There are many steps to a manuscript becoming a real book – when I hold a finished copy of my book in my hands, complete with:
• Final cover
• Back cover copy
• Endorsements
• Dedication
• Acknowledgements
• Author Q&A
• Group discussion questions
• And all the chapters in between

Of course, the first step is meeting my first deadline and hitting SEND on my manuscript so that my editor can read through it and send it back to me several weeks later with comments and thoughts on how to improve my story.

But what else happens while I’m waiting for my editor’s feedback?

1. I relax. Once I hit SEND, I’m of no earthly good to anyone. As a matter of fact, I usually end up with a migraine within 24 to 48 hours of meeting my deadline. I’m prepared for it now, and keep my schedule as clear as possible right after deadline. This last time, I was a zombie-writer for a good week.
2. I give copies of my manuscript to my Preferred Readers. I have three friends who read through my manuscript once I send it to my editor. One is a writer, and the other two are similar to readers in my target audience. They’re on their third or fourth manuscript with me, and so we’ve got a system:
a. Each one has a 3-ring binder, which I store between manuscripts
b. I print off the manuscripts – either doing this myself, which requires that I also 3-hole punch them, or at Kinkos, which cost me $90 this last time. It’s either time or money, folks. Time or money.
c. We meet for breakfast, lunch, or dinner – my treat – and talk through the manuscript, chapter by chapter. We rotate who begins each chapter.
d. I take their copies home and go through them, one by one, incorporating their feedback, both positive and constructive.
3. I send copies of my manuscript to my “experts.” For Almost Like Being in Love, the second novel in my destination-wedding series, two characters were realtors and one was an AC/Heating repairman. I know nothing about either of these career fields. But I do know people who do. And both of them were willing to answer questions while I wrote. They also offered to read through the manuscript after I pushed SEND, ensuring I got things right.
4. I leave my manuscript alone. This is when my story needs to sit. Gel. Perk. However you want to say it. Once I get my combined feedback, then I will tear into my story – and nothing is sacred. I can change the beginning, the middle, the end – and anything in between. But while I’m waiting for my feedback, I do just that: I wait. I do not read my manuscript. I do not edit my manuscript. I do not rewrite manuscript.

What do you do while you’re waiting for an editor’s feedback on your manuscript?