Errata and Minutiae

March 3 2025

Crafting Worlds with Novelcrafter: My Journey from Idea to Publication

For years, I had the first few novels built in my head, characters whispering their stories, and a plotline that refused to stay untangled. The struggle wasn't the writing itself but the organization. Like many authors, I juggled scattered notes, half-finished outlines, and endless rewrites, trying to keep track of my characters, settings, and lore.

I literally went through a dozen methods—Word, Pages, Scrivener, Trelby, Google Docs, etc.—before I found Novelcrafter.

The Power of Organization: Snippets and Codex

What sets Novelcrafter apart for me is its Snippets and Codex functions. Writing a novel is more than just stringing together sentences; it's about maintaining continuity, keeping track of details, and ensuring that every aspect of the world I create remains cohesive.

Snippets allow me to save important pieces of text, whether it's a particularly powerful scene, a dialogue exchange, or a key plot twist I don't want to forget. Instead of searching through an entire manuscript, I can pull up relevant sections instantly.

I often write entire chapters in the snippet before committing them to the manuscript, and they frequently have no resemblance to the actual text I use. They act more like a repository of thoughts.

The Codex acts as my personal lore bible. It holds everything from detailed character bios to intricate world-building elements. Every city, historical event, and moral system detail has its place, making it easy to reference and refine as the story evolves.

Before using Novelcrafter, I relied on notebooks, scattered Word documents, and endless bookmarking. Now, my writing process feels seamless.

From Manuscript to Self-Published Novel

Once the manuscript is complete, the next step is publishing. Self-publishing is an empowering route but requires careful planning. Here's what my process looks like:

1. Editing: After drafting each chapter, I edit and refine my manuscript and read the prose as if I were reading it for the first time. I ensure that the flow remains constant and maintains the continuity of every character, location, plot, and subplot, from scene to scene, chapter to chapter.

2. Cover Design & Formatting: "A professional-looking cover and a well-formatted book make all the difference. If I only had the money to pay for that. At this point, since I am completely unskilled in cover design or drawing in general and not Bill Gates, I rely on AI to help me. The formatting is something I do myself, as tedious as that is.

3. Publishing on Platforms: I use Draft2Digital to distribute my current books. I've explored others like KDP, IngramSpark, Bookbaby, etc. I would like my next big project to be available in hardcover, so D2D would not be an option.

4. Marketing & Promotion: Writing is just the beginning. I engage with readers through social media, word of mouth, and book promotions. I am hoping to garner enough interest in my work to begin a news letter. For now, I don't see teh value in producing one just for my mom.

So, that's my journey the past few months, in a nutshell.

Thanks to Novelcrafter, I spend less time wrestling with the technical side of writing and more time crafting the stories I love. If you're an author looking to streamline your writing process, I can't recommend it enough.

Have you used Novelcrafter or a similar tool? Let's talk about it in the comments!