What do you think of when I say Process Improvement?
Be honest. Does this term make you roll your eyes, yawn, maybe even snore a little bit?
Coming as I do from a professional background of insurance and project management, I’ve become familiar with my fair share of processes. I’ve documented my fair share of process maps. And I’ve suggested my fair share of process improvements.
Why wouldn’t I be able to do the same thing with my writing process?
I got this idea when I was recently asked to bake three cakes for a church bake sale. When I approached my task, would I even consider making each of the cakes start-to-finish before starting the next one? You know, mixing the ingredients, pouring the batter in a pan, putting it in the oven, baking for an hour, taking it out … then starting over with the second one?
No! Of course not! I would mix three batches of batter, then fill three pans, then bake them all together. Right? All three cakes would come out of the oven at the same time.
That would be much more efficient.
A week ago, I started writing a new book. It isn’t just a new book, it’s the start of a whole new series. And I started thinking, the way I’ve written my last two series — twelve books — has been like preparing three separate cakes start-to-finish instead of baking three cakes at once.
You’ve often heard from authors that writing a book is only a small part of publishing a book. For authors who publish independently, like me … meaning, without a publishing house … that is so true. In addition to taking on the role of author, I also am at the head of all the other tasks too. Those tasks I can perform myself, I do. Those that I can’t, I outsource, or hire out.
In order to determine where my process could benefit from improvement, I created a process map of the steps I take to create a book. Here it is:
As you can see, it’s quite detailed and intense. The black lines between the tasks indicate that many of the steps are repeated. Look at the first box, Research. Sometimes, depending on the story, I research, then I plan and plot, then go back and research some more, then plan and plot some more before I start writing. Sometimes only once, sometimes multiple times.
Notice the multiple iterations between write and edit. I actually go through five rounds of edits, some that I do myself, some that I outsource to professional editors, before I move on to the final proofread.
After the proofread, the writing is done. But look at all the other tasks! These are all the post production tasks that transform that typed manuscript into the professional-looking paperback or ebook that you read! This is the half of the process that I felt I could improve on my efficiency. Back to the cake example. The writing of a book could be the mixing of the batter. The post production tasks of a book could be the baking of a cake.
Instead of creating this series as I have always done, doing all steps start-to-finish on each individual book, why don’t I try baking all the cakes at once?
In the book world, this concept is called Rapid Release. As it relates to my process, here’s my new approach:
1) Research, plot, and plan book 1.
2) Write book 1.
3) Research, plot and plan book 2.
4) Write book 2.
5) Research, plot and plan book 3.
6) Write book 3.
Once the first three books are done — move on and do all the rest of the steps, from edit, all the way to release for all three books TOGETHER. Schedule the books to be released 3 – 6 weeks apart. Promote them as a group instead of each one separately.
Doing it this way would definitely shake things up a little! But what problems would I be solving by changing my process?
Stay in the zone. When writing a book, an author is in a creative mindset. She is opening her imagination, listening to her muse, creating as the spirit leads her. Editing and revising requires a different type of mindset: detail-oriented, following the grammar rules, looking up spellings. Very different. Post-production tasks require a different mindset again. Working through the multiple other processes for formatting the book, creating a marketable cover, knowing how to submit to all the retailers, each with a different process, then, the whole separate world of effective promotion! It’s a lot to know. And each of those vendors are constantly changing their rules. Staying on top of those changes alone is a full-time job!
First and foremost a writer, I enjoy being in the writing mode the best. I want to stay there as long as I can! I can do some of the following steps, but it’s the writing that I love.
More books released in a year. When I took a calendar and mapped out my daily word count writing goals, and estimated timelines of the subsequent steps, it appears I can release more books in the year 2020 than I would if I do the “One Cake At a Time” process. In fact, this may be a stretch goal, but I do believe I can put out my entire series in 2020, instead of what would normally be a two-year series under my normal timeline. And, instead of the books becoming available to readers every 4 to 5 months like my normal timeline, I believe they’ll be getting the books much faster, 4 – 6 weeks apart!
So … hopefully this discussion didn’t make you yawn or snore! Let me know: what do you, as a reader, think of the Rapid Release process? What are the pros and cons? And, how have you improved processes in your own life? Have they worked?
**Heartwarming, life-changing Christian fiction.** An award-winning author, Laurie is living her dream life at the beach, writing novels. Laurie writes beachy inspirational romance that takes place in the South Carolina Low Country. She retired from the big day job and now focuses on writing full time. Strolls on the sand, soaking up the sun and riding the waves can be considered the best kind of research.
As a reader I like the idea of not having to wait a long time for the next book. I would be concerned about an author “burning out”.
