The Book Has Entered Production

Well it is official. As of Friday, July 27th, the final text for the book has entered the publishing machinery. The process of writing a book has alway been interesting to me. Just when you think you are done, the real work begins. To give you an example:

Draft 1) Submit what you think is the final draft to the publisher

Reviewers get a look at it and you realize you need to rewrite several chapters.

Draft 2) Submit the next draft with all reviewer feedback incorporated and a lot of good reviewer feedback left painfully on the floor due to schedule pressure

The Copy Editors now get their crack

Draft 3) You now get to agree or disagree with all the copy edits. For the most part, copy editors save me from extremely poor and wordy books. If you read this one you'll realize I'm a conversationalist writer. Maybe better to just buy me a beer and hear me tell you about it.

The Layout then gets done

Draft 4) My first book was an extremely techie niche book on ClearCase an SCM tool. This book did not get nearly the full-up treatment that my Second Life book is getting. Full color, and designed, this is the point which the review turns from not so much content as to figure placement, quality of figures, the right fonts, treatment of notes, tips, etc. You read through word by word as this is really your last change to make minor changes.

Proof read

Draft 5) The final draft is a read through with the proofreaders comments and all your comments incorporated. At this point, you are so tired of reading your own book that you have to focus to catch any of the small mistakes.

General Project Schedule:
March 2006 - Heard about Second Life
April - Got an Account
July - Submitted Proposal
March 2007 - Submitted First Draft
July 2007 - Submitted Final Copy


I have a few copies coming to SLCC hot off the presses, let me know if you are going to be there! The book should be available latest by September.