Author Topic: Saw a Release Date for Peace Talks, True or Just Another Rumor?  (Read 18775 times)

Offline groinkick

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Re: Saw a Release Date for Peace Talks, True or Just Another Rumor?
« Reply #30 on: March 19, 2018, 07:33:14 PM »
Any idea on the average turn around time for manuscript edits?

Just a random guess but I think once an author finished a book it usually takes around 6 months to get it edited and out on book shelves.
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Offline wardenferry419

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Re: Saw a Release Date for Peace Talks, True or Just Another Rumor?
« Reply #31 on: March 20, 2018, 09:40:50 AM »
That was going to be my guess as well.
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Offline Kindler

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Re: Saw a Release Date for Peace Talks, True or Just Another Rumor?
« Reply #32 on: March 20, 2018, 01:10:51 PM »
Halloween time would be pretty fitting for Harry's triumphant return to bookstore shelves. As someone who works in an adjacent profession, I can confirm that Tuesday is New Release Day. I'm not actually sure why that is, though - seems a bit random.

It's mostly for shipping. Printers release books for distribution typically the week before a book is officially on sale, and a Tuesday release date gives stores the weekend+Monday to make sure they have adequate stock, planogram their displays, and set up. Some stores like to do midnight releases for really, really big books (Twilight was the last time my local Barnes and Noble did it, as far as I can remember, so this isn't necessarily a positive thing for society), and this gives them the opportunity to do that.

It also gives a book the best chance to get on best-seller lists. New York Times doesn't reveal how they pick what goes onto their list, but Wall Street Journal is pretty open about relying fairly heavily on Nielson BookScan, which tracks individual sales rather than bulk purchases. Having a few days to rack up sales before releasing that week's Best-Seller List is usually pretty good for a book (unless you're one of those that premiere on the BSL, which has always boggled my mind, as people really don't preorder books anymore, unless it's on Amazon and the book is big enough to have release-day delivery).

Most of this is a carryover from brick-and-mortar distribution; it's become so ingrained in the publishing industry that they're going to keep doing it, regardless of real vs. perceived advantages. Since Kindle and Nook (I'm still a Nook purist, cuz I hate the Kindle app—I want page numbers, not nonsense percentages, dang it) hit the scene and digital copies overtook physical ones, there's really little point in still releasing on Tuesdays, but they won't stop. In fact, it's probably better for publishers to do a split release; Saturday/Sunday for eBook, Tuesday for hardcovers. The margin on eBooks is substantially higher; they don't have to pay a printer for anything, and they usually charge the same (or about the same) price for the new release. I think you'd see a bunch of hardcover purists cave in for digital if they could get their hands on an earlier copy.

That said, I doubt their printers would be happy about that, and you can't go screwing over your partners like that and expect to continue doing business with them.

Offline Talby16

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Re: Saw a Release Date for Peace Talks, True or Just Another Rumor?
« Reply #33 on: March 20, 2018, 11:33:01 PM »
Just a random guess but I think once an author finished a book it usually takes around 6 months to get it edited and out on book shelves.

If that is accurate, that would place the book ready in mid October. I can live with that.

Offline Kindler

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Re: Saw a Release Date for Peace Talks, True or Just Another Rumor?
« Reply #34 on: March 21, 2018, 12:24:41 PM »
Depends on the relationship between editor and author. Some of the insanely successful ones (Stephen King, for example) don't get much in the way of developmental edits, it's mostly proofreading. Usually somewhere around 2-3 rounds, typically a week or two between each one.

If there are developmental edits (which are things like "This scene doesn't fit here," or "This character is acting inconsistently with their prior characterization, justify the odd behavior or change it") then the process is considerably longer. Not sure where Jim fits on the scale, though I suspect he has a very good relationship with his editors. Considering the amount of thought he's put into Peace Talks, I doubt there will be too many developmental changes, and will mostly be on flow, typos, and grammar/sentence structure.

Offline Rasins

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Re: Saw a Release Date for Peace Talks, True or Just Another Rumor?
« Reply #35 on: March 21, 2018, 02:38:14 PM »
Yeah, and Jim's Beta Readers are AWESOME.  They usually pick up any oddities.
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Offline KurtinStGeorge

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Re: Saw a Release Date for Peace Talks, True or Just Another Rumor?
« Reply #36 on: March 21, 2018, 05:30:54 PM »
Of course, different authors and different publishers have their own methods and general timeline in getting a book published, but Benedict Jacka has several pages on his website on the process, in general terms, of getting one of his novels from the idea stage to final publication.  Here's an average timeline which Mr. Jacka says applies to most of his novels, and while it doesn't fit Jim Butcher; probably because of the way he uses his Beta readers to do a lot of self-editing, it gives us a good indication of the overall process for most authors.

So what does the full timeline look like?

