A responsibility weighing heavy...

It's been a busy last few weeks, and the next month or so isn't going to be any quieter. Yesterday saw the finishing touches put to the design and layout for Pocket Rocket, the autobiography of 1980s British cycling star Steve Joughin. While there are a few tweaks here and there to make, what we have now is pretty much how the finished book will look.

I'd meant to accompany this post with a pic of the front cover, but I've spotted one or two things that need smoothing out, so that has to wait for another day.

I emailed a PDF of the book to Steve and his co-author Richard Allen and then sat back, nervously checking the inbox every five minutes. In some ways, it's worse than being an author submitting a manuscript to your publisher. Both Steve and Richard are relying on us to do their book justice, which is a responsibility that can weigh heavy. As is making sure the finished product looks as fine as you can make it, because - it being our first publication - we know that it's got to sell if Nemesis is going to flourish.

Thankfully, both Steve and Richard came back to say how impressed they are with it. At first I thought they'd probably say that anyway, but then I put myself back in the writer's shoes and thought, if I wasn't happy with a draft that came my way, would I say anything at this stage? Absolutely, hell yeah.

I've a meeting tomorrow night with Richard to talk through a few minor issues, but unless anything major crops up, it should be going off to print in the next week or so, which is just as well, as we're working to a deadline.

That deadline has been fixed by Steve's annual participation in October's Cycle Show in Earl's Court, London. He takes a stand there each year for his Pro-Vision Clothing business and if you're looking to launch an autobiography of one of Britain's most popular cycling stars from its golden age of the 1980s, then where better to do it than at a four-day event that is expected to attract around 25,000 people who are, how shall I put it, somewhat enthusiastic about cycling.

In addition to finalising the layout for print, there's a backlog of other jobs that need attending to - the website needs a final polish and some additional text before going live; there is a local launch and book signings for Pocket Rocket to arrange; the final print spec needs confirming with the printer; reviews of the book to be arranged in all the leading cycling magazines, for which Richard is a regular freelance contributor (if you're a writer still confused by what an author's platform is, Steve and Richard are superb examples); and a host of other bits and pieces which eat into your time.

Ultimately, this is at once a cool and yet terrifying time. We're about to make our first big step into the dark and dangerous world of publishing, and, not to put too fine a point on it, I'm bricking it.

Ah well. To borrow a well-known advertising line, what's the worst that can happen...?

Indesign, print runs and new blog pad

The final draft of Pocket Rocket, the autobiography of former British cycling champion Steve Joughin, appeared in our inbox on Wednesday morning. Other than a few final tweaks that proofing always throws up, what we have now will constitute our first official publication - and it's incredibly exciting and absolutely petrifying in equal measures.

The last two nights have been spent putting the words into the Indesign file and connecting the pages to allow the text to flow throughout. That was a slow, tedious job, but now everything is in place, I can crack on with formatting and slotting pictures into relevant spots. The cover artwork was already all but done - we've managed to source a fantastic photograph of Steve crossing the winning line, arms aloft, a look of sheer ecstasy on his face. It makes for a very simple but effective front cover and I just hope I can do the picture justice.

Design work will continue over the next week or so, while attention turns to finalising the print spec and weighing up options for the size of print run. It’s a bloody tricky balance. The more books we order, the lower the unit cost, but the higher the overall initial outlay. And, of course, there’s also the issue of gauging how many copies we think we can shift.

As we’re working to a budget tighter than my slacks after one of Mrs Q’s fine homemade pizzas, it’s going to need some careful consideration.

One other point to make, and it’s a fairly important one.

This will most likely be our last post from this blog - when our website goes live (probably mid next week), there is a new blog built into the site, so all future missives will come from there. We will, however, leave this blog in situ for a while to direct folk over to the new pad.

Right, that’s all for now folks. Take care, and we’ll see you in our new home.