So, if you have a good memory, you’ll know that two of the books I’m publishing this year are already overdue. Due to my own ambition and lack of planning, Before Heavens Gate and The Histories Of Us have moved from 2025 to 2026.
Although all my 2026 books had a structured schedule, those timelines are working plans, not guarantees. They slip, not because I don’t care, but because I took on too much and couldn’t fit all the pieces together in time. I want to be as transparent as possible, not only with this matter, but in everything I do in my business, especially when it means owning up to a mistake.
Let me take you through the journey a manuscript takes before it reaches publication. First, it has to be written, which has little-to-nothing to do with me. Most of my authors come to me with a finished manuscript, so very little coaching is done. My involvement begins during editing: first, large developmental edits, then smaller line and copy edits. I’ve begun to bring in freelance editors so I don’t get fatigued and errors start slipping through the cracks. Yes, I’m talking about BHG here.
When I say fatigued, I do not mean that I don’t enjoy the books I’m publishing. Let me make that clear. But repetitive action, especially when it can’t be automated, is mentally draining. So if I need to bring some new eyes on a project to keep both the author and me fresh for the rest of the journey, then I will do so.
Once editing is finished and we finally have a complete picture, we move onto design, which includes internal and cover designs. I outsource illustrations based on a brief that I discuss with the author, and most of the internal design is done either by myself or by a work experience student. Whilst the formatting itself doesn’t usually take too long — project dependent, of course — the three months I set aside for it include printing and checking physical proof copies. As of the past week, I’m also working with a proofreader, so they need to complete their work within that time too.
After all of that, corrections need to be made, if any. Ideally, they are completed within the design timeframe, but often it overflows. That is why I make sure to include a month where we’re not making active progress on the project, so we can catch up with ourselves. More than once, I’ve been saved by adding in this extra time. Sometimes it’s not needed, but when it is, it’s a lifesaver. Both BHG and THOU were worked on before I had this schedule in place. They’re the reason it exists.
Marketing and launch prep follow closely behind, and nothing can happen if we don’t have a finished product. We can’t post a cover reveal if it’s not finished, and cover designers need to know the number of pages in order to calculate how wide the spine needs to be. So the formatting needs to be mostly done — minus some finer details — in order to give them that information. And there’s no point formatting if you’re still making changes to the text.
There’s a lot of back and forth between me as the publisher and the author, and then me as a client and the illustrator or cover designer, and then me as a project manager and my freelancers. There’s also a whole lot of waiting. I don’t mind the waiting. Not everyone is doing this project as their full-time job, and not everyone should be attached to their work 24/7. Do as I say, not as I do.
I’m not here to make excuses. I want to show the general public why publishing a book is so delicate, and why one delay can affect everything around it:
- Edits take longer than expected: A manuscript may need more care than originally planned, or a later edit may uncover work that still needs attention.
- Proofs reveal problems: A printed or digital proof can show formatting, cover, typo, or layout issues that were not obvious earlier.
- Design schedules shift: Cover design, illustration, typesetting, or other creative work may depend on another person’s availability.
- Author availability changes: Authors may need more time to review edits, approve proofs, gather materials, or respond to questions.
- External systems take time: Printers, distributors, upload platforms, ISBN/admin tasks, and delivery times can all affect the schedule.
- Small-press capacity is real: When a small team is handling editing, design coordination, admin, author care, marketing, and production, one unexpected issue can affect several books at once.
- Life happens: Illness, caring responsibilities, mental health, events, workload, and emergencies can all affect timelines.
So why not rush it? Why not put all of my time and energy into the most urgent book and ignore the rest?
Because that creates different problems. Missed errors, inconsistent design, rushed approvals, poor-quality files, lack of preparation going into an event, and a feeling not too dissimilar to cabin fever are just a few of the reasons I share my time between projects. One project isn’t more important than another. It may simply be more urgent. The goal is to publish with care and offer a personal experience to the author, not to push a book through before it is ready. As the publisher, I take responsibility when something goes wrong, as it has.
Putting the current schedule together has helped enormously with keeping projects on track. I regularly set monthly check-ins, regardless of where the book is in its journey. This helps clear up issues before they develop into problems, and it gives us space to adjust before a small delay becomes a bigger one. I’m at the point in my career where I usually know what steps to take next, assuming everything is running smoothly. And yes, sometimes we will have to update the schedule to accommodate an unexpected change. Having the schedule in the first place allows me to do that without losing sight of the whole project.
My focus is working with the author and my team to make sure everyone is on board with the new plan.
So authors, what can you expect from us when things go wrong?
- honest and clear communication as often as we are able
- realistic planning that works for everyone involved, not just me
- care for your experience and the quality of your book
- updates as soon as plans change
- a revised plan that protects the book, not just the date
Delays are not a failure. Sometimes a delay means a book is being given the time it actually needs. It doesn’t feel good, and I won’t pretend it does, but good publishing takes planning, communication, flexibility, and care.