1. Idea (? months)
2. Planning (1-2 months)
3. First Draft (5-7 months)
4. Waiting for Edits (1-2 months)
5. Edits (1-4 months)
6. Waiting for Copy-Edits (1-2 months)
7. Copy-Edits (<1 month)
8. Waiting for Proofs (1-2 months)
9. Proofs and AQs (minimal time)
10. Pre-Publication (4-6 months)

We can probably cut out the idea and planning stages, as they’re mostly done in the background while I work on other things.  So that leaves the writing stage (step 3) and then the road to publication (steps 4 to 10).  Adding it all up, we get the following time spans:

First Draft:  5-7 months
Road to Publication:  9-17 months

In practice, the time for the first drafts for the last few books has come in at a consistent 6 months, largely because that’s the deadline I set myself.  The time for the road to publication stage has been more variable.  Chosen took 11 months, Hidden took 14, and the new book is looking like it’ll be 13.  Added together they average to close to a year.  So 6 months to write the book, and 12 months to edit it and get it published.

If this seems like a long time, that’s because it is.


You can check out Benedict Jackas website for more detailed descriptions of each step in the process.
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Offline mentallooser

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Re: Saw a Release Date for Peace Talks, True or Just Another Rumor?
« Reply #37 on: March 22, 2018, 12:54:38 AM »
Cinder Spires is very good. It's also the first series I've read which actively tries to be Steampunk, so yeah. Very good. :)

I've tried getting through it about 4-5 times, and even tried the audiobook.  Fall asleep or lose focus every time.  Still love everything else he's written, so no big loss.  I'll celebrate when Peace Talks release is announced.  ;D

Offline Rasins

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Re: Saw a Release Date for Peace Talks, True or Just Another Rumor?
« Reply #38 on: March 22, 2018, 02:12:11 AM »
I've tried getting through it about 4-5 times, and even tried the audiobook.  Fall asleep or lose focus every time.  Still love everything else he's written, so no big loss.  I'll celebrate when Peace Talks release is announced.  ;D

I'm with you on that.  I'll get through it one day, but I've tried and tried.
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Offline KurtinStGeorge

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Re: Saw a Release Date for Peace Talks, True or Just Another Rumor?
« Reply #39 on: March 22, 2018, 07:04:55 AM »
I'm with you on that.  I'll get through it one day, but I've tried and tried.

I have to admit I really didn't like Cinder Spires that much until I was fairly deep into the book.  I felt it took a while for some of the characters to develop and for the story to draw me in.  That's one of the risks with origin story novels with a large cast of characters who all look like they may have important roles to play.  For example, it took a long time for me to care about the crazy Folly, but by the end of the story she was becoming interesting and I could start to see that she will be more important as the story moves forward.  I also found the Captain Grimm character a little underwhelming at times.  The potential is there but other characters often seemed to grab the spotlight away from him.  Grimm doesn't have to be Captain Kirk but I thought he should stand out more than he does.  Again, I think it's that origin story situation where so many characters have to be introduced and given space to grow.   
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Offline Dina

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Re: Saw a Release Date for Peace Talks, True or Just Another Rumor?
« Reply #40 on: March 22, 2018, 01:27:31 PM »
Captain Grimm reminds me too much to Harry. So I instantly liked him but I've felt a strong déjà vu feeling. But, perhaps I am a woman, I loved the book since the beginning except because I HATED Gwen name (Gwendolyn Margaret Elizabeth Lancaster, Margaret Gwendolyn LeFay)
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Offline Rasins

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Re: Saw a Release Date for Peace Talks, True or Just Another Rumor?
« Reply #41 on: March 22, 2018, 04:38:31 PM »
Maybe I'll start it again this weekend.
At times I wish I had a clone, but then I realize, I could never live with that a-hole.

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Offline dspringer1

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Re: Saw a Release Date for Peace Talks, True or Just Another Rumor?
« Reply #42 on: March 22, 2018, 10:08:56 PM »
The criticism I heard rings true.  It just tries to introduce too many complex characters and thus does not really do justice to any one of them.    The general argument is that Butcher should have either done this book with fewer characters -- or begin with smaller scale story to introduce well a number of the characters first and then bring the remaining characters in during the course of book 2 or 3.  Based on how diverse the characters are, I would have thought a split story in book 1 (like he did in the fury series) would have worked well. 

Offline Dina

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Re: Saw a Release Date for Peace Talks, True or Just Another Rumor?
« Reply #43 on: March 22, 2018, 10:46:12 PM »
Not true for me. The characters were, for me, the best part (even when I am not a fan of one particular character)
Missing you, Md 

There are many horrible sights in the multiverse. Somehow, though, to a soul attuned to the subtle rhythms of a library, there are few worse sights than a hole where a book ought to be. Someone has stolen a book (Terry Pratchett)

Offline wardenferry419

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Re: Saw a Release Date for Peace Talks, True or Just Another Rumor?
« Reply #44 on: March 22, 2018, 10:57:01 PM »
October 30, the day before Halloween, is a Tuesday. Fingers crossed.
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