Hi Laurie! Thanks for your detailed explanation of Rapid Release process. As a teacher, I used the process to grade high school multi page worksheets or tests. Rather than grading the students entire worksheet or test, I would correct page 1 for the entire class, then correct page 2, etc. For short answer questions, this helped me see similarities and differences in answers. This Rapid Release process helped have a better understanding of my students and the class. As an avid reader, who is retired and reads several genre from different authors, I prefer when a series is released closer together. Lets me keep up the story. Best wishes.
Very good point Mary! I’ll see if I feel burnt out about spring time next year!
That’s a great example Renate! Thanks for the input!
My husband grades this way too!
Hi Laurie! I love this post. I adore planning and processes and PERT charts and such.
As a reader, I love books coming out closer together.
As a writer, I struggle with making it happen. I would love your plan, except when it gets to the “edit three books” part of the timeline. For me, editing is the most draining part of the process. (This is particularly hilarious because I began my professional career as a newspaper copy editor. I loved that, but revising my own work is less fun.) I’m sure there’s a part of the process that you find most challenging. How do you plan to keep your energy up while you work on that part for the longer period required for three books?
Hi Sally! Is it odd to admit I really love the editing stage?? Like you, I began my career as an editor. I am blessed with that “eagle eye” where misspellings and awkward sentence structure kind of jumps out at me! The biggest challenge is getting enough time and space between the writing and editing. Give myself a fresh eye. So this process will help with that too.
I hope. :)
I like to read books in a series close together so I don’t forget the characters and plotlines of previous books. I prefer when series are released in a short period of time. Otherwise, I generally wait to read them until they’re all out.
I like the idea of rapid release because I love to read series in order and this way I wouldn’t have to wait very long for the next book and could stay with the story. As for process improvememts, my mom and I have been in charge of snacks for a day camp at church for several years and it seems that each year we are able to make some small tweaks to help things go more smoothly.
I’ll admit, I like the thought of reading the series much closer together! If I read them far apart, I sometimes forget what happened in the previous books, as I read a LOT and would confuse the series. Sometimes, I’d even go back to the previous book to see how it ended, so I could continue forward. It’s much easier when they come out closer together!!
That’s a good point Sherri. That’s one of the beauties of ebooks. Finish one, download the next and keep reading!
Thanks Jessica! It seems like I’ve gone a looong time without changing my writing process. I believe I’ve written and published 22 books. Time to shake things up a little!
The other thing is, this particular series seems more conducive to writing back to back. The story ideas for all 5 books came to me, which doesn’t usually happen!
Sounds like God has a plan!
I hope it’s Him! <3
Oh, I’m pretty sure it is!! Looking forward to the series!
I like how you compare writing to baking a cake and think that could apply to lots of things in life. I also like getting a glimpse into the authors writing processes, sometimes you have to shake it up a bit to be more productive or organized.
I’m sure being indy published would have its challenges so finding ways to improve would be important to a writer. I’m sure you have found many ways to do this over your writing career :-)
As for rapid release, I guess it doesn’t really matter to me as a reader. If it’s a series, I like them to be more stand alone because sometimes if there’s a long period between books, I will often forget the details and then get frustrated because I have to catch up. But having shorter wait times is nice so I can keep characters fresh in my mind :-) There’s pros and cons to each, I think!
Thanks Trixi! One con we haven’t mentioned is a longer wait between the end of one series and the start of the next while I’m doing all that writing. But I think the pro of books within the series releasing closer together outweighs the con.
We’ll see!
You’re right! More time between writing and editing will make it easier. Good point! It sounds like you have a great plan. I hope to hear a report next year of how it was a huge success!
I, too, like the analogy of baking. It is one often used in the field of computer programming which is my background. WAIT! Hold the yawns for just a moment :) My experience in improving my process has often come along with a change in understanding about my WHY (my motivation) for what I am doing.
If you are driven primarily by enjoying the writing process *as it is for you right now*, then you have no reason to improve it from within yourself. The improvements to the post-production processes are enough. However, when we, your adoring fans, coming pounding at your (admittedly electronic) door and you want to tighten up the research-plot-write cycle to keep our Weezer-like tails wagging then you will find even that process has room for creative change.
Sorry for a longer post. I will close with this last suggestion. Think about your favorite TV drama: many episodes (book releases), one season (series). Your all-at-once inspiration for the new series gives you the raw material, the bones, for the skeleton of your story. Do you lay out all the bones first then add the muscles and skin of writing. Or do you pick an arm and only move on once the nails are fully manicured? Both are possible. One might be an improvement over the other.
I look forward to seeing how it works out in the coming year!