designs and distribution. I will be publishing through Kindle Direct Publishing, as well as through Kobo and other e-book distributors, but I honestly haven’t looked into the coding side of this at all yet. I might hire someone to code them for me, we’ll see if my experience building websites and working in WordPress have prepared me for e-book formatting.

Once the editing is finished, I’ll make the final decisions and probably read the thing three more times. Then I’ve got a few ideas up my sleeves about marketing and promotion. (For example, if you’d like to get A Test of Honor’s Companion Book for free, join the mailing list!)

Milestones exist not only to inform us of our progress, but to indicate how far we still have to go. I’ve reached a big one, and I feel a sense of accomplishment. But this journey is not over yet.

What was your last milestone, and what’s the next one you’re heading for? What challenges have you met along the way, and how have you overcome them? Tell me about your projects in the comments!