What exactly is the road map for 2026? It is a good question. Much like my approach to writing, I am not actually heading into the year without an outline. Not to state the obvious, but planning helps for many reasons, especially for someone like me who naturally settles into being disorganised and sporadic. Truthfully, boxing myself into a schedule is normally a wise move.
Reviewing the Previous Road Map
The road map so far, as I have mentioned in several blog posts, was originally quite speculative. I just wanted to write a book and figured I would work out the way as I went. But it still had a structured road map: one chapter a week, published to my reading group every Sunday. That was the core of it, with a 12-month target for a first draft manuscript.
This went faster than planned for several reasons. It meant the revised road map for last year also included development edits by the end of Q3, with copy and line edits done by Q4. My ambitious self also wanted typesetting and physical prints done by the end of last year, but that rolled into Q1 of 2026.
Navigating the Q1 2026 Road Map
Q1 has now turned into a bit of a mad dash to get typesetting, copy prints, pre-orders, and the launch all wrapped up. Add in marketing and a late decision to produce an audiobook, and it is a lot to juggle. Everything is looking to be on target, which is good, barring perhaps the launch, which might roll into the first week of Q2.
I really wanted to keep my chapter a week pace going through all quarters of 2026, but so far that is failing. However, the most exciting part of this road map is that you will be able to pre-order the book very soon. Seeing the pre-order page live makes the madness of Q1 feel worth it.
Looking Ahead: The Q2 and Q3 Road Map
As for the Q2 road map? I hope once the launch settles down, the weekly admin will drop off so I can focus on writing. I will still need to manage the marketing side of things, but I plan to keep this to a minimum. That might be a mistake in terms of reach, but my inner conflict right now is clear: reach is important, but finishing the series is the priority.
Specifically for the road map in Q2, I want to pick up book two. I have outlined this in detail and drafted 20 chapters already. It has been a while, so I need to get back into the flow. I want to re-look at the outline, mix in some new elements, and expand others. If I can have that done early in Q2, the focus will be purely on writing. My goal is a simple chapter a week. Please do not judge, as I am working around a job and I know others do it better, but this is what I can manage.
Completing the 2026 Road Map
By Q3, the road map does not really change: keep writing. Book two will likely be the same length as book one, around 60 chapters. Since I have 20 done, if I do a good job in Q2, I could be halfway there by mid-year.
For Q4, the goal is to get as close to a finished first draft as possible. I will likely still be 10 or so chapters off, but that is the road map. It might not be the most exciting plan, but if things go well, book one will be out very soon and book two will be ready by mid-2027.
At this rate, we are talking about a 2030 completion for the whole series, which is crazy to consider. I did get a taste of writing full-time last year and know I can put out one to two chapters a day. This would mean the timeline for the whole series would be closer to two years instead of six. Oh well, that can be part of a future road map if I ever choose to go that way.
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