The route
1. Finish the draft
Nothing below this line matters yet. A complete bad draft beats a perfect third of one.
You're 65% through. The companion won't offer any of the steps below unless you ask.
2. Structural pass
Pacing, stakes, scene function. Whole chapters may go. No sentence-level work yet.
Preset: Developmental editor. Read the plot map alongside it.
3. Line edit
Rhythm, repetition, clarity — in your voice, not a neutral one.
Preset: Line editor. Work chapter by chapter, not front to back in one sitting.
4. Beta readers
Real readers, specific questions. 'Did you like it' gets you nothing.
Ask: where did you stop caring, where were you confused, where did you put it down.
5. Proofread
Typos, consistency, formatting. A different pass from line editing, done last.
Read it in a different typeface, or aloud. Your eye skips what it wrote.
6. Choose a route
Traditional query, small press, or independent. Each is legitimate; they cost different things.
Reputable checks: Writer Beware, Absolute Write, the Alliance of Independent Authors ratings.
7. Query or produce
Agents and comparable titles, or cover, interior design, ISBN and distribution.
Track every query with dates and responses. Never pay an agent to read your work.
8. Publish
The book goes out. This is the smallest step and it never feels like it.
Then the marketing path, which is a longer road than this one.
Submission tracker
Who has it, since when, and what they said.
| Where | Sent | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wren & Sable Literary | — | Not sent | Shortlisted for the first round |
| The Tidewater Review | — | Not sent | Chapter one as a standalone |
| Saltmarsh Books (open call) | — | Not sent | Closes 31 Jan |
When the book is out, the work changes shape — the marketing path picks up there.