Documenting My Book Publishing Journey: Week 11

We're back with another week of Rachel-can't-commit-to-anything-so-she-freaks-out-a-bit-and-does-nothing - 

Just kidding. It been a wild week, for sure, but some really good things are happening, and I have you to thank for most of it. 

A Big Decision: 

Last week, I sent out an email (and a post) asking you which project I should focus on. Unanimously, you replied: 

Project #3 (aka: My Soul Project). 

The support was amazing. I was overwhelmed by your positivity, kindness, and the way you all told me the straight-up truth. Thank you so much for that. 

So this week, I've refocused all my efforts on project #3, and I'm ready to tell you a bit about it. 

The Song of the Blackthorn Tree

you can check out the official webpage here - I'll be updating from time to time

This project has seen 45 trillion different edits, revisions, versions, and forms in the last 21 (ish) years of my life. It's had a ton of different names. But one thing has always been true about it: it needs to be out in the world. 

It's inspired by Icelandic, Scottish, and Scandinavian folklore, in addition to countless books, movies, and video games. It's been a living, breathing thing in my head for so long that I actually had to think really hard about where it came from. 

Here's the premise: 

Niles, a gentle giant and outcast, has spent years hiding in the Sunland—a land that tolerates but does not welcome him. Born to two warring northern races that both despise him, he was exiled as a child and has spent his life avoiding the bloodshed that follows his kind. But when a storm ravages his adopted village and superstitious whispers turn against him, Niles is forced to leave. Haunted by dreams of his lost sister—sold into slavery years ago—he sets out on a brutal trek north, where the land is as deadly as the people who rule it.

Alongside an unlikely mentor, a headstrong noblewoman far beyond his reach, and a dwindling hope that his sister is still alive, Niles faces the elements, slavers, and the relentless Dhurkai—Viking-like warriors bent on exterminating half-bloods like him. As the journey pushes him past his limits, he must decide: is he the outcast they have always feared, or can he forge his own fate? If he fails, he will lose more than just his life—he will lose the people who have become his family.

With themes of identity, sacrifice, and perseverance, The Song of the Blackthorn Tree explores the tension between fate and free will in a world where the past refuses to be buried. 

Cool, right? 

Well, I'm in love with it. I hope my lack of marketing skills won't get in the way of you loving it, too. 

Next steps: 

Because I made such a big pivot, I'm actually well ahead of schedule - with the last project, I was running behind a little bit. Now I'm getting back in the groove. 

Here are the next big things: 

1. Finish editing. I've got a few rounds of edits left, but they're getting smaller and smaller with each pass. 
2. Draft a query letter (or five) - I actually already have one, but I'm going to try out a few different versions to see what sticks. 
3. Look for agents - assuming all goes to plan, I'm going to start querying in October. I already have a list of people, but I like to be open minded about this. 

After that? Who knows. I'd like to have something in the works for 2026, but at this moment that is 100% out of my control. 

About editing:

If you're new to this whole editing thing, it can be a little overwhelming. I'm pretty good at it because I walk my students through it. I use a really slow method that goes over one piece at a time - and though it can feel quite tedious, it does its job really well. 

It usually goes like this: 

1. developmental edits: ask the question, is the story in the right order? Are all the necessary pieces there? Did I include enough information? Is there too much? (this is what usually takes so long)
2. character edits: who are the characters? what are they doing? Are there strong images attached to each one? Are any redundant? Do I need to make their goals, fears, motivations more clear? 
3. Finer edits: prose, word choice, dialogue - this is where we get into the actual WRITING of the piece. Some call this line edits, although I don't like to call them that because line edits implies we're looking for typos (which we're not). 

There is a lot of nuance here and a lot of little details that go into each step - but I'm somewhere in between 1 & 2. I'm looking at 20 pages a day to get this round of editing done in around 30 days. And then...

TO READ OR NOT TO READ

I'm still on the fence about beta readers. Not that I should or shouldn't do them - I know the answer is yes, I should - but I'm still puzzling out how I might do it. 

If you're interested in beta reading in this project, shoot me an email, yeah? I'd love to hear from you about it. 

If I do go down this route, we're looking at July for Beta Reading. 

Alright - that's all for now, folks. I've got a lot of editing to do and not a lot of time for blogging. 

Before I let you go, though, have you seen the Ultimate Worldbuilding Manual? I've actually had to turn off my phone this past week because this thing is going viral. 

You can check it out here. 

Anyway - see you next time! 

Happy Writing! 

Rachel