A little different format this time. Now that the initial layout for Architect of Worlds is complete, I’m in the final push to finish the book for actual release. There are still a number of tasks that need to be done before we get to that point, though. That’s the list that’s going to take center stage for November – and probably for December as well.

The objective is to have Architect of Worlds ready for release by the end of the calendar year. At this moment, it’s looking as if the actual release will not be via self-publication, as I had originally considered. Instead, as I’ve mentioned, there’s a good chance I’ll be working an established small-press publisher to release the book through their own imprint. We haven’t agreed to a deal just yet, and until that happens I’m not going to say who it is. Watch this space for further news – it probably won’t be long before I know what’s going to happen.

Either way, I suspect I/we will be setting the release date at no later than March 2024. I had originally hoped for earlier, but given all the life disasters I’ve been dealing with since July, I’m actually pleased the book won’t be further delayed. Fingers crossed, knock on wood, prayers to whatever deity or luck-granting spirit you subscribe to . . .

So here’s the current list of outstanding tasks:

Editorial Work:

• Make final alterations to the design sequence or other rules for this edition, based on recent patron and reader feedback.
• Perform a final editorial pass through the complete text, correcting typos, style inconsistencies, errors in tables or mathematical formulae, and “page XX” references.
• Generate and lay out the copyright & acknowledgements page.
• Generate and lay out the Table of Contents.

Art Direction:

• Create separate “print on demand” (almost entirely greyscale) and “e-book” (full color) layers in the InDesign layout, supporting the production of two release PDFs.
• Correct all cases where space for filler art was allocated by changing the size of the page’s main text frame, as opposed to placing an explicit object frame.
• Create greyscale versions of (some) existing full-color images and place those in the layout on the appropriate layer.
• Generate additional filler art throughout the book, placing both full-color and greyscale versions on the appropriate layers.
• Create (or receive from publisher) new front and back cover images, and integrate these into the release PDFs.

I’m probably going to work on all of these concurrently, aside from those last-minute changes to the text at the top of the list (that’s the only item that might significantly change the layout). So a clean progress bar is probably not going to work – I’ll just leave the occasional Status Report post here to let everyone know how it’s going.

It should be clear that the window is just about closed for any recommendations for altered “rules” mechanics. If you have anything you’d like to suggest, I suspect that has to be in my hands before, say, 10 November. After that, the major structure of the text is going to be set in stone for this edition. Speak up, or it will have to wait for after-publication articles, or the second edition in a few years.

In the meantime, to the extent I have any unclaimed time (or I need another task for variety) I think I’m going to get back to writing some fiction. Most likely this will be more chapters of Twice-Crowned. If I make enough progress with that between now and the end of the calendar year, I’ll publish a new partial draft as a charged release for my patrons. No predictions – a lot depends on how Architect and some other tasks are doing in the meantime.

We’re on the home stretch!