Today was devoted, more or less, to what I think is referred to as housekeeping. I threw away many of the drafts of Venus (help – was that wise? –I know its all on disc but it felt so final) and I generally tidied my desk. I’m beginning to think of new projects but I … Read more
Check that all the corrections have been inserted and then spend far too long trying to design an order form. I want to get 2 A5 sheets on the same A4 paper. The text is easy enough to swivel – but the pictures aren’t. I nearly drive myself mad doing this kind of thing – … Read more
Check the new index – a few very minor mistakes. Go and meet Midas and take them 36 proof copies. They are enthusiastic about the book and think it’s got much potential. I was right to think I couldn’t go away in the near future – I need to be around in case anyone wants … Read more
Rupert arrives on the dot of 10 and he films me in the bookshop for YouTube – it goes pretty well I think – very few re-takes. Then – guess what – the proofs arrive BUT only 50 copies – not the 70 I’d asked for and there had been a panic this morning about … Read more
Spent all weekend doing index, putting in photo credits and rechecking corrections. Finish it. Today I have put the written index numbers into a Word document and sent them off to Antony. We still haven’t got a printer – they vary in price enormously. Still no proofs either – they have now been promised for … Read more
Index, index, index – all day. However I do finish it – at least the first time through. Inevitably no proofs – however they are now ‘promised’ for Monday; I desperately need them by Wednesday when I am meant to be taking 50 copies to Midas.
Get about halfway through doing the index. Inevitably I had left out certain things but also put in various extraneous entries which I am taking out – so it should be more or less the same length. I know that indexing is a real skill but I’m not attempting anything other than a very basic … Read more
Start checking the corrected proofs against the originals – a few omissions but they are really getting there. I then start the index – I have already done most of it – but I have to fill in the page numbers, which I don’t think will change now. Guess what – still no proof copies … Read more
Go and see Colman Getty in Windmill Street – just for friendly advice. They don’t take on individual books any more – I knew I wasn’t going to use them but it is interesting to get as much advice and as many angles about publicity as possible. I was also finding out what I should … Read more
I’ve now got a distributor – Central Books – and a publicist – Midas. So I feel somewhat more in control. Still no proofs from Bookforce – but I woke last Wednesday night and thought about their estimate – which was for 130 pages – the book is 260 – and I had thought that’s … Read more