Editing Diaries: The Dream (Episode 8)

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Yeah… this is still dragging out.

At least a little progress has been made in the past three months. XD

If you would like to recap on the previous Editing Diaries entries for The Dream, you can read them here:

I’ll Keep it Short But Sweet… We’re Almost at the End of the Tunnel!

This recap will be a little out of order, so please bear with me.

So, when we last left off, I told y’all that the Word Search Edit of Doom had finally been completed (thank God) and that I had reread The Crush and The Fall, taking notes on small things to edit in preparation for The Dream‘s release.

Well, in July, I finally got around to implementing those edits, and am working on completing another listen-through of both books in Word to make sure I didn’t miss anything else.

I plan to upload the edited files to the review copy website I use soon, and will open both of those books up for a limited number of reviewers. If you’re interested in becoming a potential reviewer, stay tuned for more details on how to join my review team, which I plan to post here on August 7th, Lord willing!

Now, let’s rewind back to May and June and talk about the editing and prep work that happened then.

In May, I reread The Dream for edits again on my Kindle to see how it read after the Word Search Edit, and spent some time fixing the issues I found during that round. On May 24th, I sent the edited draft to my alpha reader/author bestie, M. Liz Boyle, who is an absolute rockstar when it comes to offering encouraging yet honest feedback, and her comments helped the manuscript shine brighter than ever before! Once I went through her suggestions, I did a minor spot edit on The Dream to fix a couple places I still wasn’t satisfied with by adding more detail.

I’ve also been working alongside my cover designer (my sister, who is a graphic designer) over the past couple months on The Dream‘s cover, which is nearing completion. It’s been a busy season for both of us, so we haven’t had a lot of time to work on it together.

So, What’s Next?

As I mentioned earlier, I plan to open The Crush and The Fall back up for new reviewers on August 7th, so if you’re a fan of contemporary Christian YA romance that covers tough topics with grace, add a reminder to your phone or planner to keep this in mind! 🙂

In the meantime, The Dream will be sent to my editor on August 1st, and while she’s going over the manuscript, I plan to do another listen-through of The Dream if time allows.

This summer has been one of the busiest seasons of my life, and I’m finding it more difficult than ever to find time to work on author tasks. At the moment, along with preparing for The Dream‘s release, I’m (attempting) to outline my next WIP, Follow the Arrows, which has taken much longer to do than I originally anticipated. I may start writing it in August, but we’ll see.

Marketing has completely gone to the back burner over the last couple months. I don’t even know when I last batched a set of Reels, and I’ve been so burnt out with Going Everywhere on Earth But Back to My House to Relax that I haven’t even posted the last one I have in my drafts. I’ve been doing good to make the few photos or carousels I’ve shared on Instagram over the past few weeks.

But, through this season of busyness, God has shown me that even when I’m weak, He’s still strong, and that this season will pass eventually. I just need to stay as faithful as I can to what He’s called me to do, and He will honor that.

That’s All for Now, Arrowheads!

If you’ve read and enjoyed the first two books in The Ballad of Emery Brooks trilogy and haven’t already done so, please consider adding The Dream to your to-read list on Goodreads! As I mentioned in the blurb reveal, I anticipate The Dream to be released on November 4, 2024, Lord willing. ARC sign-ups will become available after my editor goes through the manuscript and I take the time to implement her editing notes.

Aim high, stay strong, and always hit your mark.

-Allyson 😀

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As an author and blogger, my goal is to teach writers that there is a way to write realistic, thought-provoking, redemptive Christian fiction that honors God while not sugarcoating the realities of the world. 

3 thoughts on “Editing Diaries: The Dream (Episode 8)”

  1. Haha and I can empathize about Going Everywhere on Earth But Back to My House to Relax XD

    Yes, you have the right attitude to keep being faithful in the tiny steps you can keep making even during the craziest seasons. You’re doing great 🙂

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  2. Pingback: Editing Diaries: The Dream (Episode 9) – Authoring Arrowheads

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